The Naked Now

The Naked Now

Well here we are, in the episode "The Naked Now". Firstly, it is directly a sequel of the "Naked Time" in the original Trek. As fun as it would be to compare the two, including the iconic Sulu sword fighting scenes, that will not be happening. There is plenty enough in this episode to help us understand where the series starts, and how much it will grow throughout it's seasons.

This episode, by far, is one that is introducing an older story arc from a different season just to flesh out the characters. Yes it seems cool, and yes it ties us in with the original series but, despite that that may be the intent, it is not the effect. The effect, rather, is a setting up of certain characters with faults and skills and to basically do a show and tell of how this new Enterprise works. So, since i have said the analysis here rests on characters, and perhaps their structural functions, lets list and examine.

Data

So here we have Data. A fresh new character and, besides Worf (this is debatable but shut up) the only one of his type within the entirety of the franchise (as it comes out chronologically here in the 80's). Besides the constant and annoying reminders we are given that he is an android (such as grammar corrections and references) we are also given that he is in "perfect health" by the doctor.

Yet Data has limitations. The problem with this young series is that the writers don't quite know those limitations yet, as we can see in this episode. On one hand Riker says to Data that looking up records of an incident similar to the one on the Tsiolkovsky ( a pioneer in astronautic theory as well as a rocket scientist, thanks Wikipedia) "ought to be easy for someone written up in bio-mechanical texts". And it should shouldn't it. In fact Data is a thinking machine and he is reading the screen at many times the speed of any normal human. So why couldn't they find the files sooner? If i asked you, dear internet reader, to look up incidents of people showering with their cloths on aboard a ship, you would find things rather quickly using Google or Yahoo or whatever. But Data, a thinking machine, a intellectual and physical giant, using a computer also so advanced its beyond our comprehension, cannot find this information in a quicker than timely fashion. Boo.

What this illustrates is that Data's abilities are a plot device to the max. His abilities and limitations often will form plots or be used to make plots go forward. This happens again at the end of the episode when Data will not be able to put the iso-linear chips in quickly enough. Data is, follow me here, able to be plugging these complicated chips in at a crazy speed, but also, at the same time, able to calculate with limited information the chunk of star that will come and destroy the ship? give me a break that this robot couldn't find an instance of showering in clothing with the aid of possibly two search engines in enough time to recognize what was going on. Down to the core, Data does grow as a character, but he is essentially a tool for plot. His abilities will falter where plot seeks another character to come forward, and will be amazing when he solves the problems.

Also, sex with Yar and human emotions while under the influence of a disease that effects water molecules (despite Data's "if you prick me do i not bleed" crap i don't really think he would be effected by this disease)? Give me a break.

Wesley Crusher
This little shit is just a plot device. He creates two devices. A portable tractor beam and a recording device the equivalent of spy gear from the 90's. Both that allow him to bring the ship into jeopardy.

First, he has the ship's assistant chief engineer ask him how he made a force field...

Really?
Realllllllly? Are you saying to me that, a person, who is the assistant chief engineer, on the flagship of an intergalactic federation of planets that has its own academy that is super hard to get in to and weeds out people using stress tests that are the equivilant of the BAR with a gun pointed at your head, doesn't know how to make a simple portable force field?!?!?!

I give up.

Or that, the whole ship of geniuses, even under the influence of a disease mimicking "alcohol" (more like ecstasy in the episode if you ask me) can't find a way around one force field. Or that there aren't fail safes?

Basically ridiculous. And Wes Crusher only gets more ridiculous but that can wait.

Riker

Now i know some people don't really like Riker, i say poo on them. Many people have told me he is a a failure as a playboy and doesn't live up to the shadow of Kirk. Well you are right, but Riker is not like that. In fact this episode gives the best account of character in Riker. He shows that he is resourceful, intelligent and strong in willpower.

Riker knows what needs to be done to save the ship and he does it. He is constantly trying to fix the problem and, if the disease is indeed like alcohol, the man holds his liquor damn well.

This episode sets up Riker as heroic and capable. He cares more about the ship. Also their is a moment of character between him and Dianna, which goes on through the whole series. Basically this is the one character who gains depth through this episode, without the scathing idiocies of reducing his attributes to simple plot functions.

Picard and Bev CrusherI won't lie, at this point i am running out of steam when it comes to the analysis of the characters as presented by this episode. But we need to analyze these two.

Picard: He is Picard, the same Picard he was at Farpoint, serious, intelligent, and strong. We do see a bit of him drunk and acting like a boy, a boy, not a drunk man but a boy, when talking to Crusher but that is about it. He is stern with Wesley the way through, and as serious as ever.

Bev: She is a strong female character for this show. She is not as cheesy as Dianna and seems to have more agency. Though she wants to put it down on Picard in a hard way, she does come up with the solution to the problem. Also we see her relationship with the captain goes deeper than expected. She, like Riker, is show with good poise. She controls herself (even though she makes sexual advances but hey, the women hasn't gotten any since her husband died, i can't blame her). This is funny though:

"Of course we don't have time for that sort of thing"
"What sort of thing?"
"Oh god would i love to show you"

I don't think Picard would say no, no lie. Also right after this exchange he makes some sort of weird throat clearing sound and becomes suddenly infected by the disease. Worf tells Riker the captain is infected and well, the show goes on.

Summary:
Basically this is a bad episode. It is one where the plot is very easy to determine and is mostly pushed forward by the inadequacies of the crew. It doesn't paint anyone but Riker and the minimal Worf in a good light. It shows that, despite the vast dominions of enemies the Enterprise will face, a boy with science fair projects could defeat them. We can hope to get better focuses on character later, but we will have to see.