Terrific hour! If one could pick a single moment where the crew of the Enterprise really enters into legend, this should be the one. Why here? More formidably than in any previous episode, the writers have positioned the crew between a rock - a rapidly decaying orbit that threatens the ship with destruction - and a hard place - a fast-moving virus leaving them more mentally compromised with each passing moment. And from within these dire straits, our heroes not only emerge victorious, powering against the forces of nature with incredible willpower and ingenuity, but in the process make what must be one of the momentous discoveries in the history of space travel - the power to travel backward through time! The Naked Time must surely be regarded as one of the finest installments in the early canon (and beyond), both for its contributions to the building of a legend, and for the terrific development of its characters along the way.
Yeah, I've always liked this one, too. This is (nearly) the first time we get to see any backstory and exposition for our characters - the first time we get to know them and learn what makes them tick. I love Lt. Riley's turn as cocky, drunken heir-apparent to Kirk too... "...I'm sorry but there'll be no ice-cream for you tonight!"
It seems that the writers had a pretty strong grasp on their characters from the very start, and that shines through even in the smaller moments. By its nature, though, The Naked Time is an absolute goldmine of such material, bringing us closer to both the principal characters, and to newcomers like Riley and even the doomed Tormolen. Early on, Star Trek excels with its vivid character writing.
^ You have an excellent point there. I've never really given it thought, but i think you are right. The writers did seem to have the characters down from the get go, as opposed to the writers and TNG. Thats really amazing when you think about it. Aside from the Spock weirdness early on, everyone really did stay pretty much the same throughout TOS's run. Thats really awesome!
There are two sides to the coin, however. If TOS hit the ground running with the characterizations of its peripheral players, I tend to think that's because its peripheral players were never utilized to the extent of those in later series. Because its successors worked more toward building large ensembles beyond the leads, it's understandable that it would take more time for all the pieces to fall into place. This is not intended as a slight, but outside of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, TOS's recurring characters rarely played important roles in the drama. I think it's for that reason, rather than some tremendous foresight, that revisions to their character were never necessary.
Thanks so much! I love fiction, and Star Trek has always been a favorite. With the amount of time I've spent thinking about its many stories over the years, it seems only right that I take it all in chronologically. There will be many episodes I have never seen along the way, and I'm sure my current thinking will go through many drafts. I very much appreciate the respect I've been accorded here during the early stages of this long journey!
If anyone has any behind-the-scenes information about Riley and his swift introduction and disappearance, I'd love to hear it!
I saw the actor at a convention, and he said it was simply that they didn't think the character was popular enough to warrant continuation, or some such.
Well, there's no doubt that Riley was well written and played, but I do think Chekov brought a lot more to the table than an Irishman in terms of crew diversity, particularly considering world politics of the '60s. Beyond the differences in their specific nationalities, though, their schticks weren't so dissimilar.
Well! I happen to BE an Irishman, and we individually are worth TEN thousand- uh, what extraction are you sir, so I can finish my paraphrase/joke?
Haha, I too am of Irish descent, but I'm content to have Scotty representing our region, so to speak. I look forward, by the way, to what will be my first screening of The Omega Glory. I know it's commonly maligned, so it's terrific to hear a dissenting view.
When I was in my teens, I fully dismissed "The Omega Glory" as being an impossible tale based on the idea that parallel devopement of planets was reserved for other dimensions. But later, in my progressive years, I rediscovered the ep as a parable- in essence, a story from my own "Bible" that was not meant to be literal, but was meant to direct your questioning & teach you something.
I would argue that you have a point with TNG, but I think DS9's characters were pretty well set-up from the get-go. That said, I LOVE this episode. Though I always chuckle about the title. In our house, "Naked Time" means something else entirely.
DS9's individual characters may not have undergone as much tinkering, but it did take a couple of seasons before the writers settled comfortably on an overall direction for the series. But these are inherent qualities in an approach that doesn't map out all the endpoints prior to the premiere. With Star Trek's characters and situations, writers have had faith to go where the wind takes them, and it's natural that this sometimes shows.
I like this episodie, its one of my favorites from season 1. I think this episode is kind of funny, because everybody starts acting strange, its all because of the virus. Its also the first we see Spock, acting very emotional, which is unlike himself.