Star Trek The Next Generation: Every Season One Episode Ranked From Worst To Best

17. The Naked Now

Star Trek The Next Generation The Naked Now
Paramount

Infamous now for its depiction of the fact that Data is 'fully functional', The Naked Now was the second episode to air of the Next Generation. The plot was a lift almost wholesale from the Original Series' The Naked Time, something that George Takei took particular issue with. He felt that this new show was simply stealing the best of what his show had to offer. Based on this episode alone, he did have a point.

This episode teeters over the line of funny camp and unfunny camp. While it is highly enjoyable seeing a drunk Data fall over on the bridge, the episode does a disservice to Tasha and Crusher in particular, reducing them from powerful female characters to sex mad, barely or unable to control themselves.

This would also feature one of the first examples of Wesley saving the day, which drew ire from the audience after a time. The tone of the first season took a while to settle and this episode, adult drunken behaviour aside, seems aimed at a younger audience. Of course the child is the one who can save the adults!

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"