Star Trek: The Original Series - The Naked Time **

 

If you want to see Shatner in Full Shatner Acting Mode, then The Naked Time is the quintessential Kirk Trek episode. The love for his ship, why the Enterprise is called "her", Kirk fighting the emotional volume of the virus now set up in him, seeing Yeoman Rand and warding off desire for her, trying to hold his focus on the job as Captain, on the Bridge, in the chair, responsible for the Enterprise's time warp backwards, recovering from the virus not long after Bones gave him the cure; it is quite moment for the series as a whole. And this was in the first season, very early in the series. I talked about Spock's combat with emotion and Nurse Chapel admitting she was in love with him, Sulu's swashbuckling attempts with a fencing sword, Riley's Irish tune, Kathleen, which he tortures the crew with when commandeering the main engine room, and how the virus inundates Kirk with a lot of challenges as the planet the Enterprise's orbits is dying. Losing control of his ship, Kirk relies on Scotty to cut his way into that main engine control room, while some laughing officer with a paint brush leaves behind "Sinner Repent" and "Love Mankind". There is a lot to the episode as it offers a great showcase for Nimoy and Shatner, not to mention, it allows Sulu to be quite wild and Scotty to be honest with Kirk that he can only do so much. This is where Kirk is at his best: he gets through to Spock, who needs to be "snapped out of it" while perpetuating an incredible feat through time travel three whole days. Just a lot of fun. 5/5

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