Patrick Stewart Called One Star Trek Episode A 'Sex Farce' — For Good Reason
These days, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" is regarded as a classic sci-fi series. However, not every episode is a winner, and there's one in particular that Patrick Stewart isn't a fan of. The Jean-Luc Picard actor doesn't have nice things to say about Season 1's "The Naked Now," as he described it as a "sex farce" in his book "Making It So: A Memoir."
The episode sees the USS Enterprise crew become infected with a virus that makes them act drunk and horny. For example, Data (Brent Spiner) reveals that he's capable of sexual arousal before hooking up with Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby). Elsewhere, Picard gets the hots for Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden), and some of the space crusaders are shown without their clothes on when they're discovered after the chaos has unfolded. Moreover, "Naked Now" is the third-ever episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," so the characters were barely established before they started acting out of sorts.
While Stewart understands that some people are fans of "Naked Now," he believes the episode reflects Gene Roddenberry's more risqué sensibilities. However, the entire series could have been more questionable if some of the creator's other ideas came to fruition.
Gene Roddenberry wanted Deanna Troi to have more breasts
In his memoir, Patrick Stewart recalled Gene Roddenberry's interest in accentuating Deanna Troi's (Marina Sirtis) physical attributes on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Stewart noted that she wore a minidress and go-go boots in the pilot, but there were also plans to give the half-human, half-Betazoid three or four breasts.
Of course, this story is common knowledge. Franchise writer and producer D.C. Fontana originally protested against the idea, fearing it would be a logistical nightmare and offend some people. "I objected to Troi having three breasts. I felt women have enough trouble with two," she told Entertainment Weekly in 2007. "And how are you going to line them up? Vertically, horizontally, or what? I was like, please, don't go there. And they didn't, fortunately."
In short, "The Naked Now" offers a glimpse into what "Star Trek: The Next Generation" could have been if Fontana hadn't objected to certain ideas early on. Of course, the episode is also a prime example of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" occasionally rehashing old ideas.
The Naked Now rips off a better Star Trek episode
Season 1 of "Star Trek: The Original Series" boasts an episode with a similar premise to "The Naked Now," but its legacy isn't as divisive. Aptly titled "The Naked Time," it sees Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the gang come into contact with a virus that makes them behave irrationally. For example, Lieutenant Sulu (George Takei) runs around with a sword pretending to be a swashbuckler, which sums up the silliness on display.
Still, there's a key difference between "Naked Now" and "Naked Time." The former is quite polarizing, while the latter is regarded as a classic by some "Star Trek" fans and stars. In an interview with the Radio Times in 2020, Takei revealed that "Naked Time" is his favorite episode as it allowed him to showcase a more liberated and carefree side of Sulu. None of the stars involved in "Naked Time" have described it as a "sex farce," either, and that goes a long way in highlighting the differences in quality between both episodes.