"The Naked Time" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by John D. F. Black and directed by Marc Daniels, it first aired on September 29, 1966. In the episode, a strange, intoxicating infection, which lowers the crew's inhibitions, spreads throughout the Enterprise. As the madness spreads, the entire ship is endangered. This was the first episode in which the audience saw the Vulcan nerve pinch (the nerve pinch was actually filmed first in "The Enemy Within", but the latter was broadcast a week after "Naked Time"). The story has a sequel in Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 1987 episode "The Naked Now". Plot The USS Enterprise under the command of Captain Kirk arrives at the dying planet Psi 2000. Their mission is to observe and document the planet's breakup, and to retrieve a research team stationed on the planet. Mr. Spock and Lt (junior grade) Joe Tormolen beam down and find the researchers' life support system shut down and the team frozen to death—one fully clothed in a shower, one seated at a control console as if nothing was wrong, and one who was strangled. Tormolen removes his environmental suit glove to scratch his nose and comes in contact with a strange red liquid. The landing party is beamed back to the ship and examined by Chief Medical Officer Dr. McCoy. McCoy finds no medical issues with them and allows them to return to duty. While having lunch, Tormolen begins to act irrationally, expressing hostility towards other crew members, and threatening Lieutenants Sulu and Riley with a knife before turning it on himself. His wound is not life-threatening, but in sick bay he dies after a successful surgery, to McCoy's bewilderment. Both Sulu and Riley also begin to behave irrationally. Sulu runs about with a sword, like a swashbuckler from The Three Musketeers, while Riley revels in his Irish ancestry, locks himself in the engineering section, and proclaims himself captain of the Enterprise. Those whose skin they have touched follow suit, and the infection quickly spreads through the crew. As they abandon their posts, the ship's orbit destabilizes and it falls into the planet's erratic gravity well. As the Enterprise enters the upper atmosphere, the hull begins to heat. Chief Engineer Scott regains control of engineering from Riley, but Riley has shut down the engines. It will