In the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of The Next Generation, THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Star Trek.
Holy shit, that was GREAT. This is not exactly the most original episode I’ve ever seen. I think it’s pretty common in genre shows like this one to have an episode where someone temporarily gains “super” powers. I’ve seen it plenty of times, but it’s so invigorating here because it happens to Barclay. I’m much more interested in this trope when it’s written in such an intimate way.
Truthfully, you cannot remove Barclay and his previous appearance from this episode and have anything approaching a similar story. It’s intricately tied to him, and I love that. Look, let’s just assume that this episode had just had that cold open with Barclay and Crusher. I think that scene alone was one worth it. I loved the idea of checking in with Lt. Barclay to see his progress. But in the context of “The Nth Degree,” it’s even more brilliant. It would have been easy to show us that he’d solved all his problems with his shyness and social anxiety. Instead, we see that he’s improved but still struggling to overcome a number of issues. Barclay’s problems are not going to be solved overnight.
So what happens when they are?
That’s the premise behind “The Nth Degree,” when a blast from a probe grants Barclay both confidence and super smarts. Now, having confidence and intelligence aren’t terrible qualities, but it is in the escalation of this that we get a nightmare. At first, Barclay is just as awkward as he always was, if a bit more forceful. I don’t think he was every supposed to portrayed as unqualified or talentless, so the first few times post-probe that he helps out or butts into a conversation, it’s just subtle enough that it doesn’t seem like much is wrong. However, it’s only a matter of time before Barclay’s behavior arouses suspicion, and for a good reason. How can Barclay suddenly solve a problem in two days that would take the entire Enterprise crew and their computer three weeks to complete? I love that Riker’s reaction to Barclay’s claim is utter shock because REALLY? HOW???
What’s interesting to me is that Barclay’s big “solution” for the Array ends up causing a failure. I expected nothing but success from him, given that he basically had a super power. But it’s not the only miscalculation here. He fails at getting Deanna to go on a date with him. He misjudges how he’ll be received constantly. And when he does THE THING, he begins to forget about the ramifications of his actions. As Barclay gained more and more of what he wanted, he became less human.
Well, that’s literally the case in “The Nth Degree.” I noticed that as he progressed further and further into his own intelligence, he dropped all regard for those around him. Earlier in the episode, when he spoke over Geordi, he apologized to him for stepping out of bounds. Does he do that later on? No, he stops caring about the people around him and just assumes that because his “solution” is logically the best, that means it’s actually the best. You know what’s interesting about that? This means that even Data, who lacks a shred of humanity when compared to Barclay, actually has a better sense of what’s appropriate and what’s not. It’s actually a bit frightening to see them juxtaposed within this episode, you know? Despite that Data has a brain that’s relatively similar to Barclay’s, he doesn’t behave in nearly the same manner. Ever.
And then Barclay solves a problem with the failing Array BY BECOMING THE SHIP’S COMPUTER. I think there’s a slow escalation throughout “The Nth Degree” that works remarkably well, and that’s why it’s such a shocking thing to suddenly cut to Barclay and see what he’s done. But holy shit, it’s so chilling. He becomes a nightmare, a living embodiment of could, not should. I think the resolution of all of this falls a little too close to a deus ex machina for my tastes, since the Cytherians are almost literally gods who save everything at the last minute. The ending to this episode is very tidy, since Barclay is saved and turned back into who he was, all while the Enterprise gets to converse with a brand new race of people. It’s a nice conclusion, though, especially since Barclay doesn’t magically get cured. He’s still got plenty of shit to work through, and he’ll need to do that all on his own.
The video for “The Nth Degree” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
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– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be the remainder of The Legend of Korra, series 8 of Doctor Who, and Kings. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
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