ST: TNG "The Nth Degree" aka Leave Barclay Alone

Barclay:  "I've finally become the person I've always wanted to be.  Do we have to ask why?"

Barclay is doing terrible in a play.  Quelle surprise.  Whose great fucking idea was it to stick the man well known to be suffering from severe anxiety in a play?  The audience is polite about it, especially Riker, as he should be given he's been a real dick where Barclay is concerned.  Data's facial expressions are hilarious as he tries to understand why they're all being so supportive.

Beverly looks incredible and you can tell Gates McFadden is doing what she really loves, which is being anywhere but on a Star Trek set.

Troi condescendingly tells Barclay he's come a long way and made tremendous progress.  Barclay brings up the valid point that maybe he's just avoiding being himself by playing a role in a play.  But Troi tells him that at least now he's interacting with people.  If that's what he wants, great.  But what if it isn't?  Also, is it appropriate for her to be delving into his health issues outside of her office?

The bridge finds a probe interfering with an array and La Forge takes Barclay along on a shuttle to investigate.  Barclay is grateful to be included and tells La Forge so, in a scene that is fairly touching for this show.  Of course for his trouble, Barclay gets zapped.

Barclay wakes up in sick bay and instructs Dr. Crusher on how to diagnose him.  An emergency interrupts his speech while La Forge and Crusher share an annoyed look.  Always professional, this crew.

The probe endangers the ship but Barclay saves the day by increasing the shields.  He doesn't have time to explain how he's doing it, he just does it.  The crew should at least appear to be thankful but they act even weirder around him than before.  Barclay comes up with a plan to fix the damaged array that no one understands or really believes.

Barclay reduces Dr. Crusher to tears during a rehearsal for Cyrano De Bergerac.  Troi can't be happy for him though, and follows him into Ten Forward, inviting herself to join him.  Troi tells him he's changed and he explains he's found a confidence he never knew he had.  Then he makes a move!  Go Reg!  He invites her on a stroll in the arboretum (kids and their euphemisms these days) but she declines, citing being his former counselor as the reason.  Really Troi?  You're just now going to have boundaries?

Barclay is late for his meeting because he's arguing with Einstein in the holodeck.  La Forge flips when he hears that Barclay is there, not giving him the benefit of the doubt.  And that is what must be one of the most frustrating parts of recovery for an addict:  Your friends and family are constantly assuming you'll slip back into your old habits.

Barclay asks the question I've been asking this entire time.  Why is everyone pissing on me?  Because I'm finally acting like you all wanted me to?  La Forge's response?  Get a check up from the neck up.  Stop your stinkin' thinkin' and turn yourself from zero to hero.  Thank you for bein' a friend, Geordi.

Crusher discovers that yes, the probe did make him better in every way.  Now Riker wants to lock him away.  Picard, as ever the only rational person on board, wants to know if Barclay did anything aggressive?  Troi mentions the pass Barclay made at her and oh how is this menacing and oh god Star Trek just doesn't do sex very well.

The array has yet another crisis and Barclay turns the holodeck into his own command center by rerouting all functions through him.  Shockingly this doesn't go over well with the rest of the crew.  Barclay can't separate himself from the machine.  He pulls a HAL and hijacks the ship, sending them to the probe's originator.

But not before Troi tells Barclay that he's frightening all of them.  Barclay informs her that he's always wanted her respect but that she must trust him.  Worf's security team attempts to take him out, but nothing can stop the almighty Barclay.

A large head (oh Star Trek) on the bridge is on the same mission as the Enterprise, except instead of exploring themselves, they use their technology to bring what they wish to explore to their front door.

A re-reprogrammed Barclay explains all this and then sits with Troi and La Forge a the bar.  He feels small.  Troi tells him that everyone has a Flowers for Algernon moments sometime in their life.  La Forge tells Barclay he's an important part of the crew and orders him back to work.  Troi interrupts as she wants that date.  Barclay is shocked but I'm not, as watching Troi throw ethical violations around is a hobby of mine.

What happens when this doesn't go anywhere Troi?  Who is he going to talk to?  Ugh.  STAHP.

C-