After not working on this very important study for nearly two months I feel like I should try to keep my momentum going and examine another data point in my ongoing work in the field of Star Trek fuckology. Today we're taking an in depth look at the fourth episode of season three, Who Watches the Watchers.
Pre-Existing Prejudices
I think this is the one where the crew of the Enterprise ends up accidentally revealing themselves to cave Romulans with hilarious consequences (ie Picard getting revered as a deity and someone else almost getting sacrificed to curry favor with him). Don't remember if Riker With Beard engages is dickplomacy in this episode but I think it's not a terrible episode of a non-serialized sci-fi show from the late 80s either way.
Plot Synopsis
The episode begins with the Enterprise haulin' ass to a planet called Mintaka III in order to resupply a three person anthropological team studying the local inhabitants and repair the outpost's broken reactor.
As the episode begins Geodi expresses some confusion on why a three person station would need such a powerful generator but then realizes that because their anthropologists they must be using it to create a holographic duck blind. I kind of like when Geordi asks a question that in the Next Generation (whenever that is) would be super dumb, and then answers it himself for the benefit of the viewers at home. Like this exchange feels like if I asked someone, "Why did we put the beer in the refrigerator? Oh right because the fridge makes the beer cold and we want to enjoy some cold ones while watching the big game." Good stuff.
Bridge crew banter reveals that the inhabitants of Mintaka III are proto-Vulcan humanoids known as the Mintakans who have reached a Bronze Age level of cultural development. Troi explains that they are "quite peaceful and highly rational."
The Enterprise then gets a call from the outpost on Mintaka III. It's pretty garbled but Barron, the anthropologist on the other end, tells them that their temporary repairs have failed and their reactor is nonoperational. They only have three hours of backup battery power so Picard has Data increase speed to Warp Seven. They'll arrive in 23 minutes but as Picard informs Barron of this everyone on the Enterprise sees a huge explosion in the outpost.
On Mintaka III the hologram of a cliff face vanishes and one of the anthropologists randomly falls out of a window or something and tumbles undoubtedly to their death.
Back on the Enterprise Worf informs Picard that they've lost contact. Picard orders the ship's speed increased to Warp NINE!
After that good, good opening theme song, Riker With Beard, Geordi, Data, Dr. Beverly Crusher and a nameless medic beam down into the anthropology science hole. Electricity is still poppin' off as they arrive and Geordi tells them to be careful.
Meanwhile outside a pair of Mintakans, one male and one female, clad in rough woven clothing are walking near the science hole. The man doesn't know why they have to come so early but the young woman explains that she wants to be ready to take measurements with a sundial when the sun reaches its zenith.
The dude says that she's read the sundial hundreds of times before but the young woman says she's never done it "as the appointed record keeper." They're apparently father and daughter and as the daughter messes around with the sundial she notices something glinting up in the rocks. It's the science hole but neither she nor her father know that...yet.
While the away work to repair the science hole's generator and aid the injured anthropologists, the two Mintakans move close to investigate and now have a clear view of the science hole. The man tells his daughter, OG, to wait at the base of the cliff while he goes up for a closer look.
The dude climbs right up to the science hole and stares into the window like a creep as the nameless medic and one of the anthropologists get beamed up. Data notices the Mintakan dude creepin' on 'em and informs Riker With Beard of his presence but before anything else can happen the Minakan dude touches some sort of loose wire or something and gets electrocuted and sent flying off the cliff face to the rocks below.
Dr. Beverly Crusher goes down to check on the dude while his daughter, OG, hides and watches on. Dr. Beverly Crusher scans the man and determines that his injuries are too grievous to treat there and calls to be beamed back to the Enterprise with the man.
Back in the science hole Geordi repairs and/or replaces the generator and the hologram returns. Out at the bottom of the cliff OG watches in shock as the science hole vanishes.
Back on the Enterprise, Dr. Beverly Crusher is hard at work tending to the injured anthropologists and also the injured Mintakan when Picard enters lookin' none too pleased and wanting to talk to Dr. Beverly Crusher. She cuts him off and says that before Picard can start quoting the Prime Directive at her the Mintakan dude had already seen them.
"The damage was done. It was either bring him aboard or let him die," say Dr. Beverly Crusher.
"Then why didn't you let him die?" asked Picard.
Dr. Beverly Crusher tells him that since they were responsible for his injuries she was responsible for healing him up. Picard says that he's not sure that he agrees but since he's on the Enterprise she's going to have to remove all of his memories of encountering the away team. Dr. Beverly Crusher seems perplexed by this even though there was an episode in the previous season that made this sort of procedure seem pretty commonplace.
Picard tells her it's been done before and Dr. Beverly Crusher tells him that she's aware of Doctor Grandma's technique so I guess it's retconned to be some crazy-ass thing that Doctor Grandma dreamed up.
Anthropologist Warren wakes up and starts hollering about Palmer (one of the other anthropologists I guess) and Picard that he must find Palmer. While this is all going on the Mintakan guy wakes and sees and hears what's going on. Picard tells Warren that they won't leave until they locate Palmer. Picard then calls Worf and tells him to start scanning for Palmer. Worf tells him that he isn't detecting any human life on the planet but may be able to get better results by moving closer to the planet.
The Mintakan dude then mumbles, "Picard..." revealing to everyone that he's awake. Dr. Beverly Crusher swears and sedates him again and Picard tells her that her next task is clear.
A time jump later the Mintakan dude gets beamed back down to his planet alone. He wakes up and starts calling for OG who hears him and comes running. She tells him that she was sure he was dead and didn't think she'd ever see him again after he and the woman vanished.
Her dad tells her that he's pretty sure he was dead but he was brought back to life and awoke in an incredible place. OG asks him how it was possible and her dad tells her that long ago the Mintakan people believed in beings with great powers; beings who "made the rains come, told the sun when to rise, they caused all life to be born, to grow, to die."
OG tells her dad that he's talking a lot of nonsense and all those stories were just old superstitions. Her dad however thinks that maybe the stories were true since nothing else can explain what happened to him. He then tells her that they must tell the other Mintakans what happened.
Back on the Enterprise the crew is in the conference room. Dr. Beverly Crusher gives an update on the anthropologists. Anthropologist Barron is in stable condition but Anthropologist Warren is still in critical condition. Riker adds that the third anthropologist, Palmer, is still missing. He explains that they've scanned the planet but only see signs of Mintakan life. Data says that the area around the science hole is lousy with sinkholes and caverns that Palmer could have gone into and since the rock strata contains, "a high concentration of thallium compounds" the scanners might not be able to detect him.
Dr. Beverly Crusher says that if Palmer is still alive he's going to require medical attention. She wants to send an away team to look for him but Troi and Picard don't want to inflict any more cultural contamination on the Mintakans. Luckily for them Riker With Beard has a plan...
MINTAKAN-FACE!
That's right. Riker With Beard decides that the solution to their problem is to have Dr. Beverly Crusher do sci-fi body mod shit on him and Troi to change their skin color and give them pointy Mintakan ears. Dr. Beverly Crusher also apparently "implanted subcutaneous communicators" so that Riker With Beard and Troi can communicate with the Enterprise on the down low.
Down on Mintaka III Riker With Beard and Troi are in full on Mintakan-face. After checking in with the Enterprise to make sure their implanted communicators work, Troi tells Riker With Beard that Mintakan are a very sensible people and that Mintakan women walk in front of their mates as a signal to other women.
"This man's taken, get your own?" jokes Riker With Beard.
Troi explains that it's more to say, "If you want his services, I'm the one you have to negotiate with." Riker With Beard wants to know what sort of services she's talking about. "All kind," Troi replies.
Riker With Beard smirks and replies, "They are a sensible race." There's the horniness we've been looking for!
Troi and Riker walk into some sort of Mintakan settlement as OG's dad is talking to some old coot about his experience with the gods. The old coot doesn't seem to fully believe OG's dad but confirms that the legends of their ancestors spoke of an Overseer who could vanish like smoke and heal the dead, "or so our ancestors believed."
OG's dad explains that he saw the Overseer and "he is called the Picard."
"Uh oh," says Riker With Beard as he and Troi realize that OG's dad's brain didn't get wiped.
A Mintakan woman enters and tells OG's dad, "Liko, all this talk of supernatural beings. No one has believed that for countless generations. Just as we no longer believe the stars control our fates, or the spirits of the dead haunt the living."
OG's dad, hereinafter Liko, tells the woman (who is apparently named Nuria) that he's not saying that everything their ancestors believed was true but he did totally see the Picard and get brought back to life by him,
Troi then interjects that she and Riker With Beard are visitors who have come to trade their cloth and asks if they may speak. Nuria introduces herself and tells them they are more than welcome to speak.
Troi introduces herself and Riker With Beard by their actual names which is pretty weird especially since no one is like, "Wow those are some pretty weird names that sound nothing like the names we Mintakans have." She then attempts to explain that Liko must have had one hell of a dream.
Liko insists that what he saw was real and OG tells her that she also saw the beings her father is talking about. Troi tells them that because they are father and daughter they must have had the same dream. Liko's like, "That is not reasonable." Fair point to him.
Riker asks him if it's "any less reasonable than being magically transformed to another place by the Picard?"
Before Liko can answer, two Mintakan dudes walk in carrying the missing anthropologist, Palmer. Liko sees the man and bellows, "It has to be Palmer! The one the Picard wished to find."
Now that I'm typing this up I realize that Liko knowing that Picard wanted to find a dude named Palmer makes absolutely no sense. A lot of the language stuff on this show I'm willing to handwave away because it's all space going aliens and robots and shit that I assume all have universal translators. Like Riker and Troi being able to speak to the Mintakans I'm willing to allow for since I assume they have some sort of translation thing they're using but Liko is a bronze age herdsman or something and he somehow understood everything that was being said when he woke up in sickbay. Total bullshit.
Nuria expresses surprise that Liko apparently was telling the truth. Liko surmises that the Picard will be pleased that they located Palmer and the Mintakans all leave to deal with Palmer leaving Riker With Beard and Troi alone. They call Picard and tell him that the cultural contamination is worse than they thought.
"The Mintakans are beginning to believe in a god," Riker With Beard tells Picard, "and the one they've chosen is you!"
Back on the Enterprise Anthropologist Barron wants Picard to immediately beam Palmer aboard but Picard's like, "You dope, there's Mintakans all over the place. If Palmer disappears now in front of them the impact will be terrible."
Barron disagrees and believes that it will only slightly increase the already existent cultural contamination and that it's a small price to pay in order to save Palmer's life. Picard asks Riker With Beard if there's any way they can teleport Palmer back onto the Enterprise unseen.
"We can try," says Riker.
"Try hard!" orders Picard.
Barron is annoyed and thinks that Picard is putting Palmer at risk by not just beaming him up but Picard reminds him that all of them, including Anthropologist Palmer took an oath to uphold the Prime Directive with their lives if necessary.
Back on the planet, the two men who arrived with Palmer explain to Nuria that they found him sleeping in a cave when they followed an animal they were hunting into the cave. Nuria asks if Palmer is one of the Overseer's servants and Liko tells her that he is and that the Picard has many such servants and then asks the old coot (apparently named Fento) if he's right.
Fento replies that the legends say that the Overseer did have a fuckton of servants but then wonders if Palmer was truly a servant of the Overseer why was he just chilling in the cave. OG speculates that he might have run away. One of the hunters spitballs that maybe Palmer failed the Picard in some way and was trying to hide from him.
Liko thinks that they should tie Palmer up then in case he wakes up and tries to escape. Riker With Beard thinks tieing Palmer up over some old superstitions is a bunch of horseshit but Nuria says she disagrees since all the evidence now seems to indicate that the Overseer does exist. Liko again reiterates that he heard Picard say that he wanted to find Palmer and then adds that by keeping Palmer safe the Picard will grant them favors in return.
Nuria's like, "The shit you talkin' about favors?"
Old Coot Fento explains that the legends say that the Overseer was all powerful and able to "provide gentle winters, plentiful hunting, fertile crops, anything." Liko adds that the Overseer can even bring back people who have died because apparently he's an expert on the Overseer.
Nuria is swayed by all this Overseer talk and agrees to save Palmer to return him to the Picard. Troi thinks quick on her feet and is like, "I've seen another one! Like Palmer!" and then tells the Mintakans that he is heading to the caves. Everyone leaves except for Old Coot Fento who Nuria tells to stay behind and bind Palmer.
As everyone runs off after Troi, Riker With Beard tells Fento that the knot he's tying is no good and offers to show him a better knot.
As the Minatakans chase down another of the Picard's servants, OG suddenly remembers that she's supposed to take some measurements of the sun with the sundial and heads back towards the Mintakan settlement, arriving just in time to see Riker With Beard tie up Old Coot Fento and free Palmer. She yells for Riker With Beard to stop but Riker With Beard flees with Palmer and tells the Enterprise to lock on to them but wait for his signal to teleport them up.
Nuria hears OG yelling and after OG tells her that Riker With Beard took Palmer and ran, Nuria sends some hunters out after Riker With Beard. Riker With Beard manages to escape from them and after hiding in a cave gets teleported back to the Enterprise with Palmer.
Back on the Enterprise Riker With Beard wants to know if Troi has beamed back up but Data tells him that she has not and is currently in the middle of a gaggle of Mintakans.
"Damn!" says Riker With Beard because he's a cool dude who says "Damn!"
Back on Mintaka III Old Coot Fento gets untied. Nuria sends a hunter named Hali to go find Riker and Palmer. Liko asks Troi why she and Riker With Beard took Palmer from them but Troi says that they didn't, which is pretty much a straight up lie since Riker totally took Palmer from them. She probably should have played the, "I had nothing to do with it," card but she's a dope I guess and just tells them that they set him free because they don't believe in the Overseer.
Liko tells her that she's angered the Picard and they might all suffer because of it. "I know," Liko says, "I've seen him. He is all powerful!" Liko's then like "Fento, weren't there stories about the Overseer destroying those who offended him?"
"Stories, nothing more," says Fento who is getting sick and tired of being the guy who confirms "facts" Liko is making up about the Overseer.
Nuria tells Liko that they'll find Palmer since Riker With Beard couldn't have gotten very far carrying him on foot. Liko thinks that the Picard might still blame them for letting Palmer escape and thinks that they should punish Troi to show the Picard that she and Riker With Beard acted alone. Nuria, however, isn't willing to harm Troi unnecessarily and tells him to wait and see if Hali can find Riker With Beard and Palmer before they do anything rash.
OG asks what will happen if they can't find Palmer. Nuria tells her that if that comes to pass they may have to do what Liko wants.
The crew of the Enterprise has heard this entire exchange via Troi's communicator and heads to the conference room for a staff meeting. Picard asks Anthropologist Barron if he thinks the Mintakans will harm Troi. Barron tells him that they aren't usually a violent people but they are trying to make sense out of someone they believe to be a god.
Picard asks him what he'd recommend. Barron tells him that the Mintakans want to please the Overseer but can only guess at what he actually wants. They need a sign so Barron thinks Picard should go down to Mintaka III and pose as the Overseer.
Picard fumes about this suggestion and starts to go off about the Prime Directive but Barron reminds him that they've already violated it and now all they can do is minimize the damage done by giving them guidelines and "letting them know what the Overseer expects of them."
Picard refuses to "impose a set of commandments" on the Mintakans but Barron tells him, "Like it or not, we have rekindled the Mintakans' belief in the Overseer."
Riker With Beard asks him if this belief will eventually become a religion. Barron says that it's inevitable and that without guidance it could cause their society to "degenerate into inquisitions, holy wars and chaos."
Picard says that he'll find some other way to undo the damage they've caused without sabotaging the Mintakan's achievement of abandoning the belief in the supernatural and sending them back into the Dark Ages. He has Riker With Beard tell him about the leader of the Mintakans. Riker With Beard tells him that their leader is Nuria. She is sensible and the other Mintakans seem to trust her judgement. Riker With Beard believes that if she can be convinced that Picard is not a deity she may be able to convince the other Mintakans of the same thing.
Barron asks how they propose to convince Nuria. Picard explains that since she thinks Picard is a magical figure he's "going to show her how the magic works," by bringing her aboard the Enterprise.
Later Data calls down to Troi and asks here in Nuria is one of the Mintakans near here and Troi mumbles "Mhmm" and "Uhun" under her breath in response to a series of questions that help Data pinpoint which Mintakan is Nuria so that once she's alone they can beam her up to the Enterprise.
Picard heads down to the teleportation chamber and dismisses the teleportation operator and then beams Nuria aboard once the operator has left the room. Picard tells Nuria not to be afraid and then introduces himself as Jean Luc Picard. Nuria immediately prostrates herself before him so Picard tells her to get up and that he doesn't deserve to be bowed to.
Picard has her look at him and feel his hand and his pulse. He then tells her that he is flesh and blood like her. Nuria says that he is not like her so Picard clarifies that they may look different but both of them are living beings who are born, grow and die.
"In all the ways that matter, we are alike," he tells her.
She still isn't buying it though so Picard tells her that he wants to show her something. The doors open and Nuria gets scared and says that even the walls obey his commands. Picard tells her that their doors are merely different from the ones she knows.
Picard takes her to the conference room and shows her Mintaka III. She says that she never imagined she'd see clouds from the other side. Picard starts talking to her about huts and asks her if her people always lived in huts. She says that they have found remnants of tools in caves so logic would dictate that their ancestors once lived in caves but now live in huts because caves are damp and dark while huts are not and therefore are better.
Picard asks her if huts are better why did her ancestors live in caves and Nuria surmises that because at some point they did not know how to build huts. Picard then asks if the same is true of cloth and bows. She says that would be a reason assumption so Picard goes off on a jag about how someone had to invent all those things and then it was passed down to the inventors' children who improved on them down through the ages.
He then asks Nuria to think what one of her ancestors would think if she were to see Nuria and how the Minatakan people live now. "Put yourself in her place," he says, "You see, she cannot kill a hornbuck at a great distance. You can. You have a power she lacks."
"Only because I have a bow," Nuria replies.
"She's never seen a bow. It doesn't exist in her world. To you it's a simple tool. To her it's magic," Picard says.
Nuria tells him that he has a point and that her ancestor might fear her when seeing her power. Picard nods and is like, "Just as you fear me," but Nuria replies that she does not fear him any longer. Picard is pleased and tells her that his people once lived in caves too and then built huts and now can build ships like the Enterprise. Nuria says that perhaps one day the Minatakan people will travel above the skies and Picard tells her that he has no doubt of that.
Down on Mintaka III, lightning crashes and a new mother cries. Her placenta falls to the floor. The angel opens her eyes. The confusion sets in before the doctor can even close the door. Oh wait, that's Live's "Lightning Crashes" not what was happening in this episode of Star Trek.
Lightning was crashing and Liko was going on about how it must be a warning on account of it not being the season for lightning. Fento, who is absolutely sick of Liko's shit at this point, is like, "Dude we've had storms like this before." OG tells him that they've NEVER had a storm like this before and her dad goes on to ascribe meaning to it.
"The Picard is angry with us. He blames us for letting Palmer escape!" Liko says.
Fento, again is like, "Dude you have no way of possibly knowing that," but Liko keeps ranting and raving, wondering if the Picard will also send floods. "My wife died in last year's floods. Will we all die now? We must find Nuria!" Liko shouts.
Back on the Enterprise Nuria tells Picard that she is grateful for all that Picard has shown her and then asks if there is something he can do for her people. Picard says that she truly is a leader. Nuria tells him that last year there was flooding and six of her people died including four children. She wants Picard to bring them back to life.
Picard tells her, "That is not in my power."
Nuria doesn't understand why not and says that he brought Liko back to life. She asks him if the six that died offended him in some way and then if perhaps she herself did. "Should I have ordered the death of Troi?" she asks him and then pleads with him to change his mind.
"I've failed to get through to you, haven't I? Despite all my efforts," he says sullenly.
Back on Mintakan III OG tells her dad that no one knows where Nuria is. The hunter Hali informs him that there's no sign of Palmer or Riker With Beard either. Liko says that if that's the case they must do what the Picard wishes and punish those responsible. Fento's like, "Nuria wouldn't want that young blood..." Liko gives zero fucks though and has Hali give him his bow.
Meanwhile back on the Enterprise Dr. Beverly Crusher calls Picard to inform him that one of the anthropologists is going to die of their injuries. Picard heads to Sickbay with Nuria and they watch as the lady anthropologist dies and one of the other dude anthropologists wails in anguish. Dr. Beverly Crusher and the anthropologist guy leave and Picard and Nuria approach the bed.
Nuria asks Picard if he could have saved her. Picard tells her that he could not have and Nuria finally realizes that Picard and his people do have limits stating, "You are not masters of life and death."
Picard tells her that they are not. He explains that there are many diseases that they can cure and injuries they can heal but even with all their knowledge and advances they are just as mortal as the Mintakans are. "We're just as powerless to prevent the inevitable," Picard says.
"You are a remarkable people," Nuria says, "but you are not superior beings, My people must be made to understand that."
Back on the planet Liko is lookin' to kill Troi in order to appease The Picard. Troi asks him how Liko knows what The Picard actually wants and then opines that this is "the problem with believing in a supernatural being. Trying to determine what he wants." Troi's words plant seeds of doubt in OG's mind and she asks her father what will happen if they do the wrong thing.
Liko pleads to The Picard for guidance and at that moment Picard and Nuria return. Picard tells Liko that he's just a man, not the Overseer just a traveller from a far off land. Liko is insistent that Picard brought him back from the dead and pledges his fealty to The Picard.
Nuria tells Liko that Picard speaks the truth. She tells Liko that she visited Picard's people and saw how they live and die and learned that when death takes one of their loved ones they are as helpless as the Mintakan people are. Liko wants to know how he was brought back to life then.
Nuria tells him that he wasn't actually dead. She explains that Picard's people have knowledge of things that they don't and are able to heal wounds that the Mintakan are unable to. Liko, however, is insistent that Picard can raise the dead and pleads with Picard to bring his wife back from the great beyond. Picard tells him that he cannot. Liko wants to know why and asks Picard if he is angry with him. Picard says he is not. Liko begs for him to bring her back and offers to give his life in exchange for his dead wife's but Picard again tells him that it is beyond his power.
"Nothing is beyond your power! You are the Overseer! I will prove it!" Liko yells and then grabs a bow.
Liko aims the air at Picard and Nuria yells at him and tries to stand in front of Picard to prevent him from getting shot but Picard pushes her aside and tells Liko that if his death is the only proof Liko will believe of Picard's mortality he should go ahead and shoot. Liko does but his daughter, OG, pushes him so his shot goes wide and nails Picard in the shoulder.
Nuria goes down to check on Picard and then holds up a hand to show Liko the blood from Picard's wound, proving once and for all that Picard is no god. Liko then bursts into tears.
Picard's injury and subsequent recovery gets yaya-yadaed over with a Captain's Log and then, before the episode concludes, Picard (with his arm in a sling) visits the planet's surface one last time. While Geordi disassembles the science hole Picard explains to the Mintakans that they had merely been there to study them. The Mintakans ask what a people so advanced as them could possibly learn from them. Picard explains that humans once lived in the same way as the Mintakans and to study them is to study themselves.
One of the Mintakans asks why they were hiding then but Liko finally gets it and says, "Because their presence would affect us, just as it affected me." Picard goes on to explain that their highest law (the Prime Directive) prohibits them from interfering with other cultures.
OG then realizes that everything that happened in this episode stemmed from the Starfleet people accidentally revealing themselves to the Mintakan people. Picard tells her she's right and that's why they must leave now. OG asks why they must leave since there is so much they could learn from Picard and his people.
Picard tells her that teaching them would also be interference and says that they must progress in their own way. Nuria says that they will because Picard has taught them that there is nothing beyond their reach.
"Not even the stars," replies Picard.
Nuria then has a small child give Picard a scroll or wall hanging or something. She wishes Picard good journeys and asks for him to remember her people.
"Always," replies Picard and that's the episode.
How Rikered Was Riker With Beard?
My mang Riker decided that the best course of action to try and find someone who fell out of the science hole was to do Vulcanface with his girlfriend and immediately go and talk to the locals that they were supposed to be avoiding contact with. Dude was right properly fucked up.
Final Thoughts
While this was overall a decent episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation there were a few things about it that I kind of disliked. The first couple were specific to this particular episode while the third is a bigger issue that I feel will probably continue as the series progresses.
Issue the first: if Starfleet possessed the technology to just make someone look like whatever native species they wanted to study why didn't they just do that instead of hide in a science hole with some weird holographic rock in front of it? Wouldn't that have decreased the risk of getting found out?
Issue the second: Back in season 2 when Doctor Grandma memory wiped that weird orange girl with super long fingers that Data brought onto the Enterprise it was presented as a pretty commonplace procedure but here it's this wonky thing that doesn't work right all the time and something that Dr. Beverly Crusher has to be like, "I'm familiar with the procedure," in the way someone would when another person brought up something not particularly well known. I will say that if they're going to retcon it like they did here, making it something that Doctor Grandma made up on her own is a good way to go about it I suppose.
With those minor nitpicks aside let's talk about the Prime Directive. Up to this point in the show the Prime Directive has never been presented as something that limits Starfleet's interactions in a way that benefits a local species but rather as a convenient excuse for the crew of the Enterprise to not act and be dicks. Back in season one there was the episode where the Prime Directive made it so Picard couldn't intervene and help a species of electric space hillbillies who were addicted to spacemeth that electric space bourgeoisie were selling to them in order to get them to work for them and give them all their natural resources and shit. In that aforementioned episode where Doctor Grandma erases an orange girl's memories the entire thrust of the plot of the episode was that her planet was going to explode and Picard was like, "The Prime Directive says we can't do shit to help."
This adventure saw Picard straight up tell Dr. Beverly Crusher that she should have let a dude die instead of providing him medical assistance after an accident that Starfleet was responsible for because of the Prime Directive. I understand that the theory behind the Prime Directive is altruistic ("We're not going to do empire building and/or enslave species that we are technologically superior to,") but more often than not they use it as an excuse to act like shitty libertarians. "If these species didn't want to die because their planet was exploding they should have developed their own technology faster. Also those space methheads are willing to be taken advantage of by the space meth dealers. If they didn't want to be addicted to spacemeth they should just stop buying it or something. It's not up to us to help anyone...except when it's convenient for us to forward the plot." It kind of bums me out.
Fuck Count
Also bumming me out? The fact that zero people went on an all expenses paid trip to Pound Town deep in the heart of the Bone Zone.
Total Fucks for Episode: 0
Total Fucks for Season: 0
Total Fucks for Series: 16 (+1~3)
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