Having grown up watching TNG I always thought it was kinda odd how something as critical as the prime directive got straight up ignored whenever it was an inconvenience. However having just watched TOS I can assure you that it is ignored at least as much there as in TNG. Despite abandoning their highest principles and any attempt at a B story this episode manages to be both exciting and inspiring. It is always a good episode when Picard gets to spend a good part of it convincing a primitive alien he isn't a god. Also following right on the heals of Survivors it seems like season 3 of TNG is the god's who aren't Q season.
We begin with the Enterprise on its way to resupply an anthropological research station studying a race related to the Vulcans which is beginning to transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture. However while in contact with the Enterprise there is an explosion at the station and their holographic camoflage is dropped and the team is knocked unconscious. One of them falls out the open window and down a cliff below. The Enterprise increases to maximum speed, but it is too late, a Mintakan hunter and his daughter have spotted the research station. They make there way to the cliff and while the daughter hides the father approaches. He sees the team inside beam one of the scientists to the Enterprise but when he is seen he touches a charged panel and tumbles down the cliff. Dr. Crusher beams him to sickbay but his daughter sees the whole thing.
On board the ship Picard is pissed that they violated the prime directive in such a way. Crusher promises to try to erase the mans memory, but he awakens and sees Picard in command. After treating him he is beamed back down and found by his daughter, and his memories are intact. They return to their village spreading word of the new god, Picard. Back on the ship attention turns to the lost scientist. Some sort of interference of course prevents their sensors from detecting him so Riker and Troi and altered to look like locals and beam down to look for him. They arrive in the village to discover them abuzz with news of the Picard. Troi tries to argue with them but the villagers soon return with Dr. Palmer, the lost scientist and are convinced they should save him for the Picard. See how injured he is Troi manages to lure the villagers away while Riker escapes with Palmer. The villagers blame Troi and take her captive.
On the ship Picard is faced with a dilemma, how can he prove he isn't a god without doing more damage. His somewhat questionable solution is the beam the leader of the village onto the Enterprise. At first it doesn't work but after she sees a woman die in sickbay she is convinced he can't be a god. She and Picard beam back down as the first villager beamed up is threatening to kill Troi with a bow. Picard manages to get him to shoot Picard instead and his blood shows them he is mortal. Picard gets healed and after a pep talk leaves the villagers to progress on their own.
Review: Take that prime directive! But seriously, this is a fun episode. It deals in a serious way with how primitive people would deal with learning about aliens if the aliens are in fact not hostile. It also features some solid Patrick Stewart acting which is a solid plus.
8 out of 10
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