Who Watches the Watchers

It gets me right in the feels. My favorite episode after The Inner Light.

I was watching back through the first three seasons to select episodes that would make a good sampling for a friend of mine; this episode is the one (out of the first three seasons) that I would be absolutely certain to recommend to anyone. It requires little to no background information and tells an engaging story. Also, to my recollection, no other episode conveys so well the wonder of reason and cultural progress.

Just as another reviewer observed about The Inner Light (my personal favorite), this episode shows that sci-fi, at its best, is not so much about the technology as it is about good storytelling.

In this episode, religion is depicted as useless, counterproductive, and irrational. In the episode Rightful Heir, religion is depicted as useful for what it teaches, regardless of its supernatural basis. Data even says he experienced a "leap of faith", an idea very far removed from the attitude expressed in Who Watches the Watchers.

Boy, does the Federation screw up this time!!! A group of scientists are observing a bronze age civilization on Mintaka III. As per the Prime Directive, the scientists are hiding behind fake rock in the hills-- shielded from view by the Mintakans. However, their holoscreen malfunctions and the Mintakans SEE them! Sadly, when Picard tries to undo this harm, he accidentally ends up creating a new cult that worships HIM as their god!! So, in trying to undo the damage, they just make things worse!! Should Picard just give up once and for all or is there some way he can possible fix this huge mess?

This is a pretty intriguing show and shows just how much damage can be done unintentionally. Additionally, seeing Picard, the god, trying to dig his way out of this mess was rather entertaining.

This episode puts the history of humanity into perspective. Religion, superstition, ignorance, desperation; these are all topics expressed in this episode, with masterful writing and directing. This episode does not hold your hand, it forces you to come to your own conclusions and find your own solutions. Just as some episodes of TNG show humanity to be extremely primitive (even in the 2300s), this episode displays them as supreme beings, gods even. It puts the history of our species into perspective. Perhaps our gods are just aliens that didn't follow the prime directive.