Who Watches the Watchers 

A proto-Vulcan culture worships Captain Picard and prepares to offer Counselor Troi as a sacrifice.

Director:

Robert Wiemer

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Richard Manning

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Patrick Stewart	...	Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Cmdr. William Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Dr. Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher (credit only)
Kathryn Leigh Scott	...	Nuria
Ray Wise	...	Liko
James Greene	...	Dr. Barron
Pamela Adlon	...	Oji (as Pamela Segall)
John McLiam	...	Fento
James McIntire	...	Hali
Lois Hall	...	Dr. Mary Warren

Storyline

The "Enterprise" is to provide technical assistance to a 3-man anthropological field team on the planet Mintaka III, which is observing, in hiding, the Vulcanoid Bronze Age native population. When the holographic hiding place is ravaged by an explosion, the landing party and its advanced technology are observed by two natives, one of whom, Liko, gets hurt badly and is beamed up for life-saving treatment; Picard orders his short-term memory wiped out to prevent a breach of the Prime Directive, but that fails as Commander William Riker and Counselor Deanna Troi find out, after they are beamed down again, temporarily altered to resemble Mintakans, to look for missing anthropologist Palmer. The culture now revives an abandoned belief in a supernatural overseer, worships the Picard, and soon considers offering Counselor Troi as a human sacrifice.

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Plot Keywords:

u.s.s. enterprise ncc 1701 d | captain's log | outer space | human man | galaxy class starship | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1989 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The idea of observing another civilization from a holographic duck blind is used again in Star Trek: Insurrection.

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Goofs

The arrow in Liko's bow when he aims at Troi, and then shoots at Picard, has a blunt tip. This is not the type of arrow to use when attempting to kill any animal the size of a human. It would hurt, but it is doubtful that it would penetrate.

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Quotes

Counselor Deanna Troi: Mintakan emotions are quite interesting. Like the Vulcans, they have highly ordered minds. A very sensible people. For example, Mintakan women precede their mates. It's a signal to other women.
Commander William T. Riker: "This man's taken, get your own"?
Counselor Deanna Troi: Not precisely. More like, "If you want his services, I'm the one you have to negotiate with".
Commander William T. Riker: What kind of services?
Counselor Deanna Troi: All kinds.
Commander William T. Riker: They *are* a sensible race.

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Connections

Referenced in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Allegiance (1990)

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Soundtracks

Star Trek: The Next Generation End Credits
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User Reviews

Not sure what all the hullabaloo is about this average episode.

I am not sure what all the hullabaloo is about this episode and the reviews that want to argue a person's feeling about a show. Some people will like this show and some will not- that happens in about all shows when viewed by different people. if we all had the same review it would be a poor world.

In this episode the Enterprise responds for help from an federation outpost that are viewing the progression of a mild Vulcan like people called the Mintakins. The Mintakins are a developing people that have progressed as far as crossbows and fire. But when a power failure happens the hologram, the outpost was using, disappears and two of the Mintakins are witness to the federation power. When one of the Mintakins becomes injured, he is carried to the Enterprise for medical service. However erasing the memory fails and he can remember Captain Picard on the Enterprise and believes that Picard is a god that he has heard stories about. Now Picard has to think of a way to prove that he is no god to the Vulcan like people.

The first part of the episode was very entertaining and then for some reason the show slowed so much that the viewer was losing interest. There is nothing really wrong with this episode but became slow which ruined the experience of the first twenty minutes of the show. It seems there are strong emotions where you either love or hate this episode. I find this episode about average.