Game The Most Disliked Prime Directive Episode/Movie

Next up in these themed elimination games: PRIME DIRECTIVE EPISODES.

THE RULES. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. Below are Prime Directive episodes from TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT, and DIS. Eliminate your FAVORITE or the one you deem the 'BEST.' Please provide an EXPLANATION for why you are eliminating your choice and be sure to copy and paste the list with your choice removed.

Leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode just because you feel it would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win.

Also, much thanks to @Farscape One for vetting the list with me!

Enjoy!

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Seaosn 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "First Contact"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Captive Pursuit"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
DS9 Season 6: "In The Pale Moonlight"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"
DIS Season 2: "New Eden"

 

Saving New Eden.

Spoiler

The story dealt with the concept of the prime directive with great sensitivity. It seemed like somethin worthwhile, rather than an obstacle. Plus it showed a different side to spirituality in the future

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Seaosn 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "First Contact"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Captive Pursuit"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
DS9 Season 6: "In The Pale Moonlight"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

I will start with a save for "First Contact", which I think is just a fantastic episode. Mirasta Yale is such a fabulous guest character, and the Bebe Neuwirth cameo is a blast.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Seaosn 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Captive Pursuit"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
DS9 Season 6: "In The Pale Moonlight"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

I'll remove Dragon's Teeth. The idea of teaming up with a group who turn out to be on the wrong side is nothing new, but the execution is good, and it all stems from Seven's desire to redeem herself after everything she did while assimilated. It's also got a ton of great visuals. The only real downside is the lack of any followup.
TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Captive Pursuit"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
DS9 Season 6: "In The Pale Moonlight"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Doing the predictable thing and removing DS9 Season 6: "In The Pale Moonlight". Not even sure what "PD" aspect there would be about this episode. Sure, Sisko is violating a lot of Starfleet principles here, but I'm not sure the PD is among them -- unless of course you believe that meddling with internal Cardassian/ Dominion/ Romulan diplomatic relations also counts as a PD violation (which it very well could). Nonetheless, one of the greatest Trek episodes ever written, as I'm sure many agree with. One of the more interesting aspects of this episode is that it's nearly all talk and deliberation- the fist punch Sisko gives to Garak in the end is probably the closest we get to an 'action scene' - proving once and for all that good Trek doesn't always need action scenes.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Captive Pursuit"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

It was surprisingly tricky to define the boundaries of what is and isn't a Prime Directive episode! It's woven into the context of many stories where it's not even spoken, there's a bunch of TOS eps where "Prime Directive" isn't all the way developed as a concept yet but they're clearly telling a PD story, etc. This is one of the eps I was most on-the-fence over, but ultimately it did sort of feel like THE iconic story (one of the iconic stories?) of a Starfleet officer deciding to intervene in another society. (Plus, Memory Alpha listed it as an appearance of the Prime Directive, so that always makes me feel more covered )

Next elimination: though it was RIDICULOUSLY early in the series for a "shortcut home!" episode (much less the SECOND shortcut home episode), I have a lot of fun with all the reverse-Prime-Directive-ing of "Prime Factors." Also,

Spoiler

love that "Picard" added a dark postscript to the future of this planet! That's my favorite easter egg reference in that series.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Captive Pursuit"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Freeing "CAPTIVE PURSUIT" from this list.

A great O'Brien episode, and a wonderful character with Tosk. This was our first look at the Gamma Quadrant and itvreally shows just how technologically advanced that part of the galaxy really is. The Borg would have a field day assimilating that quadrant.


TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Who Watches The Watchers"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Saving "Who Watches the Watchers", one of the best episodes in all of Trek, and one that is more relevant than ever, with the forces of obscurantism surging in the past few years. Its only flaw: the title should've been in Latin ("Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes?").

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "The Omega Directive"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Interesting to find myself primarily drawn to save the Voyager's on this list... I'll go with "The Omega Directive." The premise that all Starfleet rules drop for this special super-secret directive is a bit iffy, but it's one of the great Seven/Janeway episodes. The world-building on Omega as effectively a Borg religion is great as well. That climactic scene where Seven gets to witness the Omega molecule form is fantastic -- Jeri Ryan is such a talented actress.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 1: "Errand Of Mercy"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Giving an "ERRAND OF MERCY" a chance.

I've always loved this episode, no small thanks to the brilliant performance of John Colicos as Kor. I was always thrilled to see him return in each of his DS9 appesrances, and each episode is great, too.

We encounter the Klingons for the first time in the franchise. Considering how everyone, even those who have never seen an episode, knows what a Klingon is, this is one of THE landmark episodes of the franchise.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

EDIT: Too slow.
I'll knock Errand of Mercy off the list. It introduces the Klingons, John Colicos as Kor, and has a unique resolution to both the conflict and the Prime Directive problem.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 2: "The Circle"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

I was going to save Errand of Mercy, but being as it's been saved twice now, I'll save The Circle instead, from the excellent Circle trilogy.

It was a very different way to start a season, or at least it was back when it aired. The Circle in particular has a lot happening. The scene in the beginning where she is continually interrupted by all of her friends was so funny and sweet.

In terms the Prime Directive, I loved that Sisko decided to defy Starfleet's orders and stay on DS9 to take it back. It's great seeing how he is fighting for the place that he was so desperate to get away from back in Emissary.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Since Errand of Mercy was saved before I posted, I'll go with Caretaker instead. It's my favorite of all the premiere episodes, and the decision to uphold the Prime Directive is one that affects the entire crew for the rest of the show. So it's probably the biggest impact the PD has ever had in Star Trek.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 4: "Half A Life"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

I'm going to save Half a Life once again. As I said in the Lwaxana competition, it's a brilliant episode which deepened her character and has real emotional pathos. I always appreciated the fact that the alien culture depicted had a very...well...alien morality, but it's not really potrayed as better or worse than the Federation, just different. I never really considered it a Prime Directive episode per se, but I can understand why it merited inclusion on this list.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "Prime Factors"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Prototype"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

B'Elanna eps were fairly consistently Voyager high points, and "Prototype" is one of those. Those robots were a great example of effective-TV-production-on-a-budget, and the Torres/Robot dynamic is satisfying. The Prime Directive dilemma is presented in a clean, compelling way.

And it's such awesome 90's cheese when the Robot shoots lightning out of it's hands.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "The Vulcan Hello"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

I wasn't a huge fan of "The Vulcan Hello," but I loved seeing an interpretation of the Prime Directive that didn't require that the native race die off because of events they hadn't caused and had nothing to do with. I think I may have applauded at the screen.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 6: "Blink Of An Eye"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

The winner's probably going to be Dear Doctor or Profit and Lace right?

I will save Blink of an Eye, one of Voy's best episode.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Maneuvers"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

I was going to save "BLINK OF AN EYE" nect, which is one of my favorite VOYAGER episodes. (Hell, in the franchise.)

So I will take evasive "MANEUVERS" instead.

Great tension throughout the entire episode. Seska getting the best of them at first, then Chakotay getting his own hits in... excellent one on one between them. Always a rewatch.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 1: "Symbiosis"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

"Symbiosis" wasn't a very good episode (it was, in fact, a pretty dreadful episode), but, as with "The Vulcan Hello," I loved the way the Prime Directive was interpreted. The Brekkians, who thought the PD had Picard's hands tied, found themselves hoist by their own petard when the good captain interpreted it just that little bit more strictly than they wanted.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
ENT Season 2: "Cogenitor"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

 

Saving Congenitor. It's a legitimately great Enterprise episode which showcases why the Prime Directive was actually a good idea - basically that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and if we follow our own sense of morality to try and "solve" the problems for others, we have no way of knowing what we will unleash. The episode's biggest sin really is that it felt like something which could have easily been done on TNG, but arguably it worked better in a prequel setting where the hard-and-fast rules of the Prime Directive hadn't been ironed out yet, which makes it far more emotionally compelling than a lot of the "classic" TNG episodes which ended with a Saturday-morning sledgehammer of a message.

TOS Season 1: "The Return Of The Archons"
TOS Season 1: "A Taste Of Armageddon"
TOS Season 2: "The Apple"
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child"
TOS Season 2: "A Piece Of The Action"
TOS Season 2: "A Private Little War"
TOS Season 2: "Patterns Of Force"
TOS Season 2: "The Omega Glory"
TOS Season 2: "Bread And Circuses"
TOS Season 3: "The Paradise Syndrome"
TOS Season 3: "The Cloud Minders"
TNG Season 1: "Encounter At Farpoint"
TNG Season 1: "Justice"
TNG Season 1: "Angel One"
TNG Season 1: "Too Short A Season"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Hunted"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 7: "Homeward"
TNG Feature: "Star Trek: Insurrection"
DS9 Season 1: "Emissary"
DS9 Season 1: "Battle Lines"
DS9 Season 3: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 5: "Rapture"
VOY Season 1: "Time And Again"
VOY Season 1: "State Of Flux"
VOY Season 2: "Alliances"
VOY Season 3: "False Profits"
VOY Season 4: "The Killing Game, Part II"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "Equinox, Part I"
VOY Season 6: "Equinox, Part II"
VOY Season 7: "Flesh And Blood"
ENT Season 1: "Dear Doctor"
ENT Season 2: "The Communicator"
DIS Season 1: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"