The Prime Directive and the First Distortion

[Plenum]

the only Star Trek I've really ever watched is Next Gen (apart from the movies). I actually did a pretty thorough rewatch a few years ago when I bought the dvdset.

I'm just wondering how the Prime Directive of starfleet:

In the universe of Star Trek, the Prime Directive, Starfleet's General Order #1, is the most prominent guiding principle of the United Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal development of alien civilizations.

It has special implications, however, for civilizations that have not yet developed the technology for interstellar spaceflight ("pre-warp"), since no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or the existence of extraplanetary civilizations, lest this exposure alter the natural development of the civilization.

fits in with the first distortion.

it sort of does and doesn't.

* does it recognise a 'calling' for help from less advanced civilisations

* the notion of 'interference' with other civilisations is up to interpretation

[xise]

Isn't there an episode where they get involved to say a pre-warp planetary civilization from destruction? Vaguely remember one where the sun was going nova. If I am remembering correctly, the show too deals with the interaction of letting civilizations develop on their own versus answering their calling for help, at least with respect to widescale destruction.