ST:TNG Season 3: Initial Observations: Looked like they upgraded the production significantly from S2. New Cameras? New Sets and outfits. The quality of the writing/screenplay is also noticeable. Only 1 show rated C+. Everything else A's/B's. Faves: Best of Both Worlds Pt1, The Defector, DejaQ, Sins of the Fathers, The Offspring Least: Captain's Holiday 149: The Ensigns of Command: "B-" Sheliak Colonists are in endanger of extermination from aliens that have claimed their planet through a treaty agreement. 150: Evolution:"B" Nanites invade Enterprise computer which may lead to a failed attempt experiment by genius Dr. Stubbs. 151: The Survivors: "B-" Enterprise meets an elderly couple who survives a planet's destruction mysteriously. 152: Who Watches The Watchers?: "B" Enterprise discovers a group of people who believe Picard to be God. 153: The Bonding: B Young orphan Jeremy loses mother on an Away team assignment. The Crew tries to support the loss of his parents. One of the most emotional episodes. 154: The Booby Trap: B Enterprise discovers an old classic cruiser in an asteroid field with a crew dead many years ago. Enterprise may have fallen into same trap they did. Geordi falls for Enterprise creator in the holodeck. 155: The Enemy: B Geordi is trapped at Galandra Core with a lone Romulan. Romulan starship is trying to resque him but encounters Enterprise. 156: The Price: B- Wormhole for sale. Ferranghis, Federation and other parties tries to negotiate bids for Wormhole. One betazoid falls for Troi. 157: The Vengeance Factor: B The Acamarians are trying to locate the Gatherers to bring them back to their homeplanet. 158: The Defector: A- Admiral Jurok defects from the Romulans into the Neutral Zone for the Enterprise to resque him. He tries to help the Federation find a secret base. 159: The Hunted: B An escaped Angosian prisoner named Roga escapes from Lunar V. He is 'Rambo-like' and programmed to be a soldier despite his intellect. 160: The High Ground: B Terrorist-leader Finn kidnaps Dr. Crusher in an explosive incident on planet. Then attack Enterprise. 161: DEJA-Q: A- Q is banquished as a human being. He seeks sanctuary on the Enterprise. 162: A Matter of Perspective: B Riker is in trouble having to defend his innocence of murder to Dr Abgar. 163: Yesterdays' Enterprise: B+ Enterprise goes 22 years in the future from a time rift and rescues an older Enterprise. Alternate crew with Tasha Yar appears. 164: The Offspring: A- Data creates a child for himself named Lal. 165: Sins of the Father: A- Worf's younger brother visits Enterprise and needs to restore family name in Klingon Court. 166: Allegiance: B+ Imposter Picard takes over Enterprise while real Picard is abducated in an experiment of 'authority'. 167: Captains' Holiday: C+ Picard takes a long overdue vacation but gets into trouble. 168: Tinman: B+ Adventure with Tam Elbrun. Super-betazoid comes aboard Enterprise to try to reach TinMan before the Romulans 169: Hollow Pursuits: B+ Lt Barclay is introduced. He has severe psychological and confidence issues. Holodiction 170: The Most Toys: B+ Data is kidnapped by Kivas Fajo, a trickster who collects rare things. 171: Sarek: A- Ambassaador Sarek visits and everyone gets illogically angry. 172: Menage A Troi: B+ Damon Togg kidnapes Lxwanna, Troi and Ryker aboard his ship. 173: Transfigurations: B Enterprise discovers a being in an escape pod who has incredible powers but loss of memory. 174: The Best of Both Worlds Pt 1: A Borg kidnap Picard and head for Earth.
Aye, i agree that S3 certainly stepped up in terms of just about everything. I cant honestly recall a bad episode, however i wouldnt agree that captains holiday was the worst episode, i personally loved that one =]
I agree as well. It's good that the show lasted that long, because S3 was when it really found some solid footing. S1 and S2 have good eps too naturally, but are a little shakier in other respects.
I think season 3 is the most consistent season in the whole series. In my opinion, it has more of the best episodes of Next Generation than any other season (I consider "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1", "Yesterday's Enterprise", "The Hunted", and "Deja Q" all worthy of that distinction) and while there were episodes I didn't like (i.e. "The Price" and "Menage A Troi"), unlike in other seasons, I found the episodes that didn't thrill me to simply be rather lame or mildy annoying rather than infuriatingly boring or stupid to the point where I actually hated them (like most of season 1 and much of season 7). I'm not going to buy any of the seasons on DVD, but if I had to buy one, it would be season 3.
I just watched "The Enemy" for the first time in years. Now that's a very good show, and very representative of the entire season. Many episodes that don't sound very spectacular on paper. And are in fact not spectacular in the sense of "space action adventure", but well-told stories with something to say, good dialogue, interesting themes and characterization. In this case, I was amazed by how compelling the stand-off between Picard and Tomalak was. Actual tension there and the Romulans really seem like a formidable threat. Add to that the subplot in which the writers bravely decided to let Worf flat-out refuse to save a dying Romulan's life without finding a copout way to make him do it anyway. On Voyager, I imagine (not to put it down, because I'm finding many things to enjoy about on a second viewing these days, but let's face it) Janeway probably would've ordered B'Elanna to do a similar thing. Or she would've come around herself. Here? Nope. Good stuff. Season 3 was the season where stories like that were told in nearly every episode. I attribute that to the addition of Michael Piller to the writing staff that year.
Yeah, Piller really turned that show around and set into high gear. Did a hell of a job with DS9 too. It's such a shame he couldn't score with his movie effort too.
I have always thought that season three of TNG may be the most solid of any Trek season. It was just SO good, and it was after watching the first couple of episodes that I made a point of never setting the VCR again. I recorded them as they came out after that. The best part about it was that when "Best of Both Worlds" came out I did not know that was the season's last episode. About 35 minutes in I started to wonder how they would finish the episode and then when it ended.....I literally screamed into the TV....
Oh man...i can't wait to start DS9. I haven't seen any episodes. Will just have to wait till i get there (S4 now). He obviously was the major contributor then of S3. The quality of each program week after week is insane. Such an amazing talent. Sad to read that Michael passed away. Here are his biographies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Piller http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0683522/ http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/news/article/14414.html
Agreed. One reason I like S3 is because it has the best Romulan episodes, and let us see some of the great potential that existed for them (and, IMO, has gone sadly unrealized).
Oh yeah, isn't this the first year O'Brien starts get more visibility in episodes. Interesting to see him all of a sudden get noticed and people pick up on his character. Kind of odd that all the other transporter engineers didn't even get a nod before.
Season 3's "The Defector" ranks as one of my all-time favorite episodes from any Trek series. Another great (but brief) appearance by Tomalok, a perfect way to showcase the TNG-era alliance with the Klingons, Romulan political intrigue, great "Data learning about humanity" material before it got stale, Shakespeare...the list goes on. It also has one of the best Trek lines: "I will never see my child smile again. She will grow up believing that her father is a traitor. But she will grow up, if you act, Picard. If we stop this war before it begins." That line is even more poignant to me once we see everything Jarok has done is for nothing. Wonderful episode, and an outstanding early example of both Michael Piller's oversight and of Ron D. Moore's writing.
I wholeheartedly agree. "The Defector" gave Tomalak a chance to seem really badass and for the Romulans to be incredibly manipulative, not unlike how the Cardassian government tended to be, and that was enjoyable to see.
Season 3 is my favorite, and then Season 4. Season 3 was when it all came together, and TNG found its footing, and dug in firm, getting its act together. The writing was excellent, the production value the best, and the characters came into full bloom.
Season 3 was the season that made me a TNG fan. I struggled mightily until that season, particularly through season two, as opposed to season one. For me TNG seemed to become a show in its own right with its own identity and confidence.
I'm curious to know why someone would be against that episode too. In fact, I love both "Sins of the Father" and "Captain's Holiday", great character-building episodes for both Picard and Worf. The only one I really dislike is "The Price" with annoying aliens and watching Troi get seduced by some lame-o.
What is it you don't care for about them? Captain's Holiday is not one of my "big" episodes - you know how you have a few episodes that are significant episodes that feature in your personal wall of Trek. I still think it's a good episode, though. I think the writers and PS do a tremendous job of keeping Captain Picard in character while lounging around a pool wearing silver lame Speedos. It's a triumph all round! Sins of the Father, on the other hand, I feel is a major TNG episode. So much hangs on it for Worf, for the themes and arcs of TNG as a show, and because we learn so much about Klingons from it.