I'm only starting S3 on a first-time watch of the whole series, but since this forum is absolutely dominated by TATV talk, I skipped ahead last night to watch that episode. I almost wish I hadn't. Beyond the issues I have with ENT and its characters being totally upstaged by TNG in its own series finale (this probably would have worked as a mid-season ep) and the massive bags under Riker's eyes, the cameos are made by my two least favorite TNG characters. I never thought Riker fit into TNG's ensemble. Seems like he existed almost solely to yell "Red Alert!" on the bridge and to stand sideways while defiantly saying "Yes SIR!" when he disagreed with a superior. I can't think of a more purposeless member of that crew. And I was ok with Troi, but I hate when writers develop a character by inexplicably expanding their skillset (Troi flying the ship, making command decisions, having any role at all on the First Contact away team, etc.). I'm not generally a fan of developing secondary characters at all. I prefer the TOS model: less is more when it comes to secondary characters. I don't need Troi in command. I don't need Neelix doing security. I don't need to see the EMH playing dad in a holo-family. But yeah, TATV sucked.
Look at the bright side... you have almost two whole good seasons to go to wash the taste of TATV out of your mouth. Just remember not to watch it again when you get to the last disc of S4!
Oh YOU are my friend! And when you finish season 4 just look on the double ep that precedes TATV as the finale. It's a very nice way to finish the series and even (who was it?) a very important person said they were the true finale.
I wonder if Riker watching the "real" Kobayashi Maru scenario play out on the holodeck prior to some suicide mission might have worked better. Even if it resulted in the heroic death of the Enterprise and crew. (you know an episode is bad when I'm thinking a continuity porn episode where everybody dies might have worked better)
The holodeck was used as a therapeutic tool in TNG 'Schisms' (season six) and DS9 'Afterimage' (season seven).