Ranking the Episodes of Season 3

[Spirit of 73]

Season Three

The Ugly
Menage a Troi

The Bad
The Price
The Bonding
The Vengeance Factor
Transfigurations

The Bland
A Matter of Perspective
Evolution
The Hunted
The Ensigns of Command

The Decent
Hollow Pursuits
Who Watches the Watchers

The Good
Captain's Holiday
The Most Toys
Sarek
Allegiance
The Survivors
The High Ground

The Really Good
Booby Trap
Tin Man
Sins of the Father
The Enemy
Deja Q
The Defector

The Great
The Offspring

The Sublime
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Best of Both Worlds I

 

[Armus]

Season three is arguably TNG's most consistent season, and it's one of the best seasons of Star Trek ever. That being said I have some reservations about some of the changes in the show. Visually, the show changed, with the addition of a new costume designer and a new cinematography. I didn't like the new bridge lighting, lit from the ceiling which seemed harsh, overly bright, and less cozy, and I disliked the new baggy uniforms which the male cast wore after the original form-fitting variation didn't stretch enough for the actors. The show changed in the scripts as well. In season three it didn't feel that the Enterprise was moving, exploring, and charting unknown segments of the galaxy as much as before, and I missed that wild west flavor. On the whole, the Enterprise responded to distress calls, hosted delegations, evacuated colonists, and aided planets from natural disasters. The most exciting stories in season three were when one of the characters got kidnapped and the Enterprise was forced into action. The Romulans appeared several times in season three and The Enemy and The Defector rank amongst the best Romulan episodes of all time. My favorite scene in season three is the terrorist attack on the Enterprise during The High Ground.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Everything I like about TNG is still there in season three, especially the music, and although the show feels a little more character driven, it hadn't totally abandoned its adventure roots.


Competent but Dull
Evolution
The Ensigns of Command
The Bonding
Tin Man
Transfigurations

Guilty Pleasure
A Matter of Perspective
Menage A Troi

Good
The Survivors
Booby Trap
The Price
The Vengeance Factor
The Defector
The Hunted
The High Ground
Deja Q
The Offspring
Sins of The Father
Allegiance
Captains Holiday
Hollow Pursuits
The Most Toys
Sarek

Classic
Who Watches The Watchers
The Enemy
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Best of Both Worlds Part I

 

[Qonundrum]

Season 3 pretty much takes season 2's strengths and polishes what's left and creates a flow that wouldn't change... until season 5.

As usual, there are some classics and clunkers, but the clunkers don't clunk in the way the clunkers in season 1 (and, indeed, season 2) do. Well, for the most part. I'll get to those later, not because I want to end the post on a bad note but because anything remotely good is deserving of being mentioned first:

The More-or-Less Baddish-not-so-good:

• A Matter of Perspective (it sucks, that's my perspective)
• The Bonding (it means well but falls flat)
• Captain's Holiday (Filler. Let He Who Is Without Sin of DS9 infamye does more and better with the "planet of the STIs" and the issues brought up, and that episode's an ugly hawt mess in of itself...)
• The Vengeance Factor (it's just there and should be better. At least Riker's love interest is hawt.)
• The Offspring (so soon and they're already squeezing "The Measure of a Man" dry and the well of the one-note wonderplot will be made even more bone dry before they get to season six's nadir, entitled "The Quality of Life". Lighting strikes how many times usually only once.)

The Bland:

• Transfigurations (just empty filler padded out but it's nice to see species wearing hawt, tight-fitting designer costumes similar to what Norman wore in TOS's "I, Mudd", but none of that makes the episode any less bland.)
• The Hunted (should have had some more zing)
• The High Ground (needed some more zing too)
• The Ensigns of Command (Data's not-a-love-interest is hawt)
• Allegiance (filler)

The Middle-of-the-Road-Where-the-Chicken-Wallows:

• Who Watches the Watchers (overrated if not unintentionally ironic)

The Rather Good:

• Evolution (could have been a bit better at times, but the tone sells the new season extremely well)
• Sarek (how many retakes from Patrick Stewart were needed for the awesome camera pan scene? )
• The Survivors (different, but works exceptionally well as a horror story for Deanna. Excellent casting helped elevate what was already a good script. Awesome location work. Good tea.)

The Really Good

• Sins of the Father (worthy)
• Deja Q (Q becoming joke fodder was handled much better than expected. Imagine if this were made in season 1, or please don't imagine that. It's also sad that some science terms were changed for the sake of making the drama's dialogue sound better, but an all-out science lesson would bore people to sleep... if nothing else, freeze-frame at the correct millisecond after Q first appears and check out where not everyone's eyes veer toward. It's like trying to find Waldo, but even if you don't one of the bridge crew might have...)
• Yesterday's Enterprise (too much soap opera pads the middle, which is sad since this otherwise is in the "Sublime" category)
• Hollow Pursuits (an understated, underrated piece. Would have been really good if the Holodecks had locks on their doors, but Barclay wasn't looking to give a janitor some more work like how Riker had, he wanted actual love and solace... I did a rewatch and have a review started that I'll post eventually...)

The Great

• The Enemy (great twists and outcome)
• The Defector (this and "The Enemy" are great Romulan episodes, if not the best in TNG. James Sloyan was also in an early episode of "Buck Rogers" before the show got too campy and it's nice to see him not play the same role of double double crosser.)
• The Most Toys ("nerdy collector - in space!" is actually quite a compelling episode, and frightening given how he murders his assistant.)
• Booby Trap (Definitely one of season 3's greats. The original escape music is the one time I agreed that Ron Jones actually missed the mark with being experimental and he's the guy who elevated TNG's scores and set the stage to begin with. The reuse of the score from "Where Silence Has Lease" fits the scene so much better. From recollection, Geordi realizes it's not Leah and knows those forcefields around his shoulders are not real. The claim he's a creepazoid seems a little off given the full context of the episode but it's next on my viewing list.)
• Tin Man (experimental and classic. Great music too. Good Troi episode. Good data episode.)

The Sublime

• The Best of Both Worlds (anyone could guess the moment Picard was abducted what would happen, but that didn't stop people from being floored anyway - and the cliffhanger still sells the "big bad impossible to defeat enemy and you'll all become like them" eminently well. Some almost-soap opera threatens its status at times, but it still hangs together now and how come Shelby didn't stay? Not since 1983's "V" did a TV show an enemy that seemed impossible to defeat so effectively?)
• The Deer Hunter, or How I Found the Maltese Falcon (When we saw the Enterprise-C being commandeered by the Romulans, with Tasha being kidnapped and imprisoned, the horrors that we saw made us pine for her seeking comfort in the all-time classic "The Naked Now"... No need to count lights for this one... David Warner loves playing complex villain types, doesn't he? Glad to see him so often in Trek!)

The Fungillifugly

• The Price (like Darth Vader once said, "Nooooooooooooo"... completely flat and forced. And didn't the guy Troi falls for (Matt McCoy?) play a priest in an episode of "The Golden Girls"? He was even more wooden in that one and not in a good way)
• Menage a Troi (the title is pretty bad, the episode tries to get horrific but it doesn't quite work. Looks a lot better in blu-ray with the shimmering green in various garments, DVD just saps away the color...)

 

[Vger23]

Season three is arguably TNG's most consistent season, and it's one of the best seasons of Star Trek ever. That being said I have some reservations about some of the changes in the show. Visually, the show changed, with the addition of a new costume designer and a new cinematography. I didn't like the new bridge lighting, lit from the ceiling which seemed harsh, overly bright, and less cozy, and I disliked the new baggy uniforms which the male cast wore after the original form-fitting variation didn't stretch enough for the actors. The show changed in the scripts as well. In season three it didn't feel that the Enterprise was moving, exploring, and charting unknown segments of the galaxy as much as before, and I missed that wild west flavor. On the whole, the Enterprise responded to distress calls, hosted delegations, evacuated colonists, and aided planets from natural disasters. The most exciting stories in season three were when one of the characters got kidnapped and the Enterprise was forced into action. The Romulans appeared several times in season three and The Enemy and The Defector rank amongst the best Romulan episodes of all time. My favorite scene in season three is the terrorist attack on the Enterprise during The High Ground.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Everything I like about TNG is still there in season three, especially the music, and although the show feels a little more character driven, it hadn't totally abandoned its adventure roots.


Competent but Dull
Evolution
The Ensigns of Command
The Bonding
Tin Man
Transfigurations

Guilty Pleasure
A Matter of Perspective
Menage A Troi

Good
The Survivors
Booby Trap
The Price
The Vengeance Factor
The Defector
The Hunted
The High Ground
Deja Q
The Offspring
Sins of The Father
Allegiance
Captains Holiday
Hollow Pursuits
The Most Toys
Sarek

Classic
Who Watches The Watchers
The Enemy
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Best of Both Worlds Part I

My rankings will no doubt vary, but your perceptions about the "good" and "not so good" changes made for S3 are nearly identical to mine. Also agree that overall it may be the franchise's best season, exception being TOS S1 perhaps.

 

[Spirit of 73]

Season three is arguably TNG's most consistent season,

Interesting perspective. I thought season three was a lot like season two, with great distance between the peaks and troughs. I just though the peaks of season three were higher than the peaks of season two, and ditto for the troughs.

Qonundrum, you have The Offspring listed amongst the bad! Sacrilege. ;-)

 

[tomalak301]

Classics

The Defector
Yesterday's Enterprise
Best of Both Worlds 1
Sarek
The Offspring

Good

Ensigns of Command
The Survivors
Booby Trap
The Enemy
The Hunted
The High Ground
Deja Q
Sins of the Father
The Most Toys
A Matter of Perspective

Average

Evolution
Who Watches the Watchers
The Price
Allegiance
Captain's Holiday
Tin Man
Hollow Pursuits
Transfigurations
The Vengeance Factor

Bad

The Bonding
Menage a Troi

 

[Spirit of 73]

Classics

The Defector
Yesterday's Enterprise
Best of Both Worlds 1
Sarek
The Offspring

Good

Ensigns of Command
The Survivors
Booby Trap
The Enemy
The Hunted
The High Ground
Deja Q
Sins of the Father
The Most Toys
A Matter of Perspective

Average

Evolution
Who Watches the Watchers
The Price
Allegiance
Captain's Holiday
Tin Man
Hollow Pursuits
The Most Toys
The Vengeance Factor

Bad

The Bonding
Menage a Troi

I'm pretty much in agreement with you. I'd probably rank Allegiance, Captain's Holiday and Tin Man a touch higher, but I am in pretty close agreement with you overall.

 

[Terok Nor]

The Good

The Best Of Both Worlds Part 1
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Offspring
Sins Of The Father
Booby Trap
Captain's Holiday
The Most Toys
The Survivors
The Defector
Deja Q
Hollow Pursuits
The Enemy
Sarek
Allegiance
Tin Man
Menage A Troi
Who Watches The Watchers
A Matter Of Perspective
The Ensigns Of Command
The Vengeance Factor
The High Ground
Evolution
The Hunted

The Bad

Transfigurations

The Ugly

The Price
The Bonding

 

[Spirit of 73]

The Good

The Best Of Both Worlds Part 1
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Offspring
Sins Of The Father
Booby Trap
Captain's Holiday
The Most Toys
The Survivors
The Defector
Deja Q
Hollow Pursuits
The Enemy
Sarek
Allegiance
Tin Man
Menage A Troi
Who Watches The Watchers
A Matter Of Perspective
The Ensigns Of Command
The Vengeance Factor
The High Ground
Evolution
The Hunted

The Bad

Transfigurations

The Ugly

The Price
The Bonding

Not a bad list, although I think I'd rank Menage a Troi lower. Too bad, because it does have one genuinely funny scene.

 

[tomalak301]

I'm pretty much in agreement with you. I'd probably rank Allegiance, Captain's Holiday and Tin Man a touch higher, but I am in pretty close agreement with you overall.

Allegiance is one of those episodes you forget, but when you watch it it's not bad. Still, when I think Season 3, Allegiance is more a middle of the road episode than kinda good. Captain's Holiday was fun, but a little dumb. I did like Picard and Vash together though. As for Tin Man, good concept, but Elbran was annoying.

 

[Herbert]

After watching and rewatching and rewatching, etc etc etc this series more times than I can count, I've come down to a simple system for ordering good vs bad episodes and that comes down to what I still watch and ones that I avoid. Season three though might be my favorite

The watchers
Evolution (Wesley creates a new race. ho hum just another day in the life of the Wonder Boy and Stubbs can be quite annoying but I like this episode regardless)
The Best Of Both Worlds Part 1 (classic)
The Offspring (I should hate this one but I don't. I guess I'm just a big softy)
Sins Of The Father (I'm a fan of all of the Worf episodes in the discommendation theme. Probably my favorite series spanning story arc)
The Most Toys (goofy at times, but I like it)
The Survivors (I wish they had done some follow up regarding the Douwd race)
The Defector (You gotta feel for Admiral Jarok)
Deja Q (refreshing twist instead of the usual all powerful Q)
Hollow Pursuits (fun episode, if a bit goofy)
Allegiance
Tin Man
A Matter Of Perspective (The various POVs are fascinating and I just like how the hearing unfolds)
The Ensigns Of Command (c'mon, admit it. you LOVED the look on Gosheven's face when Data blew up the pumping station. Suck on it, Goshy, suck on it )
The Hunted (Super soldier badassery that can even fool Data)
The Price (Kinda have a love/hate thing going on with this one. I've always liked it but these days I fast forward through the Lloyd Braun/Troi romance scenes)
The Vengeance Factor
The High Ground
Transfigurations

The avoiders
Captain's Holiday (I'd rather have jamaharon than watch this one again but who wouldn't? )
The Enemy (a little too Enemy Mine for my tastes)
Sarek (don't have anything specific against this one I just don't ever need to see it again)
Menage A Troi (shoot me now)
Who Watches The Watchers (never liked this one. However, it's been years since I've seen it and I'm due to revisit it)
The Bonding (boring)
Yesterday's Enterprise (good episode but I've seen it enough times)
Booby Trap (used to be a must watch for me but I've gotten tired of it and Picard, Mr archaeology wannabe, blowing up an unique artifact irritates me to no end)

 

[Armus]

After watching and rewatching and rewatching, etc etc etc this series more times than I can count, I've come down to a simple system for ordering good vs bad episodes and that comes down to what I still watch and ones that I avoid. Season three though might be my favorite

The watchers
Evolution (Wesley creates a new race. ho hum just another day in the life of the Wonder Boy and Stubbs can be quite annoying but I like this episode regardless)
The Best Of Both Worlds Part 1 (classic)
The Offspring (I should hate this one but I don't. I guess I'm just a big softy)
Sins Of The Father (I'm a fan of all of the Worf episodes in the discommendation theme. Probably my favorite series spanning story arc)
The Most Toys (goofy at times, but I like it)
The Survivors (I wish they had done some follow up regarding the Douwd race)
The Defector (You gotta feel for Admiral Jarok)
Deja Q (refreshing twist instead of the usual all powerful Q)
Hollow Pursuits (fun episode, if a bit goofy)
Allegiance
Tin Man
A Matter Of Perspective (The various POVs are fascinating and I just like how the hearing unfolds)
The Ensigns Of Command (c'mon, admit it. you LOVED the look on Gosheven's face when Data blew up the pumping station. Suck on it, Goshy, suck on it )
The Hunted (Super soldier badassery that can even fool Data)
The Price (Kinda have a love/hate thing going on with this one. I've always liked it but these days I fast forward through the Lloyd Braun/Troi romance scenes)
The Vengeance Factor
The High Ground
Transfigurations

The avoiders
Captain's Holiday (I'd rather have jamaharon than watch this one again but who wouldn't? )
The Enemy (a little too Enemy Mine for my tastes)
Sarek (don't have anything specific against this one I just don't ever need to see it again)
Menage A Troi (shoot me now)
Who Watches The Watchers (never liked this one. However, it's been years since I've seen it and I'm due to revisit it)
The Bonding (boring)
Yesterday's Enterprise (good episode but I've seen it enough times)
Booby Trap (used to be a must watch for me but I've gotten tired of it and Picard, Mr archaeology wannabe, blowing up an unique artifact irritates me to no end)

Not a bad breakdown although I don't see the problem with The Enemy. Geordi climbs out of a hole and befriends a Romulan while Worf lets a Romulan die and Picard avoids a shootout..what's not to love, and rewatch?

I was sick of Yesterday's Enterprise until I saw it in HD. I like David Carson's direction and the subtle conflict between Picard and Riker. Picard as the last man standing, stoically fighting until the end was a brilliant climax. I believe you can hear strands of Dennis Mccarthy's Picard theme, which Rick Berman had forbidden, during that scene.

"That will be the day."

 

[Spirit of 73]

Captain's Holiday was fun, but a little dumb. I did like Picard and Vash together though.

It's a take a break and have fun episode. I really like Vash, too. Plus, a Ferengi gets punched so it has to be watched for that!

The watchers
Evolution (Wesley creates a new race. ho hum just another day in the life of the Wonder Boy and Stubbs can be quite annoying but I like this episode regardless)
The Best Of Both Worlds Part 1 (classic)
The Offspring (I should hate this one but I don't. I guess I'm just a big softy)
Sins Of The Father (I'm a fan of all of the Worf episodes in the discommendation theme. Probably my favorite series spanning story arc)
The Most Toys (goofy at times, but I like it)
The Survivors (I wish they had done some follow up regarding the Douwd race)
The Defector (You gotta feel for Admiral Jarok)
Deja Q (refreshing twist instead of the usual all powerful Q)
Hollow Pursuits (fun episode, if a bit goofy)
Allegiance
Tin Man
A Matter Of Perspective (The various POVs are fascinating and I just like how the hearing unfolds)
The Ensigns Of Command (c'mon, admit it. you LOVED the look on Gosheven's face when Data blew up the pumping station. Suck on it, Goshy, suck on it )
The Hunted (Super soldier badassery that can even fool Data)
The Price (Kinda have a love/hate thing going on with this one. I've always liked it but these days I fast forward through the Lloyd Braun/Troi romance scenes)
The Vengeance Factor
The High Ground
Transfigurations

The avoiders
Captain's Holiday (I'd rather have jamaharon than watch this one again but who wouldn't? )
The Enemy (a little too Enemy Mine for my tastes)
Sarek (don't have anything specific against this one I just don't ever need to see it again)
Menage A Troi (shoot me now)
Who Watches The Watchers (never liked this one. However, it's been years since I've seen it and I'm due to revisit it)
The Bonding (boring)
Yesterday's Enterprise (good episode but I've seen it enough times)
Booby Trap (used to be a must watch for me but I've gotten tired of it and Picard, Mr archaeology wannabe, blowing up an unique artifact irritates me to no end)

Holy Cow! Well, to each his own, but other than Menage a Troi and Who Watches the Watchers, your "avoiders" are all episodes I like or even love.

 

[Herbert]

Well, like I said some of my avoiders are because I've seen them too many times and I'm tired of them, not that they are bad episodes.

 

[Vger23]

My Season 3 Rankings (n-1, categorized)

Root canal:
The Price
Evolution
The Vengeance Factor
The Bonding

Unremarkable / "I'll watch it if it's on I suppose":
Transfigurations
The High Ground
Hollow Pursuits
Tin Man
The Most Toys
Who Watches the Watchers

Fun / Good Tymes:
Menage a Troi
The Hunted
Sins of the Father
A Matter of Perspective
Allegiance
The Ensigns of Command
Captain's Holiday
The Survivors
Sarek
Booby Trap

Classic / Multiple Re-Watch Material:
The Enemy
The Offspring
Yesterday's Enterprise
Deja Q
The Defector
Best of Both Worlds, Part 1

 

[Spirit of 73]

My Season 3 Rankings (n-1, categorized)

Root canal:
The Price
Evolution
The Vengeance Factor
The Bonding

Unremarkable / "I'll watch it if it's on I suppose":
Transfigurations
The High Ground
Hollow Pursuits
Tin Man
The Most Toys
Who Watches the Watchers

Fun / Good Tymes:
Menage a Troi
The Hunted
Sins of the Father
A Matter of Perspective
Allegiance
The Ensigns of Command
Captain's Holiday
The Survivors
Sarek
Booby Trap

Classic / Multiple Re-Watch Material:
The Enemy
The Offspring
Yesterday's Enterprise
Deja Q
The Defector
Best of Both Worlds, Part 1

Totally agree on your top episodes. I might slip Booby Trap in there. It's borderline.