Third Season... best year of the show?

[CrazyMatt]

I've been re-watching TNG's third season for the first time since the Blu Ray came out. I am reminded how in '89 I accidentally came across the series again, and discovered it to be so compelling that it pulled me back to the series after the mess that was the first season had repelled me away.

The third season has so many great episodes, it's not only the best season of Trek since the second season of TOS, but it may just be the best overall season of TNG... and maybe rivaled only by the sixth season of DS9.

The quality of episodes from this season astound me.

Your thoughts? Is it the best TNG season overall, and perhaps the best season of any Trek series?

 

[JesterFace]

I think season 3 has something unique, I'm not sure what, that makes it stand apart, together with season 4. Those seasons, 3 & 4, are the best of TNG in my opinion, best of Trek and TV in general...

And, season 3 has my favorite episode of the series, 'Who Watches The Watchers'.

 

[Terok Nor]

My favourite season is 6 but I know it had a few clunkers. Season 3 and 4 are objectively the best seasons creatively. TNG found its feet and soared.

 

[Mojochi]

I'd only put it as being equal to S4. 4 is my favorite season, even though I have some all time faves from 3 too

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Probably is my favorite.

 

[HarryM]

My favorite as well, so many great episodes. Many are recognized as great like Yesterday's Enterprise and Best of Both Worlds Part 1, but there are other somewhat underrated/overlooked gems like The Survivors, Sins of the Father, etc.

Evolution
The Ensigns Of Command
The Survivors
Who Watches The Watchers
The Bonding
Booby Trap
The Enemy
The Price
The Vengeance Factor
The Defector
The Hunted
The High Ground
Déjà Q
A Matter Of Perspective
Yesterday's Enterprise
The Offspring
Sins Of The Father
Allegiance
Captain's Holiday
Tin Man
Hollow Pursuit
The Most Toys
Sarek
Ménage A Troi
Transfigurations
Best Of Both Worlds, part 1

 

[HarryM]

Sins of the Father is a particular favorite of mine. I am always surprised at how much is in there. When you think about the story from beginning to end, there is a lot that happens , but it does not feel rushed or choppy. Pretty tight storytelling and great editing.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

S3 is really strong. I've been doing a partial rewatch of it in the background for the past couple of weeks. I really love many of these episodes. It was the first time Trek brought the "wow"-feeling* back to me that I had watching TOS in syndication and TAS first run, save perhaps TWOK. It's my favorite season overall, but there are really strong episodes in S4, S5, and S6.

* - I can't really describe what this "wow"-feeling is, but it's a feeling of having really been entertained.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Definitely the best season of TNG...when it really hit its stride and our investment in the show started to pay off.

"The Defector" had me on the edge of my seat with its build-up of tension...towards the end of the episode, I thought it was going to be a two-parter. When the Klingons decloaked, I just about jumped out of that seat.

Sins of the Father is a particular favorite of mine. I am always surprised at how much is in there. When you think about the story from beginning to end, there is a lot that happens , but it does not feel rushed or choppy. Pretty tight storytelling and great editing.

And yet they still found time for a cringeworthily redundant bit of dialogue: "Klingon Imperial Empire".

 

[jimbotron]

And yet they still found time for a cringeworthily redundant bit of dialogue: "Klingon Imperial Empire".

At least they didn't say "imperious leader"

 

[The Old Mixer]

"Time to go home, Number One. Mr. Crusher, set a course for the Federated Federation of Planetary Planets!"

 

[tomalak301]

I'm more partial to Season 4 but together Season 3 and 4 are TNG at it's very best.

 

[iMike]

Season 3 is clearly the season where the show finally found its creative legs. It's the season where the storylines became more cohesive, where the actors and characters seemed more at ease.

Seasons 4 and 6 are my favorite seasons overall, but Season 3 is definitely the first season the show really popped, IMO.

 

[suarezguy]

I thought the first two seasons were overall OK rather than bad; season 3 wasn't a tremendous improvement but it was a pretty big improvement and, tied with season 4, indeed the best of the series.

 

[JesterFace]

together Season 3 and 4 are TNG at it's very best.

There it is people, the TRUTH!

Sometimes it feels TNG didn't really start until season 3, apart from few episodes from season 2...

 

[Sistrin]

Sins of the Father is a particular favorite of mine. I am always surprised at how much is in there. When you think about the story from beginning to end, there is a lot that happens , but it does not feel rushed or choppy. Pretty tight storytelling and great editing.

Agreed, one of the best Trek episodes ever.

 

[CrazyMatt]

I'm more partial to Season 4 but together Season 3 and 4 are TNG at it's very best.

As I am now re-watching season four, I can agree with this. Season four episodes were pretty much just as consistently good as season three's were.

Seasons five and six had a number of superb episodes, but the consistency of quality started to wane in season five. Season seven also had its high points, albeit fewer than any season since the second one.

And out of mercy I will refrain from commenting on season one (again).

 

[TV's Frank]

I would tend to agree about this, measuring it about even with Season 4, and have thought this way since initially watching this season as it aired. The TNG "ship" had been righted, thanks to Piller and new writers, while the new found confidence of the cast was evident. I think there was a genuine excitement from everyone to explore their own unique corner of the Trek universe, now that they were emerging from the shadow of TOS. The cast and crew were brimming with fresh ideas and perspectives, even simply switching up the lighting scheme helped.

By season 5, TNG settled into their comfort zone, for better or worse, and I think by season 7 exhibited signs of being on autopilot in this comfort zone. There's a certain magic to the season 3 and 4 episodes, difficult to duplicate in later seasons. Hey, it could all just come down to the fact that Ron Jones was still composing music for the show then!

 

[Trek Survivor]

Season 2 is my personal favourite, but season 3 was also excellent. The two together are my favourite period, maybe tag season 4 on there for a perfect trilogy of seasons :-)