Review of Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 3 (7 Disc Boxset)

Introduction

The third season picks up where season two left off, and brings some changes and some faces old and new. I`m sure I don`t need to tell you much about the show itself so let`s dive into the episodes....

Evolution

A typical "ghost in the machine" effort, as tiny robots attack the computer on board the Enterprise, although they are just evolving. You`ve seen this scenario many times before, even in episodes of Red Dwarf and The X Files, but this story adds a slightly mad scientist who is determined to fulfill his life`s work, which is threatened by the demise of the ship. An average story with a cheese-stuffed ending, featuring the returning Dr Crusher. 6/10

The Ensigns of Command

Data leads an away team comprising of himself down to a planet where a human colony sprang up after being knocked off course. But the rightful owners want to move in, "cleansing the planet" before they do, and have a legal document the size of a house to back them up. Can Data persuade them to leave, or can the Enterprise team pick their way through legal jargon to find a loophole? Another episode that you`ve seen a few times before, and there are some "show me some more of this Earth thing called kissing" moments with Data and someone he meets on the planet. 6/10

The Survivors

On the remote colony of Rana IV, just 2 of its 11000 inhabitants have miraculously survived a devastating attack. Can the team work out the mystery? 5/10

Who Watches The Watchers?

The members of a primitive culture, mistakenly believing Picard to be their god, seize Troi and prepare to sacrifice her to him. Can the team repair the damage they have done? 6/10

The Bonding

When the ship`s archaeologist is killed on a mission led by Worf, he feels responsible for the son she left behind, but all is not what it seems when she re-appears. 4/10

Booby Trap

The Enterprise is caught in a trap that converts the ships energy into lethal levels of radiation. Can Geordi and his new hologramatic "girlfriend" save them? 7/10

The Enemy

Geordi is stranded on a storm-ravaged planet, as the crew`s attempts to rescue him are hindered by an aggressive Romulan warship. Can the Romulan left on the planet join forces with him as they attempt to survive? 6/10

The Price

Troi as she is swept off her feet by a dashing delegate who uses his powers to conduct his business on board the U.S.S. Enterprise, as negotiations continue over a new wormhole. 5/10

The Vengeance Factor

Attempts to mediate a violent dispute between warring clans is sabotaged by a mysterious assassin, and more "show me some more of this Earth thing called kissing" moments. 7/10

The Defector

A Romulan defector leads the Enterprise into a showdown that could erupt into a full-scale war. Do they trust him enough, and is he telling the truth? 6/10

The Hunted

The Enterprise is troubled by a soldier who turns into a violent killer as the result of government mind control experiments. Can the crew cope with him, and return him to his planet in peace? 8/10

The High Ground

Doctor Crusher is abducted by a radical terrorist group, as the crew is thrust into an explosive civil war on Rutia Four. Heavy terrorist overtones here, and a prediction that there will be a unified Ireland by 2024.... 6/10

Deja Q

Q returns for an amusing episode, as he is stripped of his powers and must come to terms with being a mere mortal. 9/10

A Matter Of Perspective

Riker is suspected of murdering a respected scientist who had accused the Enterprise officer of seducing his wife. The holodeck allows for multiple tellings of the story as the truth is slowly uncovered. Yet more "show me some more of this Earth thing called kissing" moments. 8/10

Yesterday`s Enterprise

The course of history is altered when a time rift brings a starship Enterprise from the past into the present with a crew that includes Tasha Yar. Only Guinan suspects all is not well. A tricky story, which looks good technically, but suffers from the usual problems when you start to mess about with time. 7/10

The Offspring

Data becomes a father when he creates an android using a transfer of his own neural programming. Will the Federation permit this? Not on your nelly of course, but there`s more to it than that. 5/10

Sins of The Father

When his long-lost brother appears on the Enterprise, Worf is thrust into a life-or-death battle for his family`s honour. This brings a long-running Klingon mythology arc into play. 8/10

Allegiance

Picard is kidnapped and replaced by an impostor, without the crew`s knowledge. Can the real one escape, and will the crew sniff out the impostor in time? 5/10

Captain`s Holiday

Picard gets entangled in the search for a missing weapon from the future, whilst trying to go on holiday. Those dastardly Ferengi are involved again. 8/10

Tin Man

The crew is thrust into a deadly showdown with the Romulans over a newly discovered life-form in a remote star system. A betazoid is assigned to communicate, but is he too close to the life-form already? 6/10

Hollow Pursuits

The crew struggles to help a young engineer whose obsession with the fantasy world Holodeck is getting in the way of his work. Dwight Schultz appears as Barclay, somewhat reminiscent of Howling Mad Murdoch from The A Team. Some amusing holodeck moments. 6/10

The Most Toys

Data is presumed dead when his shuttle craft explodes during a dangerous mission. A collector and trader is involved. 5/10

Sarek

The Enterprise is plagued by an outbreak of violence when a renowned Vulcan ambassador visits. Sarek is getting old and weak, and the only thing that will save the mission is one of those famous Vulcan mind melds. 4/10

Ménage à Troi

Betazed is thrown into chaos when Counsellor Troi and her mother are kidnapped by the Ferengi. Can they escape with Riker, or will it be down to Picard once more? Some quality hamming it up from Picard in the closing scenes. 7/10

Transfigurations

The Enterprise rescues a mysterious humanoid whose remarkable powers affect the entire crew, in both good and bad ways. 8/10

The Best of Both Worlds Part 1

Locutus of Borg is "born", and a million computers owned by fans suddenly get a new name. This sets up a good recurring story arc, which will be returned to time and time again, and even makes it on to the big screen. The Borg are one of the best Trek villains, and this season cliffhanger has a perfect mix of ingredients, and is the best of the season. 10/10 even with the annoying "To Be Continued..."

Video

A pretty standard late 1980s/early 1990s full frame transfer. The picture is a slight improvement on previous seasons, and looks better than when first broadcast. Everything looks pretty sharp too, with only a few softer moments to spoil things. Some new sets appear, and the special effects have improved again.

Audio

A DD5.1 remix which sounds pretty good. Purists may prefer the original track (you could try the dubbed foreign language versions for this), but I`m voting very definitely for the remix. The extra bass is good, and the surrounds get some good work to do. Dialogue is excellent throughout.

The main thing that this remix highlights for me is the score, which I`ve not really noticed before when watching these episodes. Now it gets a proper place in the mix, and sounds all the better for it.

Features

All of the extras are on disc 7, along with the final 2 episodes of the season. The extras follow the same pattern as previous seasons, and are made up of interviews old and new:-

Departmental Briefings: Production
Departmental Briefings: Memorable Missions

These discuss the production of episodes, with a look in depth at selected missions, and lots of contributions from producers, writers, directors and more cast and crew.

Mission Overview

This discusses the changes for season 3, including the fact that they`d run out of old stories to develop, and were writing as they went along.

Select Crew Analysis

This discusses changes in characters, the return of Dr Crusher, and some of the ideas for character development.

Conclusion

Twenty six episodes of Star Trek, in DD5.1, looking as good as you could expect. What more could any fan want? Well, some have asked for more extras, but I think this set is good value, even at such a high RRP. Season 3 is good overall, with things having settled down, actors comfortable in their roles, and some good stories thrown into the mix. Add a good selection of guest stars, and you get a good science fiction TV programme, with 20 hours of it on these discs.

Rather nice packaging too, which is an important consideration for some. The picture is as good as can be expected, the DD5.1 remix is great, and the extras are interesting, and I`m sure even hardcore fans will find things of interest in them.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys a Trek.....