TNG Season 3
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference
(written from a Production point of view)
Contents |
[edit] Episodes
| Title | Episode | Prodno. | Stardate | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution | 3x01 | 40273-150 | 43125.8 | 1989-09-25 |
| The Ensigns of Command | 3x02 | 40273-149 | 43133.3 | 1989-10-02 |
| The Survivors | 3x03 | 40273-151 | 43152.4 | 1989-10-09 |
| Who Watches The Watchers | 3x04 | 40273-152 | 43173.5 | 1989-10-16 |
| The Bonding | 3x05 | 40273-153 | 43198.7 | 1989-10-23 |
| Booby Trap | 3x06 | 40273-154 | 43205.6 | 1989-10-30 |
| The Enemy | 3x07 | 40273-155 | 43349.2 | 1989-11-06 |
| The Price | 3x08 | 40273-156 | 43385.6 | 1989-11-13 |
| The Vengeance Factor | 3x09 | 40273-157 | 43421.9 | 1989-11-20 |
| The Defector | 3x10 | 40273-158 | 43462.5 | 1990-01-01 |
| The Hunted | 3x11 | 40273-159 | 43489.2 | 1990-01-08 |
| The High Ground | 3x12 | 40273-160 | 43510.7 | 1990-01-29 |
| Deja Q | 3x13 | 40273-161 | 43539.1 | 1990-02-05 |
| A Matter of Perspective | 3x14 | 40273-162 | 43610.4 | 1990-02-12 |
| Yesterday's Enterprise | 3x15 | 40273-163 | 43625.2 | 1990-02-19 |
| The Offspring | 3x16 | 40273-164 | 43657.0 | 1990-03-12 |
| Sins of the Father | 3x17 | 40273-165 | 43685.2 | 1990-03-19 |
| Allegiance | 3x18 | 40273-166 | 43714.1 | 1990-03-26 |
| Captain's Holiday | 3x19 | 40273-167 | 43745.2 | 1990-04-02 |
| Tin Man | 3x20 | 40273-168 | 43779.3 | 1990-04-23 |
| Hollow Pursuits | 3x21 | 40273-169 | 43807.4 | 1990-04-30 |
| The Most Toys | 3x22 | 40273-170 | 43872.2 | 1990-05-07 |
| Sarek | 3x23 | 40273-171 | 43917.4 | 1990-05-14 |
| Ménage à Troi | 3x24 | 40273-172 | 43930.7 | 1990-05-28 |
| Transfigurations | 3x25 | 40273-173 | 43957.2 | 1990-06-04 |
| The Best of Both Worlds | 3x26 | 40273-174 | 43989.1 | 1990-06-18 |
[edit] Summary
Season 3 is marked by a string of abductions, with six people being kidnapped, and Captain Picard being abducted no less than three times. Captain Picard is abducted by aliens, takes a vacation which eventually gets him caught up in the search for a weapon from the future, mind melds with the legendary Vulcan Sarek, and is mistaken for a god by a primitive culture. He was again kidnapped with Doctor Crusher by Ansata terrorists. Data was abducted by Kivas Fajo, a collector of rare objects. He also continued to learn about Humanity, and constructed his own daughter, Lal. Worf adopts as his brother a young boy whose mother was killed under his command, and later meets with his real brother as his family is discommended because of the lies of Duras, a storyline which would continue into the next season. Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, and her mother Lwaxana Troi are all abducted by the Ferengi.
The USS Enterprise-D encounters the USS Enterprise-C which emerges from a time vortex, causing significant alterations to history. This is eventually resolved and removed from everyone's memories, though it had the side effect of creating a duplicate Lieutenant Natasha Yar in the past, who went on to become the mother of Sela before being killed by Romulans.
Additionally, Reginald Barclay comes on board the USS Enterprise-D and slowly begins to learn how to become a better officer, and Wesley Crusher is promoted to the rank of full ensign by Captain Picard after successfully discovering the key to rescuing Commander William T. Riker, and Counselor Deanna Troi and her mother Lwaxana Troi, at the expense of his own entry into Starfleet Academy.
The season ends with the Borg entering Federation space, abducting and surgically altering Captain Picard, and proceeding on a course to Earth, leaving Riker with the choice of whether or not to attempt to save Captain Picard.
[edit] Background Information
- Gates McFadden returns to the cast as Doctor Beverly Crusher. Her first episode back is "The Ensigns of Command", although "Evolution" would air first.
- In the first episode of Season 3, La Forge has been promoted from lieutenant to lt. commander and Worf from lieutenant jg to full lieutenant.
- Cinematographer Edward R. Brown retires and is replaced by Marvin V. Rush, who continues to work on Star Trek for the next sixteen years. Rush's preference for a bright, vibrant color scheme (as opposed to the more subdued lighting used by Brown) heavily alters the look of the series from this season onwards.
- The Starfleet uniforms are redesigned twice. Initially, they are still made of a spandex-like material, but are looser fitting with a raised collar and no striping on the shoulders. Later in the season, the main characters receive uniforms manufactured with wool gabardine. The redesign was to relieve back pain caused by the spandex uniforms. Background extras continue to use the original uniforms until the following season.
- The type-2 phasers are redesigned by Rick Sternbach. Later in the season, the tricorder props are reconstructed with greater detail by Ed Miarecki.
- A new four-foot model of the USS Enterprise-D is built by Greg Jein. It makes its debut in "The Defector". Although it is incapable of saucer separation, it has more surface detail and accurately-lit Ten Forward windows.
- Head writer Maurice Hurley left after the second season, citing exhaustion and difficulties with Gene Roddenberry. Michael Wagner initially took over the writing staff, but quit after only four episodes when he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and Michael Piller in turn replaced him. (citation needed • edit)
- This is the first season to conclude with a cliffhanger: "The Best of Both Worlds". From here on out, every season begins with the conclusion to the previous season's cliffhanger episode, and ends with another cliffhanger, with the exception of the final season, which concludes with the series finale, "All Good Things..."
- Beginning this season, a new opening credits sequence is used. Previously, the credits featured a departure from Earth through the Terran solar system. From this season on, however, the credits feature various exotic stellar phenomena, beginning with the trademark blue nebula. Later, as the shot pans through a star system, the ringed planet shown is clearly not Saturn, as its surface appears to be rocky with what seem to be lava formations on the night side.
[edit] See also
| Previous Season: TNG Season 2 | Seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation | Next Season: TNG Season 4 |
