Star Trek TNG - Season 3

Sins of the Father:  This is my favorite 3rd Season Episode so far.  We get some excellent "World Building" as Worf goes before the Klingon High Council to defend his Father's name, after discovering he has a younger brother.  Tony Todd is completely believable as a Klingon and as Worf's brother.  I loved the look of the Klingon World too.  Great set design.  Bad things?  Well, the Klingon's do shout quite a bit, don't they?

Yesterday’s Enterprise: Supposedly one of TNG’s best episodes (9.2 rating) but I didn’t like it much. It shows up TNG’s greatest flaw, casting. The producers were so interested in winning diversity bingo, they skipped talent and fitting the part. The two guest stars are bland and the female one is completely unbelievable as the former Captain of the Enterprise. How can you go from Picard/Kirk to her? Sorry no sale. Meanwhile, we get far too much of the wretched Whoopi with her silly outfits and bad acting. Rounding out the horror show is Ms. Crosby with a butch haircut and dull personality.

Deja Q - A fun, comic episode with Q having to deal with being busted down to Human. Of course, its only temporary and the episode ends with Q back to his omnipotent self. Making it even better is we get less Whoopi than normal. For reasons unknown to anyone but the Producers, they always guest-star Whoopi on a Q episode. Thank God for John de Lancie. Funniest line: “I’m not good in groups. It’s difficult to work in a group when you’re omnipotent.”

A Matter of Perspective – There’s nothing special about the story but I enjoyed this one, primarily because I’m a sucker for Rashomon type episodes and movies. It also gives Frakes a chance to do some acting.

Sarek – Absurdly overrated episode with old TOS favorite Mark Lenard. The years haven’t been kind to him, and he seems far too muted. The story itself is no great shakes. The problem is we cared about Sarek because he was Spock’s father. By himself, he wasn’t particularly interesting. You can say the same about Mark Lenard. He was fine in small doses as the supporting actor with a strong script, but not particularly good as “THE GUEST STAR”.

Hollow Pursuits -  Moderately amusing episode about an shy crewmember who's intimidated by his "Bosses" on the Enterprise and spends too much time in the Holodeck. This one probably hit home for a lot of "Trekkers" since so many of them are intelligent shy people who have escaped into the "Trek world".  Guest star Dwight Schultz does an amazing job with an underwritten part. And the comedy world of his Holodeck fantasy was quite amusing. But  there's just too much technobabble and too little plot. And last act is dull.  The writers  give us the usual "X overcomes his handicap and saves the day" Highpoint was Picard as a Musketeer and the real Riker talking to a Holodeck Riker. 

The Most Toys - Picard and the gang think Data has been killed in a shuttle explosion but in fact has been kidnapped by a Collector/Trader of rare objects.  Well written, if overly familiar story that has two good things and two bad things.  The good? An excellent performance by Spiner and an interesting examination of Data's character.  The Bad? A mediocre guest star.  The part needed an actor with the charimsa of a Harry Mudd or Gul Dukat.   Instead, we get a snarky little weasal/nerd. His sidekick wasn't much better.  And I'm getting a little tired of every villian being a  white guy. Where are the female/black villians?     

Menage à Troi -  A Ferengi "Comedy"-  about as good as you'd expect. 

Transfigurations