Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 3 [DVD] [1990]

"Let's make sure history never forgets the name Enterprise", remarks a steely Picard in "Yesterday's Enterprise", one of the highlights of Star Trek: The Next Generation's remarkable third season. Not a chance, Captain. Thanks to new uniforms, a new look and strong new writing, this was the Next Gen's breakthrough year.

Cast changes solidified the team, with the return of Dr Crusher and LaForge now promoted to Chief Engineer. Worf got a meaty story arc all of his own ("The Sins of the Father") and Data made himself a daughter ("The Offspring"). Picard had a romantic vacation in "Captain's Holiday", and semi-regular crewmember Reg Barclay showed us that not everyone in Starfleet was perfect ("Hollow Pursuits"). By the time it reached its breathtaking Borg cliffhanger "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1", there was no longer any doubt that this show really was going where none had gone before.

On the DVD Star Trek: The Next Generation's third season on disc comes packaged in the now-familiar solid grey outer casing containing a seven-disc fold-out. The extra features follow the same pattern as before, with a "Mission Overview" for Year 3 and "Selected Crew Analysis", in which the new, old and returning cast members talk about this season in then and now interviews. The "Departmental Briefing" looks behind the scenes at the Production, with comments from, among many others, executive producer Michael Piller, visual effects supervisor Dan Curry, technical advisor Mike Okuda, and new composer Jay Chattaway. The "Memorable Missions" looks at the many season highs. The 1.33:1 picture quality is better than ever before, as is the vivid Dolby 5.1 surround. --Mark Walker

The entire third season of the 'Star Trek' spin-off series. In 'Evolution' Wes Crusher's experiments result in the Enterprise's computer systems being overrun by intelligent micro-organisms. 'The Ensigns of Command' sees Data's ability to cope with stress put to the test when, on his first command mission, he has to deal with an alien race who demand the withdraw of human colonists from their planet. 'The Survivors' has the crew encounter an elderly couple who claim to be the only survivors of the 11,000-strong Earth colony recently attacked by aliens. 'Who Watches the Watchers' finds Counsellor Troi seized by the Mintakans, a primitive off-shoot of the Vulcan race, who wish to sacrifice her to their 'god' Picard. 'The Bonding' sees Worf playing surrogate father to the 12-year-old son of an archaeologist who was killed on a recent mission. In 'Booby Trap' Geordi is forced to revive a hologram of 'Enterprise' creator Leah Brahms when the ship becomes trapped in a lethal energy minefield. 'The Enemy' has the Enterprise rescue a suspected Romulan spy, while Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) is stranded on a planet with a poisonous atmosphere. 'The Price' finds the Enterprise playing host to the many races who are all bidding for ownership of a stable wormhole, but the situation quickly threatens to turn dangerous. In 'The Vengeance Factor' Picard (Patrick Stewart) is forced to mediate between the warring clans of a distant planet, a task made more difficult after a clandestine murder. 'The Defector' sees Picard risk sparking off a war between the Federation and the Romulans when one of their enemies apparently defects with some secret battle plans. 'The Hunted' has the escape of a prisoner jeopardise the planet Angosia's efforts to be accepted into the Federation. 'The High Ground' finds Dr Crusher kidnapped by terrorists from the planet Rutia, who are attempting to overthrow what they claim is a corrupt government. In 'Deja Q' Q turns to Picard and the Enterprise for sanctuary when he is stripped of his powers. 'A Matter of Perspective' sees Riker suspected of murdering a scientist who accused the Starfleet officer of seducing his wife. 'Yesterday's Enterprise' has Picard experience an alternative reality in which Tasha Yar is still alive. 'The Offspring' finds android officer Data trying to protect his new, self-built robot daughter from those who want to take her away for research purposes. 'Sins of the Father' sees Worf forced to travel to his Klingon homeworld to defend his late father against charges of treason, only to discover his brother, Commander Kurn, unexpectedly alive and well. In 'Allegiance' Riker is abducted by aliens and replaced on the Enterprise by a carousing lookalike who attempts to seduce Dr Crusher. 'Captain's Holiday' has Picard become involved in a treasure hunt with the beautiful but scheming Vash and her Ferengi companion. 'Tin Man' finds the Enterprise crew ordered to accompany telepathically-sensitive Betazoid Tam Elbrun when he goes to meet a new, alien life form. In 'Hollow Pursuits' Reg Barclay, a painfully shy engineer, places the entire crew in jeopardy when one of his holodeck fantasies gets out of control. 'The Most Toys' sees Data kidnapped by fanatical collector Fajo, only to malfunction and place his captor's life in danger. 'Sarek' has the ailing Ambassador Sarek - father of original Enterprise crew member Spock - arrive to carry out his last mission. 'Menage a Troi' finds Troi and her mother Lwaxana (who is still infatuated with the captain of the Enterprise) kidnapped by Ferengi Damon Tog, forcing a reluctant Picard to sweep to the rescue. 'Transfigurations' sees Doctor Crusher save the life of a crashed, amnesiac alien by linking him to Geordi's nervous system. Finally, in 'The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1', the Borg return with a renewed determination to assimilate Picard and use him as their spokesman on Earth.