I'm re-watching TNG all the way through for the nth time.

The show really comes into its own in year three. The cast really gels, the story lines are more mature, and the writing is matched by stellar performances.

Though I'm early in season 3, there have already been some great episodes. I particularly enjoyed "Who Watches the Watchers," a treatise on the TNG's law of non-interference the Prime Directive, and "The Enemy," a send-up to Cold War political dramas of a decade earlier.

This season is not without it's stinkers. Episodes such as "The Survivors" and "The Bonding" are uninspired genre throw-aways. Even the potentially interesting premise of "The Price" (the one with the Barzan Wormhole as story B, early inspiration for DS9) is ruined by the hokey romantic plot between Troi and the slimy Devinoni Ral.

This season features my favorite TNG episode of all time, the incomparable "Yesterday's Enterprise." Though this episode is an alternate timeline side-story, this glimpse into a darker future really brings home the optimism and values that Trek stands for.

Yesterday's Enterprise features the best performances in the entire series by both Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar) and Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan). This is ironic for the Crosby since her character was killed off a season earlier. Maybe she would have stayed on longer if there were more episodes like this to be had.

Other highlights include the touching "The Offsping", and the compelling "Sins of the Father". Both episodes serve to solidify two of the more interesting characters on the show, Data and Worf respectively.

Season 3 culminates in the (nearly) Earth-shattering "The Best of Both Worlds (part I)," when the Borg attack in full force.

This season is easily one of the most creative and consistently well-written of the entire run. It's well worth a purchase on DVD now that TNG is harder to find on re-runs. Keep the spirit alive Trek fans!