Why did Wil Weaton leave the show?

No you don't. I'm not actually making a judgment call one way or the other on this specific situation, I am just pointing this out: *by contract* the television show has the guarantee of an actor's services, whether that actor is actually in the episode or not. If they need you at the last minute, you get to the studio. You didn't have a contract to show up at every meeting. Missing a week of television production is not really analogous to that. Some producers in Hollywood are easy to work with and will write you out of several episodes at a time, and I hope if my career makes it that far I will be as accommodating. But contractually, they don't have to let you go anywhere.

 

The hell I didn’t. I signed an employment contract, which incorporated the terms of the Employee Handbook. According to the Handbook, I was required to be in the office during business hours, although I was permitted one hour for lunch. If I wished to be out of the office during working hours, I was required to complete Out Of Office paperwork and have it approved by HR and my supervisor at least a full working day in advance. (The exception was that the paperwork could be done after the fact for sick days, but this was intended only for my own illness, not for momentous family events.) Suddenly leaving work without giving much notice or getting permission could have been grounds for termination.

 

A better analogy to the television situation would be, your job wouldn't let you work a 2nd job during business hours, even though you were on vacation.

 

Hmm maybe a good decision for the show but was it good for his career? I don't remember him being in many movies after his stint as a regular on TNG.

 

I always find it fascinating when people side with the big business side of things over the human reality and I woner what it is they do for a living...

I think if the PTB where normal humans with empathy they would easily let a kid get his big break over one silly episode. That's really the final word. Anything else is just bickering for the sake of it. But, please, don't let me stop you.

As for Berman vs Gene, I do recall George Takei dropping out of much of season 2 to be in the Green Barrets. He didn't loose his job.

 

I believe every word Wheaton says in that blog post. Berman is an asshole who made shit Trek for years.

 

I will assume you are referring to my comment above, and even if you are not I shall respond:

1) not siding with anyone.
2) writer

In the case of television, the television show has first call on the actor. Perhaps that provision was abused in this case, but it's part of the contract.

 

I don’t think anybody is disputing whether Berman had the contractual authority to make Wheaton press a few buttons and say “Yes sir” for a few minutes in one episode at the expense of being in a Forman movie. The question is whether exploiting the contract in such a manner is the behavior of a decent human being.

 

I wonder if WW would consider playing the role of "Cpt Crusher" in a new Trek TV Series?

 

Wesley left Starfleet at the end of “Journey’s End.” I suppose you could claim that he later changed his mind and returned to Starfleet, but he seemed quite certain that a career in Starfleet wasn’t for him.

EDIT: Wait a second, I just realized... He wears a Starfleet uniform in Nemesis. Has this contradiction been reconciled?

 

Except for the part about, you know, not being in breach of contract.