Re-evaluating Wesley Crusher
- Thread starter Winterwind
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I certainly never saw Beverly as a genius. A (barely) adequate doctor but not a genius.
As for Wesley being a genius, never bothered me. I went to school with my share. I was assessed as gifted, was in the gifted program in school and by the time I hit Grade 9 I'd read, voraciously so, every single book on astronomy, physics and astrophysics, that my school library, and the county library had and my goal was to be an astronomer and astrophysicist...
Then I hit high school, smoked my first joint at 14 and math and science went out the window and all I cared about was music, theatre and writing. But lots of other kids in the gifted program I was in did go on to careers in science and engineering so the child genius character seemed very normal to me.
The writing in TNG was not consistently good, but I never had issues with the character's smarts or knowledge. He wasn't intended to be a typical teenager thinking about girls, cars or sports. I'd fully expect in a 24th century as portrayed in Star Trek, that kids would be smarter and better educated at an earlier age than what our society and public education system produces today.
There are several complaints about Crusher's clothing. I will add an observation:
I have dim memories of reading through notes about the Starfleet uniforms of the TNG era, and a designer noting that they put black at all the sensitive areas so that the tight-fitting jumpsuits wouldn't be... inappropriate.
It struck me as a bit strange, then, to have the child actor be the one in a suit that was equally tight but in less-forgiving light grey.
I have dim memories of reading through notes about the Starfleet uniforms of the TNG era, and a designer noting that they put black at all the sensitive areas so that the tight-fitting jumpsuits wouldn't be... inappropriate.
It struck me as a bit strange, then, to have the child actor be the one in a suit that was equally tight but in less-forgiving light grey.
It's nothing like some of those TMP guys though... XD
Or was asexual or didn't bang completely different species, since most generally wouldn't. May as well ask a Kinsey 7 to do it with a Kinsey 0 of the same species, or vice-versa, since chances are about the same in that regard as well. Plenty of people of the same Kinsey # don't bang each other as well... Hmmm, DSC and PIC and Lower Decks and the cartoon show and the rest have a big juicy opportunity here to explore something untouched before (*snarf!*) in Trek.
But this TNG episode was also before the 1990s, when television wasn't allowed to be overtly sexual, especially where kids were cast members. "Justice" was uncomfortable enough without bringing up "the boy" and more to the point that was thankfully a one-off in an era that still found the whole piece shallow and queasy. But I digress, viewers could make up their minds about individuals being platonic, innocent, or anything else. Nowadays it's almost as if the current lot are scribbling in sex at every opportunity, to make up for something they never participated in to begin with all those decades ago. But sitting there wondering which characters are actual child molesters... that's all television has ever been good for?
Sometimes I still wonder about Wesley's friend in Angel One.
As noted in this thread two years ago, you wouldn't expect them to need sweatbands if they're going somewhere cold, and I always thought there was something a little off about Wesley's mannerisms in those scenes.
As noted in this thread two years ago, you wouldn't expect them to need sweatbands if they're going somewhere cold, and I always thought there was something a little off about Wesley's mannerisms in those scenes.
I personally had no issue with Wesley. Didn't understand all the hate. Before the wind was taken out of sails with the announcement of Picard, I was working on a pilot episode for a new show. Wesley Crusher was going to be my captain. I will be posting more about this in the Fan Fiction section.
I am not a writer but I think I cam up with a good premise and some cool characters.
I am not a writer but I think I cam up with a good premise and some cool characters.
Always liked Wesley when I was watching as a kid. Like with many things, it wasn't before the advent of the internet that I learned that actually I was supposed to hate him. As an adult watching TNG I do kind of wish they would have made him Lesley Crusher. The show had too many guys as it is, let alone after season one.
Headbands in winter sports, like for example cross-country skiing, aren't all that uncommon, though.
I mean Wesley was obnoxious in Season 1. But pretty much everybody was not that good in Season 1. Then in Season 2 his presence was a bit awkward, since his mother wasn't even on the ship anymore.
And after that he just kinda floats in and out of the series and honestly doesn't leave that much impression on me and I honestly don't like the Traveller stuff they did with him later on.
He wasn't bad in his interactions with the little boy who lost his mother in "The Bonding".
And I once that they originally considered making Wesley the secret love child of Picard and Beverley, that would have given the character some much needed point and pathos, so it's a pity they never did that.
I don't get the hate either, but he's also not my favorite character.
And after that he just kinda floats in and out of the series and honestly doesn't leave that much impression on me and I honestly don't like the Traveller stuff they did with him later on.
He wasn't bad in his interactions with the little boy who lost his mother in "The Bonding".
And I once that they originally considered making Wesley the secret love child of Picard and Beverley, that would have given the character some much needed point and pathos, so it's a pity they never did that.
I don't get the hate either, but he's also not my favorite character.
Noooooooo, Journey's End wasn't the end of Wesley in Star Trek? I have to see this character again in the movies! D: I am on the last two episodes of TNG (almost done with my first watch through, yay!). When I posted in this thread earlier, I was only on Season 4 and had just watched Final Mission. I literally turned into straight Grumpy Cat every time he popped up in an episode after that.
Honestly, even though I like Wil Wheaton outside Star Trek, his acting made me cringe in TNG. Maybe it was just how the character was written but I think that might be a bit too generous.
It has been a while since I went through the first few seasons, so.. Quick visit to Memory Alpha said he was an acting ensign in season 1? Maybe he stayed on the Enterprise because of that?
On the other hand he was a kid, maybe he should've just stayed with his mom. Or maybe they kind of knew Beverly would return to the Enterprise about a year later so Wesley stayed to advance his career?
Same here.
Yeah that's possible. Though in the season premier of Season 2, he is getting ready to leave until he asks Picard to stay and then there's this kinda weird scene on the bridge where the Senior Staff are distributing the "parenting duties" for Wesley among each other, including Worf, who volunteers to tuck Wesley in at night. hahaha
I never had a problem with his character.
Having said that, I do think he did not belong on the bridge. Given his aptitudes, he was a better fit to work with Geordi in engineering. Or maybe a bit more in the sciences section with Data.
I felt that was some lost opportunity... Data being sort of a brother for Wesley because in a lot of ways, he's more of a child than Wesley. They could have grown together, basically.
Having said that, I do think he did not belong on the bridge. Given his aptitudes, he was a better fit to work with Geordi in engineering. Or maybe a bit more in the sciences section with Data.
I felt that was some lost opportunity... Data being sort of a brother for Wesley because in a lot of ways, he's more of a child than Wesley. They could have grown together, basically.
I never had a problem with Wesley, and had no idea that I was supposed to until I started to try to enjoy Star Trek on the internet. To put a child prodigy on the bridge of the Federation's flagship? Maybe that was the whole point?
I think Star Trek is to be enjoyed, and analyzed, but not over-analyzed. Picking at every nit is a waste of time, and lessens the enjoy-ability of the whole experience, doesn't it? I've read posts where people pick at series, episodes and characters, while ignoring the same exact shortcomings in their favorite series, episodes or characters. I find it aggravating. Someone once told me "That's part of the fun of Star Trek".
I disagree. The fun of Star Trek to me is the adventure, the stories, watching the limitless possibilities of technology, and a vastly populated universe to explore, and seeing a little bit of ourselves in each of the characters who explore it.
Wesley never bothered me for a second. California liberal Wil Wheaton and his childish Polly Anna politics, another story. The graffiti he recently painted up and down his arms tells you all about poor depressed, bipolar California liberal Wil Wheaton.
That RIDICULOUS doctor on DS9, however, is another matter entirely. I tend to fast forward scenes or skip episodes where he's too prominent. I dislike the part, I dislike the actor, I dislike his dialog, I dislike his ridiculous accent. I dislike his ret-conned backstory. I dislike watching him interact with O'Brien. I dislike every smug, self-righteous, grandstanding word he speaks in that stupid accent, and he's a bigger child than Wesley. Ridiculous.
See what a buzz kill that is?
I think Star Trek is to be enjoyed, and analyzed, but not over-analyzed. Picking at every nit is a waste of time, and lessens the enjoy-ability of the whole experience, doesn't it? I've read posts where people pick at series, episodes and characters, while ignoring the same exact shortcomings in their favorite series, episodes or characters. I find it aggravating. Someone once told me "That's part of the fun of Star Trek".
I disagree. The fun of Star Trek to me is the adventure, the stories, watching the limitless possibilities of technology, and a vastly populated universe to explore, and seeing a little bit of ourselves in each of the characters who explore it.
Wesley never bothered me for a second. California liberal Wil Wheaton and his childish Polly Anna politics, another story. The graffiti he recently painted up and down his arms tells you all about poor depressed, bipolar California liberal Wil Wheaton.
That RIDICULOUS doctor on DS9, however, is another matter entirely. I tend to fast forward scenes or skip episodes where he's too prominent. I dislike the part, I dislike the actor, I dislike his dialog, I dislike his ridiculous accent. I dislike his ret-conned backstory. I dislike watching him interact with O'Brien. I dislike every smug, self-righteous, grandstanding word he speaks in that stupid accent, and he's a bigger child than Wesley. Ridiculous.
See what a buzz kill that is?
So... this may seem like a leap, but Bashir is not your favorite character on DS9?
So... this may seem like a leap, but Bashir is not your favorite character on DS9?
I hate that I hate him so much, because I really LOVE Star Trek. All of it. But his endless self-righteous calls of "Kah-MAN-dah" in that stupid accent just makes me retch. And that "Vic Ferrari" is about the worst plot thread of all.
Voyager had Janeway keeping company with Leonardo Da Vinci, DS9 has a cheesy pseudo-Rat Pack lounge singer "invented" by Bashir... well I guess he needed SOMETHING to do besides play with dolls and bellow "KahMANdah".
Let’s stick with TNG, shall we. Your irrational hatred is disturbing.
Stupid accent? That's how he talks. He's not hamming it up. Siddig was born in Sudan and grew up in England.
Wesley became the character to hate because it was cool to hate him. There's a big reason that Wheaton wanted nothing else to do with the character for a long time. He got sick of all the hate.
I personally didn't hate him. But I did think it was ridiculous that he was saving thousands of lives on what seemed to be an every other week basis for that first season when other more experienced officers would have made more sense.
He got less obnoxious as the series went on, but I think that the damage was done in the eyes of the fan boys.
I personally didn't hate him. But I did think it was ridiculous that he was saving thousands of lives on what seemed to be an every other week basis for that first season when other more experienced officers would have made more sense.
He got less obnoxious as the series went on, but I think that the damage was done in the eyes of the fan boys.
Seems logical. Star Trek is always like this though. Giant star ship full of what is always the "best crew in the fleet", and one or two golden boys save the day each week while the hundreds of crew members on board do God knows what. Regardless, Wesley was the prodigy. This means he was smarter than the average bridge crew member.
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