Why does everyone hate Wesley?

[suarezguy]

When I first started watching around 8 I really enjoyed and related to him; now he's mostly OK but his presence, at least how others react to him as hardly noticing his age, and brilliance feels too forced too often.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I think that a misconception is being spread around here...in "Journey's End", didn't Wesley just beam back down to the planet (via transporter) to spend some time there with the Traveler? People seem to be under the impression that he turned into a glowy ball of energy and flew off into space. (That was one of his mom's boyfriends.)

 

[Morpheus 02]

Wesley as a character was okay, though. I really felt for him, but he was a bit too much of a pollyanna. Even at 12 years old (when I was old enough to understand what was going on, and had caught a rerun of the episode), I wasn't that damned innocent. I was closely observing the nearly naked Edo. That Wesley could completely ignore that, and being somewhat older than myself at the time, baffled me.

That being said, I had a major crush on Wil Wheaton.

Yeah, a 15 year old wouldn't have acted like Wesley did on Edo . 10 year old Will Robinson-- would have been "realisitic." 15 tear old -- umm.... NO!!!!

When I first got into TNG it was between seasons 6 and 7, I was 9 and watching it in syndication. I was kind of a math whiz and had hero fantasies, so of COURSE I loved Wesley. Wish fulfillment character all the way. It wasn't kids Wesley's age he appealed to, it was kids right below Wesley's age. Just like high school kids didn't like High School Musical, middle school kids did.

Wesley being brilliant wasn't the problem, so much as having the personality of a character for Full House. In a way I think that's how TV teenagers were 'supposed' to be written before the Simpsons. Sort of Beaver Cleaver 'Aww shucks' types. But if they had made Wesley more of a brilliant version of Jake Sisko he would have been more tolerable. A genius with the feelings of a believable teenager.

Jake Sisko was a realistic version of a teenage boy... I love how he grew naturally -- from troublemaker with his best friend, to having crushes, to becoming a man.

---

I thought the idea was great. I'm the same age as Wil Wheaton, so loved the idea of having someone my age on the show. But he was so poorly written...and Gates McFadden didn't portray a very affectionate mom -- so that also didn't make Wesley & the family dynamic all that interesting.


However, I WILL say I really like WIL as a person ... he feels like someone I could've grown up with, and still be fan boys together today.

 

[Amaris]

I think he's become more adorable now than he ever was before. It helps that he is such a geek, and has become an unofficial representative of the geek community.

 

[GalaxyX]

Not everyone hates Wesley.

His mother adores him, and The Traveler seems to had taking a liking to him as well.

Reminds me of The Simpsons when Bart gets an elephant:

Homer: I'm alive. I'm alive! And I owe it all to this feisty feline. Lisa: Dad, "feline" means "cat". Homer: Elephant, honey. It's an elephant! -- Well, duh, "Bart Gets an Elephant" "And I'm sure he'll make a grand piano," Homer continues, but Bart and Lisa castigate him: "Dad!" Homer: I guess it wouldn't be right to sell Stampy after he saved my life. And the boy seems to have some sort of relationship with him.

Wesley as a character was okay, though. I really felt for him, but he was a bit too much of a pollyanna. Even at 12 years old (when I was old enough to understand what was going on, and had caught a rerun of the episode), I wasn't that damned innocent. I was closely observing the nearly naked Edo. That Wesley could completely ignore that, and being somewhat older than myself at the time, baffled me.

That being said, I had a major crush on Wil Wheaton.

I don't think it played out like that man.

If I remember correctly, some kids his age come over and ask him "do you want to play a game?"

And Wesley, seeing that practically everyone here is boning right on the street, freaks out and says "what kind of game?" to this they answer "to catch the ball" or something of that sort. Wesley is relieved, since he's not ready to have some 15 year old girls jump him, at least not yet

Sheldon hated him (Wil) for years but things change...

I think that a misconception is being spread around here...in "Journey's End", didn't Wesley just beam back down to the planet (via transporter) to spend some time there with the Traveler? People seem to be under the impression that he turned into a glowy ball of energy and flew off into space. (That was one of his mom's boyfriends.)

That is very interesting. I don't remember much about the ending of that episode. I'm going to have to watch it again.

I thought the idea was great. I'm the same age as Wil Wheaton, so loved the idea of having someone my age on the show. But he was so poorly written...and Gates McFadden didn't portray a very affectionate mom -- so that also didn't make Wesley & the family dynamic all that interesting.

I think Gates did a decent job portraying a mom who was traumatized by the loss of her husband, and with a son tagging along as a reminder of that event in her life. To make things worse, to have to bump into the man who was her husband's commanding officer, AND that she had a crush on to boot.

Awkward city indeed.

 

[T'Girl]

^Kids are going to relate to whoever they're going to relate to, regardless of age. Robert Downey Jr. is pushing 50 but kids love him as Iron Man all the same.

In the last Ironman movie, didn't they partner Tony Stark with a child for a nice piece of the movie?

Sheldon hated him (Wil) for years but things change...

In the episode where Penny turns into a mutant killer gorilla, Wil was a stand up kind of guy.

Wesley is relieved, since he's not ready to have some 15 year old girls jump him, at least not yet

Which is off, all 15 year old's think about is getting jumped (if memory serves).

One of the problems with Wesley is that it seemed that he was estranged from his peer group aboard the ship, we only saw him with other teens a few times.

 

[Ithekro]

I seem to remember a clip of first season Wesley being interesting in "teenage mating rituals" Though I don't remember the context as it was on the blooper reels the last time I saw it.

 

[Nebusj]

PICARD: Wesley. Wes. Are you aware that you're acting strangely, that a kind of infection was brought over from the Tsiolkovsky which acts like intoxication?

WESLEY [on viewscreen]: Are you saying that's why I feel so so hot? So strange?

PICARD: That's a very adult bit of reasoning, Wes,

WESLEY [on viewscreen]: So you mean I'm drunk! I feel strange, but also good.


Of all the first-season-Next-Generation characters, Wesley was maybe the most first-season-Next-Generation-character-iest.