Wesley - stay or nay?

[dave_R_treker]

Early Wesley, nay. Later Wesley, Stay.

 

[Butters]

He was a wasted opportunity and a failed character. Done well he could have been so much more, but as written, he was more often than not a plot device. Better he went.

 

[JustKate]

Nay. The idea of a teenager on the ship was OK, but the execution was dreadful. Even now, if I turn on TNG and it's a Wesley episode, my reaction (with a few exceptions) is, "Nah. I'll just read a book instead. Or I could wash those dirty dishes."

The writing and possibly the directing were the main problems, I think, but also, although Wil Wheaton may have become a decent actor when he grew up, he wasn't when he started TNG. He was awful, in fact. I've seen better (much better) teenage acting on sitcoms, for goodness' sake.

 

[JayTheTrekkie]

Stay...I liked Wesley, he was a pretty good character but yeah like some people said, he was not used well in various episodes. He's not one of my favorite TNG characters though.

 

[Gorn Captain]

I would have kept him on the show, only so he could die a horrible death.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

I generally liked Wesley's character. But I think his leaving was appropriate -- both for the show and the character. It allowed for some enjoyable "return" episodes. Both "The First Duty" and "Journey's End" were an asset for the series. And heck, Wesley's cameo in "The Game" turned out to be that episode's only saving grace (well, that and a young Ashley Judd).