Wesley
- Thread starter JPT
- Start date
The simplest solution is to quote the man himself.
Basically, Wesley Crusher - particularly in the first season - is a sloppily written Mary Sue. He improves later on, especially when he becomes a guest character. Personally, I've never found him that objectionable, just a little irksome. Not like Lwaxana, who - save very rare occasions - is consistently annoying.
Basically, Wesley Crusher - particularly in the first season - is a sloppily written Mary Sue. He improves later on, especially when he becomes a guest character. Personally, I've never found him that objectionable, just a little irksome. Not like Lwaxana, who - save very rare occasions - is consistently annoying.
Those comments by Wil Wheaton are interesting. Never read them before. I didn't have a problem with Wesley - until I read that! 
Honestly, I just ignored him, I think, you know the way you do with tv characters you don't find engaging but don't find irritating. That's how it was for me with Wes, then I kinda grew to like him. Put that's probably more in hindsight than anything. I was always pleased to see him in his brief returns to the show. I even liked his cameos in Parallels and Nemesis.
Honestly, I just ignored him, I think, you know the way you do with tv characters you don't find engaging but don't find irritating. That's how it was for me with Wes, then I kinda grew to like him. Put that's probably more in hindsight than anything. I was always pleased to see him in his brief returns to the show. I even liked his cameos in Parallels and Nemesis.
That basically sums up my feelings toward Wesley Crusher. Although I had not heard/read that particular quote before, I have seen interviews with Wil Wheaton where he discusses the Wesley character in a similar tone. I've really come to enjoy Wil Wheaton as a fellow geek with a truly wicked sense of humor. :thumbsup:
Warmest Wishes,
Whoa Nellie
Or if they used Mr. Midshipman Hornblower as the model for Wesley, a young midshipman (no acting ensign) assigned to the Enterprise for his training. A young officer, who makes mistakes but is still worthy of wearing the uniform rather than a smart-ass brainy kid who shows up the older trained officers at the last minute because there's 15 minutes left and we need an easy solution.
^Oh, I don't have a problem with him being smart. Hell, Horatio was a smart fella, quite adapt at math, much to the chagrin of some other middies, but Wes was written as a snot who came across as being better than the adults.
yeah - after rereading your post I see that the context you were setting up wasn't mutally exclusive with mine. Super genius learning the ropes would have been cool. Kind of like if Q had stayed human and joined the crew in Deja Q. Or even a more polite Charlie X. Regardless, it all comes back to the fact that these ideas would have worked only if the writing didn't suck.
I think to actually appreciate him you had to be young. I saw TNG the first time when I was about 10 and Wesley was the best because he was young and yet really smart and knew what the grown ups knew. I think the writers knew perfectly well what they had with Wesley. I'm 21 now and can understand why people considered him annoying but yeah..he was the character for the young audience, and at 10 Wesley was the person you identified with. He was a a great character to make new Star Trek fans
Wesley was there for the kids, and as a kid I liked him a lot.
Wesley was there for the kids, and as a kid I liked him a lot.
I understand the hate better now, though college-age me back in the day only saw a kid living my TOS-era dream of living aboard the starship Enterprise.
That said, after all these years I still don't like 'The First Duty'. I've always felt that it should have been an ep where guesting Cadet Wes has one of his brilliant solutions fail disastrously. It just never rang true that a kid who talked back to Riker and Picard couldn't stare down RDM til he was under the gun. He didn't really do the right thing--Picard was about to out them. I've heard it said that Nova Squadron could've squeaked by just by holding firm in their testimony. I don't buy it--if Picard's crew--the crew that turned back the Borg--said they were guilty, that would have been enough for Starfleet.
Another thing during 'The Game' : Wes mentions how the Academy was a bit much for him at times. But...like him or hate his stinking guts, it must be conceded that he had done massive amounts of field work. I just don't see how sims, hypothetical questions, and written tests could compare.
That said, after all these years I still don't like 'The First Duty'. I've always felt that it should have been an ep where guesting Cadet Wes has one of his brilliant solutions fail disastrously. It just never rang true that a kid who talked back to Riker and Picard couldn't stare down RDM til he was under the gun. He didn't really do the right thing--Picard was about to out them. I've heard it said that Nova Squadron could've squeaked by just by holding firm in their testimony. I don't buy it--if Picard's crew--the crew that turned back the Borg--said they were guilty, that would have been enough for Starfleet.
Another thing during 'The Game' : Wes mentions how the Academy was a bit much for him at times. But...like him or hate his stinking guts, it must be conceded that he had done massive amounts of field work. I just don't see how sims, hypothetical questions, and written tests could compare.
Queer eye for the wannabe straight ensign...
