Approximately 162% of the total population of Twitter users has sent me this Gizmodo post about some mostly-awesome custom (unofficial) LEGO minifigs that are inspired by the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Approximately 600% of them asked me to comment, and since I can’t do that in 280 characters without resorting to the dreaded [THREAD 1/66], I’m doing it here.
Before I get into the Wesley part of this that you’re all here for: I love that this set exists. I love that enough people want to do TNG LEGO to create a market demand for these figures. I can’t speak for the rest of the cast, but things like this, based on us, are always awesome. Earlier this year, a guy gave me a little minifig that he made of Wesley, and even though it’s unofficial, it is a delightful thing to own. He’s in his little red spacesuit, and he looks like he’s got a course you can plot. I love it.
In this particular custom set, though, Wesley is depicted as a crying child, and that’s not just disappointing to me, it’s kind of insulting and demeaning to everyone who loved that character when they were kids. The creator of this set is saying that Wesley Crusher is a crybaby, and he doesn’t deserve to stand shoulder to minifig shoulder with the rest of the crew. People who loved Wesley, who were inspired by him to pursue careers in science and engineering, who were thrilled when they were kids to see another kid driving a spaceship? Well, the character they loved was a crybaby so just suck it up I guess.
“Oh, Wil Wheaton, you sweet summer child,” you are saying right now. “You think people actually loved Wesley Crusher. You’re adorable.”
So this is, as you can imagine, something I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with for thirty years. It’s been talked about to death (on this very blog, more than once), but I’ll sum up as briefly as I can: I reject the idea that nobody liked or cared about the character. Now, It is absolutely true that, for the entirety of the first season, Wesley was a terribly-written character. He was an idea, a plot device, and was not handled with much care or respect. I think the best example of this is in Datalore, which I wrote about in Memories of the Future Volume 1:
Wesley, who was sent to check up on Data, does what any smart Starfleet officer would do: He reports to his captain that something fishy is going on with the robot and suggests that maybe they shouldn’t be so quick to trust him.
Picard, the captain who recognized Wesley’s intellect and promoted him to acting ensign, and Riker, who chose Wesley over everyone else on the ship to check up on Data and report back on what he found, not only ignore Wesley’s concerns, they actually tell him that he’s out of line for expressing them!
“Data” (actually Lore) leaves the bridge — after making it clear that he doesn’t know what “make it so” means and arousing absolutely no suspicions from Picard — and Wesley decides he’s had enough of this bullshit.
“Sir,” he says, “I know this may finish me, but —”
And Picard, the captain who recognized Wesley’s intellect and promoted him to acting ensign, and the closest thing to a father figure Wesley has ever known, responds with three words that follow and haunt me to this day: “Shut up, Wesley!”
Trekkies around the country gasp in delight as an episode that was veering dangerously close to the Tkon empire suddenly has redeeming value. Printing presses, silk screens, and button-makers go into overdrive as entrepreneurial fans do what they do best: skirt the borders of IP infringement to make a quick buck. Children are still attending college today from the sales.
[…]
Wesley points out that everything he said in his report, and all of his concerns, would have been listened to if it came from an adult, or a competent writer. Picard considers this retort momentarily, and then sends him to his room to organize his sweaters. Then, for good measure, he sends Dr. Crusher to keep an eye on him.
“Personally, I hated the way they handled Wesley in this episode. He’s already on his way to becoming a hated character by the adults in the audience, and the writers cranked it up to Warp 11. It was stupid of them to have Picard give him an adult responsibility and then dismissively treat him like a child when he carried it out. It undermines both of the characters — how is the audience supposed to take either of them seriously?”
Another brief and related note on “Shut up, Wesley”, from a Reddit thread seven months ago:
People have been saying this to me since I was fourteen. I’m nearly 45. I’ve heard this for the entirety of my adult life. It’s annoying. It isn’t funny, it isn’t clever, and it’s just become obnoxious.
More than that, though, let’s put it into dramatic context: an adult says that to a kid who is doing his best to help, to do his job, to live up to the expectations that have been placed upon him. It’s used to shut him down, to disregard and silence him. And it turns out that, holy shit, the kid was right all along. In context, if we accept that it’s all real: Picard never says that to Riker, or Geordi, or Tasha, or to literally anyone else under his command because that would be profoundly unprofessional. But there are different rules when you’re dealing with the kid among the adults (and, believe me, the producers and directors on TNG treated me the exact same way).
So it’s a loaded phrase that bothers me, and I’d really like it if it just went away forever.
So back to the minifig: it’s “Shut up, Wesley,” made into what would otherwise be an awesome minifig, in a collection of truly amazing and beautiful minifigs. It’s a huge disappointment to me, because I’d love to have a Wesley in his little rainbow acting-ensign uniform, but I believe that it’s insulting to all the kids who are now adults who loved the character and were inspired by him to go into science and engineering, or who had a character on TV they could relate to, because they were too smart for their own good, a little awkward and weird, and out of place everywhere they went (oh hey I just described myself. I never claimed to be objective here).
I want to be clear here, because I know that future members of my Twitter blocklist will send me a cropped image of LEGO Wesley crying, or tell me to shut up because I’m making too much of this: this isn’t about me. This is about thirty years of people kicking Wesley Crusher around because writers in the first season of Next Generation (who gave us such memorable gems as Angel One, Code of Honor, and The Last Outpost) didn’t write him as well as writers did in later seasons, and once the fandom narrative was fixed, no amount of Final Mission or Starfleet Academy -like episodes could change it.
I understand that a lot of people will see the humor in this, and I respect that. From a certain point of view, it is very funny. I don’t think that this was done this way to be mean/ If anything, it’s just lazy. But because so many people asked me what I felt when I saw it: I’m disappointed, because this isn’t the way I’d like to see Wesley portrayed in a medium that I love. I just feel like Wesley Crusher and the boys and girls he inspired deserve something that isn’t making a joke at his expense, or just reducing him —again– to little more than an idea.
Wil, there are definitely a lot of us who grew up with you and still love you. I’ve been watching TNG again lately, and I continue to enjoy the episodes you’re featured in. Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t let those dicks get to you (there are a lot of dicks in fandom). Hope you have a happy New Year!
P.S.
We need a “real” Wesley figure
Love Wesley past, present, and far into the future. You are absolutely correct that there is love for Wesley. Wesley brought my kids to the show. I thank you for that because instead of it being ‘my’ show it is to this day our show.
He fully deserves to “stand shoulder to minifig shoulder with the rest of the crew.”
I teach science to 6th graders, in no small part because watching Wesley as a 6th grader sent me on a path that led to engineering school. Then, I decided that my calling was to share my love of science and exploration with a new generation. Thank you for your role in the last 15 years of my teaching career.
Please don’t ever regret speaking your mind, especially in a medium where it’s so easy for people to ignore the voices they don’t like. So instead of ‘shut up Wesley’, this is a “Keep talking, Wil.”
IN this specific instance, though, I’d remind you this is an UNofficial, CUSTOM set. Clearly whomever makes these sets isn’t a big fan of Wesley. You don’t have to be a good person, or even have good taste to run a successful business nods towards DC.
I am also certain that the charcter Westley was loved and inspiring to a much larger percentage than the loud few. I was pretty excited to see when you joined the cast of the Big Bang. I only found your blog recently so sorry if this a question you’ve been asked before. What is your opinion of the new Star Trek show? It’s darker than the tone of the original story line.
I completely dug TNG in high school when it first came out and on late night as a young adult. In my 30’s I felt like things had really gone over my head when I realized that there was a very vocal group that really hated Wesley and I honestly couldn’t (and still can’t) see why. It perplexes me and reeks of bullying that a freaking TV show character is still being put down by the “cool kids” years later. I’m bummed you were once again dragged into this mess. You’re an actor. You played a part. You’re a wicked good VO guy, a writer with a clear and connected voice, and a powerful public advocate for mental health. Piss on them, I say, and thank you for all the things you’ve made that have given me a smile.
Wil, I absolutely agree with everything you’ve said, particularly about the Datalore episode. There’s little more I can add. The writers were simply having fun at Wesley’s expense, and all those people who hated the character of Wesley Crusher glommed onto that line and perpetrated it forever. Every time I watch that episode, I cringe. Because I loved Wesley, and it never occurred to me that there were people who fundamentally hated the character until I ran into them online, decades later. I just don’t understand all the vitriol aimed at him, and as an extension, at you personally. Both are grossly unfair, but especially the latter.
Personally, I think ALL of these Lego minifigs are horrible, I’m not fond of the Lego figures to begin with – I think they’re crudely shaped, with horrible faces. But the Wesley fig’s face crosses the line. At first I thought that was a goatee on his face, as you (Wil) wore in later years, and I wondered why on Earth they decided to do that. When I realized he was actually a wailing child, I was horrified. The designers should be ashamed of themselves. I personally am not going to be in any danger of buying these things. But if any of my friends expresses interest in this set, I am going to tell them exactly why they should boycott the set, and perhaps refer them back here to this entry if it’s not immediately clear why.
Wil, thank you for being YOU. I love seeing you on Doctor Who and Orphan Black panels, among others. I love that you are probably more into the whole sci-fi world than anyone else in the TNG cast, and perhaps in all of the Star Trek franchise. I am so happy for you that you got the role of Wesley, that you had that wonderful experience, and that you were able to live the dream as a result. There will always be those that will hate. You just keep on keeping on.
I shall headcanon that the expression is “oh come on, are people STILL saying that?” and a prelude to the frustrated beat-head-against-wall.
(A lot of adults would probably have hated Wesley if he’d been written by the authentic ghost of Shakespeare himself, honestly. It’s “cool” to hate kids. sigh)
I hope they swap out the Legohead or at the least offer additional heads with different expressions. Because from a totally callous standpoint? HOW CAN YOU PLAY WITH A TOY THAT HAS A FIXED EXPRESSION OF EXTREME EMOTION??? You can’t set up your own little diorama “fanfic” scene with that as the expression. You are limited to scenes that either exclude the character or play into the expression. How frustrating! It’s bad design! It would be bad design if this were a set of generic Space Lego People! ARGH!
That’s one thing I don’t really like about newer LEGO sets. Classic LEGO have the simple smiling face – sure it’s one emotion, but it’s the same for everyone. Even when they started adding beards and eye patches (pirate sets) they still had that same smile.
Also, if anyone knows exactly WHOM we can complain to about the design of this minifig, please post. Let’s swamp them with emails and show them the power of the internet, until they change Mini Wesley’s face. 😁
I loved Wesley so much. I still do. I remember watching with my Dad and just adoring the character. I wanted to be as smart as him, and even had a bit of a crush. Now as an adult I still love the episodes with Wesley.
Uh, I started watching TNG because you were in it. I loved you since I saw Stand By Me when I was five years old, and your inclusion on TNG is what made me not tell my college roommates to turn it off while we got high many years ago. I always loved Wesley and was really confused when I found out that wasn’t a universal opinion. Your character was wonderful and was never annoying to me. Beverly Crusher on the other hand… but that’s not the point. Wesley Crusher was amazing, he was an inspiration, you played him perfectly, and fuck the haters. Thank you for being the reason I willingly stepped into this Star Trek lifestyle; you opened up a world of friends and wonder to me that I would never have joined were it not for your presence. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
That’s so unbelievably disappointing. I never remember WC as being a crybaby. I’d feel insulted, too.
I absolutely loved Wesley. I actually had a bit of a crush on him. He gave younger viewers a proxy on the show, and he was hella smart. I agree: the minifig ruins an otherwise amazing set.
Speak up, Wesley
I loved Wesley. The figurine is disappointing to me too.
Swap his head with Riker’s and get an adult Wesley Wheaton with non-crybaby head.
The wesley minifig bothered me from the moment I saw it. It makes the entire set a joke. Anyone who has been through being a teenager without having been told in so many words to “sit down and shut up,” all the while knowing s/he was “better than this” is a liar. Any parent of a teen who hasn’t felt the urge to suppress that child with similar words is also full of it. I admire your wisdom and especially your attitude on the matter. I hope they change it.
“Oh, Wil Wheaton, you sweet summer child,” you are saying right now. “You think people actually loved Wesley Crusher. You’re adorable.”
I absolutely loved Wesley. He was the teen, almost adult, who didn’t fit in with the kids because he was smarter and a little different; and was more just more comfortable being around the adults and WANTED adult responsibility.
That was me.
I understood the ache of wanting to be on the bridge where “it all happened’, but having to stand in the turbolift off to the side watching.
I understood the desperate wanting to belong with others my own age, but not quite being cool enough or coordinated enough and in the end getting into huge trouble while trying to fit in – Justice (season 1) (though don’t get me started on how ridiculous the episode was, NOT because of Wesley, but because they never should have been on the planet to begin with due to the prime directive…)
I understood feeling out of place everywhere because you see thing slightly differently than others.
Wesley was and is to this day someone I looked up to and gave me inspiration.
So those people who say no one liked or loved Wesley can suck an egg. I LOVE Wesley and one of my favorite episodes to this day is the one with you and Picard after the shuttle crash on the way to your exams.
I know that you have been haunted for years from total assholes about Wesley, but please try to hold on to those of us who really really appreciated him.
We did and still do love Wesley.
Never stop speaking out, Wesley!! Shout it out from Ten Forward!
That episode annoys the Fuck out of me. As does the minifig. You are spot on here.
I loved Wesley 🙂 I was just slightly younger than the character at the time and it was so cool to have a character to relate to when watching the show. Someone who wasn’t quite an adult and was trying to work it all out and find his place. You know, like pretty much every teenager everywhere. Not only did I love Wesley, but he was my favourite character. Of course, I also had a huge crush on him 😀
The minifig is a bizarre choice. Who creates merchandise and deliberately irritates a whole section of potential customers?
I always looked at that first season a bit differently than most people. Picard said early on he wasn’t good with children. That “shut up, Wesley” I always assumed was a reflection of that. I always thought of as the start of a learning process for Picard (and to some extent Riker who was mostly following Picard’s lead at this point). There was a dynamic of watching the two of them grow together – Wesley doing his best to prove he belonged on the bridge and Picard learning how to interact/relate to/deal with Wesley (and to some extent later Alexander) since Wesley (representing the children he wasn’t good with) was forced on him because Beverly brought Wesley on the ship.
Anyway, that’s how I always seen all that. Maybe I look at things differently than most people or reason different or something. Maybe other people didn’t think about it all and took it face value. Maybe this is what the writers were trying to and failed in writing Wesley poorly. Maybe they didn’t know what to do with Wesley. For what it’s worth, it’s a different perspective. All the Wesley hate grates on my nerves to this day and I too am disappointed in the Wesley mini fig.
Would it help if you considered those tears as genuine and deserved? They’re expressing the frustration and anger of all of us who have been overlooked, treated as children, with people only paying lip-service to the recognition of us as feeling, thinking adults. We’ve all been Wesley in that episode, trying to tell the adults around us something and being dismissed because we’re just kids. We’ve all been ignored, and what we have to say treated as nothing. Wesley cries with all of our pain.
I didn’t like Wesley at first, but gradually I warmed to him–probably as writers became aware of him as a potential character in his own right rather than a cheap plot device. When I became aware of the feelings and person of the actor behind him, I began liking Wesley even more. It’s not easy being a young person in Hollywood and I’m sure it was horrific at times to be saddled with the writing of TNG’s earlier days. But by the end, Wesley was a competent officer and well deserved everything he got. His progress felt earned.
If this helps at all, I was a raging fundie when I discovered TNG. My then-husband (a lay preacher) and I loved the show and watched it together on campus where we both attended college–we’d make time to be on-campus that night and catch it before going home. When the campus student center closed for renovations and we almost missed an episode, we slunk off to an electronics shop to buy an illicit television (forbidden to people in our cultlike sect) and stored it in our study closet. We’d get it out every time TNG came on and we’d watch, and for just a little while it was like all my cares went away and I could just be a regular person for a change, not a religious zealot.
I ended up deconverting from religion in the end (then-husband, unfortunately, didn’t), and I’m sure TNG played no small part in that agonizing process. The ideals of TNG still inform my personality and worldview today. You were part of that as a crew member on the show, so you’ll always be a little part of who I am today.
And I think if anything I’ve only come to value you more as a person in your post-TNG life.
I loved Wesley when I was in my early teens. I had a massive poster of you on my wall.
Now I’m an adult and I’ve struggled with depression and I have a big poster of you in my head.
Keep being awesome Wil.
Kate
I can only begin to scratch the surface of comprehension at having a three word phrase people can readily say to you that dredges up so many feelings and memories, and can transport you in an instant right back to your complicated and vulnerable childhood. I also can’t truely visualize the possibility of millions of people knowing me and knowing my trigger phrase, and thinking that it’s cool to just go ahead and say that to me if they met me or randomly wanted to comment about me on the internet.
In solidarity, I will confess to you now that for a few years in school, I was called a goon after the character from Popeye. I was called this both because I was and remain incredibly socially awkward, and because I’ve been 6’3″ since I was 15 years old. I would hear kids say, “there’s the goon!” very not quietly as I passed in the hallways. One kid who liked calling me that also made it his mission to hit me with spitballs whenever he got the chance. It was like a sport for him to learn my schedule and wait for me outside of my classes.
Fortunately, no one calls me that anymore, but it does still cause pangs if I ever hear or see the word GOON, which also fortunately is not very often. If I do hear it, it isn’t directed at me. And certainly, no one has made a minifig of me that is twice as tall as normal minifigs. So although I can’t fully grasp what you must go through on a regular basis, I can sympathize.
Also, it was during that same period of my life that TNG started airing. I actually related to Wesley not because he was a kid, but because he was smarter than most of the people around him, but was still being demeaned and belittled. So, thank you for being the Alpha Quadrant’s punching bag for all of us awkward weirdos.
Keep talking, Wesley!
Hey,
I was a child when I first saw tng. I saw it again this year, as a 32 year old.
I never understood why there is so much hate for Wesley Crusher. I like him.
I truly don’t understand how people can be so stupid and rude to you…
For the record, i LOVED the character of Wesley Crusher because at the time I was about the same age and I could relate to the character. True, his character was not developed well the first season but to be fair a lot of the first season, upon retrospect was very questionable and shaky but people went with it because it was the first new trek on TV in almost 20 years. But I loved the character of Wesley Crusher, he got to do what I dreamed of doing, flying the Enterprise around the galaxy doing all kinds of crazy things and even got to kiss a hot girl AND eventually he turned out to be some sort of awesome alien being, not quite sure how that plot twist happened but I was going with it. honestly, I think it was a giant FU from the writers to people that hated Wesley Crusher. I am also smart enough to realize that Wesley Crusher was a CHARACTER that you, Wil Wheaton played on a TV show and you are not that person yet sadly some people seem to want to act like you are that character and blurt out that phrase you, quite understandably, hate so much. I don’t blame you one bit for not liking it and not putting up with it. You don’t have to. I know you get a million comments and who knows if you will read this one but just wanted to let you know I’m in the pro-Wes camp. I’m also a huge supporter of Wheaton’s Law: Don’t Be a Dick.
Wesley quickly became one of my favorite TNG characters, and always will be. He became an indispensable crewmember, saving the ship and crew countless times with his vision and genius.
Speak luudly, Wesley, and don’t let the bastards get you down.
Ahead warp 9.
My husband and I were both teens when TNG premiered. We didn’t know each other (different areas of the country). Wesley was an important figure to our generation, I believe. I loved science but more so with any of the ideas that TNG promoted of invention, gender equality, desire to improve oneself, and so many other forward thinking ideas that are still a struggle. As we watch the reruns with our own daughters who are teens they see you the same way I did. They also love watching you on BBT. We are not comic con fans or collectors…just ordinary people who recognized a good show. Thanks for being a good role model
I really liked Wesley as a kid. My grandmother, who would occasionally watch TNG with me when she was visiting, always remarked that I looked like him, I think I had a similar haircut and hair color around that age.
Maybe you could recommend a different LEGO face that you feel matches, and people could go and swap that one out?
Apparently, the figure has an alternate face on the other side, so it’s quite easy to remedy.
I absolutely loved the early episodes of TNG BECAUSE of Wesley Crusher. I was more than disappointed when he/you were written out/left. The show didn’t hold as much joy to me as before. I remember watching the episode where Picard tells Wesley to ‘shut up’ and, not only was I shocked that he was speaking to him that way but outraged because was speaking to a crew member that way…..not a child, a crew member. Regardless of any previous connection Picard may have had with Wesley, through Dr Crusher, you put that connection to the side and treat the person with the respect due a work collegue/crew member (regardless of age), especially when you have entrusted them with an adult responsibilty.
Have loved most of your work, Wil and look forward to seeing you in more shows in the future.
I loved Wesley. HE was my hero. Riker may have been who I wanted to be, but Wesley was who I was.
It has always infuriated me that there is so much disdain for the character. As a young kid he was one of my foremost heroes and role models. More t-shirts should read: “Wesley was right!”
How do you like working with Jim Parsons
RIGHT ON, WESLEY!
I watched TNG as a child and like so many other commenters it was Wesley I really connected to. I was another child who fitted in better with adults than with my peers, so it was really quite awesome to see someone like me on the TV. I would agree that Wesley was never written well on the show, for every fantastic episode there were a few where he got no more than a couple of lines. Still I got to explore a better universe because of Wesley and I’m sure that shaped who I became as an adult. So thank you so much for that, fuck the haters!
RE: The Minifigs. It is unfortunate they made a version with Wesley crying, though they have included a smiling wesley option also. It seems both heads would be included in the pack when you order. So that’s something, I guess.
RE: “Shut Up, Wesley!” I had mixed feelings when I binged the series a couple of years back. My knee-jerk reaction was to laugh. It was kind of written in the form of a half-joke, with Beverly repeating the line soon after. But at the same time, I was Wesley growing up and hated the fact no one took him seriously. So I just skimmed through that episode again, to see what exactly happened with Wesley’s parts. As a writer, I’m interested in what elements contributed to the problem.
In general, Picard’s attitude to Wesley and Beverly isn’t great, though that’s straight-up poor/lazy writing for the non-plot-point story beats.
As for Wesley himself, here are the main parts of the story I found… He notices “Data” said “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Later, “Data” says he would need to check on “Lore” to see if he could question him about the crystalline entity, at which point Wesley says Picard shouldn’t trust him. Riker says he’ll take Wesley down and make sure he shows the proper respect to a senior officer; he doesn’t give Wesley the responsibility to go by himself.
At this point, there’s objectively not a lot Wesley is going on, and he doesn’t give any reasoning behind his comment (though admittedly he wasn’t given the chance). But this sows the seed of doubt in Picard and Riker of Wesley’s abilities and maturity. So then later when he interrupts Riker’s report, Picard’s doubt grows.
Soon, “Data” says he can talk to the entity. Picard questions that he didn’t say this before. And the “Make it so” part seems to add to his suspicion. Though this is interrupted by Wesley–switching Picard into “Stupid boy, Pike” mode amd distracting him from the odd behaviour of Data. Picard does send a security team to watch “Data’s” moves (though this isn’t shown whatsoever).
Beverly tries to defend Wesley. Picard shuts her down, preoccupied with crystalline entities and his suspicions of Data. So Beverly gives up–possibly knowing that she’ll have to tell him off in private to get through to him. (Again, not shown.) Wesley tries again, but is quieted by Beverly; she knows Picard isn’t in a listening mood right now. Wesley drops truth on Picard. Beverly rolls her eyes, knowing that’s not how you do things on a starship; you take your grievances to the superior officer in private (or something) when you’re not at red alert.
The overall thrust of Wesley’s arc in this episode is that he was right. He saw something the adults couldn’t. He saved the entire ship from Lore and the entity. It’s kind of the classic “kids save the day while the adults have no clue what’s really going on”–an empowering, yet simplistic kind of story.
Looking back at it, I think the “Shut up, Wesley!” side of things made some sort of sense within the narrative of this episode by itself. Maybe it makes less sense with what came before it (haven’t done the necessary research to say for definite). And it could’ve generally been written better.
It was an awful thing to say, for Picard. But he’s never liked kids, there was already a lot on his mind, and he was already doubting Wesley’s maturity from earlier in the episode. Good or bad, I think it kinda fits.
In that moment I didn’t like Picard for it. I think it’s something every teenager feels growing up–even more so when you’re as smart and talented as Wesley was. Adults watching it may think “Yeah–you tell ‘im, Jean-Luc!” but kids may think “Hey! No fair!”
The resolution for this arc was kinda flaccid, however. It would’ve been awesome to see some sort of apology from Picard, some recognition that they should take Wesley more seriously from here on. Though ongoing character development isn’t really “a thing” on the Star Treks in general, I guess… ^^
I for one love Wesley’s character. In every episode where he saves the day, I cheer him on. And every time he’s belittled or talked down to, I scowl at the adults.
Maybe the reason people still recite that line to you today is that it was kind of played as a joke in the episode. I don’t like the way Picard said that line, but it’s still iconic as a “Wesley Crusher moment” in my head. So I guess people want to show they’ve seen all the episodes and remember important lines connected with Wesley–and you. As an endearing thing, you know?
But as you were Wesley’s age at the time, and I’m guessing were butting against similar treatment in real life, you must’ve really identified with Wesley in that moment. The anger, the despair, the anguish at always being pushed to the kid’s table regardless of what you actually said… When that line was said on-set, it was said to you too. So when fans say it to you in a joking, endearing way, you’re put back in that frame of mind–bringing back all those emotions and fears.
The people that imagine Wesley as the Crybaby minifig are just a-holes.
So I’m one of the ones who was inspired by Wesley (thanks for the successful career in science by the way😀), loved the character (to say nothing of the empathy I felt for the character- being stuck with the ‘gifted’ label early on I’ve had my share of ‘shut up Wesley’ moments), and spent years daydreaming of being a part of the Enterpise thanks to Wesley, to say nothing of huge crush I had on you for most of my teenage years 😊.
Now a Mum, I’d love to get my kids a minifigure set of TNG to share it with them… but not this one, disappointing is exactly right. Well said!
I was a kid when TNG was on and I loved that there was a kid on the Enterprise. I remember being shocked by the Data/Lore episode when Picard said “Shut Up” like I’d been slapped in the face. I could relate to being ignored and shut down by adults and as the Captain was a character I loved it was extra awful to watch. And as you said it made no sense for them not to at least consider what Wesley was saying. Today I’m an adult and a full time writer and editor and would never treat my characters like that or allow an editing client to include a scene like that in their novel because it’s just out of character and contrived. It’s disappointing that they chose to carry that on with the crying minifig.
IIRC, when I saw that episode, I was angered, among other feelings, because I knew how Wesley must have felt. It struck a cachophonic symphony inside me, and brought back a rush of childhood memories.
As a smart, horribly awkward child who wanted Beverly Crusher to be my mom too, I thought Wesley was great.
I saw TNG sporadically on TV as a kid. I feel in love with the Enterprise and the crew but never really saw the show consistently to get a narrative so never had any opinions on Wesley…
I recently decided to start watching TNG from the beginning and I’ve really enjoyed watching Wesley’s character grow and develop.
That specific episode with Data and Lore was very upsetting for me because the way Picard and Riker acted was just so out of character for them…
TL;DR – I like Wesley and I don’t understand why the character gets so much hate.
Wil,
I cannot imagine having to grow up an icon. Looking at TNG as an outsider I can assure you that season one is so out of place I can barely stomach rewatching any episodes save for maybe the first and last.
If I was in your shoes I might feel better or maybe worse cause I know you have emotions that those writers were fired. Lol.
The show would’ve been entirely forgotten if not for the reboot and a rebirth for all of the characters.
The malicious and humorless attacks on your literal character are childish and baseless. This shows a lack of creativity, similar to the lack of creativity shown to us by the whoever was behind that first season and nearly ruined TNG.
You can rest assured the franchise was saved and the trolls of yesteryear were vanquished. They still crop their ugly heads out from under their thoughtless bridges from time to time but know that you inspire many more. We are not as vocal sometimes as trolls are so our voices get lost, but know there are way more of us that are inspired and living our lives without urges of screaming at you.
I’m so happy to have watched your career as I have also grown. I have the fondest memories watching TNG with my older sister when it originally aired and again with my family (we skip s1).
I also have had the most amazing experience watching Tabletop with my now 7year old son ever since he was 4, his joy in watching these games and then playing them, seeing him learn and strategies, think like an adult, I cannot thank you enough for bringing this show to life to inspire the next generation.
🙂
Cheers and have a Happy New Year!
As a 38 year old I can remember when this first aired in the UK and I can remember being watching it and being outraged at the way Picard spoke to you at the time…. I love Wesley, the fact he was on the bridge of the Enterprise made me feel like i could achieve anything as a kid.
Well said. Wesley Crusher should have been an important and respected character. A few too many Deus ex machina situations with him, sure, but if he’s an adult, no one would blink at it. And for proof of people liking the character, one of my best friends when he met me said, “Oh cool, I’ve always wanted a friend named Wesley,” which I thought was weird until I found out about your character (I was late to the Trek wagon).
That said, I recently got a “shut up, Wesley” coffee mug, but I suppose I mostly like it because it is seriously difficult finding anything with the name Wesley on it.
From one Wesley to another, keep up the good work.
I can’t say that I was a fan of Wesley (and I do think it’s kind of telling that the vast majority of those who were were children at the time), but I didn’t hate him either. He had his ups and downs like any of the other characters (he probably had less flaws than the adults, who had some pretty boneheaded moments). It was pretty damn irresponsible of Picard to give him the responsibilities of an officer without having gone through any of the training that a real officer would have (what did I just say?), but for the most part he rose to the challenge well enough. He certainly didn’t deserve that “Shut up, Wesley”. I didn’t really remember that aspect of that episode; was there really no resolution on that?
I definitely don’t think the “crybaby” thing is at all justified either — as others have commented, his biggest flaw would simply be being the “annoying precocious child” character, not any failing of his own. And of course, even if you really hated Wesley, the idea of taking that out on his actor is just incomprehensible to me. How can anyone blame Wil for what the writers did?
It is not a season one set either. I.E. Riker’s beard. Wesley was better developed. Some great episodes later on.
I’m 41 years old now, and I was a kid watching TNG when it first aired…and Wesley WAS inspiring to me.
As a professional writer and published author today, it’s hard not to recognize that he was Gene Roddenberry’s wish fulfillment character (in the leaked TNG season 1 writer’s bible that comes across very clearly). But the thing was that the wishes Gene Roddenberry was fulfilling with Wesley were the same wishes that every kid watching had as well – to be on the bridge of the Enterprise, to be part of the action, and even have a chance to save the ship and be a hero.
Even if the first season writing for the character left a lot to be desired, I’m extremely thankful that there was a character like that on television for all of us late Generation Xers.
My first thought on seeing the set was “wow, those are awesome!”, immediately followed by “what the hell is with Wesley’s face?!”. And then followed the link and agreed with everything you wrote. One of the most overused and rediculus plots (only one person seeing the truth, everyone else thinks they are crazy) taken to extremes.
while wes was indeed poorly written and portrayed in many episodes, thanks to writers & directors who obviously didn’t have a clue what to do with a young prodigy on the show until it came time to write him out of the show & subsequently all but forget he existed, there was realistically only one episode in which those 3 words were actually earned: ‘the naked now’ – in all respects minus alcohol reflecting a drunken crew, an inebriated wes runs his mouth & uses his prodigal genius to take over the enterprise from engineering. otherwise, he was often dismissed by the senior staff & treated as a know-nothing child except in those few episodes throughout the series written specifically for him. granted, his character was often written poorly to reflect him as whiny at times, but think of what the very existence of wesley crusher meant: often too smart for his own good, understanding the sciences & engineering disciplines often better than his adult counterparts, and often dismissed as a child by those adults as so many children consistently are in real life. gene roddenberry himself was a prodigy of sorts & fought for the recognition & chance to get his original vision filmed, if people would remember, so it’s really little different than the strife depicted by the trials & tribulations the young prodigy wes was in many ways – just as those of us who resemble that basic description in real life have had to face, many of us still being unable to fully integrate with society since maturity & without the luxury of escaping to multidimensional adventure with the traveler. think about it.