This episode irritates me like none other, because there was so much wasted potential here. This is a Wesley episode, and he has been gone for a year at the academy. We can be certain that he was not taking acting classes, because damn. It's time for us to have a conversation about Wil Wheaton. I love Wil Wheaton, I think he's great. I will consume any content that Wil Wheaton puts out, and I appreciate that possibly more than any other person, Star Trek shaped his life, for better or worse. But I think this episode is where we admit that he was just a cute boy with good hair, and not an acting genius. However, as many have argued before me, with the way they wrote Wesley, there's just not much that can be done to save the character. For instance, Wesley is having a heart to heart about the academy with Picard. Picard is walking down memory lane, and asks how Boothby is.Wes- "He didn't remember you, sir. At first. I found an old yearbook of you and he remembered you right away."
What the hell is that line? I've tried to insert different actors into that scene in my brain to see if they could have pulled it off, but no matter what, it's stupid. It adds nothing. Wesley is full of these awkward scenes in this episode. He works up the courage to ask Ashley Judd to coffee, and she emasculates him by first saying no, and then insisting that they instead have dinner. Why is this necessary?
But the most annoying part is that they brought Wesley back exactly the same. He could have matured and changed. He should have. He's away at the academy experiencing new things and growing as a man. He shouldn't be the same, but he is. He's still dopey and awkward, he still can only hit it off with a girl if she is abnormally forward and drags him along. And he still is the boy wonder that single handedly identifies the problem and saves the day while no one else knows what's going on.
This time it's an alien mind control device brought back from Risa by the womanizing Riker. It's a virtual reality type headset that seems like a simple game, but when you achieve a goal in the game, your brain gives you a dose of chemicals that makes you nearly cream your pants. One shot, and you're hooked, and I guess that's when the butterface alien lady takes over your brain and makes you want to surrender your ship. Of course, the first thing the crew does is shut down Data, who obviously wouldn't be susceptible to the effects, since he lacks a brain (although, he did get drunk with the rest of the crew once, so who knows?). When Wesley and his new fling realize that everyone is playing this new game, they assume that it's mostly harmless- just a fad that will pass. BUT, instead of trying it, like you would expect a college-aged young man to do, they decide to experience it by creating a simulation of a human brain and running the game on it to see what happens. WHAT? "Oh wow, there's this new awesome game that everyone is playing and say is great, I think I'll have a computer analyze it to see why it's so much fun rather than just trying it myself," said no 19 year old ever.
Here's my next problem: the episode dives into a deep issue, addiction, but then ducks it at the same time. Wesley discovers that the game is addicting, and this is an opportunity to address addiction issues and have a meaningful episode. But instead, the game is not so much addicting in the traditional sense as it is alien mind control. A closer parallel is drawn to a chocolate fix than the crack epidemic that was sweeping the country at the time this episode aired. No one has to recover from the addiction, they just get their brains reflashed by a strobe light that Data created and everything is reset to normal.Because this episode brings Wesley back only to go right back into the exact same role that everyone hated him in, and re-use the same old script of him saving the day, and for improperly handling and minimizing a serious societal issue, this episode is Horrible. The only thing I enjoyed was the knowledge that Wil Wheaton got to kiss Ashley Judd. But it's all an easy fix, so make sure you read the FIX THE EPISODE BABY in the first comment!
Published October 19, 2018
FIX THE EPISODE BABY!
ReplyDeleteWesley returns to the Enterprise after his first year at the academy to visit. He brings with him his new girlfriend Ashley. Geordi asks Wesley if he could help with a project in engineering, but Wesley declines and says that he has promised Ashley that he would show her his favorite holodeck programs. He makes it clear that he is on the ship on leave because this is his home, not to work. He seems different. He's more independent and assertive. Dr. Crusher immediately doesn't like Ashley, and sees her as a bad influence. All they want to do is lay around playing their new game, missing Data's big cat poetry art show. Wesley talks Geordi into trying the game, and his work immediately suffers. He's distracted, late, and makes mistakes. When he is temporarily relieved of duty, Crusher looks into his physiology and realizes that the game he's been playing is as dangerous as a drug. It is highly addictive, and is having detrimental effects on his brain and body. She then realizes that Wesley must be in even worse shape. She insists on doing a physical on him, and finds that he's not eating and in terrible condition. If he doesn't stop playing the game, he and Ashley will die. They will hear none of it, to them it's just a good time.
Meanwhile B plot: Aliens are going to kill them or whatever.
Back to our story, Ashley has a close call and nearly dies, and this is the wakeup call that Wesley needs to seek treatment. They know it will be a long road ahead, but he will recover from his addiction. Ashley, on the other hand, is forced to drop out of the academy and return home, her career ruined.
Oh and, the aliens don't kill them or whatever. Also, Ashley has a nude scene.