Let's Watch - Star Trek: The Next Generation [172. Journey's End]

Goodbye, Wesley.

This podcast is a run through and break down of every single Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. From "Encounter at Farpoint" to "All Good Things...", we're going to look at each and every one of the 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Engage!

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[mctaylor]

You're doin a great job, Wes! Been listening since the beginning and grew up on this show. Recently binged watched all of DS9 and while I think that show is overall better, the nastalga and my memories of this one will always have me coming back to TNG. Almost done, man! Keep it up!

[Eyetrauma]

You ever notice how whenever Trek has Native people they always *always* gotta have a little flute accompaniment? When a black guy appears do they play a saxophone? It’s so goofy.

[emeraldknight]

Wil Wheaton left the series because he felt like he was not well liked among the cast. And he was not being given a lot of good storylines to really be worth staying on the series. Although he says it was interfering with his career plans, I don't buy that because Wheaton wasn't being given a lot of really important scenes in movies since his debut in the Next Generation. In fact, quite the opposite. It was the fan base ultimately who had turned against Wesley Crusher as being snarky, inadequate and just plain a "stand-in" most of the time. Although being hailed as the "technical" genius in the series, he had no other real role on the series. So "Journey's End" was so entitled for that reason and was Wil's last episode that he starred in. In the episode he was was forced to resign from Starfleet because he didn't like what Admiral Necheyev had ordered Picard to do.

[ogloc]

Alexander not a great character but definitely had a purpose

[mattrossesq]

This is the liberal guilt episode to a T. And frankly you hit it on the head -- he was forced to go to Starfleet and then turned bad boy by being a negligent bastard. Next he does drugs. . ends in a bad way. Probably winds up in a shuttle-craft drag race with the Traveller's buddies wearing the Lost in Space leather outfits. I hate this episode. I think it could have just been skipped. Chakotay I think does the "noble savage" bs better in Voyager.

[aukrest]

Really disliked the Native American stereotypes in this episode, I mean Starfleet literally sends Picard to evict Native Americans from their land...

Picard having to atone for the sins of his conquistador ancestor is also just ridiculous, the American Indian caricatures are just so distracting to me in this episode. Wesley is ok I guess, but I didn't find the end of his storyline here to be very satisfying either because of the botched execution.

[aleon]

One. Westley was poorly written... he was in "Stand by Me". Not known for bad acting. His acting is lot better later in the series imo. I really liked when Westley appeared not as a regular cast member actually. Particularly enjoyed "The Game" and "First Duty". Two: I agree on the Native American stereotypes. Oy! Could have been analogized or changed up in some way. The stereotypes WERE uncomfortable in the 90s too, my recollection, . Lots of discussion online and elsewhere on white people going and doing vision quests etc. The Traveler also portrays himself an Indian--yeah great, white traveler goes and dishonestly portray himself as a native person. Great. Three: However, agreed that the two plots didn't exactly merge as one, though by his informing them of what was going on, he actually presented a "solution" (if you call living under Cardassian law a solution). It does, however, lead us to the development of the Marqui. Four: yes to why everyone has to be in Starfleet?

[factualopinion]

Good idea for the episode but it was a dumb execution. & this is wow they send him off?!

[thepenskyfile]

Hi everyone, just a reminder that I'll be doing a Q&A podcast about the TNG run after all the episodes, so please send any questions you might have to thepenskyfilevideo(at)gmail! Please also feel free to send any suggestions about ways to improve the show, and I'll go over those items in that Q&A session, as well.

[Brando]

This one date really badly in my opinion, every time I hear "American Indians" or "vision quest" I feel profoundly uncomfortable, and I'm not an American! I'm sure this was a good idea, but it's just _so heavy handed_ I want to look away or mute the sound.

I've never understood what's so special about Wesley but I don't hate him the way some people do because I had previous experience of a classic Doctor Who companion named Adric (look it up and you'll see what I mean).

Why is Wesley such a rude mopey bastard? If he was traumatized from the events in "The First Duty" I could understand it, but nope, no reason given.
I guess Ronald D. Moore had good intentions with this, but it's just a mess.
"Ooh let's make them Indians cos that's a worthy cause and let's bring back "The Traveler" and let's make Picard atone for the sins of his ancestors." Fuck that, I say.


You want _really_ stereotypical representations of Native Americans? Look at clips from F-Troop, which was screened here when I was an infant.
Only 2 from me, Wes, sorry man.

[dittbub]

I’m not a Wesly hater but this episode is a terrible send off. The most glaringly bad aspect has nothing to do with Wesley and that’s the Native American angle. What bothers me even more is the writers thought it was a good enough ground work for a character in voyager? Terrible world building episode.

Wesly is just poorly written. I don’t think his acting is the problem, it’s not great but take Jake from DS9 who is also a bad actor but he’s just written better and fits the show. I would love a Wesley redemption arc. the character deserves to be fixed.

[ogloc]

welsey crusher by far most annoying and unnecessary character worst episode he is usually in