When the Bough Breaks (Star Trek: The Next Generation) Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) attempts to negotiate for their release, Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) organizes a passive resistance among the children. The episode features Jerry Hardin in his first "Star Trek" role, and Brenda Strong. Mackenzie Westmore, the daughter of make-up supervisor Michael Westmore, along with Jeremy and Amy Wheaton, the younger brother and sister of Wil Wheaton, appear as uncredited children. 10.2 million viewers watched the episode, which was higher than the number of viewers watching the following episode. "When the Bough Breaks" received a mixed reception from critics who praised the performances of Stewart and Wheaton, but
Wesley Crusher The Wesley Crusher character was unpopular among more than a few "Star Trek" fans. Many fans considered the character to be a Mary Sue and a stand-in for Gene Roddenberry, whose middle name was "Wesley". The character's role in the show was greatly downplayed after the first season when Roddenberry's involvement in the show's production became more peripheral, and he was written out altogether in the season four episode "Final Mission" following the end of Roddenberry's hands-on involvement. Some fans disliked the idea of a boy who seems to constantly save the whole ship as a "deus ex machina" plot