Is Eureka suffering from The Wesley Problem?

Television, Movies Games and Books Other Science Fiction
#1

Is anybody else noticing this?

The Wesley Problem (for those that don’t know) comes from the first few seasons of ST:TNG, when the writers of the show tended to rely on Wesley Crusher’s character to resolve whatever Disaster of the Week that Enterprise was encountering. Basically the writers got lazy, or they were trying too hard to bring in a younger demographic, and made this kid character solve problems that the most intelligent, experienced people on Enterprise couldn’t solve… and some fans got sick of it. (Caveat: This, of course, has nothing to do with the likeable Wil Wheaton, fellow geek and blogger, who was simply acting was was written for him. I’m just drawing an analogy here.)

But getting back to Eureka: since the beginning of this season, the writers seem to rely more and more on Sheriff Carter in order to resolve some complex scientific problem during an episode – a character that has no scientific training or experience. Now, Carter is smart – but he’s a dimwit compared to the geniuses that work at GD. His advantage is that he’s street-smart, and this is how the writers end up solving the Scientific Problem of the Week – by having him come up with some kinda “common sense” analogy, that sparks the imagination of one of the other “smarter” characters, to come up with an actual scientific solution to whatever problem GD’s facing.

Is anyone else getting tired of this? This craaap is becoming formulaic. Why does Carter have to be the genesis to the solution of every major problem in Eureka? Don’t the writers have faith in any of the other characters – why are they relying on Carter so much? I mean, I like Carter (and Colin Ferguson), but he’s not the whole focus of the series for me… and it’s simply not believable that he’s book-smart enough to help out with these scientific solutions. Why can’t Allison or Henry or even Fargo just come up with a solution to the Scientific Conundrum of the Week? Do the writers think we are uninterested in the other characters of the show?

Carter shines when using the qualities that the brainiacs around him don’t necessarily have… his courage, his willingness to act, his strength of character, his resolve, his sense of duty and justice and honor. These are the qualities that the writers should be using to help save GD’s ass every week. Carter doesn’t have to be “smart” to keep up with Eureka’s other characters. Carter’s attributes compliment Eureka’s genius. Eureka’s scientists can come up with their own solutions… and have Carter there to help implement them.

There’s nothing to be done about the rest of this season, but I think the writers should bear it in mind for next.

#2

This, I think, is what the cornerstone of the show should be. This problem seems like a network interference thing. The show hasn’t done phenomenally by all accounts, and when that happens generally some suit shows up and offers ‘suggestions’. So we have an entire town full of brilliant scientists and only Henry and Jack (and later Fargo and Nathan) do any of the problem solving, and usually its Jack’s everyman ‘common sense’ that ends up fixing the whole thing. Still a great show, trying to catch up with season 3 atm.

#3

I don’t know. I’ve sometimes found myself in rooms full of incredibly stupid smart people.

But, you could be right.

#4

I thought of the same idea about Wesley. I think he should be helpful but not always solve everything. Maybe someone could have a non high tech problem also. Carter was the “fish out of the water” now he seems to much at home with all of the high tech stuff. I still enjoy the show but it is starting to become more solve the problem then the characters.

#5

I think that’s one of the main themes of the show. There are certainly plenty of examples of scientists who are so specialized that they can’t see anything outside of their own areas of expertise, and Carter’s more eclectic skill set helps to see connections that those scientists would never see on their own.

#6

The formula of the show has always resolved around Carter being able to solve with common sense what the scientists fail to see. Yes, it sometime does stretch credulity, but if credulity is what one is after this isn’t the show for them. However, I had noticed that he is beginning to pick up more of the science as late, but hadn’t felt his solutions have been that outlandish compared to previous ones. I’ll keep an eye out for it. Obviously he is very intelligent from the beginning with great common sense, out-side-of-the-box thinking, and has fathered a brilliant daughter.

#7

Yeah, I haven’t really noticed it being any different from previous seasons. Really, Carter’s ability to see the forest while everyone else stares at the trees has almost always been the central plot point of the show. Remember, too, in the interview on this 'ere podcast, where Colin Ferguson expressed his suspicions that Carter isn’t as dim as he gives the impression he is.

#8

yea i gotta say. Carter has always been the one to put together the puzzle pieces. I think he may not be the most intelligent but i think he is one of the smartest characters. The scientists are so caught up in their world and stuck following the rules that they have to follow that they cant think outside the box. Its when you are either ignorant of the rules or choose to break them is when true innovation happens. Thats what Carter is good at. Also its been happening from season 1 so its basically the core of the showl.

#9

/scratches head

Hasn’t this been the way the show works from the beginning? I mean other than last week, last week was a little much

#10

I think that the show is suffering from a lack-of-Stark problem. If Carter, Henry, and Stark (“the money team”) were still solving the problems together, it wouldn’t seem unbalanced now.

#11

I still have to think they’re going to find some way to bring him back, what will probably happen is Carter and Allison will start getting real close again, and in the course of solving some kind of problem they’ll accidentally bring Stark back

#12

I actually expected Stark to step off the space ship that landed.

#13

I don’t know if it’s Stark specifically, but the show is more interesting when you have him, or ‘bad Henry’, or somebody else working at cross-purposes. I think we’ll get that again soon (guessing next week.) The writers seem to understand that.

#14

I hope it’s not Tess though. I <3 Tess, I don’t want her to go anywhere.

#15

I know we will all think of RDM when I say this, but Colin has gone on record that there will be no Stark this season. Read into that whatever you like.

As for the Sheriff Carter problem, now that I consider it I do agree. We can’t have a Carter lovefest where everyone agrees with him all the time, we do need a counterpoint. Tess served this purpose for a while but it is doubtful that will continue. I suspect we will see a new face from GD soon who starts rocking the boat.

#16

Stark was a good foil not only because he was smart and powerful, but because he was the love interest of Allison which created a good drama inducing love triangle. It appears this season they are turning the triangle on its head with Carter at the apex of the triangle with Allison and Tess. I was thinking Tess might not make it last episode because they have shown the tenancy of resolving love triangles by killing off one of the points.

Anyway, back to the original point of this thread, this last episode seemed to live up to the norms of the series. Carter was able to find the solution not because he knew the science better than the experts, but because by conducting his investigation he is actually exposed to the wide diversity of projects going on at GD. He can see how they interact better than individual scientists that are focused on their own research…

#17

I agree… I miss Stark in the show. As others have said, the Carter Problem is much less noticible when you have a strong counterpoint like Stark around. I think that’s what Eva Thorne was supposed to be last season, which is why I didn’t notice it so much then. But now, without a strong antagonist for Carter, well… I do hope we get one next season, cause last week was a frakin’ clip show. :mad:

Ed Quinn, I will forgo my beloved Bushmills and starting drinking Jose Cuervo Black if you’ll decide to come back. Please?

Yeah, I know. I’m not even really disagreeing with you. It’s always been part of the show… but it’s just been so noticeable this season, that I think the writers really need to fix it, before Eureka becomes too formulaic.