Synopsis: Picard gets his first try at fatherhood, and further proves that he’s actually better with kids than most of the crew.

Memory Alpha Summary:  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Review:  Despite how uncomfortable he claims to be around kids, when he’s forced (due to Troi’s enormous guilt trip) to try to be a parent he winds up showing more skill than Beverly ever has around Wesley.  And he’s the only member of the crew willing to consider that perhaps this boy would be happier with his adopted parents than his biological grandmother, whom he probably doesn’t remember.  And that’s because the crew shows prejudice towards an alien race they don’t understand.  Huh, shocking.

This is a painful episode to listen to, and not just because the crew is prejudiced and Beverly insists that Wesley try to make friends with every teenage humanoid that walks in the door.  The pain is literal what with all the Talarian screaming that goes on.  While the screaming may be meaningful to understanding the Talarians, it doesn’t make for a pleasant experience for the viewer.