I'm watching ST: The Next Generation from the beginning

Just wanted to re-quote this from earlier. Wil Wheaton also understands the Wesley hate and where much of it comes from:

Here’s the money portion of that particular review:

[QUOTE=Wil Wheaton]
A full day goes by, and they still haven’t heard anything from the planet. Picard is understandably concerned about the welfare of his chief of security, so it’s the perfect time for the doctor to pay him a visit and pester him to allow Wesley to come hang out on the bridge.

You know, because the last time Wesley was on the bridge everything went so well, and in the middle of a crisis is the perfect time to – OH SWEET JESUS FUCKING CHRIST WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH THE WRITERS?!

Wesley has been ordered to stay off the bridge by the captain, but really really really wants to come hang out with the adults. Also, he’s kinda sitting on the turbolift (holding the Door Open button for the last three minutes, I guess) and waiting, so maybe Picard could just let him, you know, come hang out.

Picard says, “Are you out of your fucking mind? My chief of security got kidnapped and taken down to the planet and we haven’t heard from her in over a day, you idiot! Of all the times in the world to drag your annoying little wunderkind up here, you picked now? What are you smoking, and why didn’t you bring me any? Get out of here, and take Mary Sue with you!”

Nah, I’m just kidding. He invites Wesley to sit at ops. Next to Geordi. In the middle of a major crisis.

My god, a lot of the hate mail I used to get suddenly makes a whole lot of sense. I have never been more grateful that there wasn’t liveblogging in 1987 as I am right now.
[/QUOTE]

Not only that, but the Prime Directive means they should never have even interacted with these people at all! Why were they on the planet?

That’s the bit that really baffles me. It’s made clear that the Prime Directive means no interaction with societies too lacking in advancement to be able to properly understand the Federation and relate to them as equals. In that particular episode I don’t think the natives had even gone into space, what possible reason would you have to be interacting with them? Maybe other races had already started contact with them, I don’t know, it was ages since I saw it.

They thought the other spaceship was a God!

Um, hello?

Smoking’ hot space babes. I’d violate a couple of directives.