@dgw maybe it slipped your attention but it was said by Radue that only children who are special were being taken. I see your argument and you are right you can't rebuild a society out of seven children. The gene pool wouldn't be deep enough. I think under the assumption the Aldeans wanted only special children the figure is believable. If even 10 % of the crew were children (and I doubt the number is that high) that would make it 7 % gifted children. Seems a fair number.
But I totally agree with you about the ozone layer comments - not very subtle.
@finfan Having just looked up the episode script, I think Radue's line struck me as being a typical adult-talking-to-a-child sentiment, i.e. all children are "special". I didn't take it to mean "gifted".
@dgw There were more children; one of the parents asks why especially their children were taken.
Review by dgwVIP 10BlockedParent2018-10-19T13:27:37Z
Well, that commentary on the ozone layer wasn't pointed at all, was it? Downright in-your-face, that was.
I think my favorite part of this episode was Jerry Hardin. Having started watching The X-Files this past summer, I have really enjoyed his appearances as "Deep Throat" on that show. They are few (only 11 of 218 episodes), but welcome. I can also look forward to his return in "Time's Arrow" as Samuel Clemens, and recall his brief appearance on Voyager in the just-okay episode "Emanations".
Actually, "When The Bough Breaks" is pretty well-written. We have an alien race that has become complacent and arrogant, secure enough in their technological superiority that they feel comfortable simply taking what they want directly from the Federation flagship. We have Picard, studied in negotiations, well aware that care must be taken to avoid the Aldeans giving up and simply retreating behind their cloak once more. And we have Doctor Crusher, whose investigations (cheesy ozone-layer comments aside) dig right to the heart of the Aldeans' problems and provide a better solution than they had settled on.
My only real question concerns the number of children taken. Counselor Troi claims to sense "thousands of minds" as Enterprise approaches the planet's location, but we only ever see about half a dozen Aldeans. They take seven children, including Wesley, in a ploy to rejuvenate their entire society… off of a ship carrying roughly 1,000 people. Surely that figure includes more than seven children?