I [Heart] Dr. Pulaski

I couldn't stand Pulaski. Muldaur was OK in the TOS episode she appeared in, however.

 

Which one? She appeared in two, as two different characters (Ann Mulhall & the alien who possessed her in "Return to Tomorrow" and Miranda Jones in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?". Wait, is that 3 characters?)

 

This is wrong in so many levels.

 

I have tried to like her but just can't get the moment she opens her mouth! However on the plus side I did enjoy Muldaur when she was in TOS a few times.

 

I just think she's great. She seemed more authoritative than Crusher, and like several others have said, she just has that determination and confidence of a Chief Medical Officer.

 

I do agree with that. It's also something that having a few more years than Crusher helps with.
I think the transporter-phobic tendency was a huge mistake (one I'd forgotten), since McCoy felt the same way (though he used the damned thing almost every episode).
But other than that, I don't get Pulaski as a McCoy clone. You can have a character inspired by another character, and that doesn't make it a clone. This aspect didn't bother me.
Another season or two of Pulaski wouldn't have hurt the show any, I don't think, except for whichever demographic it was that responded well to the Beverly-Wesley aspect of S3. Not a huge demographic I don't think.
Imagine Pulaski throughout the show - even when Ro appears. Pulaski butting heads with Riker on those instances he took command. It's taken me a while to agree with this sentiment, but a little internal conflict now and then was just what TNG needed. Or at least some friction. It leads to some more realistic relationships, for instance, these threads usually mention Pulaski and Worf as cool development of S2.

I mean, when I think of my AD&D playing days (yeah, that's Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 1st Edition to any of you young-uns) one of the most fun things to do was stick a Paladin in a party of, shall we say, questionable motives. All the role-playing fun that would develop from a Paladin and a Barbarian, or a Thief. Clerics of different faiths/alignments. That internal friction was a basic element of our games.

 

I enjoyed her crustiness. It was a nice contrast to the rest of the goodie-two-shoes crew.

I am annoyed that all the posters and photos of the Star Trek doctors do not include her.

 

Agreed. Whether one likes her or not, she was on the series for a full season, she has earned the right to be in the list of Doctors from the various series.

Speaking of Doctors, I watched "Remember Me" and "Data's Day" last night. "Data's Day" was a lot of fun, and remains one of my favorite episodes. Crusher's part was small but meaningful as the Dancing Doctor, and I enjoyed those scenes. However, "Remember Me" was just long and drawn out. I remember looking at the clock several times wondering when the episode would be done. Now Pulaski I could see holding an entire episode, but Crusher just couldn't do it for me. That's nothing against Gates McFadden, who I like very much, but her role just wasn't foreground material, unlike Pulaski who chewed the scenery every time.

 

I don't see the McCoy clone issue. She treats Mr. Data far better than McCoy treated Spock, and aside from the dislike of transporters, I don't see the connection as big as some, I guess.