Am I the only one?

[Jefferies]

^^Besides she mellowed greatly towards Data during the course of the season. By the end they were clearly developing into friends. A lot of people who didn't know Data had unfounded preconceptions against him. That's why Pulaski was so much fun to watch in my opinion, because try as she might, she just couldn't maintain her bias against Data.

 

[Ro_Laren]

I always preferred Crusher. That being said, I like Pulaski now more than I used to when Trek first aired

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

given the number of responses that are more or less "i like her now more than i did back then," it'd seem Pulaski is her own paradox: both ahead of the time and behind the times!

 

[Dorothy_Zbornak]

I always preferred Crusher. That being said, I like Pulaski now more than I used to when Trek first aired

I think this is indicative of something I've noticed on here--turnarounds on character like and dislike.

When TNG was in its prime, everyone seemed to go ape poopy over Data. Now, he -- or more accurately Brent Spiner -- seems to get a lot more criticism. His character is not quite as beloved as it once was.

In the same way I think hindsight allows people to warm up to characters like Pulaski who stood out as a-typical, separate from the other supposedly-ideal, perfect 24th Century individuals.

 

[EEE]

I always preferred Crusher. That being said, I like Pulaski now more than I used to when Trek first aired

I think this is indicative of something I've noticed on here--turnarounds on character like and dislike.

Perhaps in this case, it's maturing beyond "original-cast loyalty/fever." No one likes original cast changes (unless they hated the character being replaced for whatever reason). You've seemingly just gotten settled in with an original cast and BLAM... one change and there's at least some "starting over" for a series. But in hindsight, with then-topical anger/hope being removed, one can be a bit more objective overall.

 

[opali]

I liked Pulaski all right, but I didn't really like the chemistry she had with the other actors. She never seemed to 'jell.' But then, she didn't get much of a chance.
IMO there was too much riding on the chemistry and history between Picard and Crusher anyway.
I didn't really ever get fond of Crusher; but maybe it was more because of her being Wesley's mother than McFadden's acting.
She held her own with Patrick Stewart, and that is saying something.

 

[Iamnotspock]

I liked Pulaski to, but I really wish she was brought back. Heck, I think after she left, she was mentioned once. Would have been nice to see both Gates and Maulder on the screen together somehow.

Am I right in thinking that the role of Dr. Helena Russell in S5's Ethics was written with Pulaski in mind, but Diana Muldaur either wasn't available or willing?

 

[Nebusj]

^^Besides she mellowed greatly towards Data during the course of the season. By the end they were clearly developing into friends. A lot of people who didn't know Data had unfounded preconceptions against him. That's why Pulaski was so much fun to watch in my opinion, because try as she might, she just couldn't maintain her bias against Data.

I'd say they were friends by the time the season was a third over. After ``Elementary, Dear Data'' the worst she did to Data was pressure and manipulate him a bit for ``Unnatural Selection'', but that was in the line of pursuing her responsibilities as a doctor and researcher. She'd have done that to anyone.

By the end of the season she was one of Data's boosters, as exemplified by how it went wrong in ``That Gameplaying Jerkface Tries Helping Riker With His Losing-To-Pakleds Problem''.

 

[warp 9]

no doubt Dr. Pulaski was good, but Dr. Crusher was HOT! the only thing she did wrong, was birth that weasle wesley.

 

[Cky]

I like her but as someone said earlier she had many McCoy-like moments, I think thats why I prefered Crusher. TNG needed to be new, it had a lot of complaints when it started of being a rip off of TOS and I think keeping her would have strengthened claims.

 

[Jefferies]

I like her but as someone said earlier she had many McCoy-like moments, I think thats why I prefered Crusher. TNG needed to be new, it had a lot of complaints when it started of being a rip off of TOS and I think keeping her would have strengthened claims.

Better have a good rip-off than someone who might be new but without any defining traits. After all, what made Crusher special? She had a caring and compassionate personality, which is kind of a must, considering she was a Starfleet doctor and she was a mother. Apart from that? I am at a loss to be honest.

 

[kissthestar]

I liked Pulaski. I felt her character was more defined (including flaws) right from the start than Crusher's personality ever go to be. This is most likely owing to the writing, of course. But Pulaski grew more over one season than Crusher did in several seasons. Also, I feel that an older woman can be just as attractive as a younger one. Sometimes more so.

 

[casey]

I am a Crusher fan. There is something about the character that I have always liked and I wish she had been given more material.

As far as Pulaski is concerned, like most everyone else I like her more now, and I am happy with the dynamic she brought to her episodes, but I am glad Crusher came back.

I really think having them together would be really interesting.

 

[WillsBabe]

I really think having them together would be really interesting.

I sometimes wonder if the doctor in Ethics who comes to fix Worf's back was intented to be Pulaski. It's the kind of thing that tv does, bring back a former character to butt heads with a current character, or to demonstrate how they've gone off the rails. I'm glad, actually, that they didn't bring Pulaski back for the role because it would have made less of her charater, I think.

 

[Falcor5]

I liked Crusher more than Pulaski. But I still think it would have been really cool if Pulaski showed up in a few episodes after she left. Its to bad that never happened.

 

[casey]

I really think having them together would be really interesting.

I sometimes wonder if the doctor in Ethics who comes to fix Worf's back was indented to be Pulaski. It's the kind of thing that tv does, bring back a former character to butt heads with a current character, or to demonstrate how they've gone off the rails. I'm glad, actually, that they didn't bring Pulaski back for the role because it would have made less of her character, I think.

That would make a lot of sense, given that I can see some of Pulaski in that dr. But at the end of the day, I wouldn't want to see Crusher lecturing Pulaski about ethics. That would just be odd. And I don't know if the Pulaski's would have acted that differently than Crusher in this case.

 

[NCC1968]

Just the thought of Pulaski irritates me..........

 

[WillsBabe]

But at the end of the day, I wouldn't want to see Crusher lecturing Pulaski about ethics. That would just be odd. And I don't know if the Pulaski's would have acted that differently than Crusher in this case.

Oh, I absolutely agree with you. That's why I'm glad they didn't do it.

 

[Amaris]

I always preferred Crusher. That being said, I like Pulaski now more than I used to when Trek first aired

I think this is indicative of something I've noticed on here--turnarounds on character like and dislike.

When TNG was in its prime, everyone seemed to go ape poopy over Data. Now, he -- or more accurately Brent Spiner -- seems to get a lot more criticism. His character is not quite as beloved as it once was.

In the same way I think hindsight allows people to warm up to characters like Pulaski who stood out as a-typical, separate from the other supposedly-ideal, perfect 24th Century individuals.

I believe that is a reasonable statement. I agree, because I'm one of those who despised Pulaski and adored Data. Now I have warmed up toward Pulaski, who had personality big enough to fill the whole ship, and once I noticed her similarities to McCoy, well that just changed everything!

As for Data, well, he's starting to annoy me. I still really like the character, but as I watched Generations this afternoon, I realized that I didn't like Data in that movie. I didn't like him as much in First Contact[/i], even less in Insurrection, and I didn't like him at all in Nemesis. When Data died in Nemesis, I was sad about it, but I recovered quickly, because 1) The death seemed stupid, inane and empty, and 2) I just didn't have the same emotional punch toward Data.

So here's some more anecdotal evidence to add to your running theory.

J.

 

[WillsBabe]

So here's some more anecdotal evidence to add to your running theory.

J.

And some more - when TNG was in its run I wasn't at all fond of Picard or Data, but I've warmed to both their characters now. In fact, I'm getting particularly fond of Picard, but that might be something to do with the amount of times I've seen Patrick Stewart on stage over the last couple of years.