How do you classify TNG's characters?

I too am skeptical that TNG would take on Muldaur from the beginning if she was only willing to do one season. I read somewhere that Diana left after S2 because she hated doing the show due to the cast & crew essentially giving her the cold shoulder (because they were unhappy about Gates’ departure). I hope that isn’t true, but given how hard the cast lobbied for Gates’ return I suspect it may well be.

 

I might not be the only one who is glad that Gates returned?
Impossible to know how awesome Pulaski might have turned out to be over time but judging just by seasons 1 and 2, Gates was easily better IMHO.

 

Gates was a better fit. They wanted to recreate McCoy in a way through Pulaski and have a TNG version of McCoy/Spock through Pulaski / Data but blazing their own way was better in the end.