I [Heart] Dr. Pulaski

[Amaris]

I'm watching Season Two of TNG, and the more I watch Season Two, the more I like Dr. Pulaski. Oh, she was a bit grating at first, but she becomes more and more endearing the more I see her. I kind of wish she would have carried on into Season Three and onward. Don't get me wrong, I like Gates McFadden as Dr. Crusher, but Dr. Pulaski's just got a whole lot of heart, and I can see where she's coming from.

What do you think?

 

[RyuRoots]

I think she was an annoying, half-baked attempt at a female McCoy that fell flat on its face.

 

[Amaris]

Granted, it didn't work out, and yes I do recall her being a Dr. McCoy imitation, but I think she had great potential, and that Kate Mulgrew played her to the hilt.

 

[Admiral Shran]

You mean Diana Muldaur? Kate Mulgrew played Captain Janeway on VOY.

About Pulaski though, I hated her guts and was glad when they booted her off the show.

I only wish they had done this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVm7ypt3KJY

 

[Amaris]

You mean Diana Muldaur? Kate Mulgrew played Captain Janeway on VOY.

About Pulaski though, I hated her guts and was glad when they booted her off the show.

I only wish they had done this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVm7ypt3KJY

Oops. Yes, I meant Diana Muldaur.
I was thinking Kate Pulaski and for some reason it mixed in my head.

 

[Canuck69]

I am a huge Bev fan, but as I re-watched season two recently I developed a soft spot. I don't wish she replaced Beverly for the rest of the series, but I don't hate her anymore for being there in season 2 lol.

 

[Amaris]

I guess it just takes a little time.

 

[Michael]

Oh, I'm a big big Pulaski fan! She was the best thing about the second season, if you ask me. Her character had an edge. And in retrospect she does feel more like a Deep Space Nine character than any of the other Next Generation crewmembers (which is probably why I like her so much). I never really liked Beverly Crusher all that much, so of course I would have loved for her to stay aboard. At least Pulaski felt like a real character.

 

[Lor'Vela]

Yeah, I'm a Dr. Pulaski fan too, and by the time I reach the end of season, I just find myself wishing she could have stayed on for another season at least. But I do understand there was a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on as well.

Still, I'm surprised how quickly she was forgotten about, as she was never heard or seen from again. I'm sure a cameo appearance could have fitted in somewhere.

 

[Deks]

I agree.
I think Pulaski had more of an edge, plus I think the writers made her in a capacity where she developed several new medical techniques.
And in retrospect, her technique for wiping short term memories in alien species was actually effective when compared to Crusher's attempt with the Mintakan.

I didn't particularly like her phobia of the transporter (I mean, it's the 24th century after all), but after that incident with her ageing rapidly, she could have overcome that particular issue.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Oh, I'm a big big Pulaski fan! She was the best thing about the second season, if you ask me. Her character had an edge. And in retrospect she does feel more like a Deep Space Nine character than any of the other Next Generation crewmembers (which is probably why I like her so much). I never really liked Beverly Crusher all that much, so of course I would have loved for her to stay aboard. At least Pulaski felt like a real character.

Save for the DS9 part of your statement, this pretty much sums up my thoughts on Kate Pulaski. The character had passion, and was the only TNG character who really stood toe-to-toe with Picard and pushed his shit in about the decisions he made. She also provided some much needed contrast to the other regulars. More than that, she brought some much needed color to the cast.

Pulaski gets a lot of shit over her "treatment" of Data, but I think too many fans focus on her first few scenes with him. As the season progress, Pulaski becomes one of Data's biggest supporters (see "Peak Performance"). Much like Picard, Data really needed a character that would challenge him as she did. Without that push, Data's quest to become human becomes one of futility, dontcha think?

Besides, Diana Muldaur is a spades better actress than Gates McFadden will ever be. Beverly Crusher is cardboard, both as a character and as a performance. So much so that by the TNG movies, Crusher is merely set dressing. And I've said it before and I'll say it again: Crusher is nothing more than Janice Rand with a medical degree. Whereas Pulaski quickly transcends her origins as a Bones clone in her one and only season.

 

[hg99076]

 

[Mysterion]

Never much liked McFadden or the character of Dr. Crusher. and although most people just write-off Pulaski as a McCoy rip-off, I enjoyed what they were trying to do with the character.

 

[Amaris]

Well, Gates barely got any meaty roles if any. I am a big fan of the episode "Suspicions". I felt she got a chance to spread her wings a little bit, but those were so few and far between. For me, Dr. Crusher faded into the background anytime Data or Picard entered the room. When Pulaski was in charge, she didn't disappear, she jumped right into the foreground and it was usually fun to watch.

 

[Mysterion]

^^^
Exactly so.

Just occurred to me: Imagine a ship commanded by Capt. Jellico with Dr. Pulaski as CMO. That would make some good television, I think.

 

[Lor'Vela]

Dr. Pulaski struck me more as a CMO than Dr. Crusher actually. Perhaps it was Pulaski's demeanor and mannerisms, but the script also helped. For example, I think it was the episode with Ira Graves where a passenger ship took heavy casualties, and Pulaski insisted to remain onboard the Enterprise to supervise those casualties, rather than to tend to Ira Graves. I just couldn't image Crusher being that forthright.

 

[Nick086]

Pulaski reminds me of one those female CEO types I don't know why. I couldn't stand the character and Dr. McCoy could kick Pulaski's ass anytime. Gates McFadden's name isn't the last name in the credits, but Brent Spiner.

 

[Eleanor_zhDarjel]

I never did like Pulaski. Always had the urge to drown her head in the nearest toilet...anyway, I liked the utube-video much better.

Agree with you Nick086, Bones would have eaten her for breakfast.

 

[Amaris]

Pulaski reminds me of one those female CEO types I don't know why. I couldn't stand the character and Dr. McCoy could kick Pulaski's ass anytime. Gates McFadden's name isn't the last name in the credits, but Brent Spiner.

She's not Bones, that's certain, but she made herself into something different than what the intended, which I do like.

 

[Start Wreck]

I liked Pulaski more than Crusher. She had more of a personality, Bones-clone or not.
I would have liked to see her in some of the less cheesy post-season 2 episodes to see how she held up in the long run, but it wasn't to be. A DS9 guest appearance could have been good.

Nothing against Crusher per se, she just wasn't that interesting.