Which Doctor Did You Like Better...Dr. Crusher or Dr. Pulaski?

[CmndrSela318]

Personally, I think I like Dr. Pulaski better. she seems to have more...personality. I like Dr. Crusher too. OK...I admit it: I'm undecided. I like both but I do like Pulaski just a little better. Those of you who are NOT undecided, I'd like to hear who you like better...Dr. Crusher or Dr. Pulaski.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Crusher.

There's only one way I can think of to describe Pulaski.... McCoy-knockoff bitch.

That's how she started in her first episode, and (unlike some others) I honestly don't see how she changed at all throughout the season.

I think Crusher had more personality. She was kind, but she had her limits. She was warm, open, and comforting, but wouldn't take crap from anybody.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Pulaski. She had fire, an arc in her relationship with Data (going from disdain to support), challenged Picard as a character, and grew beyond her origins as a McCoy-clone.

Crusher, on the other hand, was nothing more than Janice Rand with a medical degree, and a character very much in service of two male characters--Wesley and Picard.

 

[C_Miller]

I didn't really like either of them. To me, they were the worst Doctors of Star Trek (I can't comment on Doctor Phlox, because I didn't watch Enterprise), but in all honesty, that's not saying that much. The Doctors were usually my favorite characters in the series.' Doctor McCoy was for the most part my favorite, the cliche answer Spock was a close second. Doctor Bashir was practically tied with O'Brien as my second favorite after Odo. And The Doctor was far and away my favorite character on Voyager. Not even close.

My problem with Doctor Crusher is that she represented a lot of my problems with TNG in general. She's a very vanilla character and really didn't change all that much from point A to point B the only thing that changed were the writers from story to story. And Pulaski was trying to be McCoy, but without the charm, so she literally did come off as a racist.

 

[Joeman]

Big Pulaski fan here. Not a big fan of Crusher.


I liked Pulaski's no nonsense approach, and her overall gritty personality. I also liked the fact that she wasn't the typical "pretty person" that you see splashed all over the TV. It also helped that she played a couple of characters on TOS.

So, bottom line, there were many reasons that I really liked her. I was bummed when she was one and done after season two. I kept expecting her to show up from time to time, or at least be mentioned, but no go.

I didn't hate Crusher, but I much preferred Pulaski.

 

[indolover]

Dr. Crusher was a good character but had a major weakness, since she always saw everything in terms of Earth morality. she could never be objective.

Pulaski was a better character overall, but the best CMOs in all of Trek were the EMH and Julian Bashir.

 

[Admiral James Kirk]

I liked Pulaski better but I'd rather sleep with Crusher.

 

[GalaxyX]

Crusher.

There's only one way I can think of to describe Pulaski.... McCoy-knockoff bitch.

That's how she started in her first episode, and (unlike some others) I honestly don't see how she changed at all throughout the season.

I think Crusher had more personality. She was kind, but she had her limits. She was warm, open, and comforting, but wouldn't take crap from anybody.

I think you pretty much nailed it for me, with the addition that she is a MILF

I didn't hate Dr. Pulaski though. The antagonism with Data came off as stupid, but they were smart to quickly drop that idiocy.

 

[C.E. Evans]

My favorite doctor was Doctor Selar, but of the two, I'd definitely had to say Pulaski. Crusher had her moments, but she was overall a bit too accommodating, IMO. Pulaski was the more dynamic, confrontational character, IMO, and sometimes I wonder if she would have a bigger presence in the TNG movies than Crusher did...

 

[RandyS]

Crusher.

There's only one way I can think of to describe Pulaski.... McCoy-knockoff bitch.

Exactly how I see it.

 

[Tyjos Azari]

I liked Crusher.....if I had to choose between the two it'd be her......

She seemed to have a better bedside manner than Pulaski. Plus Crusher might be easier on the eyes when you wake up after surgery....

 

[Anji]

Pulaski. Seems to me that if you rose to the position of Chief Medical Officer you'd have to be on the tough side which is exactly what she was.

 

[Lor'Vela]

Pulaski. She struck me more as a CMO in her duties than Crusher ever did, had a more dominant personality and was very forthright. I'm not saying Crusher is bad, it's just that I prefer Pulaski over her.

It's too bad she didn't feature in a few cameo appearances, IMO... there were ample opportunities.

 

[di_mar]

Crusher.

There's only one way I can think of to describe Pulaski.... McCoy-knockoff bitch.

That's how she started in her first episode, and (unlike some others) I honestly don't see how she changed at all throughout the season.

I think Crusher had more personality. She was kind, but she had her limits. She was warm, open, and comforting, but wouldn't take crap from anybody.

Agreed. Crusher could be funny at times. I remember in 'A perfect Mate', she literally had a sulk with Picard at their Breakfast arrangement.

 

[indolover]

i agree Crusher was more attractive (Gates McFadden was about fifty in TNG and she still had a hot body ) but Pulaski owned Crusher character wise.

 

[Oparu]

Pulaski came off as a little too much like she was Doctor McCoy on the new Enterprise. I like the actress, she was interesting. I thought she was too hard on Data and I don't like the way they pushed that. She would have been more fun if she had become more accepting sooner.

I love Beverly Crusher. She's smart, feisty and she's one of the only people to argue with Picard. She was just there for Wesley and Jean-Luc in the first season, but when she came back she really became fascinating to me. She had a great sibling-like relationship with Will, she had fun conversations with Deanna, she had a great relationship with Data, connected with Worf (there's a great scene where they talk bat'leth training in "Quality of Life") and I'm very fond of her relationship with Jean-Luc. I think they had some of the most emotional scenes for either of them together: when Wesley left, when Jean-Luc was melded to Sarek and their scenes together in "All Good Things" are all some of my favourites.

 

[kalysto]

i agree Crusher was more attractive (Gates McFadden was about fifty in TNG and she still had a hot body ) but Pulaski owned Crusher character wise.

Pretty much my feelings on the two of them also. I definitely preferred Pulaski.

 

[Herkimer Jitty]

Eccleston.

 

[sbk1234]

I liked Pulaski better but I'd rather sleep with Crusher.

Sums it up well. I'll second it.

 

[RyuRoots]

Pulaski came off as a little too much like she was Doctor McCoy on the new Enterprise. I like the actress, she was interesting. I thought she was too hard on Data and I don't like the way they pushed that. She would have been more fun if she had become more accepting sooner.

I love Beverly Crusher. She's smart, feisty and she's one of the only people to argue with Picard. She was just there for Wesley and Jean-Luc in the first season, but when she came back she really became fascinating to me. She had a great sibling-like relationship with Will, she had fun conversations with Deanna, she had a great relationship with Data, connected with Worf (there's a great scene where they talk bat'leth training in "Quality of Life") and I'm very fond of her relationship with Jean-Luc. I think they had some of the most emotional scenes for either of them together: when Wesley left, when Jean-Luc was melded to Sarek and their scenes together in "All Good Things" are all some of my favourites.

This is almost exactly how I feel. Thing is, McCoy had a good thing with Spock because Spock would jab back. Pulaski's thing with Data seemed more like her just being a bitch than anything else. Why be so pissy and petty and insist on mispronouncing his name and making a thing of it, for example? The character in general was pretty unlikable, I think.

Crusher, however, is definitely one of the stronger TNG characters and I'll always think it's a great shame that she didn't get more stories centered around her. She was terrific when McFadden really got a chance to show off her acting chops (Remember Me esp. comes to mind) and I liked watching her relationships with pretty much everybody.

When I think about Pulaski leaving and never coming back, all I can think is AND NOTHING OF VALUE WAS LOST. And something of value was gained, since we got Crusher back, for that matter.