Which Doctor Did You Like Better...Dr. Crusher or Dr. Pulaski?
- Thread starter CmndrSela318
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Aye, well Roddenberry expressly stated no character conflicts as part of his intentions for the show, so that was baked in at the beginning intentionally. However, the change in the head writers late season one, early season two seems to have opened the door to allow Pulaski that option. And I completely agree it gives something to her character that the show up until that point had lacked.
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Data is second officer aboard the Federation's flagship, and a decorated Starfleet officer who has notched up twenty years of service by the time Pulaski comes on board. Whatever Pulaski's personal opinion of him, her deciding that he's not worthy of her respect because he's made of polymers and alloys instead of flesh and blood is really awkward. The fact that everyone treats this as an odd character quirk to be tolerated is arguably even more so.
"Your service record says that you are alive. I must accept that." Yes you must, you condescending bitch.
Yep. I would like to imagine Picard would quash it straight away but it doesn't happen.
Imagine if she'd come on board and started giving Geordi stick for being blind?
"Your service record says you can see... I must accept that".
Like I say, I still find it odd that the whole dynamic managed to get past Roddenberry's 'No Interpersonal Conflict' edict.
I should add, the writers did smooth this out relatively quickly, but in her initial appearances then I find it uncomfortable.
Seeing that Pulaski seems to be one of the very few officers on board not even slightly intimidated by Picard, that could have been an interesting confrontation.
I've never heard this before.
Data had no rights until half way through season 2.
And then the only right he won, was to submit or refute being the subject of science experiments that might certainly murder him.
And then the only right he won, was to submit or refute being the subject of science experiments that might certainly murder him.
I haven't heard that either. But it makes sense given some of the other things I have heard over the years -- like the difficulties she had with other cast members. Who really wants to be where they're not wanted?
I wish they had just gone with her from Season 1, and made the cast a bit more interesting from jump. No reason for a hostile reception in that case. I could have even dealt with her being McCoy's granddaughter, just to quiet the claims of her being a rip-off character. She could still be named Pulaski.
A crushing defeat for Pulaski.
I think if Pulaski had 6 seasons and Crusher 1 then it'd swing the other way. Familiarity hold the most sway here.
I think if Pulaski had 6 seasons and Crusher 1 then it'd swing the other way. Familiarity hold the most sway here.
Eh, I didn't care for the Doctor from Voyager after Seven Seasons, but liked Seven of Nine almost instantly, but I see your point that the odds were against Pulaski due to her being a replacement.
Honestly, as bad as it sounds for modern ears, I think Pulaski might also have had the problem with contemporary TV audiences that she wasn't as conventionally beautiful as Dr.Crusher. Not that Diana Muldaur was ugly, but she was older at that point, and while Troi and Crusher had their hair and uniforms/costumes styled in a very feminine manner Pulaski was more covered up and her hairstyle was a bit matron-like. Even her make-up is much more subdued than Troi or Crusher ever got.
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This kind of made me wonder what would have happened if the actresses had been reversed (but still with the same style and costumes they had in our timeline)
So the First Season would have had Diana Muldaur as a somewhat dowdy looking Beverly Crusher.
And Season 2 would have had Gates McFadden as a younger, sexier Katherine Pulaski.
It would be interesting to see what the audience reaction would have been in that case. I actually think Diana Muldaur, at the very least could have played Dr.Crusher, and would have fit very well as a possible love interest for Picard in that role.
And it's fun to imagine Gates McFadden delivering some of Pulaski's bitcher lines like "It does know how to do these things, doesn't it?"
So the First Season would have had Diana Muldaur as a somewhat dowdy looking Beverly Crusher.
And Season 2 would have had Gates McFadden as a younger, sexier Katherine Pulaski.
It would be interesting to see what the audience reaction would have been in that case. I actually think Diana Muldaur, at the very least could have played Dr.Crusher, and would have fit very well as a possible love interest for Picard in that role.
And it's fun to imagine Gates McFadden delivering some of Pulaski's bitcher lines like "It does know how to do these things, doesn't it?"
Not saying it didn't, just saying that the 80s were still a time when female characters were often judged by how attractive they were.
I've held off on addressing this question but here's the deal. I'm probably the only guy active on this board who is older than Gates McFadden. That said, I thought she was majestic and had a huge crush on her. For that reason alone, she's my favorite and I'm eager to see her in Picard Season 3 and how they present her Crusher character in her 70s.
On the other hand, I thought Pulaski was great. Her abrasiveness was refreshing and the way her attitude regarding Data evolved can't have been an accident. When Data played Stratagema against that Zacdorn worm, she was his biggest cheerleader. Nothing needed to be said, it just developed right there on the screen.
On the other hand, I thought Pulaski was great. Her abrasiveness was refreshing and the way her attitude regarding Data evolved can't have been an accident. When Data played Stratagema against that Zacdorn worm, she was his biggest cheerleader. Nothing needed to be said, it just developed right there on the screen.
I think there's enough distance and time between now and TNG to be able to appreciate both. Season 2 of TNG rightly gets some stick but Pulaski is one of the better elements in play in a less than consistent run of episodes. Muldaur elevates every scene she's in, but McFadden isn't exactly a small shakes in the acting department. Both are good.
If I ask myself, 'would I flip the balance if I could, giving Muldaur 6 Seasons and McFadden 1?' and it's a 'no' from me. I'm glad we've got a whole run of episodes where they were experimenting with a different dynamic but for me TNG is a kind of warm fuzzy show where everybody is good friends on a luxury liner of a ship, cruising around and doing an awful lot of chilling. I think McFadden's genial, motherly Crusher was a better fit for a show like TNG.
If I ask myself, 'would I flip the balance if I could, giving Muldaur 6 Seasons and McFadden 1?' and it's a 'no' from me. I'm glad we've got a whole run of episodes where they were experimenting with a different dynamic but for me TNG is a kind of warm fuzzy show where everybody is good friends on a luxury liner of a ship, cruising around and doing an awful lot of chilling. I think McFadden's genial, motherly Crusher was a better fit for a show like TNG.
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