When I think aboutStar Trek: The Next Generation’s Chief Medical Officer, I cannot help but think aboutGates McFadden’s iconic role as Doctor Beverly Crusher. Dr. Crusher is theUSS Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officerfor six ofTNG’s seven seasons. But Crusher was not the Enterprise’s only physician. InStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 2, Dr. Crusher left the USS Enterprise to be the head of Starfleet Medical – a role she would resume afterStar Trek: Picardseason 3.
The role of Chief Medical Officer of the Enterprise was filled by Diana Muldaur’s Doctor Katherine Pulaski inStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 2. Dr. Pulaski was a wholly different sort of doctor for the Enterprise. Whereas Dr. Crusher had a relationship with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) that skirted romance,Dr. Pulaski was a firebrand who often clashed with the Enterprise crew.But I have to admit, I have always had a soft spot for Dr. Pulaski. Indeed, I think she was a much better doctor and character than she is sometimes given credit for.
Diana Muldaur’s Dr. Pulaski Was Better On Star Trek: TNG Than You Remember
She Fought With The Crew, But That Was The Point
While Dr. Pulaski may not have been the most iconic Chief Medical Officer on the USS Enterprise, Diana Muldaur is incredible in the role.Star Trek: The Next Generationseason 1is not the series' strongest, as the spinoff was still in the shadow ofStar Trek: The Original Series. With constant turmoil in the writers' room causing creative chaos, it’s hardly surprising thatDr. Crusher inTNGseason 1 was not quite as polished as her later appearances.
When Dr. Pulaski took over in TNG season 2, she was like a breath of fresh air.
When Dr. Pulaski took over inTNGseason 2, she was like a breath of fresh air. Her clashes with the otherStar Trek: The Next Generationcharactersmake Dr. Pulaski immediately engaging to me. I’m not alone in thinking that “The Measure of a Man” is one of the greatest episodes inStar Trekhistory. Thethemes of “The Measure of a Man” were first raised by Dr. Pulaski, who doubted Lt. Commander Data’s (Brent Spiner) personhood in “Elementary, Dear Data.” Watching Dr. Pulaski learn to respect Data’s sentience and agency is one of the most compelling arcs inStar Trek.
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Dr. Pulaski’s bestTNGepisode, “Unnatural Selection,” dealt with themes of humanity and eugenics in ways that fundamentally changed the tone ofStar Trek: The Next Generation.Theepisode is centered on Dr. Pulaski’s capabilities as a doctor and her relationship with Data. “Unnatural Selection” forced an ill Dr. Pulaski to rely on Lt. Commander Data for comfort and confront her own biases. Whenever I rewatchTNG,I cannot help but look forward to seeing Dr. Pulaski shake things up on the Enterprise and grow into a better person.
Why Diana Muldaur’s Dr. Pulaski Only Lasted 1 Season On Star Trek: TNG
I Love Her, But There Were Some Real Issues
Dr. Katherine Pulaski only appeared in one season ofStar Trek:The Next Generation, and by the timeTNGseason 3came around, Gates McFadden was back as Dr. Beverly Crusher. Dr. Pulaski’s departure went unremarked inTNG. While a lot has been said about why Diana Muldaur leftStar Trek, it is worth noting thatshe only signed a one-year contract to joinTNG, rather than the more standard five-year contracts. In other words, Diana Muldaur never intended to stay on as Dr. Pulaski in the long run.
There was also a letter-writing campaign to bring back Dr. Crusher for season 3 ofTNG. The older, more argumentative Dr. Pulaski was simply not as popular with fans.
There were more than just contract issues regarding Diana Muldaur’s departure fromStar Trek: The Next Generation.Fans did not warm to Pulaski and criticized her treatment of Data. I have to admit that Pulaski’s early antipathy towards a beloved character can be hard to watch. Dr. Pulaski was meant to shake things up forTNG, butit isn’t always fun to watch her argue with Captain Picard or belittle Data.
Dr. Pulaski was a reminder of the past, whereas Dr. Crusher represented a new generation of Starfleet medicine.
At an even broader level,there were some problems with Dr. Pulaski in the overarching structure ofTNG.Star Trek: The Next Generationimproved dramatically over the first few seasons, as it grew away from the mold set byStar Trek: The Original Series. AndDr. Pulaski was a lot like Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley) fromTOS. In an era when what the series needed most was distance from its predecessor, Dr. Pulaski was a reminder of the past, whereas Dr. Crusher represented a new generation of Starfleet medicine.
What Happened To Diana Muldaur & Dr. Pulaski After Star Trek: TNG Season 2
Muldaur Moved On, But Dr. Pulaski Just Vanished
Given thatDiana Muldaur never intended to play Dr. Pulaski long-term onTNG, it is hardly surprising that her acting career expands far beyondStar Trek.You might recognize her voice as Dr. Leslie Thompkins inBatman: The Animated Series.Immediately following her time onTNG,Muldaur had a recurring role as Rosalind Shays onL.A. Law,a role for which she received multiple Emmy nominations. Now that she has retired from acting, however, Diana Muldaur works as a dog breeder and dog show judge. Reflecting on leavingStar Trek, Muldaur has said:
There was a reason for it that I don’t want to go into, but it had nothing to do with Gene or the cast. I left the show because the year was up, simple as that, under my own power. And if anything else happened, I would still be leaving under my own power. I would not have stayed, let’s put it that way.
When it comes to thetimeline ofStar Trek, it is a lot less clear what became of Dr. Pulaski. The only other mention she gets onStar Trek: The Next Generationis when Dr. Crusher uses one of her memory engram techniques in season 3. In the final episode ofStar Trek: Voyager, “Endgame,” the name “Dr. Pulaski” can be heard on the intercom at Starfleet medical in the timeline that Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) ultimately erases. So, while I think she’s underrated onStar Trek: The Next Generation, most of Dr. Pulaski’s story is left to the imagination.
