The Pulaski Problem

You will forget that she ever was in Trek. In one, two ...

Off topic, When Laxana met Reiker she should have asked him "and what do you do around here" (because Majel was No 1)

I get why Pulaski is there but I still really dislike her.

Personally I cannot stand Pulaski, but I set that aside from Diana Muldaurs acting - she puts across the character as it was written. And while I don't like the character, I do appreciate the change in the main line-up - it shows Starfleet as a big organisation, one in which people get rotated through various postings. In that regard, it brings an air of realism. Think of any of the armed forces, people get transferred all the time - it's the nature of the beast.

The Pulaski/Crusher debate is an old one in fandom (I’m personally team Crusher), but the acting ability comparisons are always puzzling to me. Nevermind that I think it’s unfair to compare the actresses different styles, I just don’t see the whole “Diana can act circles around Gates” based simply on TNG. Yes, Diana Muldaur gets 2 Emmy noms in a row for her role on LA Law, but I never found anything that compelling about Pulaski. Ultimately she’s ok, and I feel bad she didn’t enjoy the same “family” experience the other TNG cast apparently did, but hey, we all have our favorites.

I like her more than Crusher. G McF just had this blank expression and never showed Crusher as being interested in the events around her. Crusher watched Yar die and was like perplexed by a crossword clue the way she went "she's dead" and then whatever its time to move on. They were all suffocating on the ship and Picard tells her Wesley has the right to be awake for his own death (I forget which one that was it was early on) and she didn't even have a facial expression response. She was just there most of the time. This all might be the writing and directing but DM is a better actress.

We need Patrons make video channel go. You stay here, Reading Rainbow.

I divorce Diana Muldaur from her character, as I think most of us do. It's not fair to relate her to this character... That being said, I did not like the Pulaski character ever. Not when this first aired and never since. Please though... The crimson forcefield was something I continue to joke about with certain friends to this day!

Is it really still a month before you get to Season 3? Or did you record this a few weeks ago?

Pulaski is a response to Gene Roddenberry's refusal to permit the human characters… and thus, his main characters…. to conflict with one another.... under the belief that in the "enlightened" future, people will have overcome petty squabbling, and oppositional beliefs and agendas. That was understandably very difficult for the writers, whose creations depend on conflict. As Gene became less involved, they clearly wanted to change all that.... Thus, we get Pulaski who bucks the trend onboard the Enterprise. To be honest, I don't have any problem with either the way she was written, or the way she performed. All the rest of you are just weak-kneed. They are just characters. Archetypes. And they either hit the mark or don't. I don't see how anyone thinks Pulaski misses the mark. It's not like she's over-the-top. If anything, Picard was written poorly in this episode …. a bit out of character, saying it’s inappropriate for Pulaski to operate on him. Yes, he’s a bit uptight at times…. but his defensiveness, ego, pettiness, and impracticality over the surgery…. THAT’S the part that feels off in this episode. Not Pulaski smiling at him as he wakes up. I guarantee, if she DIDN’T smile at that moment, you’d have an issue with that. Come on, admit it. : )

Well, all I can say is that sometimes some things work themselves out.

Pulaski day, first Monday of march 😅

I do think she did have some development over that season. Look at her earlier treatment of Data, and then see her confidence in him in "Peak Performance" and even feeling bad that she pushing him into playing the game, and guilty that he helped cause his little crisis. [SPOILERY COMMENT REDACTED BEFORE I EVEN TYPED IT]

I thinks she is snarly towards everyone because she realizes early on that her transfer was a mistake and only based it on who she thought Picard would be. Instead she finds a guy with a bit of a death wish with the auto destruct and some very odd attitudes towards his own health issues. You can see she's shaking her head and almost laughing at him over demanding that the operation done off the ship by someone else. She's decided that the Enterprise really isn't all that and you can see it in the way she acts towards them.

Pulaski had what is known as a "character arc." It's a facet of something called "writing." Personally, I liked her way better than Crusher... AND her being there was the best thing for Wesley. Instead of being raised by his mother, in Season Two he was raised by uncles and father figures.

Pulaski is a character the evolved and became a decent character and with deference to the boys Diana muldaur can act circles around Gates McFadden