LogFAQs > #932784841

#57. Katherine Pulaski
Dammit, Jean-Luc, I'm a cheap McCoy knockoff, not an original character.



There was a time when I felt Pulaski got kind of a bad rap. Unfortunately for her, that time has passed. Katherine Pulaski is defined almost exclusively by the things that make her most annoying, namely her refusal to treat Data with any reasonable amount of respect, and her crotchety-old-person attitude that was lifted straight from Dr. McCoy but without any of the charisma and charm that DeForest Kelley lent to the archetype.

Still, she probably would rank a little higher for me if she had any sort of staying power or relevance. Diana Muldaur's performance isn't bad, per se, though it is a bit one-note, and I do still think that, had she been given time, she (and the writers) could theoretically have grown into the character, as happened with so many other Next Generation characters that started weak but turned out great over time. Even if it had been over guest appearances or some such, it would have been nice if the show hadn't just acted like she never existed, though I definitely think it was to the show's benefit they were able to get Beverly Crusher back after her season away. It's not like there weren't recurring characters who were worse on that show (lookin' at you, Lwaxana Troi). As it stands, her existence adds absolutely nothing to Star Trek when all is said and done.

So yeah, there's not too much to say in Pulaski's defense, and I've more or less stopped trying over the years. I don't hate her, and there are characters I've ranked above her that irritate me more, but her complete lack of impact can't help but leave a bad taste in your mouth, and every time I have rewatched Season 2 of TNG, my estimation of her has lessened. The most actively irritating thing about her for me is that when she's around, it means Dr. Crusher isn't. Her best moments come in Elementary, Dear Data, one of the first really good episodes of Next Generation, but as the fourth-most important character in that episode, she fills a role there that pretty much any other member of the cast could have filled just as well with only a minor rewrite.

Here is her most tangible contribution to Star Trek lore: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Pulaski%27s_chicken_soup