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Katherine Pulaski

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Katherine Pulaski
Star Trekcharacter
Commander Katherine Pulaski
First appearance"The Child"(1988)
Last appearance"Shades of Gray"(1989)
Created by
Portrayed byDiana Muldaur
In-universe information
SpeciesHuman
TitleDoctor
AffiliationUnited Federation of Planets
Starfleet
SignificantotherKyle Riker
PostingUSS Enterprise-D
(Season 2)
PositionChief Medical Officer
RankCommander

Dr. Katherine Pulaskiis a fictional medical doctor in the American science fiction television seriesStar Trek: The Next Generation.She served a rotation as the chief medical officer aboard theFederationstarshipUSSEnterprise-D.During her time on the ship, her medical skills saved the lives of both CaptainJean-Luc Picardand CommanderWilliam Riker.She inadvertently causedGeordi LaForgeto create a hologram ofProfessor Moriartythat became self-aware, after a bet involving the abilities of Lt. CommanderData.Pulaski seemed averse to most new technology and preferred to avoid the transporter, but was forced to rely on it to save her own life from a genetically modified infection. Before arriving on theEnterprise-D,she previously served on the USSRepulse.For a time in her past, she was romantically involved with William Riker's father, Kyle Riker, with whom she has maintained a friendship.

Portrayed by actressDiana Muldaur,Pulaski replaced the character of CommanderBeverly Crusherfor thesecond seasonafterGates McFadden's contract was not renewed. Thus, Pulaski first appeared in the second season opener "The Child",and made her final appearance in the closing episode of the season,"Shades of Gray".Before playing the role of Pulaski onThe Next Generation,Muldaur appeared inthe originalStar Trek,playing different characters in the episodes "Return to Tomorrow"and"Is There in Truth No Beauty?"She later worked with series creatorGene Roddenberryon a pilot for the seriesPlanet Earth.McFadden returned to replace Muldaur in the third season, reprising her role as Dr. Crusher for the remainder of the series.

Reviewers criticized Pulaski's approach, as well as her inability to fit in with the crew. Critics noted that her transporter phobia was reminiscent of Dr.Leonard McCoyfrom the originalStar Trek,as was her relationship with Data; Pulaski's interaction with Data raised comparisons to that of McCoy andSpockfrom the originalStar Trek.Episodes featuring Pulaski in a leading role produced divided opinions among critics, with some describing "Unnatural Selection"as a key episode while others argued that it showed only the negative side of her role.

Concept and development

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Towards the end of the first season ofStar Trek: The Next Generation,staff members convincedGene Roddenberryto dropGates McFaddenas Dr.Beverly Crusherfrom the show. Executive producerRick Bermanopposed this decision.[1]To allow for McFadden's return in the future, Roddenberry wrote Crusher's character out rather than killing her.[2]McFadden's departure led to an opening for a new cast member.[3]The producers contacted actress Diana Muldaur, unaware of her past involvement with Roddenberry'sStar TrekandPlanet Earthpilot.[4]Inthe originalStar Trekseries,Muldaur played the role of a doctor in two episodes: as Dr. Ann Mulhall in "Return to Tomorrow",and as Dr. Miranda Jones in"Is There in Truth No Beauty?"[5]Muldaur also worked on the pilot forPlanet Earthafter getting to know Roddenberry and his wife,Majel Barrett,through their annualStar TrekChristmas parties.[6]

Muldaur was not required to audition for the role of Pulaski.[7]Instead, she was given 15VHScassettes of the first season. She found it "very exciting", noting it "got better and better and better" as she watched it.[4]Christina Pickleswas also considered for the part of Pulaski, a decision Berman described as "very tough".[1]Muldaur finally agreed to play the role, but asked Roddenberry to change the name of the character to Kate, which became Katherine.[6]The character of Katherine Pulaski was not modeled on DoctorLeonard McCoyfrom the originalStar Trek,despite claims to the contrary.[citation needed]

Pulaski debuted in thesecond seasonepisode "The Child",along withWhoopi Goldbergmaking her first appearance asGuinanin the same episode. Even though Muldaur was a regular character onThe Next Generation,she was listed in the opening credits as a "Special Guest Star".[5]After the second season, Muldaur left the series and joined the cast ofL.A. Law.She used footage of the episode "Unnatural Selection"to gain the part.[6]Gates McFadden returned to continue her role as Dr. Crusher for the remainder of the series.[8]

Appearances

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Pulaski's background is touched upon in the episode "The Icarus Factor".She is thrice divorced and was previously romantically involved with Commander William Riker's fatherKyle Riker(Mitchell Ryan), after she was part of a rescue team responding to aTholianattack on aFederationStarbase.She realised that a romantic relationship with Riker would not work, but they remained friends.[9]Directly prior to serving on theEnterprise-DPulaski served on the USSRepulse.[10]

In, "Elementary, Dear Data"she challenges Lt. CmdrDatato solve an originalSherlock Holmesmystery on theholodeck.He accepts her challenge, which results in the creation of a self-aware hologram ofProfessor Moriarty(Daniel Davis). Pulaski joins Data and LieutenantGeordi La Forge(LeVar Burton), but is captured by Moriarty who also takes over control of theEnterprise.Moriarty demands that they find a way to enable him to leave the holodeck, but is persuaded by CaptainJean-Luc Picard(Patrick Stewart) to release control and be stored within the ship's computer memory until a means can be found to grant his wish.[11]

Pulaski's apprehension at using the transporter was evident in "The Schizoid Man",whereDr. Selar(Suzie Plakson) went with the away team instead of Pulaski, as it required her to beam over to a transport vessel.[12]However, the transporter would later save Pulaski's life in "Unnatural Selection",after she was infected with a disease from the planet Gagarin IV that accelerated her aging process. The transporter is used to remove the infection and she is returned to health.[13]

She demonstrates her medical expertise on several occasions. In "Time Squared",Pulaski discovers that the duplicate Captain Picard is out of sync in time and will slowly improve until he returns to the point at which he left.[14]In the episode "Pen Pals",Picard orders Pulaski to wipe the memories of a young girl called Sarjenka, whom Data had been corresponding with and helping in violation of the prime directive.[15]In "Samaritan Snare",she is summoned to Starbase 515 to perform heart surgery on Captain Picard, as she is the most experienced surgeon nearby. This is despite Picard's wish for her not to perform the surgery, due to his concern with the image it might give to the crew.[16]

When theEnterprisearrives at the lost colony of Mariposa in "Up the Long Ladder",the Mariposans kidnap Pulaski and CommanderWilliam Riker(Jonathan Frakes) and steal their DNA to clone new members of their colony. Although technologically advanced, the Mariposans lack genetic diversity. When Pulaski and Riker discover the clones, they destroy them. Picard helps resolve the dispute by suggesting the Mariposans allow the Bringloidi, a preindustrial, rural people whose colony was destroyed, to migrate to their world. The Mariposans, however, have relied on cloning for 300 years, and no longer sexually reproduce. Pulaski notes that with time, they will become familiar with the practice once again, and recommends that the Mariposans form large, group marriages with the Bringloidi to create a healthy population.[17]

Following Data's defeat at a game of stratagema in "Peak Performance",Pulaski and CounselorDeanna Troi(Marina Sirtis) attempt to console him, but it is left to Captain Picard to convince Data that he is not malfunctioning.[18]Pulaski's final appearance onThe Next Generationwas in the episode "Shades of Gray".When Commander Riker falls ill to a dangerous virus during an away team mission, Pulaski drives out the virus with a device that stimulates his memory centre. After she discovers that negative memories are more effective in removing the virus, she uses memories of fear and survival to save Riker's life.[19]

In the alternative future timeline portrayed in "Endgame",theStar Trek: Voyagerfinale, Pulaski is said to have worked at the Starfleet Medical facility in San Francisco.[20]

Novels

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Pulaski appears in several books of the non-canon novel series based on the adventures of the crew inThe Next Generationand elsewhere in the same time period. InPeter David's novelVendetta(1991), Pulaski is reassigned to theRepulseunder Captain Taggart following her departure from theEnterprise.[21]InStar Trek: Progress(2006), aStarfleet Corps of Engineersbook byTerri Osborne,Pulaski is on board the USSProgresswhen it visits Drema IV, as she wants to check up on the progress of Sarjenka, a young girl fromThe Next Generationepisode "Pen Pals".[22][15]Pulaski also appeared alongsideWesley Crusherand Guinan inMichael Jan Friedman's "All Good Things..."(1994), a novelisation ofThe Next Generationseries finale.[23]

Reception and commentary

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In their 1998 book,Star Trek 101,Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block called "Unnatural Selection" the key Pulaski episode.[24]Science fiction writerKeith DeCandidodescribed Pulaski as "charming" and noted that this feeling was mirrored on screen by Captain Picard.[25]InScience Fiction Television: A History,author M. Keith Booker observed that "Pulaski never quite meshed with the rest of the crew".[26]

The events of "Elementary Dear Data" led film professor Zoran Samardžija to suggest that Pulaski may have been inspired by the works ofFriedrich Nietzsche.[27]InSherlock Holmes and Philosophy: The Footprints of a Gigantic Mind(2011), Samardžija notes that Pulaski's argument that Data lacks intuition is reminiscent of parts of Nietzsche's 1878 workHuman, All Too Human.[27][28]The relationship between Pulaski and Data was further considered by Rhonda V. Wilcox in her article "Dating Data: Miscegenation inStar Trek: The Next Generation"(1993). Wilcox notes that Pulaski" frequently challenges Data in terms of his machine nature. "[29]She compares Data's emotionless state to slavery due to the reference in "The Child" toMaya Angelou's 1969 workI Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.[29]

In 2016, Pulaski was ranked as the 39th most important character ofStarfleetwithin theStar Trekscience fiction universe byWired magazine,out of 100 characters.[30]In 2019, she was listed as one of the underrated characters of the Star Trek universe by CBS.[31]

Notes

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  1. ^abNemecek (2003):p. 64
  2. ^Reeves-Stevens (1998):p. 76
  3. ^Gross; Altman (1993):p. 171
  4. ^abWarren, Bill (April 1989)."Diana Muldaur, Ship's Doctor".Starlog(141): 30–33.RetrievedSeptember 7,2014.
  5. ^abDecandido, Keith (August 11, 2011)."Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch:" The Child "".Tor.RetrievedJuly 14,2014.
  6. ^abc"Catching Up With Diana Muldaur, Part 2".Star Trek. January 12, 2013.RetrievedJuly 14,2014.
  7. ^"Catching Up With Diana Muldaur, Part 1".Star Trek. January 11, 2013.RetrievedJuly 14,2014.
  8. ^DeCandido, Keith (October 31, 2011)."Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch: Second Season Overview".Tor.RetrievedJuly 14,2013.
  9. ^Assael, David; McCullough, Robert L. (April 24, 1989). "The Icarus Factor".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 14.
  10. ^Summers, Jason; Povill, Jon; Hurley, Maurice (November 21, 1988). "The Child".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 1.
  11. ^Lane, Brian Alan (December 5, 1988). "Elementary, Dear Data".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 3.
  12. ^Tormé, Tracy (January 23, 1989). "The Schizoid Man".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 6.
  13. ^Mason, John; Gray, Mike (January 30, 1989). "Unnatural Selection".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 7.
  14. ^Bensmiller, Kurt Michael (April 3, 1989). "Time Squared".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 13.
  15. ^abSnodgrass, Melinda M.; Shearer, Hannah Louise (May 1, 1989). "Pen Pals".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 15.
  16. ^Landau, Les (May 15, 1989). "Samaritan Snare".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 17.
  17. ^Snodgrass, Melissa M. (May 22, 1989). "Up the Long Ladder".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 18.
  18. ^Kemper, David (July 10, 1989). "Peak Performance".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 21.
  19. ^Hurley, Maurice; Manning, Richard; Beimler, Hans (July 17, 1989). "Shades of Gray".Star Trek: The Next Generation.Season 2. Episode 22.
  20. ^Biller, Kenneth; Doherty, Robert; Berman, Rick; Braga, Brannon (May 21, 2001). "Endgame".Star Trek: Voyager.Season 7. Episode 25.
  21. ^David, Peter (1991).Vendetta.New York: Pocket Books.ISBN9780671741457.
  22. ^Ayers (2006):p. 390
  23. ^Decandido, Keith (April 3, 2013)."Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch:" All Good Things... "".Tor.RetrievedOctober 18,2014.
  24. ^Erdmann & Block (1998):p. 65
  25. ^Decandido, Keith (October 10, 2011)."Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch:" Samaritan Snare "".Tor.RetrievedOctober 18,2014.
  26. ^Booker (2004):p. 194
  27. ^abSamardžija (2011):p. 300
  28. ^Samardžija (2011):p. 299
  29. ^abHarrison et al. (1996):p. 76
  30. ^McMillan, Graeme (2016-09-05)."Star Trek's 100 Most Important Crew Members, Ranked".Wired.ISSN1059-1028.Retrieved2019-03-20.
  31. ^"The Most Underrated Star Trek Characters Ever".cbs.Retrieved2019-07-12.

References

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