Came across this explainer of why Dr. Crusher left the show, then later returned:

Gates McFadden revealed during a convention appearance that a producer (she refused to identify him, but it was eventually revealed to be Maurice Hurley) gave Gene Roddenberry an ultimatum: 'She goes or I go.' It was a choice
between losing an actor or going up against the studio like he did in the
'60s, and Roddenberry just wasn't in the condition to do that any more.

Incidentally, it wasn't entirely McFadden that caught Hurley's ire. Hurley was brought on by Roddenberry's lawyer, Leonard Maizlish (who was himself thoroughly despised by almost everyone involved with the series); Maizlish had no authority at all to hire or fire anyone, but the studio did very little to rein him in, even when Maizlish deliberately violated Writer's Guild rules by re-writing scripts.

As for Hurley, he'd had no previous science fiction experience, was openly disdainful of Gene's optimistic view of the future, and clashed regularly with almost everyone. It was a series of contentious arguments with Gene
Roddenberry himself that led Hurley to leave the show at the end of the second season.

Diana Muldaur's attempt to recreate Spock and McCoy's famous verbal jousting
by arguing with Data just made Pulaski look prejudiced and mean-spirited, so once Hurley was gone, Rick Berman personally invited McFadden back to the
show.

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BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

Came across this explainer of why Dr. Crusher left the show, then later returned:

Gates McFadden revealed

Not that there’s any reason to believe anything she said

during a convention appearance that a producer (she
refused to identify him, but it was eventually revealed to be Maurice Hurley) gave Gene Roddenberry an ultimatum: 'She goes or I go.' It was a choice between losing an actor or going up against the studio like he did in the '60s, and Roddenberry just wasn't in the condition to do that any more.

Let’s not forget that McMuffin is a terrible actress not only just with the words, but with the technical stuff. Watch how often she starts talking
before she hits the communicator badge and they have to put in the beep
noise while she’s just waving her hands in the air. By all accounts, she’s also a completely wretched human being, as well as a horrible convention speaker.

Incidentally, it wasn't entirely McFadden that caught Hurley's ire. Hurley was
brought on by Roddenberry's lawyer, Leonard Maizlish (who was himself thoroughly despised by almost everyone involved with the series); Maizlish had
no authority at all to hire or fire anyone, but the studio did very little to rein him in, even when Maizlish deliberately violated Writer's Guild rules by re-writing scripts.

As for Hurley, he'd had no previous science fiction experience, was openly disdainful of Gene's optimistic view of the future, and clashed regularly with
almost everyone. It was a series of contentious arguments with Gene Roddenberry himself that led Hurley to leave the show at the end of the second
season.

Diana Muldaur's attempt to recreate Spock and McCoy's famous verbal jousting by arguing with Data just made Pulaski look prejudiced and mean-spirited, so once Hurley was gone, Rick Berman personally invited McFadden back to the show.

Patrick Stewart takes credit for that, but then there’s no reason to
believe a word he says about anything either.

It was terrible that they made Pulaski be mean to Data. Her character could never recover from that. And then one day the turbo lift wasn’t there, and she walked into the shaft…



--
The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.

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On May 12, 2025 at 5:09:02 PM PDT, "anim8rfsk" <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:

BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

Came across this explainer of why Dr. Crusher left the show, then later
returned:

Gates McFadden revealed

Not that there’s any reason to believe anything she said

during a convention appearance that a producer (she
refused to identify him, but it was eventually revealed to be Maurice
Hurley)
gave Gene Roddenberry an ultimatum: 'She goes or I go.' It was a choice
between losing an actor or going up against the studio like he did in the >> '60s, and Roddenberry just wasn't in the condition to do that any more.

Let’s not forget that McMuffin is a terrible actress not only just with the words, but with the technical stuff. Watch how often she starts talking before she hits the communicator badge and they have to put in the beep
noise while she’s just waving her hands in the air. By all accounts, she’s
also a completely wretched human being, as well as a horrible convention speaker.

Incidentally, it wasn't entirely McFadden that caught Hurley's ire. Hurley >> was
brought on by Roddenberry's lawyer, Leonard Maizlish (who was himself
thoroughly despised by almost everyone involved with the series); Maizlish >> had
no authority at all to hire or fire anyone, but the studio did very little >> to
rein him in, even when Maizlish deliberately violated Writer's Guild rules >> by
re-writing scripts.

As for Hurley, he'd had no previous science fiction experience, was openly >> disdainful of Gene's optimistic view of the future, and clashed regularly >> with
almost everyone. It was a series of contentious arguments with Gene
Roddenberry himself that led Hurley to leave the show at the end of the
second
season.

Diana Muldaur's attempt to recreate Spock and McCoy's famous verbal jousting
by arguing with Data just made Pulaski look prejudiced and mean-spirited, so
once Hurley was gone, Rick Berman personally invited McFadden back to the >> show.

Patrick Stewart takes credit for that, but then there’s no reason to believe a word he says about anything either.

It was terrible that they made Pulaski be mean to Data. Her character could never recover from that. And then one day the turbo lift wasn’t there, and she walked into the shaft…

LOL!

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BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

. . .

Diana Muldaur's attempt to recreate Spock and McCoy's famous verbal jousting >by arguing with Data just made Pulaski look prejudiced and mean-spirited, so >once Hurley was gone, Rick Berman personally invited McFadden back to the >show.

Waitaminit. Data being attacked by Pulaski was supposed to be Spock and
McCoy? I never got that at all. I didn't mind the character but those
scenes tended to ruin second season episodess that otherwise weren't
awful.

Interesting article. It's so disappointing how Roddenbery truly had no
control at all.

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BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:

On May 12, 2025 at 5:09:02 PM PDT, anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:

. . .

It was terrible that they made Pulaski be mean to Data. Her character could >>never recover from that. And then one day the turbo lift wasn't there, and >>she walked into the shaft...

LOL!

March 21, 1991
L.A. Law
"Good to the Last Drop"

I liked her on the original Star Trek but her characters were a bit
stiff. She was way too hot for McCloud.

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In article <vvtr2h$1ag4v$1@dont-email.me>, atropos@mac.com wrote:

Diana Muldaur's attempt to recreate Spock and McCoy's famous verbal jousting >by arguing with Data just made Pulaski look prejudiced and mean-spirited

It did not strike me as being mean, but people seem to have failed to noticed that Pulaski eventually softened her stance and accepted him.

--
Not a joke! Don't jump!

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