Star Trek: Why Dr. Crusher Left TNG In Season 2 (& Why She Came Back)
Dr. Beverly Crusher left the Enterprise at the end of Star: Trek The Next Generation season 1 when Gates McFadden was fired, but she later returned.
You Are Reading :Star Trek Why Dr Crusher Left TNG In Season 2 (& Why She Came Back)
Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced Dr. Beverly Crusher during its pilot episode and the long-running character is remembered for being a consistent part of the main cast, but some Star Trek fans might also remember that actress Gates McFadden left the show for a whole season. After acting as the Enterprise’s chief medical officer in TNG season 1 and having her teenage son, Wesley Crusher, live on board with her, Dr. Crusher transferred off the Enterprise, leaving Wesley behind.
For TNG season 2, Dr. Katherine Pulaski (played by Diana Muldaur) took over the job of chief medical officer on the Enterprise while Dr. Crusher served off-screen as head of Starfleet medical, as explained by Captain Picard in TNG season 2, episode 1, “The Child.” While Dr. Crusher’s desire to accept a promotion and advance her career explains the character’s temporary absence from the Enterprise, there are a few real-world reasons that explain why McFadden left the show and why she later came back.
According to Star Trek producer Rick Berman, McFadden was fired because the head TNG writer at the time, Maurice Hurley, “had a real bone to pick with Gates” [via Television Academy Foundation]. McFadden didn’t care for Hurley, either. Hurley went directly to Gene Roddenberry and asked to have Gates let go. Berman, for whatever reason, decided not to get involved or prevent McFadden from being let go, but after Hurley left his position as head writer at the end of TNG season 2, Berman asked McFadden to come back. Berman said Muldaur’s character just wasn’t working, though it’s hard to fault Muldaur for that since she joined after the rest of the cast had a full season to develop chemistry on screen and friendships in real life.
McFadden was understandably skeptical of the invitation to return to TNG after being fired one season prior, but fan letters and personal phone calls from her former castmates, especially Patrick Stewart who played Dr. Crusher’s love interest, Captain Picard, convinced her to return. In TNG season 3, episode 1, “Evolution,” McFadden picked up the role she had left, returning as Dr. Beverly Crusher, the chief medical officer on the Enterprise, where the character was also reunited with her son, Wesley, who had been promoted to the rank of ensign on the Enterprise.
Dr. Crusher remained a fan-favorite character throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation and beyond. She’s often regarded as one of Star Trek’s most underutilized characters, but even though Dr. Crusher was sometimes relegated to background duties while spouting futuristic medical jargon, the stories that put the spotlight on McFadden’s acting talent showed how ambitious, level-headed, and funny Beverly Crusher could be.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/star-trek-tng-beverly-crusher-exit-return-reasons/