Dr. Beverly Crusher is a rare science officer in Star Trek Fleet Command in the TNG crew. She’s a defensive officer who will be useful in fighting both hostiles and armadas.
Captain’s Maneuver
First, Do No Harm – When fighting armadas and hostiles, heal shield health points by 200% of crew health every round
This is much like Spock‘s shield healing ability, but different in that it doesn’t require a precondition. This will work every time and isn’t dependent on morale. Just make sure that you’re loaded up with crew health below decks to maximize this bonus.
You can increase this up to 400% with synergy.
Officer Ability
Unshakeable Moral Code – When fighting armadas and hostiles, increase mitigation by (150%, 200%, 250%, 300%, 350%)
Like her captain’s ability, this is another defensive boost for you, and they combine well. So in addition to healing your shields each round, you’ll get a bonus to mitigation as well. Again, no precondition of morale or burning or anything like that. Your ship’s shield deflection, armor, and dodge will go up by a certain percentage. It’s also not dependent on any of your officer’s stats, it’s just a straight percentage increase in the damage mitigation of your ship.
Gates McFadden Background
Cheryl Gates McFadden was born in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in 1949. In a bit of trivia that may interest only me, that’s also the hometown of Tennessee Titans head coach and former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel.
McFadden got her bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from Brandeis University in Belmont, Mass. (home of the Judges) before moving to Paris to study at L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Among Lecoq’s other students were Borat actor Sacha Baron Cohen, and Oscar, Emmy, and Tony-winning actor Geoffrey Rush.
Most of her early work was as a choreographer, working with the Jim Henson Company, working on such films as The Muppets Take Manhattan and Labyrinth. On The Muppets Take Manhattan, she worked with Juliana Donald, who later played Dr. Apgar’s wife Tanya in A Matter of Perspective. That’s the one where Riker is accused of murder. (Spoiler alert: he didn’t do it.)
Cast as Beverly Crusher
The character of Beverly Crusher was originally conceived to be the schoolteacher on the Enterprise, and the mother of Leslie (not Wesley) Crusher. Yes, the Enterprise’s wunderkind was originally going to be a teenage girl. She was later made into the ship’s doctor to save a character spot.
In addition to McFadden, also up for the role of Beverly Crusher were Anne Twomey and Jenny Agutter. Twomey is an accomplished character actress. And Jenny Agutter is a British actress best known for her role in the 1971 film Walkabout, and who later starred in Logan’s Run and An American Werewolf in London.
During season one, McFadden clashed with first head writer and showrunner, Maurice Hurley. From her work in the theater, she was used to giving feedback to writers and directors. This didn’t sit well with the established Hurley, who reportedly gave an ultimatum that “either she goes or I do.”
For season two, McFadden’s Crusher was replaced by Diana Muldaur as Dr. Katherine Pulaski. She was a gruffer and more McCoy-like. But it never really worked. Muldaur and the cast never really got along, and the fans wanted Crusher back.
So after season two, McFadden was brought back. From season three onward she was given much more to do on the show, and the character of Beverly Crusher got a great deal more developed.
Some of the best Dr. Crusher episodes include Remember Me, where she’s unknowingly trapped in a pocket universe, and she needs to figure out the puzzle in order to save herself (with Wesley and the Traveler’s help on the outside.)
She’s also pretty great in the season six finale (and season seven premiere), Descent when she’s put in command of the Enterprise. Her strategy here is a callback to another Crusher-centric episode, Suspicions.
After Trek, McFadden returned to the theater, even serving as the artistic director of the Ensemble Studio Theater in Los Angeles for five years. She also made guest appearances on shows like NCIS, The Practice, Party of Five and four episodes of Mad About You where she played Paul’s agent.
More recently, she’s produced a Star Trek-related podcast, Gates McFadden InvestiGates: Who Do You Think You Are? that will launch on May 12th, 2021.