Does anyone know the reason why the replaces Crusher? And Im not sure but did Crusher come back or did Pulaski remain in the series?
The actress that played Crusher took a year off to have a baby. She returned in season 3 and Pulaski was gone.
Gates McFadden did take a year off (I think it was to have a baby) but the reason they gave for the character's abscence was that Dr. Crusher had been offered the post of head of Starfleet Medical, and she decided to accept it. Dr. Pulaski came in her place, but after a year away, Dr. Crusher decided she wanted to come back. ( I don't think they were really specific about why she wanted to come back; maybe just to be with Wesley). So, Dr. Pulaski left. For more information, pick up a copy of Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion it has a lot of information in it.
Doctor Star Trek Next Generation
The common answer to this question is she left to have a baby, but that's not true. Gates McFadden's only child wasn't until the show was well into it's fourth season. That's when the doctor's gown was introduced to help hide the pregnancy. Like many of the TNG characters during its first season, the Crusher character wasn't very well developed and there were some disagreements between the show's producers and McFadden about how the character should develop. These disagreements led to some bad blood between her and several executive producers, resulting in McFadden's being released from her contract and not being in TNG's second season. However, her replacement, Diana Muldaur, proved to be unpopular and McFadden was personally asked to return by Rick Berman. At first McFadden was hesitant as she had felt she had moved on, however, after a phone call from co-star Patrick Stewart, McFadden changed her mind and returned for the third season and remained until the end of the series.
Gates McFadden did take the second season of, but , not to have a child, or because the charactor was unpopular, it was because she had an obligation to perform on stage. many Star Trek actors and actresses have spent many years on stage. McFadden was in her late 40's during the show's hay day, and it's not likely she was having her first child anytime at that point.
