The doctor is in...

I hadn't planned on featuring a character every time I reviewed an episode, but following my train of thought from the other day I thought a tribute to Beverly Crusher would be fitting.

There's been a lot of talk in my circle of geek friends about strong female characters and how they get no representation.  They use examples like Rey from the new Star Wars and even Captain Janeway from Star Trek to promote the idea that unless the female is exceptionally powerful or at least in command, then she's being suppressed by the male dominant culture in some way.  I don't understand why it's okay to forget the likes of Beverly Crusher when these assumptions are made.

Okay, she admittedly had the easiest parenting job in the sci-fi universe with Wesley: boy genius, mature demeanor, and perfectly behaved in most scenarios.

  But Beverly was a well rounded and not only strong but solid character.  She was more than proficient in her career.








  She could thrive under pressure and was up to the challenge of survival

and covert military operations.

 










She never stopped thinking in the face of danger and really scary circumstances. 

Even in her romantic entanglements, she had the harder challenges and choices to face than Troi I think.

  I tried to find some video from Sub Rosa from the end where (again) she has to apply logic and think and be strong to end her relationship with the alien.

While lending the graceful maturity and complexity to all of them. She's an adult.  And she's a leader as well even though she wasn't put into that position often. 

I'd remarked before when talking about Janeway that other women had been in command positions but were marginalized because they weren't the primary commanding character.  I must ask what difference this makes?  Beverly Crusher in the episode "Thine Own Self" was every bit as a commanding presence as Captain Janeway even in her one or two small scenes which inspired the Troi character to push her own growth a little.  That sub plot was actually better than the main plot of that episode, I thought.

So here's to Dr. Beverly Crusher.  A strong female character, competent physician, well rounded adult and mother, and one of the best characters ever created due to a slow and steady character development over the course of 7 years.  Well done.