Fans just didn't like her because she didn't immediately see Data as a person

It wasn't just that she didn't immediately see Data as a person; it's that her first scene was so ham-fisted and poorly written. She made a specific effort to mock something she didn't even think was alive.

It would be equivalent of someone saying "Oh does my car not like that I left my lights on? Could it be that I offended it in some way?" It's an inanimate object, why would you even bother saying that? If you saw someone doing that you would think they are an idiot and an asshole, as they didn't miss an opportunity to be a dick even if the subject is an object performing its function.

I agree, Pulaski was far more interesting than Crusher. Pulaski butting heads with Picard? Going to be a great episode. Pulaski paling around with Geordie and Data? Going to be a great episode. It's just her first scene was so bad that it was memorable, which meant it took time to warm up to her and what she brought to the show.

While i agree with all your points, the way she came across while not seeing Data as a person infuriated me. It's one thing to have a good philosophical debate, as ST fans we love a good debate, but the way she acted with Data just drove me crazy. You can disagree with an idea and not be a bigot.

I always felt Pulaski was Bones character all over again. I'm ok with the conflict part but prefer soft spoken character, it blends better with TNG plots full of ethics and moral dilemmas. Bones/Pulaski fit better in an action based series, with no room for psychological introspection and deeper characters.

Besides, they wasted a perfectly good plot twist that Pulaski is actually Thalassa secretly still in Ann Mulhall's body, and that she changed names to hide the slower aging.

I disliked Pulaski because she was written as a Mary Sue.

Picard needs heart surgery? Pulaski is the best heart surgeon in the galaxy. Virus that ages people? Pulaski wrote the definitive paper on Viruses. Riker's dad shows up? Oh Pulaski dated him. Geordi has problems with his visor? Pulaski had done several successful ocular implant surgeries.

It was ridiculous.

You can get away with giving a character one unique ability. But Federation's top heart surgeon, virologist, opthalmologist, and dates Riker's dad is the same person? That's bad writing.

It was making the ship list to the right on a regular basis. Navigation had to course correct every ten light years of travel to compensate.

Unpopular opinion, but I liked Pulaski. She didn't put up with bullshit, but she was also one of the only characters to actually have legitimate growth over the course of their time on the show, going from not respecting Data's sovereignty as a person to understanding why he was one.

Holy crap, originalucifer, I understood that reference. Muldaur's character Roz Shays was killed off in LA Law that way...by inadvertently walking into an empty elevator shaft! The character was prickly and not well-liked, but it was shocking AF because it was in the middle of a scene and came out of nowhere. Shit, I haven't thought about that for a while.

Then there would be another ghost to .....