As the Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise-D, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) had her fair share of adventures on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Despite the fact that Gates McFadden left TNG just before season 2, she returned in season 3 for the rest of the series. Beverly Crusher became a beloved fixture of the Star Trek universe, and her on-off-again relationship with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) captivated audiences. With her steadfast morals, Dr. Crusher always stood up for what she believed in and fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves.
By the time of her appearance in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Beverly Crusher had become a more complex character. She was still a compassionate and dedicated doctor, but now commanded a non-Starfleet medical ship and knew her way around a weapons system. Picard also revealed that Beverly and Jean-Luc had a son named Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers), but Beverly had kept Jack's existence a secret from Picard. Gates McFadden has expressed how much she enjoyed playing this more three-dimensional version of Beverly, and the character certainly had some exceptional moments on Picard. But Beverly Crusher had some great moments on The Next Generation, too, and here are 10 of her best episodes from both shows.
10 Star Trek: TNG Season 4 – "The Host" 
Not only did Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Host" serve as the introduction of the Trill species, it was also one of the rare episodes to give Dr. Crusher the spotlight. When a Trill mediator named Odan (Franc Luz) boards the Enterprise to aid in a negotiation, he begins a romantic relationship with Beverly Crusher. Later, he is severely injured and the host body dies while the Trill symbiote survives. Commander Will Riker (Johnathan Frakes) offers to temporarily serve as host until the Enterprise can rendezvous with the ship carrying the new host. Over the course of the episode, Beverly has to sort through her understandable feelings of confusion as the person she fell for inhabits different bodies.
9 Star Trek: Picard Season 3 – "Võx" 
In the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3, Beverly Crusher gets a particular chance to shine. After Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) discovers the Borg presence in Jack Crusher's mind, Beverly comes to the conclusion that Picard passed down something from his time as Locutus of Borg. Later in the episode, Beverly figures out more of the Borg and Changelings' plan. She realizes that the Changelings had altered the transporters with Picard's DNA and were planning to assimilate everyone under the age of 25. Not only is Beverly instrumental in uncovering the Borg/Changeling plot, she also aids in the firefight that breaks out when the youngest members of the Titan's crew are assimilated.
8 Star Trek: TNG Season 7 – "Descent, Part 2" 
The two-part episode that bridges seasons 6 and 7 of TNG marks one of the only times Dr. Beverly Crusher got to be in command of the Enterprise. As most of the crew has beamed down to a planet in search of their lost crewmember, Data (Brent Spiner), Beverly is left in charge of the ship when a Borg cube attacks. As acting Captain, she refuses to leave any of the away teams behind, choosing to hide in a nearby sun rather than leave the star system. Because of new shield technology developed by a Ferengi scientist introduced in the season 6 episode "Suspicions," the Enterprise is able to withstand being closer to the sun than the Borg ship. Dr. Crusher proves to be just as compassionate and competent commanding a starship as she is performing as the ship's doctor.
7 Star Trek: TNG Season 7 – "All Good Things…" 
In the highly acclaimed finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, every character gets a chance to shine. As with several of the characters, two different versions of Dr. Crusher appear in this episode, one from the present and one from the future. As Captain Picard jumps back and forth between two different timelines, his friends try to determine what's happening. In the future timeline, Beverly commands the USS Pasteur and offers to help Picard. In this future, she and Jean-Luc had been married at some point in the past, but were now divorced. "All Good Things…" has some great Picard and Crusher moments, and every character gets a fitting send-off.
