Christine Chapel

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Christine Chapel was a female Human Starfleet officer who lived during the 23rd century . She served in the medical department , a subsection of the sciences division , aboard the USS Enterprise from the late 2250s to the 2270s , before later serving at Starfleet Headquarters during the 2280s .

  • 1.1 Nurse aboard the USS Enterprise
  • 1.2 Training with Roger Korby
  • 2.2 Chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise
  • 2.3 Post Enterprise
  • 3.1 Alternate Neutral Zone Incursion
  • 4.1 First Contact Day Party
  • 5.1.1 Roger Korby
  • 5.1.2 Spock
  • 5.1.3 "Argelius II gal"
  • 5.1.4 Dever
  • 5.2.1 Leonard McCoy
  • 5.2.2 Nyota Uhura
  • 5.2.3 Erica Ortegas
  • 5.2.4 Joseph M'Benga
  • 6 Key dates
  • 7.1 Appearances
  • 7.2.1 Conception
  • 7.2.2 Original appearances
  • 7.2.3 Later appearances
  • 7.3 Apocrypha
  • 7.4 External links

Early life and career [ ]

As a child, Chapel owned a Malamute dog named Milo , who "may or may not have" bitten a girl who once called her stupid . ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

Chapel once served on the USS Farragut , a ship that her future commanding officer James T. Kirk was also posted to at one time. ( SNW : " Memento Mori ", " A Quality of Mercy "; TOS : " Obsession ")

Chapel participated in the Klingon War . ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ") She traveled to J'Gal aboard shuttlecraft 12648 where she was assigned as head nurse in the Mobile Combat Surgical Unit . ( SNW : " Under the Cloak of War ")

Nurse aboard the USS Enterprise [ ]

Christine Chapel, 2259

Nurse Christine Chapel in early 2259

In 2259 , she was on civilian exchange from the Stanford Morehouse Epigenetic Project when she was assigned to the USS Enterprise as a lieutenant commander under Captain Christopher Pike serving as CMO Joseph M'Benga 's nurse . In the early days of her assignment, she met Nyota Uhura and Spock for the first time. ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

During the Enterprise 's mission to the Persephone system , Chapel attended a dinner at Captain Pike's cabin .

When an away team consisting of Lieutenant Junior Grade George Samuel Kirk , Lieutenants Spock and La'an Noonien-Singh , and Cadet Uhura was getting prepped to beam down to investigate the comet M'hanit , she inoculated them with a hypospray to prevent them from being exposed to cosmic rays for two hours. After the away team beamed back to the Enterprise , she entered the transporter room to help the injured Lieutenant Kirk. ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

During shore leave on Starbase 1 , she supported Spock during his relationship problems with his fiancé T'Pring and helped him when he was trapped in T'Pring's body. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

When the USS Enterprise was hijacked by pirates, Chapel hid in the Jefferies tubes , evaded capture and managed to overpower some of the pirates when she was discovered. However, together with Spock, she was ultimately captured by the pirate Captain Angel , who sought the release of their lover Sybok from the Ankeshtan K'til Retreat by using Spock as leverage. He and Chapel foiled Angel's plans by pretending to be in love with each other and Spock temporarily ending his betrothal to T'Pring. ( SNW : " The Serene Squall ")

When an alien consciousness from the Jonisian Nebula brought the fairy tale The Kingdom of Elysian to life on the Enterprise , Chapel was used for the character of Lady Audrey, a healer. She didn't remember the events after the ship was returned to normal. ( SNW : " The Elysian Kingdom ")

When the Enterprise responded to the USS Peregrine distress call , Chapel was part of the away team. ( SNW : " All Those Who Wander ")

Christine Chapel, 2259

Nurse Christine Chapel in late 2259

Later that year, Chapel was thinking about applying to the Fellowship of Archaeological Medicine . If selected, she would be stationed on Vulcan for three months . She was denied the fellowship but kept applying until she was accepted. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ", " Charades ", " Subspace Rhapsody ")

Like Doctor M'Benga, Chapel was disturbed when Ambassador Dak'Rah boarded the Enterprise . Before becoming a Federation Ambassador, Dak'Rah was a Klingon General during the Klingon War of 2256 - 57 , specifically on J'Gal where Chapel and M'Benga had been stationed. During the Battle of J'Gal , Dak'Rah had ordered the massacre of civilians before M'Benga had killed his three generals in a black ops mission. After M'Benga killed Dak'Rah, supposedly in self-defense, Chapel backed up his story to Pike and Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh despite not having seen the whole altercation. ( SNW : " Under the Cloak of War ")

Training with Roger Korby [ ]

Chapel on the Cayuga

Chapel aboard the USS Cayuga during the Parnassus Beta incident

Chapel applied to study under Roger Korby in late 2259. Her application was accepted, and she subsequently left the Enterprise , briefly traveling aboard the USS Cayuga . However, the Cayuga was destroyed by the Gorn at Parnassus Beta . Chapel managed to survive the ship's destruction and aided Spock in killing a Gorn and crashing the wrecked saucer section into a Gorn tower on the planet. After returning to the Enterprise , Chapel attempted to treat Captain Marie Batel who had been infected with Gorn eggs. ( SNW : " Subspace Rhapsody ", " Hegemony ")

Chapel and Korby fell in love while she was studying under him and they became engaged . During this time, she became well acquainted with Dr. Brown , Dr. Korby's assistant , whom she affectionately called " Brownie ". ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

Starfleet career [ ]

Identification card, Christine Chapel

Chapel's Starfleet identification card in 2269

Following her fiancé 's disappearance on the planet Exo III around 2261 , she abandoned a career in bio-research for a position in Starfleet in the hopes that a deep space assignment would one day reunite her with Korby. ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

By 2266 , Chapel had officially joined Starfleet . Her serial number was NI-596 MT21Z. ( TAS : " Mudd's Passion "; TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

Kirk's five-year mission [ ]

Christine Chapel, 2266

Christine Chapel in 2266

Chapel was once again assigned to the Enterprise , when it was under Captain James T. Kirk from 2266 to 2270 , where she served directly under chief medical officer Leonard McCoy . ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

Chapel assisting McCoy

Chapel assisting McCoy

During her first year, she assisted McCoy with Joe Tormolen 's ultimately unsuccessful surgery to repair a damaged intestine , pronouncing him dead. ( TOS : " The Naked Time ")

On stardate 2712.4, the Enterprise reached Exo III. Korby was found, exploring and exploiting a sophisticated android manufacturing technology, the legacy of a long-dead civilization. Korby had replaced his own damaged body, transplanting his personality into an android replica, and had built himself a beautiful companion, Andrea . After exhibiting his madness, the android Korby was destroyed. Initially, Chapel doubted if she should stay aboard, but she elected to remain with the Enterprise throughout the five-year mission. ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

On stardate 3541.9, Chapel helped re-educate Lieutenant Uhura after the probe Nomad wiped the communications officer 's memories. ( TOS : " The Changeling ")

By 2267 , Chapel was sometimes called upon to help other doctors than McCoy, sometimes with him as the patient . She also often was supportive of Dr. McCoy, even when others questioned whether he could be entirely reliable.

On stardate 3478.2, when Kirk, Spock , McCoy, Montgomery Scott , and Lieutenant Arlene Galway contracted a mysterious rapid-aging syndrome on the planet Gamma Hydra IV due to radiation left by a passing comet , Chapel was called upon to help the visiting Dr. Janet Wallace in an effort to help comfort, if not cure, Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scott, and Galway.

Later, when Dr. McCoy, with Spock's help, figured out that it was increased adrenaline levels that had kept Ensign Pavel Chekov from developing the syndrome, Chapel instinctively knew that McCoy would be able to figure out an antidote for the rapid-aging syndrome in time to cure himself, Kirk, Spock, and Scott (Galway had already died). She stood up for McCoy even while that wisdom was questioned by Dr. Wallace and visiting Commodore Stocker , but let it be known that Dr. Wallace could be of great assistance to her and McCoy. Sure enough, Chapel was proven correct out when McCoy did find the antidote in time to save himself, Kirk, Spock, and Scott.

In a half-hearted attempt to mollify Pavel Chekov's disdain at having to submit to yet another round of medical tests, she assured him, " This won't hurt. Much ." ( TOS : " The Deadly Years ")

Chapel applying psychology

Applied psychology in action

She cleverly made use of psychology (and deception ) in a house call to Ensign Garrovick 's quarters in 2268 , attempting to encourage him to eat some dinner. Brandishing a record tape , she claimed it contained McCoy's prescription to "eat", and assured him the doctor would feed him intravenously if he did not comply. In reality, the tape actually contained " A Survey on Cygnian Respiratory Diseases ". When she returned it to a box on McCoy's desk, she did not go into details about her reasons for borrowing the tape. ( TOS : " Obsession ")

In 2268, though, there were times both when Dr. McCoy greatly confused Chapel, as well as when she was put into danger. On stardate 4657.5, Chapel was in the Enterprise sickbay when McCoy and the Kelvan Tomar brought in Spock from the surface of a class M planet where a landing party had met the Kelvans. McCoy told Chapel that Spock was close to dying, though she could tell that wasn't true. This was a ruse by both McCoy and Spock on Kirk's orders, because Kirk wanted them on the ship to help stop the Kelvans from taking the ship to the Andromeda Galaxy , and Spock had put himself into a Vulcan trance to trick the Kelvans into thinking he was truly gravely ill. McCoy had to hint to Chapel to keep quiet. She did take the hint but remained confused. On stardate 4658.9, with the Kelvans still controlling the Enterprise to return to the Andromeda Galaxy, Dr. McCoy complained to Kirk that he had watched four of his best doctors and nurses, including Chapel, be neutralized and reduced into dehydrated porous cuboctahedron solids , the size of a Human fist, composed of their base minerals, which represented the "distilled" essences of their beings. The Kelvans considered them non-essential personnel. Chapel and the other doctors and nurses were reconstituted, after Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scott, the only four not neutralized, regained control of the Enterprise . ( TOS : " By Any Other Name ")

On stardate 5029.5, when children from the Starnes Exploration Party were on board the Enterprise , she cared for and entertained them, showing them how they could use cards to order any ice cream they wished from the Enterprise 's food synthesizers . She also was the first to notice how the children didn't cry for their recently deceased parents, and reported this observation to Dr. McCoy. ( TOS : " And the Children Shall Lead ")

Mccoy and Chapel tend Kirk

Chapel and McCoy administer the tri-ox compound to Kirk, in the transporter room after Kirk was rescued from the Defiant .

On two separate occasions, Chapel displayed excellent skills as a lab assistant. On stardate 5693.2, she assisted Dr. McCoy in developing a diluted theragen derivative to cure mental degradation effects caused by an interphase as the Enterprise was passing through Tholian space. She also assisted McCoy by administering the cure throughout the ship and helping him, in the transporter room , in administering the tri-ox compound to Kirk after he was beamed aboard from the USS Defiant . ( TOS : " The Tholian Web ")

While serving as a nurse, Chapel considered her responsibilities as a member of the medical profession to supersede her role as a subordinate crew member on the Enterprise , even to the point of disobeying an order from her superior, McCoy, whose welfare she was concerned about. ( TOS : " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky ")

On stardate 5710.5, Chapel assisted Spock and McCoy in synthesizing an agent to counteract hyper-acceleration effects of Scalosian water. ( TOS : " Wink of an Eye ")

By 2269 Chapel was promoted to the rank of lieutenant , and held the position of head nurse . ( TAS : " Mudd's Passion ")

On stardate 5483.7, when under the influence of the women of Planet Two of the Taurean system , the male crew members of the Enterprise were incapacitated by the siren's song. Lieutenant Uhura took command of the vessel, and assigned Chapel as acting chief medical officer . They led an all-female landing party down to the planet's surface to rescue Captain Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy. ( TAS : " The Lorelei Signal ")

On stardate 5143.3, she informed McCoy that Captain Kirk wanted to know whether his examination of " Carter Winston " was finished, adding that his fiancee Anne Nored was waiting to see him. ( TAS : " The Survivor ")

On stardate 5577.5, after the Enterprise was struck by a flash of light coming from a planet in the Cepheus star system and the flash temporarily paralyzed the crew, the whole crew started shrinking to fingernail length, at 1/16th of an inch in height. On stardate 5577.6, Spock observed that Chapel's titanium bracelet was staying the same mass , though their uniforms were shrinking at a proportional rate as their bodies. Spock hypothesized (correctly) that their Starfleet uniforms were shrinking because they were made of an algae -based material known as xenylon , and that biological and naturally made material objects were also shrinking, but not the ship itself or other totally man-made material objects.

Chapel drowning

A shrunken Chapel drowning

A short time later, after Lieutenant Sulu broke his right leg in a fall from the helm station on the bridge and was taken to sickbay by Kirk and Lieutenant Arex , Chapel fretted that they couldn't use their bone-knitting laser , as it was now too large. Chapel then had an idea that McCoy thought was a great idea: they could use a microscope laser , which they used to heal the inner ear , to do the surgery to reset and heal Sulu's leg. Chapel was proved correct about that, but – due to her shrinking size, while trying to bring the microscope laser from the medical cabinet – she tripped on a knitting needle that had also stayed the same size, fell into the sickbay's aquarium , and nearly drowned . Fortunately, Kirk was able to save her.

Later, Chapel helped rescue mutant descendants of the Terra 10 colony from the unstable planet they were located on and relocate them to a more stable planet. Along with the rest of the crew, she was returned to her normal height by use of the transporter , which had saved the original molecular structure of each crew member in the pattern buffers . ( TAS : " The Terratin Incident ")

On stardate 5499.9, when Kirk and Spock mutated into water-breathers, Chapel assisted Dr. McCoy in reversing their mutations. ( TAS : " The Ambergris Element ")

Chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise [ ]

Christine Chapel 2271

Doctor Chapel in the 2270s

During the early 2270s , Chapel earned her MD after completing a medical program, and was assigned to the refitted Enterprise .

Upon the return of Dr. McCoy during the V'ger crisis, he explained to Kirk that he was "going to need a top nurse , not a doctor who will argue every little diagnosis with me." Chapel later provided care to Pavel Chekov , whose hands were burnt from a malfunctioning bridge console . She also performed medical scans on the Ilia probe , and assisted in reacquainting the probe with Ilia 's former life. She also provided medical care to Spock after his traumatizing mind meld with V'ger . ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Post Enterprise [ ]

In 2286 , Commander Chapel was stationed at Starfleet Headquarters , where she coordinated relief efforts while Earth was experiencing a severe ecological disaster from an orbiting space probe . Later, Chapel attended the trial of Kirk and his senior officers at the Federation Council Chambers and excitedly congratulated her old crewmates when the council dismissed all charges facing them. ( Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

Alternate timeline and realities [ ]

Christine Chapel, alt 2266

Christine Chapel in an alternate 2266

Alternate Neutral Zone Incursion [ ]

In an alternate timeline where Captain Pike prevented his exposure to delta radiation and was still in command of the Enterprise in 2266 , Nurse Chapel was still serving aboard the Enterprise during the Romulans incursion into Federation space . She was on duty when an injured Spock was brought to sick bay with severe injuries. ( SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ")

Unverified Accounts Involving Christine Chapel [ ]

First contact day party [ ], personal life [ ].

Throughout her life, Chapel changed her hair color back and forth between blonde and brunette. ( TOS : " The Man Trap ", " Operation -- Annihilate! ", " Turnabout Intruder ", Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

At some point prior to stardate 5577.5, Chapel acquired a titanium bracelet made by the titanium smiths of Libra , which she occasionally wore while on duty. ( TAS : " The Terratin Incident ")

Romances [ ]

Roger korby [ ].

Korby and Chapel reunited

Chapel kissed by her "fiancé"

Chapel became engaged to Korby after having been a student of his. Despite his disappearance and the subsequent failure of two previous expeditions to locate him, she maintained hope of his return nonetheless. When asked by Spock if she recognized his voice , she remembered it clearly enough to confirm that it was, in fact, "Roger" who was contacting the Enterprise .

Upon arriving on Exo III, she embraced him tenderly, only to become jealous of Andrea's familiarity with him, as the android also called Korby by his first name . Learning that Andrea was an android, she naturally assumed Korby had created a companion to replace her, or, as she put it, a "mechanical geisha ". Korby assured her that Andrea only obeyed orders and that he did not consider her a woman, merely a tool.

Having learned of Korby's ability to manufacture android duplicates of living people, and seeing what became of the other members of the landing party, Chapel was disillusioned. She recalled that the Korby she knew wouldn't harm a living creature, as he believed their lives to be sacred. She was still conflicted about his mental state, and hoped she would not be given orders to betray him, preferring instead to have "Kirk" " push me off the same precipice where Mathews died. "

Though Korby tried to convince her that he was still the same man he had always been inside, she refused to believe him. Upon the destruction of his android body and subsequent death, she returned to the Enterprise . ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

Spock and Chapel kiss

Christine and Spock in 2259

When they first served together in 2259 , Chapel was immediately attracted to Enterprise 's half-Vulcan science officer , Lieutenant Spock, and would occasionally flirt with him. ( SNW : " Children of the Comet ")

They developed a friendship and Chapel would even support Spock when he had relationship trouble with his fiancé T'Pring . ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

When Spock and Chapel foiled Captain Angel's plans to free Spock's half-brother Sybok by pretending to be in love with each other they shared a kiss to convince Angel of their affair. ( SNW : " The Serene Squall ")

After the mission to Valeo Beta V , Chapel comforted Spock by giving him a hug. ( SNW : " All Those Who Wander ")

After Spock broke off his engagement to T'Pring for him failing to confide in her that he had been stripped of his Vulcan genes and made fully human by the Kerkhovians , Chapel and Spock finally decided to enter to a relationship. ( SNW : " Charades ")

Shortly after, their relationship came to a rocky end when Chapel was accepted in Dr. Roger Korby's fellowship and would be leaving the Enterprise . ( SNW : " Subspace Rhapsody ", " Hegemony ")

Chapel loves Spock

Chapel confessing her love for Spock

Even a decade later, her attraction to him was an ongoing source of tension and bemusement throughout Kirk's five-year mission as well. Even while she still sought to locate Korby, Chapel was deeply infatuated with Spock. Initially Chapel kept these feelings to herself. However, when the Psi 2000 intoxication afflicted the crew of the Enterprise , Chapel admitted her love for Spock, who was shocked:

Chapel insisted that Spock address her by her first name , as opposed to her title, which he resisted. Chapel was unaware that Spock's inability to react to her emotionally was further complicated by his betrothal to T'Pring . Leading him to the ceremony in which his fiancée rejected him in favor of a different suitor, Spock underwent a period of intense emotional outbursts: a blood fever known as pon farr . Chapel characteristically doted after the Vulcan, preparing plomeek soup , a traditional Vulcan broth. The experience allowed them to discuss, even if briefly, Chapel's confession of love. Despite his acknowledged inability to return her affections, he did refer to her as Christine for the first time. ( TOS : " The Naked Time ", " Amok Time ")

Chapel's longing for Spock was well-known among crew members, and noted openly by Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy on a number of occasions. During Spock's recovery after a near-death experience on Neural , fellow medical officer Dr. M'Benga caught Chapel tenderly holding Spock's hand while watching his recovery on the medical panel atop his bed. M'Benga was sympathetic, despite Chapel's attempt to hide her feelings. Chapel later proactively aided Spock by secretly holding his consciousness to keep him from being destroyed by Henoch . ( TOS : " A Private Little War ", " Return to Tomorrow ")

Her feelings for the Vulcan briefly interfered with her ability to assist McCoy in treating him for the puncture wound left behind by the flying parasite , prompting the doctor to order her either to put aside her feelings or call another nurse to help him. ( TOS : " Operation -- Annihilate! ")

Three years after confessing her love to Spock, Chapel finally shared a kiss with him. Unfortunately, the situation was forced by the Platonians , against their will. Having sensed their close bond, they adorned her in make-up that gave her the appearance of a Vulcan. Chapel admitted that, despite her long-standing desire to be close to Spock, all she wanted to do, given the humiliation of the situation, was "crawl away and die." ( TOS : " Plato's Stepchildren ")

In 2269 , while weakened by the polarized conductor , he referred to her as Christine when calling telepathically for help, after initially calling her " Miss Chapel". ( TAS : " The Lorelei Signal ")

Chapel on Spock's lap

Chapel attempting to interest Spock

Later that year, Harry Mudd provided Lieutenant Chapel with love potion crystals that she used on Spock, much to her embarrassment when they didn't take effect immediately. Though the crystals eventually worked, it wasn't long before Spock realized he was reacting to them and not experiencing genuine feelings of love. Later, when he offered to help her record Mudd's confession , she rebuffed him. ( TAS : " Mudd's Passion ")

Upon Spock's resumption of his science officer duties on the Enterprise in the 2270s, she was pleased to see him again. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

"Argelius II gal" [ ]

During Chapel's time on Argelius II , she had a fling with a woman that she told Erica Ortegas about. It was considered a misunderstanding that Chapel ended up being chased by phaser fire. Chapel claimed it was the only time she had a misunderstanding regarding a relationship. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

Chapel had a casual sexual relationship with Lieutenant Dever of the USS Skylark . When Dever tried to figure out where their relationship was heading, Chapel left him without out giving him an answer. She later told him that she considered him boring and ended the relationship. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

Friendships [ ]

Leonard mccoy [ ].

Chapel standing up to McCoy

Chapel refusing to leave

Though McCoy occasionally referred to her by first name only, she was never observed calling him "Leonard". ( TOS : " The Naked Time ", " Elaan of Troyius ", " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky "; TAS : " The Pirates of Orion ")

Chapel was comfortable with standing up to McCoy's orders if she believed them to be incorrect or odd; for instance, she made sure the doctor informed Captain Kirk of his (McCoy's) xenopolycythemia diagnosis, remaining in sickbay until the captain arrived, instead of leaving as per the doctor's instructions. ( TOS : " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky ") She also questioned his request for two ccs of stokaline to treat a "dying" Spock in 2268. ( TOS : " By Any Other Name ")

Just prior to a dying McCoy beaming down to the surface of Yonada in 2268, she admonished him to make the most of his remaining time, as "A lot can happen in a year ." ( TOS : " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky ")

In an effort to protect her from being penalized for following his orders instead of Arthur Coleman 's, McCoy told her to administer a sedative to "Janice Lester" , despite the action being against his better judgement. ( TOS : " Turnabout Intruder ")

Upon hearing that she'd become a doctor during his brief hiatus from Starfleet, McCoy was reluctant to work with her, as he was of the opinion that she, like other doctors, would argue about every diagnosis he made, rather than take the orders he gave. ( Star Trek: The Motion Picture )

Nyota Uhura [ ]

Hugging

Chapel and Uhura hugging

In addition to a professional friendship with Dr. McCoy, Chapel was particularly close to Uhura . ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ", " The Changeling ", " Plato's Stepchildren ", " The Tholian Web ") The two first met when they were both assigned to the Enterprise in 2259 . ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds ")

As Chapel departed the bridge to see Roger Korby for the first time in years, Uhura wished her all the best with a sisterly kiss on the cheek. ( TOS : " What Are Little Girls Made Of? ")

Chapel closely aided the communications officer in relearning the knowledge Nomad had stolen from her. Upon Uhura successfully reading (in English rather than Swahili ) the sentence " The dog has a ball ", Chapel hugged Uhura. ( TOS : " The Changeling ")

Erica Ortegas [ ]

During her time serving under Christopher Pike, Chapel was close friends with Erica Ortegas , the ship's navigator, to the extend of the two hanging out during some of their shore leave together and Ortegas even providing "moral support" to Chapel's dating life. ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

Joseph M'Benga [ ]

Chapel met Doctor Joseph M'Benga prior to the their posting aboard the Enterprise , on the moon of J'Gal , where they were both stationed during the Klingon War , M'Benga as one of the doctors and Chapel as Head Nurse. The two grew close over the time they spent there, as they tried (and sometimes failed) to rescue war victims and even children, as the Klingon War grew more bloody and desperate. Near the end, Chapel encouraged him to "stop them", to find the person who's in charge and "make them pay". ( SNW : " Strange New Worlds "). When escaping the starship part of the false flag operation started by the Klingons on Cajitar IV , right before they jumped into space without a suit, M'Benga hinted that they'd "gotten out of worse", to which Chapel disagreed. ( SNW : " The Broken Circle ").

Later, when Klingon Ambassador Dak'Rah arrived on the Enterprise, they recalled their posting on J'Gal. When M'Benga killed Ambassador Rah during a physical altercation in Sickbay, Chapel witnessed the entire exchange and reported what she saw for Noonien-Singh's report. ( SNW : " Under the Cloak of War ").

Key dates [ ]

  • ca. 2256 - 57 , assigned as head nurse at the Mobile Combat Surgical Unit on J'Gal
  • Assigned to the USS Enterprise
  • Accepted into Roger Korby 's fellowship
  • 2270s : obtains her medical degree and becomes chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise
  • Between the 2270s and 2286 : Leaves the USS Enterprise and is assigned to Starfleet Headquarters

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

  • " The Naked Time "
  • " What Are Little Girls Made Of? "
  • " Operation -- Annihilate! "
  • " Amok Time "
  • " The Changeling "
  • " The Deadly Years "
  • " Journey to Babel "
  • " A Private Little War "
  • " Obsession "
  • " The Immunity Syndrome "
  • " By Any Other Name "
  • " Return to Tomorrow "
  • " Elaan of Troyius "
  • " The Paradise Syndrome "
  • " The Enterprise Incident "
  • " And the Children Shall Lead "
  • " Spock's Brain "
  • " The Tholian Web "
  • " For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky "
  • " Plato's Stepchildren "
  • " Wink of an Eye "
  • " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield "
  • " The Lights of Zetar "
  • " The Way to Eden "
  • " Turnabout Intruder "
  • " Beyond the Farthest Star "
  • " The Lorelei Signal "
  • " The Survivor "
  • " The Magicks of Megas-Tu "
  • " Mudd's Passion "
  • " The Terratin Incident "
  • " The Ambergris Element "
  • " The Pirates of Orion "
  • " Albatross "
  • Star Trek: The Motion Picture
  • Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
  • " Strange New Worlds "
  • " Children of the Comet "
  • " Ghosts of Illyria "
  • " Memento Mori "
  • " Spock Amok "
  • " Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach "
  • " The Serene Squall "
  • " The Elysian Kingdom "
  • " All Those Who Wander "
  • " A Quality of Mercy "
  • " The Broken Circle "
  • " Ad Astra per Aspera "
  • " Among the Lotus Eaters "
  • " Charades "
  • " Lost in Translation "
  • " Those Old Scientists "
  • " Under the Cloak of War "
  • " Subspace Rhapsody "
  • " Hegemony "
  • " Holiday Party "
  • " Walk, Don't Run "

Background information [ ]

Conception [ ].

Christine Chapel was played by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry in all of the character's appearances prior to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . The role was created by Gene Roddenberry , intending the part to be played by Barrett, with whom the married Roddenberry was having an affair. The creation of the recurring role was Roddenberry's solution to pressure that Barrett frequently put on him, as she was insistent that she play a regular character on Star Trek , even though executives at the television network NBC had fired her as Number One in the unaired original pilot " The Cage ". As an executive producer on Star Trek: The Original Series of Star Trek , Roddenberry planned to ensure that the resultant character of Chapel would definitely recur. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , paperback ed., p. 224) Roddenberry additionally installed Barrett as the primary voice of the ship's computer, a role she would continue to play for the rest of her life.

In his reference book The World of Star Trek (3rd ed., p. 28), writer David Gerrold reckoned that Chapel "was obviously created specifically" to love Spock and went on to say, " The need to dramatize Spock's Vulcan aloofness requires that a woman fall in love with him and be continually rebuffed. Hence, Nurse Chapel. "

In scripts of " The Naked Time ", this character was known as Christine Baker and, later, Christine Ducheau or Christine Ducheaux. She was even referred to with the latter name in the final draft shooting script (dated 28 June 1966 ), which went on to describe her as "dark-haired… more starkly attractive than beautiful… a woman capable of startling vitality… superb efficiency…" [1] In a revised draft of the script, this passage of text was minutely changed, with the only alteration being that the words "a woman capable of startling vitality" were moved to the start of the description. Gene Roddenberry renamed the character to Christine Chapel as a pun on " Sistine Chapel ". ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One [ page number? • edit ] , Inside Star Trek: The Real Story [ page number? • edit ] ) In actual dialogue in "The Naked Time", however, she is never referred to as anything other than "Nurse" or "Christine".

Original appearances [ ]

Majel Barrett saw her opportunity to appear further in Star Trek by auditioning for the role of Chapel. " I wanted to be a part of it so badly, and I kept watching the scripts that came in, and when this episode ['The Naked Time'] came in, my mind started to go in different directions, " Barrett recollected. " So I bleached my hair and waited for Gene [Roddenberry] to come in and take notice of it. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 27 , p. 44) Barrett, whose hair was now bleached blond, awaited Roddenberry in his office. " I sat there talking to his secretary, Penny, and Gene walked in. He looked at me and at Penny, said, 'Good morning,' and walked in the door… I kept on talking to Penny, and pretty soon Gene came out again, put some papers on Penny's desk, sort of smiled at me, turned around, and walked back in his office. Then the double take happened. He opened the door and said, 'Majel?!' And I said, 'By God, if I could fool you, I can fool NBC.' " ( Star Trek - Where No One Has Gone Before , p. 21) Roddenberry agreed. Concluded Barrett, " He said, 'Yes, you can' […] You just don't come back again when they fire you once, but I so much wanted to be a part of this show. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 27 , p. 44) Barrett was thereafter cast as Christine Chapel.

An issue that frustrated the show's producers, notably Robert Justman, as well as Majel Barrett herself, was that the character of Chapel was not fleshed out. ( Star Trek Magazine  issue 144 , p. !4) For instance, little canonical information existed about Chapel's life outside of her career in Starfleet. Just after seeing the first footage of Barrett in the role, Justman realized that he didn't much like the performance. He addressed this problem with Gene Roddenberry in the latter's office, saying that Barrett "seemed awkward" in the part. " Gene just smiled, " Justman remembered, " as he always did when I told him something he didn't particularly want to hear […] 'I thought she was fine,' he responded. 'Maybe a little nervous this time, but she'll work out great. It's a new character for her, and she'll get even better as she goes along. I like her a lot in this role.' Pushing him further wouldn't work. But I continued to needle him about it from time to time. His response was always the same: a smile, a short remonstration that she was 'fine' in the role, and then a change of subject. I stopped needling him about it after finally becoming aware of their relationship. Years later, I realized it wasn't the actress I disliked, it was the role. Nurse Chapel was a wimpy, badly written, and ill-conceived character. " He particularly found fault with Chapel repeatedly pining for another character – whether it be Spock, as is the case in "The Naked Time", or Roger Korby in " What Are Little Girls Made Of? " ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , pp. 224-225) Expressing similar sentiments, Barrett confessed, " I didn't care that much for Nurse Chapel, to tell you the truth. She really wasn't that exciting a person or that exciting a character for an actress to play. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 38 , p. 39) Clarified Barrett, " I was happy with what I did, except there wasn't that much to do. It wasn't that satisfying, but in those days, I couldn't talk Gene into doing any more; again, I was a woman, and they had already fired me once, so I wasn't given too much to do. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 27 , p. 44)

The first draft of the script of "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" (dated 26 April 1966 ) Chapel was originally envisioned as "Margo Korby", the wife of Roger Korby. By later drafts, Margo was changed to Christine and in later revised scripts, the following was included as the description of her character: " She's a strong, calm woman, very much in control of herself which emphasizes only more for us the flickers of emotions that do occasionally show through. " Also, as scripted for that episode, Chapel's abandonment of a career in bioresearch was stated to have been specifically for a position aboard the Enterprise , though this ultimately changed to being an assignment aboard a generic vessel. [2] Regarding Majel Barrett's appearance as Chapel in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?", Robert Justman critiqued, " The close-up shots of her eyes misting over and lower lip quivering were beautifully photographed by cameraman Jerry Finnerman , who used special lighting and diffusion lenses. But this only served to emphasize the lack of character written into the character. " ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , 1997, p. 225)

According to Herb Solow , NBC did notice the same actress whom they had already fired portrayed Chapel. Solow related that – while he was screening a rough edit of "The Naked Time" for a group of NBC execs, well before the series was broadcast – NBC Vice President Herb Schlosser asked him who the performer was, a question Solow agreed to answer later. When they were alone after the screening, Schlosser repeated the inquiry and, upon Solow revealing the name of the actress, the NBC executive realized it was the same controversial performer. Schlosser was therefore initially puzzled about why the Star Trek producers hadn't cast a different actress for the part. " This was one of those times when the truth would be painful for all concerned, " stated Solow. " I answered quickly, 'Putting together a cast is like forming an orchestra. Individual actors are unimportant; it's an ensemble thing.' " Schlosser then correctly assumed that Barrett's casting as Chapel was due to her having an affair with someone who had a lot of influence in the Star Trek production team, a suspicion that Solow didn't confirm until after the series had been airing for a while. Also according to him, the news within NBC that the portrayal of Chapel involved Barrett returning to Star Trek led Jerry Stanley – another executive at the television network – to yodel, " Well, well – look who's back. " ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , 1997, pp. 224 & 233) Barrett herself claimed, " For three years, NBC never knew it was the same person. " ( Star Trek Monthly  issue 27 , p. 44)

Regardless of whether or nor Barrett actually believed her own claim, it were not only Schlosser and Stanley who found out early, but Desilu Studios Head Lucille Ball as well, and, according to Solow, when she did, she was not amused, not in the slightest; Lucille Ball had by then become well known for her character trait of valuing moral propriety after her failed marriage with Desi Arnaz , which had fallen apart partly due to Arnaz' philandering, and this she expected of her staff and employees as well. When she found out that the married Roddenberry had an illicit affair with Barrett, ironically hired, under her own name Majel Leigh Hudec, by Ball herself for Desilu as a contracted actress, and having personally instructed her in one of her own comedy seminars in 1957. [3] [4] (X) , she could not abide with this kind of behavior anywhere near her property, and was dead-set on firing the pair of them on the spot. Incidentally, Ball had already wanted to do something similar, albeit at the opposite end of the spectrum, with Mission: Impossible co-stars Barbara Bain and Martin Landau , when she found out that the two were actually a married couple, and wanted to fire them as she suspected a severe case of nepotism, which she could not abide with either. And indeed, this had been the additional reason for Ball for wanting to fire the future Roddenberry couple as well, as she concurrently became aware that he had surreptitiously sneaked an as a blonde disguised Barrett, her new alias (which Ball took as evidence of deliberate deception, not entirely unjustified), back into the Star Trek production as Christine Chapel against the express wishes of NBC. Through an intermediary, her personal publicist Howard McClay, Solow had in both cases – as Mission was also produced under his auspices – the toughest of times to convince the headstrong Ball otherwise. ( Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , 1997, p. 223; These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , 1st ed, pp. 25-27)

Christine Chapel turned out to be highly unpopular among some fans of Star Trek 's original series. " It was because of her love for Spock and his occasional moments of gentleness toward her that Christine Chapel was largely disliked among the Trekkies who adored Spock, " explained David Gerrold. " Female fans saw her as a threat to their own fantasies and male fans saw her as a threat to Spock's Vulcan stoicism. " However, the fans who met Majel Barrett were often surprised by how beautiful she was. Gerrold concluded, " They just couldn't see it in her as Chapel because of the relationship between her and Spock. " ( The World of Star Trek , 3rd ed., p. 28)

Later appearances [ ]

In Star Trek: The Animated Series , the voice for the character of Chapel was provided by Majel Barrett, reprising the role from TOS.

Christine Chapel was intended to be included in the ultimately aborted television series Star Trek: Phase II , in which her promotion to doctor was planned to be established. The Writers'/Directors' Guide for that series said of the character, " Introduced in Star Trek I as Nurse Chapel, her medical degrees have been accepted by Starfleet, and she has returned to the U.S.S. Enterprise to serve as McCoy's associate. She is second in command of the ship's medical section, and McCoy seems to enjoy passing on to her every duty he finds too boring, irritating or annoying to himself. Yet outside of Captain Kirk, she is probably McCoy's closest confidante. An expert in psychotherapy, she has unusual ability to teach patients how to use the healing powers of their own bodies. " ( The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , p. 119)

In character notes that Gene Roddenberry wrote for Star Trek: The Motion Picture , Chapel was mentioned in the note about Dr. McCoy and was described as being influenced by the fact that McCoy was dealing with a great deal of pressure at the time of the film, even to the point of almost causing him to suffer a nervous breakdown . The section regarding Chapel stated, " [She] must take on an overly large portion of the load of treating the sick, and is likewise subject to breakage. " ( The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , p. 102) Majel Barrett was delighted that, in The Motion Picture , Chapel was promoted to doctor status and that she herself was not required to ruin her hair by dying it blond to match her TOS appearances as Chapel. In the film, Barrett's portrayal of Chapel was partly based on the description of the character from the Writers'/Directors' Guide for Phase II . ( The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture , p. 119) Her appearance in The Motion Picture was in keeping with the fact that long hairstyles were disallowed in that film. ( The Making of Star Trek , p. 142) However, Majel Barrett had qualms about her appearance as Chapel in The Motion Picture , confessing, " I really didn't consider my work in the first one to be that great an experience. " ( Starlog #116)

When asked why she herself was absent in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , Majel Barrett stated, " The fact that Gene really didn't have that kind of involvement in the second and third movies was probably the reason. There was a new producer on the pictures and I just don't think they, or anybody, wanted Mrs. Roddenberry running around. I'm sure it was politics. Since then, many things have been ironed out and I certainly have greater hopes for Star Trek IV . " ( Starlog #108, July 1986 , p. 56)

In the script for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , Chapel was described as a "Starfleet Medical Officer whose history in Star Trek is known to all." The same script featured her in a short, ultimately excised scene. Set in the Federation Council Chamber, the scene detailed Commander Chapel meeting with Sarek upon his arrival there. She thanked him for coming but admitted to being unsure whether he was too late to testify at the then-ongoing trial of Admiral Kirk and the senior crew of the Enterprise . [5] Noted Majel Barrett, " I just had a couple of lines with Sarek, so it was really nothing of consequence. " However, Barrett also considered that this scene would have been her "only real scene" in the movie. Chapel's role in Star Trek IV is so minimal that Barrett hypothesized, " If no one had called me Commander Chapel, the audience wouldn't really know that I was there. " Longing to have more involvement in Star Trek , she proclaimed, " Somewhere Chapel got lost. " On the other hand, Barrett also related about her brief inclusion in Star Trek IV , " I am grateful for having been in it after not being in Star Trek II or III […] I loved it, I had such a great time. " ( Starlog #116)

Simon and Schuster 's officially licensed Star Trek: Starship Creator interactive software , written by production staffer Michael Okuda , listed some supplemental biographical details on Chapel. It mentioned she was the child of Lauren Chapel and Patterson Chapel of New Orleans , Louisiana , Earth, and had an interest in ballet . Other information included a birth date in 2237 , Starfleet Medical Academy Nursing Degree in 2266, and doctorate by the 2270s. She graduated in the 98th percentile of her class, with degrees in bioresearch, medical archaeology , and endocrinology . It assigned her original rank as a "brevet," or provisional , ensign , and stated that she rose to become the director of Starfleet Emergency Operations by the time of her Star Trek IV appearance.

Apocrypha [ ]

DC Comics ' Who's Who in Star Trek 1 comic reveals that she had Swedish and Cherokee roots.

Chapel appeared in Vonda N. McIntyre 's novelization of Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan . She was still serving on the Enterprise in 2285 , and was present during Saavik 's Kobayashi Maru scenario .

In Peter David 's New Frontier novel Renaissance , Scotty mistakes one of the characters, Morgan Primus , the mother of Robin Lefler , as "Christine". It was also suggested in that series that Primus was actually Christopher Pike 's "Number One". This mistaken identification was a joke referring to the fact that both roles were played by the same actress.

Dr. Chapel was also seen as the chief medical officer aboard the USS Excelsior in the novel The Sundered .

External links [ ]

  • Christine Chapel at StarTrek.com
  • Christine Chapel at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • Christine Chapel at Wikipedia
  • 2 Star Trek: The Next Generation
  • 3 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)

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‘star trek: strange new worlds’ actress jess bush talks honor and joy of making iconic franchise character her own.

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with the Nurse Chapel actress prior to this week's episode, "The Serene Squall" to explore a number of topics, including how she was ready to take a step back in her career when the series serendipitously arrived.

By Ryan Parker

Ryan Parker

Former Senior Reporter

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Jess Bush as Chapel of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS.

[Warning: This story contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode “The Serene Squall.”] 

Jess Bush knew she had enormous shoes to fill when she was cast as Nurse Christine Chapel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. After all, the only other actress to embody the iconic role was the legendary Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, whose massive contributions to the sci-fi franchise hand-in-hand with her husband, creator Gene Roddenberry, led to her being dubbed the “First Lady of Star Trek .”

Bush so adored and respected Barrett-Roddenberry’s work on the original Star Trek series, among several other franchise projects, she knew some vestiges would shine through in her incarnation. But the Australia-born actress also realized exactly how she would make Nurse Chapel her own. And she has done exactly that in the Paramount+ series.

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The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Bush prior to this week’s episode, “The Serene Squall” to explore a number of topics, including how the actress was ready to take a step back in her career when the series serendipitously arrived. In the same chat, Bush explored both versions of the legacy character and talked about the emerging love triangle between Chapel, Spock (Ethan Peck) and T’Pring (Gia Sandhu).

I love to hear how you all became involved in the series. What’s your casting story? 

Prior to being cast, I was aware of Star Trek , of course, because it permeates our global culture pretty extensively. But I had no idea just how expansive the universe was until I booked the role and all of these Trekkies started to appear around me. It’s like I entered this secret world that exists among us. It’s been such a wonderful ride, learning about everything Star Trek and its context culturally and everything that it strived for, for more than 55 years.

As for me getting the role, it was a short time after I had a conversation with my managers about taking a step back. I was just at a point in my life where I was feeling pretty burnt out and exhausted by the hustle, and I had a conversation to say I’d like to have a bit of a rest. I said that I only want to go for things that are exciting to us, and lo and behold, they came through with this audition for a Star Trek series. So, I put something down, and about three weeks later, I got a call to have a Zoom meeting with [co-creator and executive producer] Akiva [Goldsman], [co-creator and EP] Alex [Kurtzman] and [EP] Henry [Alonso Myers]. Then, I bloody got it! ( Laughs .) I didn’t find out that it was Nurse Chapel until I got the deal done!

How cool! That leads me to my next question: You, perhaps, have the biggest legacy shoes to fill. Majel Barrett-Roddenberry is a Star Trek icon for so many reasons. Where did you even begin with your research, and then what was the process for making Nurse Chapel your own?

It’s a massive honor to be only the second actor to play Nurse Chapel after Majel Barrett. I think that I was lucky in a sense that I wasn’t that aware of Star Trek to begin with, so it wasn’t particularly overwhelming. I watched all her performances. I also read nursing memoirs and continue to read different materials that feed into what it’s like to be a medical practitioner in different situations, like a medevac situation

Regarding how much of Nurse Chapel comes through in this current iteration, it was a conversation with Akiva and Henry. It was a balance between honoring Majel’s Chapel and making her new. Majel’s Chapel definitely had a distinct essence about her, but there was still so much room to explore her backstory, what she was like when she was younger, what she might be like in our time as a young woman, and they gave me a lot of license to explore. It was a fun, collaborative conversation.

Do you have a favorite characteristic of Majel’s Chapel, and do you have a favorite characteristic of your Nurse Chapel?

Majel’s Chapel, she’s really dry and sarcastic, which I love. That was the main takeaway for me, and that leads to my favorite aspect of Strange New Worlds Chapel: Humor. That humor as it exists in a younger woman. She uses that humor to ruffle people’s feathers to discover more about them. She’s got this sense of humor, and it’s driven by curiosity.

Unpacking this week’s episode, it was great to see she can take care of business and quickly took out those two pirates. How far out did you know such a physical episode was on the way?

Oh, my goodness, they shot it so long ago that I can’t really remember what we did before the episode started. I remember shooting it, and I was nothing but excited to do stunts. I’m a very physical person, and it just jazzes me up so much to jump around and use my whole body. I came out of it with a few gnarly bruises, but a full heart. It was really fun. ( Laughs .)

Seems like there is something of a love triangle unfolding among Chapel, Spock and T’Pring. How do you process or prepare to play those subtle — although far more obvious this week with that kiss — emotions?

I look at the writing. It is so good that the complexity of it often comes organically through the characters, just developing alongside each other. Ethan and I are good friends, so it’s very comfortable to explore that complexity, to let it unfold as the story does on a practical level. Scenes like that are discussed down to a T. There was an intimacy coordinator and the director [Sydney Freeland] explained what she wanted visually from the kiss. Once we’d done the very choreographed version of it, Ethan and I were both comfortable freestyling and seeing what else happens.

I loved the first scene that Ethan and I had together in this week’s episode, where we are walking down the corridor together, and he’s confiding in her about his relationship with T’Pring. Chapel was giving him a hard time, but with kindness. I think at that point in the episode, this is a lovely friendship between them that has developed over the first six episodes. I just thought it was a delightful exchange between the two of them, very gentle and caring — but also you can feel the chemistry that they’re both deciding not to do anything about at this point.

Finally, do you have a favorite moment when the cameras weren’t rolling? Your castmates have told me you all have become super close and genuinely enjoy one another’s company.

I feel extremely fortunate to be a part of this production. In particular, the actors and the crew are so wonderful, and I think that the values of this show and the stories that we tell are also very present behind the scenes. It’s an extremely supportive group and there’s so much heart in the crew. Every day feels like such a beautiful, safe place to create. There’s no weird politics, everybody is just there to make sure everyone else feels safe and supported to do their best.

It’s very rare for us all to be on set at the same time. The days when we’re all there are often pretty low stakes storytelling-wise, and we just have an absolute blast together, cranking the speakers, having a chat, having snacks. Chrissy [Chong] brings her dog, Runa Ewok, and we throw the ball around. It’s those days I’m like, “I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this.”

Interview edited for length and clarity. 

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds airs new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

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Who Plays Christine Chapel In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Christine Chapel on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

You can be forgiven for not quite being able to place the face of Nurse Christine Chapel on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."  The show, currently in its first season on Paramount+, is one of the newer enterprises of the ever-growing "Star Trek" franchise. But while anything with the "Trek" pedigree attached is always going to stir up attention, people may have trouble recognizing the cast members. The most well-known here would be Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Rebecca Romijn, just because you've probably already seen them around the galaxy (hint: They've already played their characters on "Star Trek: Discovery").

"Strange New Worlds" is the "Star Trek" TV show that shares the most in common with the original 1960s series we've seen since it chronicles the adventures of the starship Enterprise shortly before Captain Kirk takes over. It even counts original characters (Chapel included) like Captain Christopher Pike (Mount) ,  Spock (Peck) , Number One (Romijn) , and Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) as part of the crew. But a fresh face takes over the Chapel role — initially played by actor Majel Barrett back in the day. Barrett is of course "Star Trek" royalty, having appeared or done voice work in over a dozen "Trek" shows and films over the years. She was also the wife of legendary "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. So the newcomer has some pretty big space shoes to fill here.

The new incarnation of Nurse Chapel is a younger, flirtier, more energetic version of the character and is a welcome addition to the show. And while "The Original Series" only explores the relationship between her and Spock on the surface, "Strange New Worlds" looks poised to dive deeper. But who is this platinum-haired actor who has embraced the challenge of succeeding the iconic Majel Barrett?

Jess Bush was a model Down Under

The actor who plays Christine Chapel on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is Jess Bush, and she landed the "Strange New Worlds" gig without many high-profile roles on her résumé yet. In fact, her IMDb page only lists a handful of credits to date — although that's likely to change with her newfound "Star Trek" exposure. But unless you're familiar with the likes of "Skinford: Chapter Two," "Playing for Keeps," or "Home and Away" (which apparently are all real movies and shows that exist somewhere), she probably wasn't quite on your radar.

Bush hails from Australia (alas, not the 23rd century) and got her start in modeling, first appearing in the limelight in the 2011 season of "Australia's Next Top Model." Eventually, this led her to pursue acting, and after the aforementioned handful of lower-profile projects, she snagged the coveted role of Nurse Chapel, who keeps the sick bay afloat alongside Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) — yet another character from "The Original Series."

Ideally, Nurse Chapel will have a more significant role on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" than on the '60s series. Sadly, that version of the character was mostly relegated to what amounted to cameo appearances (although one time she got to beam down and be part of the fun). Hopefully, the plan for "Strange New Worlds" is to have the dynamic Bush be a more significant part of the adventure. It looks promising.

As for Bush's earthly future, we'll see what the stars have in store for her. Not every "Star Trek" actor has seen that success translate beyond Federation space. But it will definitely be exciting to watch Bush liven up "Strange New Worlds" before seeing where she boldly goes from there.

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Home » TV & Streaming » Star Trek » STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS – Nurse Chapel’s HERstory

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS – Nurse Chapel’s HERstory

Posted by Rebecca Kaplan | Jun 7, 2022 | Star Trek , Stuff We Like , TV & Streaming | 0

STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS – Nurse Chapel’s HERstory

Every Thursday on Paramount Plus, Trekkies warp around the sun to go back in time before Captain James Tiberius Kirk was in charge of the U.S.S. Enterprise on  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . The new series follows Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ), Science Officer Spock ( Ethan Peck ), Number One ( Rebecca Romijn ) and the other members of  Enterprise ‘s crew as they explore where no one has gone before. As they traverse the cosmos, new and old members of the  Enterprise crew face danger and adventure together. They will help their captain overcome the trauma of witnessing how his current life ends (a storyline that began in Star Trek: Discovery ‘s second season). 

In addition to the  Enterprise crew already introduced in  Discovery ‘s second season, SNW  introduces other characters who first appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series , like Dr. M’Benga, a Starfleet physician originated by Booker Bradshaw. In SNW ,  Babs Olusanmokun  is playing the role. Another returning fan favorite is Cadet Uhura, played by  Celia Rose Gooding . Having screened the first five episodes, Strange New Worlds  delivers on connecting its stories and characters to the  TOS era in an exciting way for long-time Trekkies and new viewers alike.

RELATED: Rod Roddenberry Chats Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, First Lady of Star Trek

A returning  TOS mainstay is Nurse Christine Chapel, who first appeared in the 1966 episode “The Naked Time” as the  Enterprise ‘s nurse.  Majel Barrett-Roddenberry originated the character and continued to play her in  Star Trek: The Animated Series , Star Trek: The Motion Picture  and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . Barrett-Roddenberry always said Nurse Chapel was the eighth member of  Enterprise ‘s crew, appearing in 25 out of 79 episodes. 

However, in a 1987 issue of STARLOG , Barrett-Roddenberry said that although she would be willing to return to the character of Christine Chapel, it wasn’t “that important to the “Powers That Be.” In the last few decades, things have changed with the corporate overlords. Rod Roddenberry (the actress’s son) oversees the franchise and there is renewed interest in the character. And now she is back in Strange New Worlds , and Trekkies are meeting a younger version of Nurse Chapel, played by Jess Bush , for the first time.

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry’s Nurse Chapel

Nurse Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry)

Courtesy of CBS

If Star Trek  visionary Gene Roddenberry ‘s script hadn’t changed before the  Enterprise warped into family homes for the first time, Barrett-Roddenberry’s onscreen role would have been much different. Cast in the first pilot as Number One, Barrett-Roddenberry was to play second in command to Captain April. You read that right, Captain Robert April ‘s Number One. But, Captain April wasn’t All-American enough for the studio and he was replaced with Captain Christopher Pike before the first pilot, “The Cage,” was filmed.

Too bad for Captain Pike, he also lacked the bravado the studio was looking for, and the studio passed on the series. But, the studio had other problems with the first pilot as well. So, following feedback on “The Cage” that the show was too diverse, Star Trek  visionary Roddenberry had to choose between Leonard Nimoy ‘s Spock and his wife’s Number One. Unfortunately, Barrett-Roddenberry was not cast for the second pilot (something the fandom has long held against him).

Despite NBC’s executives’ wishes that Roddenberry’s wife not return to set after the pilot, the disappointing outcome paved the way for the introduction of Barrett-Roddenberry’s Nurse Chapel to make her first appearance in The Original Series in Season 1, Episode 4, “The Naked Time.” Apparently, Roddenberry hoped the TV executives might not notice that he re-cast his wife in TOS if she bleached her hair blonde for the role; however, the executives were not fooled.

The Original Series (S01E04) “The Naked Time”

The Naked Time TOS Spock (Leonard Nemoy) and Nurse Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) holding hands romantically

Barrett-Roddenberry’s Nurse Chapel makes her first appearance in The Original Series in “The Naked Time,” about a mysterious pathogen that causes the crew to lose control of their inhibitions. Although Chapel’s confession of unrequited love for Spock during her first appearance is odd, the TOS  episode is the only one in which all three female leads appear together: Chapel, Lt. Nyota Uhura ( Nichelle Nichols ) and Yeoman Janice Rand (Grace Lee Whitney).

However, this episode sets up much of Chapel’s early shipbroad life and several episodes deal with her unrequited love for Spock, like “Plato’s Stepchildren,” where Chapel and Spock are forced to kiss, or “Amok Time,” where she helps Spock through Pon farr. Hopefully, Strange New Worlds will flesh out the backstory of Chapel’s attraction to Spock. Fingers crossed!

The Original Series (S01E07): “What Are Little Girls Made Of?”

Nurse Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) in blue and Dr. Corby in green in purple room

However, what inspired Roddenberry to write his wife back into the show wasn’t her first appearance. “The Naked Time” script just happened to need a nurse. Instead, he was inspired to add Nurse Chapel to the Enterprise ‘s regular crew after his wife read a proposal for “What Are Little Girls Made Of?,” which ended up airing as Episode 7 of The Original Series — and it’s an important episode.

RELATED: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Recap: (S01E01) Strange New Worlds

Before Chapel joined the  Enterprise crew, she trained to be a scientist under the tutelage of Dr. Roger Korby. Eventually, she falls in love with Korby and they get engaged. But following her fiancé’s disappearance on the planet Exo III, she abandons her career as a bio-researcher (for which she earned several degrees) to join Starfleet in hopes of a deep space assignment to find Korby. Bee-tee-dubs, she hasn’t heard from him in five years.

In “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” Chapel succeeds, but Korby isn’t what he used to be. When Enterprise  reaches Exo III and finds Korby, he’s using android technology that Trekkies don’t see again until Star Trek: Picard . Before Starfleet rescue arrived, Korby used the technology of a long-dead civilization and replaced his own body with an android replica, transplanting his consciousness into the body and creating android companions for himself. Sound’s like  Picard’s golem .

The Animated Series (S01E10): “Mudd’s Passion”

TAS Mudd's Passion

The Animated Series is the continuation of  TOS , except as an animated show; it’s almost like a revival with a larger budget. When the five-year mission of Kirk’s Enterprise continued on Saturday morning, Barrett-Roddenberry reprised her role as Nurse Chapel. In TAS , Chapel takes her first step toward becoming a doctor: she is promoted to lieutenant and head nurse in the tenth episode of season one, “Mudd’s Passion.” 

Unlike  The Original Series , the animated Chapel is often given more to do than prance around bringing Spock soup. Instead, she is allowed to show off her skills as a woman of science. Under the acting command of Uhura in “The Lorelei Signal,” Chapel even has a chance to take over as acting Chief Medical Officer.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek: The Voyage Home

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry as Doctor Chapel treating Leonard Nemoy playing Spock

Courtesy of StarTrek.com

Barrett-Roddenberry once again returned for  The Motion Picture to play Doctor Chapel, although the actress described her part as a “very minimal role.” She told  STARLOG , “If no one had called me Commander Chapel, the audience wouldn’t know that I was there.” Maybe or maybe not, coincidentally, the characters in the movie don’t even seem to want Chapel there. Now holding an MD, McCoy explains to Kirk that he “need[s] a top nurse, not a doctor who will argue every little diagnosis with me” — and good thing, Chapel doesn’t listen.

RELATED: Bonnie Gordon Speaks the Protostar’s Truth on Star Trek: Prodigy

After not appearing in the second and third movies — despite her view, Nurse Chapel was the 8th member of The Original Series  main cast — Nimoy asked Barrett-Roddenberry to return for  The Voyage Home as Commander Chapel. Now that she is stationed at Starfleet HQ, Chapel is in charge of emergency room procedures. Sadly, that means she doesn’t get to go back in time, but the actress did feel like it was a better send-off.

Barrett-Roddenberry told Greenberger, “I really didn’t consider my work in the first [film] to be that great an experience.” However, she added, “I was excited to be back with her  Star Trek family for Star Trek   IV . Just working with them in costume, and all of us together was a fascinating feeling.”

Strange New Worlds (S01E01): “Strange New Worlds”

Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) in all white standing in a sci-fi doctor's office

Pictured: Jess Bush as Chapel of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ ©2022 ViacomCBS. All Rights Reserved.

With Strange New Worlds , the writing team has a chance to flesh out some of Chapel’s backstory. “She just wasn’t a very exciting character. I didn’t care for her that much,” Barrett-Roddenberry said in an interview with Star Trek Magazine , dated July 2000. “She was a namby-pamby type of woman. First, she was a doctor to start and to go out and find her fiancé, she had to take a demotion, probably in rank and pay, because there was already a doctor aboard the Enterprise. This woman’s not too smart; she doesn’t have a whole lot going for her.”

Although the series has established Chapel gave up a career in bio-research to join the Enterprise , it wasn’t until Strange New Worlds that fans even learned that she was a scientist working on the civilian exchange from Stanford Morehouse Epigenetic Project before joining Starfleet. This background proves essential during the first episode of  SNW when Trekkies see Chapel put that knowledge to work when she rewrites the genomes of several crew members for an away mission.

Bush told TrekMovie.com that she is excited for the opportunity to finally flesh out the character and peel back her layers, saying, “Chapel peels back some of her layers, I think. There’s something that forces her to kind of go somewhere that she’s not comfortable in and it results in a very big step towards growth, personal growth for her. So that was really delicious to experience as an actor.”

Who’s Who: STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Enterprise Crew
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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

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Christine Chapel

  • View history
  • 1.1 Early life and career
  • 1.2.1 Doctor Chapel
  • 1.3 Later life
  • 2.1 Connections
  • 2.2 Appearances
  • 2.3 External link

Biography [ ]

Early life and career [ ].

Christine Chapel was born in Cleveland , Ohio in the United States of America , on Earth circa 2237 . At the age of 15, she became interested in the problems surrounding her Native American ancestors. Christine thought about studying the law but gave in to her interest in medicine and biochemistry. ( ST video game : Starship Creator ; TOS comic : " Who's Who in Star Trek, Issue 1 ")

Thus she decided to study at Starfleet Academy where it offered the most varied courses and the best teachers. During that time, Christine studied the idea of specializing in the regeneration of humanoid limbs. However she became more interested in psychotherapy and working closely with traumatized patients. One of the courses that she took was taught by Phlox . ( TOS comic : " Who's Who in Star Trek, Issue 1 ", ST comic : " Flesh and Stone ")

Chapelsnw6

Chapel in 2259 .

In 2259 , Chapel was part of civilian exchange between Stanford Morehouse Epigenetic Project and Starfleet. She joined the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike .( SNW episode : " Strange New Worlds ")

In her early career, Christine worked alongside of her Medical college 's guest lecturer, Professor Roger Korby on scientific expeditions. In 2259 , she served as Korby's assistant on an expedition to Vestalan , to study the long-dead civilization of the Hualans . ( TOS - The New Voyages 2 short story : " Snake Pit! "; TOS comic : " Who's Who in Star Trek, Issue 1 ")

As Chapel and Korby worked more closely together, a romance bloomed and the two were engaged to be married. By 2261 , the two had not married, and Korby left on an expedition to the planet Exo III , with long-time friend and colleague, Dr. Aaron Brown . A few months later, with no contact from Korby's expedition, the Federation declared him missing, presumed dead. Chapel could not accept that her fiancé was dead, so she gave up her career as a researcher and signed up to work as a nurse for Starfleet . ( TOS novelization : What Are Little Girls Made Of? )

By 2264 , Lieutenant Chapel was serving as Head Nurse at the Starfleet Teaching Hospital along with Dr. Leonard McCoy . During her time, she treated Captain James T. Kirk and Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell following the Battle of Ghioghe . Following this, at the request of both Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk, Chapel signed aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) . ( TOS novel : Enterprise: The First Adventure )

Aboard the Enterprise (NCC-1701) [ ]

In 2265 , Chapel attended Lieutenant Lee Kelso 's memorial service which was held in the ship's chapel . ( TOS - My Brother's Keeper novel : Constitution )

In 2266 , the Enterprise finally visited Exo III to determine what had happened to Korby's expedition. On arrival in orbit, the Enterprise was contacted by Korby and Kirk and Chapel transported down. It was later revealed that Korby had died shortly after discovering an android called Ruk . Before his death Korby had an android duplicate of himself created. ( TOS episode & novelization : What Are Little Girls Made Of? , ( TOS - Errand of Vengeance novel : The Edge of the Sword )

Chapel was promoted to Head Nurse aboard the Enterprise in 2267 . ( ST website  : StarTrek.com )

In 2268 , Doctor McCoy informed Nurse Chapel that she had lost some weight after he was finished performing routine physicals on the crew. Chapel was delighted as she had been eating a lot of salads in an effort to do so. ( TOS - Star Trek: Section 31 novel : Cloak )

In 2270 , Chapel decided to train for her doctorate, and upon the Enterprise' s return to Earth , entered Starfleet Medical Academy to major in xenophysiology. ( TOS novel : The Lost Years )

Doctor Chapel [ ]

Chapel served as a doctor aboard the USS Yorktown under Admiral Number One .( TOS - Leonard McCoy, Frontier Doctor comic : " Hosts ")

She was then made the Enterprise' s CMO under Will Decker in 2271 after finishing her doctorate. ( ST website  : StarTrek.com )

Chapel2273

Doctor Christine Chapel in 2273

Christine Chapel served as a doctor on the medical staff of the Enterprise following its retrofit, relinquishing the CMO position to Leonard McCoy for the V'Ger mission. ( TOS movie : Star Trek: The Motion Picture ; TOS novel : Ex Machina , ST website  : StarTrek.com ) She had an awkward moment with unrequited crush Spock in one of the Enterprise's turbolifts after the V'Ger incident; he had congratulated her on her doctorate. ( ST comic : " Spock: Reflections, Issue 2 ")

After the Enterprise 's return to Earth, Chapel was assigned to Starfleet Medical on Earth. She was the doctor on call during initial tests of the transwarp engines, and was the first doctor to examine pilot Torias Dax following a shuttle disaster. However, care of the Trill was quickly turned over to a Trill doctor. DS9 - The Lives of Dax short story : " Infinity ")

In the early 2280s , Doctor Chapel would serve as an assistant to Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy when the Enterprise set out on missions as a training vessel for cadets at Starfleet Academy . Chapel and McCoy were among the small number of senior staff on that vessel on some occasions when the cadet missions went awry, including the disastrous final training cruise when the Enterprise lost many lives, including Captain Spock. After Spock's memorial services, Chapel was the first to notice aberrant behavior in Dr. McCoy, who made a public spectacle by climbing onto a table at Spock's wake. While McCoy remained disoriented and blaming his behavior on alcohol , Chapel found that there wasn't enough alcohol in McCoy's system to explain the odd behavior. While Chapel cared for the elder Doctor, she was shocked at some of his comments, which sounded like they were said in the voice of the late Spock, including a moment when McCoy snapped awake out of a deep sleep and proclaimed that "Vulcans do not love", echoing something that Spock had said to Chapel years earlier. ( TOS novelization : The Search for Spock )

Chapel eventually spoke with Sarek about speaking on behalf of Kirk and his cohorts during the Federation Council inquiry into their actions surrounding Spock's katra and the Genesis Device . ( ST website  : StarTrek.com )

In 2289 , Doctor Chapel was a member of Ambassador Sarek 's diplomatic team. ( TLE novel : Excelsior: Forged in Fire )

In 2293 , Chapel attended James T. Kirk 's memorial service in the grounds of Starfleet Academy , along with many other former Enterprise crewmembers. ( TOS - Crucible novel : The Fire and the Rose )

In 2298 , Dr. Chapel, holding the rank of Commander , served as chief medical officer on the USS Excelsior . ( TLE novel : The Sundered )

She remained on board until the ship's destruction in 2308 . ( TLE novel : One Constant Star )

Later life [ ]

She was "long gone" before the 2370s , according to Montgomery Scott . In 2376 , Scott recognized Morgan Primus as appearing similar to Chapel, but was mistaken. ( NF - Excalibur novel : Renaissance )

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], appearances [ ], external link [ ].

  • Christine Chapel article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  debuts on Thursday, May 5 on Paramount+ in the United States, Australia, Latin America, and the Nordics, as well as on CTV Sci Fi Channel in Canada. Additional international distribution has not yet been announced.

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Who is nurse chapel in ‘strange new worlds’ explained.

Chapel (Jess Bush) and M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) in a scene from 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.' They look at each other as M'Benga hands Chapel a vial with a green liquid in it. Chapel is a blonde, white woman with a chin-length, wavy bob wearing a light green cowl and a patterned, tight, green, long-sleeved shirt. M'Benga is a Black man with short, dark hair and a beard wearing a black jacket with reptile-textured accents and a black shirt.

Christine Chapel is a character who recurs across different Star Trek series and timelines, including Star Trek: The Original Series ( TOS ) where she was played by the inimitable Majel Barrett, and the Kelvinverse films where she was limited to a voice cameo from an uncredited actor. Beginning her career as a nurse and genetic research specialist Chapel ends up as both a medical doctor and high-ranking Star Fleet officer in the prime universe. But what about in Stark Trek: Strange New Worlds ( SNW) ? Which continuity does this version of Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) belong to , and how does she differ from previous versions of the character?

The Continuity

So there’s some debate about which continuity SNW ‘s belongs to, and whether or not it exists in a continuity all its own. In short, it comes down to whether or not Captain Pike having seen his future via time crystal in the Star Trek: Discovery ( DIS ) episode “Through the Valley of Shadows” created a new timeline that so far only DIS and SNW take place in.

Observation of an event is known to affect the outcome even if no action beyond observation is taken to interfere with it (think Schrodinger’s Cat, and more recent experiments with atoms), and so, according to this theory, the timeline split the moment Pike’s vision began. Then, for those unconvinced by quantum physics, there’s the fact that Pike’s decision-making is clearly influenced by what he saw, meaning that, for all that he is trying to preserve the timeline, doing so completely is impossible as his day-to-day actions are influenced by his new, burdened, emotional state.

These changes may be small, and largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things (unlike his eventual accident, which is necessary to avoid a much worse outcome for the whole galaxy), but they are changes nonetheless, the very first of which would have splintered the timeline if the vision itself did not. Assuming, of course, that Pike’s vision wasn’t always a part of the original timeline, and everything he does, as a result, is also a part of it, SNW and DIS would both still be part of the prime timeline. Time travel is complicated. All we can say for sure is that SNW isn’t set in the Kelvinverse.

The New Nurse Chapel

Jess Bush as Nurse Chapel

Christine Chapel has a complicated history with the franchise. Though she had what should have been a compelling back story in TOS —giving up a career in bio-research in the hopes of finding her missing fiance by serving on the Enterprise—she was written into the show as a means of emphasizing Spock’s Vulcan stoicism and rarely allowed to develop beyond that.

With a hefty dose of 1960s sexism at play, Chapel’s character was usually restricted to pining over Spock, complete with teary eyes, a quivering lip, and tragic, steadfast devotion in the face of his regular rejections. Majel Barrett didn’t like playing the character for this reason, and a lot of fans really didn’t like her either, finding the writing tired and sexist even then. Despite these limitations, however, Chapel definitely showed the glimmers of something more, which eventually led to her becoming a niche favorite and fans calling for her return in later movies.

A dedication to medical ethics, prioritizing them over even her duty as a Star Fleet officer and the chain of command; intense loyalty to, and ability to work with, the cranky Dr. McCoy; and a clever, empathetic grasp on patient psychology all laid the groundwork for the much more interesting character hidden under the misogyny—something SNW dives right into creating and exploring with Jess Bush’s version of Christine Chapel.

Whether or not SNW exists in a parallel continuity or is still part of the prime timeline, most of the changes made to Nurse Chapel are retcons rather than the result of an alternate continuity, as they predate even the earliest point at which the timeline may have split.

Though in TOS she first served on the Enterprise under Kirk’s Captaincy, in SNW she’s already a Star Fleet officer aboard the Enterprise long before Kirk gets anywhere near it, with a history of serving aboard several other ships as well. The implication is that Chapel entered Star Fleet through the usual route of training at the academy, with her time as part of that research group either a break-in or part of her Star Fleet career instead of the other way around. She’s also a more physically active character, in keeping with the military-style physical training and fitness requirements Star Fleet has for its members regardless of gender (something TOS didn’t quite hit the mark on, as progressive as it was for the time). Bush and the creative team chose to highlight this by switching her uniform from tunic dress to jumpsuit.

Chapel has also undergone some significant personality changes. Speaking in an interview with Den of Geek , Bush explained that these are all traits she saw in the original version of Nurse Chapel in TOS, just expanded on and developed. There’s also a little bit of reverse engineering going on in order to create a younger, less jaded version of the character to fit the show’s prequel setting. SNW Nurse Chapel is bolder, more confident and less reserved, and possessed of a wicked sense of humor she uses both to comfort her patients and as a deflection mechanism. There’s still a core of grief and sadness to her, though whether that’s also tied to a missing fiance or rooted solely in the things she experienced during the Klingon War remains to be seen. Nonetheless, it manifests differently and isn’t the sum of who she is or how she’s depicted. She gets to be a fully rounded human being here, maladaptive coping mechanisms, commitment issues, and all.

Relationship with Spock

Leonard Nimoy as Spock and Majel Barett as Nurse Chapel in TOS episode "The Naked Time". They're facing each other and she kisses his hand.

As with TOS , Chapel does develop romantic feelings for Spock, but there’s a lot less pining, and the relationship happens to be a lot more mutual. Spock spends much of the series struggling with his mixed species identity, fearing his humanity and whether or not it makes him unworthy or incapable of being a true Vulcan. Chapel helps him through that, as well as his relationship struggles with the wholly Vulcan T’Pring, leading to the two of them to develop feelings for each other that they try at various times to repress and keep under wraps. It’s a complicated relationship, and if it doesn’t end with a retcon of their TOS relationship in favor of something more intimate by the end of the show, then it does re-contextualize it into something far more interesting.

Where Roddenberry was prevented from featuring LGBT+ characters in TOS , SNW has no such restrictions and features several queer characters and an unblinking, casual acceptance from the rest of the cast. Queerness is unremarkable in SNW, while a comment from Pike in the episode “Spock Amock” makes it clear that homophobia is not just far in the past but something recognized as reprehensible by Federation society. In the same episode, Chapel is revealed as bisexual to the audience through a conversation between her and Lt. Ortegas, as they discuss a disastrous “casual” fling Chapel once had with a woman in the context of her current, allegedly equally casual, relationship with a man. There’s no coming out, shock, or surprise involved, and no suggestion that she might be confused, showcasing how ordinary queerness has become by the time of SNW while also providing queer viewers with some excellent bisexual representation.

(featured image: Paramount+)

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Watch CBS News

"Star Trek"'s Nurse Chapel Dead At 76

December 19, 2008 / 2:28 PM EST / CBS/AP

Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry who nurtured the legacy of the seminal science fiction TV series after his death, has died. She was 76.

Roddenberry died of leukemia Thursday morning at her home in Bel-Air, said Sean Rossall, a family spokesman.

At Roddenberry's side were family friends and her son, Eugene Roddenberry Jr.

Roddenberry was involved in the "Star Trek" universe for more than four decades.

She played the dark-haired Number One in the original pilot, but metamorphosed into the blond, mini-skirted Nurse Christine Chapel in the original 1966-69 show.

She had smaller roles in all five of its television successors and many of the "Star Trek" movie incarnations, although she had little actual involvement in the productions.

She frequently was the voice of the ship's computer, and about two weeks ago she completed the same role for the upcoming J.J. Abrams movie "Star Trek," Rossall said.

Roddenberry also helped keep the franchise alive by inspiring fans and attended a major "Star Trek" convention each year, Rossall said.

"I think 'Star Trek' will always be her legacy," Rossall said.

"Star Trek" and its successors often focused on political and philosophical issues of the day. Roddenberry and her husband, who died in 1991, believed in creating "thoughtful entertainment" and were proud of the show and the passionate devotion of its fans, Rossall said.

star trek nurse chapel

Born Majel Lee Hudec on Feb. 23, 1932, in Cleveland, Ohio, Roddenberry began taking acting classes as a child. She had some stage roles and then in the late 1950s and 1960s had bit parts in a few movies and small roles in TV series, including "Leave It to Beaver" and "Bonanza."

She met her husband in 1964 during a guest role for a Marine Corps drama he produced called "The Lieutenant." That same year, she was cast in the pilot for the "Star Trek" series as the no-nonsense second-in-command.

The pilot did not appeal to NBC executives and a second pilot was made, although portions of the original later showed up in a two-part episode called "The Menagerie."

The couple married in Japan in 1969 after "Star Trek" was canceled. After her husband's death, Roddenberry continued her involvement with the "Star Trek" franchise.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Levels The Playing Field Between Humans And Klingons

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Chapel

This post contains  spoilers for the season 2 premiere of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

Something that isn't too regularly talked about in the world of "Star Trek" is drug addiction. Addictive substances, it seems, aren't common in the 23rd or 24th centuries. When it comes to drinking, Starfleet officers are typically served synthehol, a form of alcohol that contains synthetic enzymes that enable the drinker to more rapidly metabolize the booze and walk away without feeling intoxicated. In one of the more infamous scenes in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) asks innocently why anyone would ever want to do drugs. The teenage character hasn't even heard of addiction. It wouldn't be until "Star Trek: Picard" in 2017 that Trekkies would see Raffi (Michelle Hurd) smoking a vape pen and then, later, taking some sort of addictive narcotic that one sprays directly into their eyeball. 

Given the level of technology in "Star Trek," it stands to reason that illegal drugs have, in fact, become more specific and powerful than they are today. Addiction may not exist in Starfleet, but there are a host of other worlds that live far away from the purview of the Federation. Raffi's eyeball drugs are likely only one of many street-level narcotics that "Star Trek" rarely sees, mainly because the bulk of "Star Trek" is confined to Starfleet vessels and space stations. 

This likely also holds true for performance-enhancing drugs. By the 2200s, surely one can take a quick hypospray to the neck and temporarily be filled with great strength, enhanced speed, and agility. Indeed, that happens in "The Broken Circle," the first episode of the second season of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." It seems Dr. M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) and Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) carry a shot of kung fu drugs in case of emergencies.

Kung fu drugs?

In "The Broken Circle," Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel have trekked to a distant planet to locate their compatriot, Lieutenant Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong). She has been looking after a young girl on a planet of both Klingon and human refugees and finds herself surrounded by suspicion and danger. In one scene, the doctor and nurse are trapped in a desperate scenario and surrounded by much stronger and more vicious Klingons. When it seems that they will not be able to give their Klingon pursuers the slip, Dr. M'Benga whips out a vial of mysterious green fluid. Both he and Nurse Chapel know what it is, although they don't bother explaining for the benefit of the show's viewers. They give themselves injections, and, for a few moments, become fast-moving kung-fu machines that handily beat their attackers.

What was that drug? And — perhaps an important question — is it standard Starfleet issue? Klingons, it's worth noting, are regularly described on "Star Trek" as being much stronger and much better fighters than any of their human opponents; it is considered foolhardy for a non-Klingon to engage in hand-to-hand combat with them. "Strange New Worlds" takes place shortly after the end of a brief but devastating war with the Klingons, so relations are not exactly rosy between the Empire and anyone who serves on board a Federation starship. This would mean that Starfleet officers would enter the world wary of Klingons and their tendency to fight.

It seems that in a post-war malaise, otherwise peaceful medical officers may require a chemical advantage, should they find themselves unexpectedly in a combat scenario. When living in uneasy times, one can kind of see why Dr. M'Benga might use a kung fu injection.

The ethics of post-war malaise

No matter how you slice it, however, this kind of "rage drug" seems like it would be massively unethical to issue to Starfleet officers. It's easy to see why. 

The actual parameters of the drug, or even its name, are not revealed in "The Broken Circle," so the audience can't know just how in control Nurse Chapel and Dr. M'Benga are of their bodies. When hopped up on violence drugs, are they still able to tell the difference between right and wrong? And should officers have access to one additional tool of violence (already in addition to their personal phasers) when Starfleet typically lives by a code of diplomacy? In post-war times, one can imagine any number of potentially violent scenarios on any number of desperate worlds, but one might also think that Starfleet wouldn't ever want to commit acts of violence and risk the peace that was just recently attained. 

Indeed, even on a battlefield, the idea of keeping soldiers high on drugs is an immoral mess that "Star Trek" has openly criticized in the past. In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Encounter at Farpoint," Q (John De Lancie) pointed out that humans once had an army (in our near future, but Trek's distant past) held in line by deliberately inflicted drug addiction. There was also an ongoing subplot on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" about how the military force called the Jem'Hadar has been genetically altered to require a drug called Ketracel White. This act — drug-enhanced military violence — is a mortal sin in the secular world of "Star Trek." 

One might hope that the drug is addressed in a future episode of "Strange New Worlds." It seems a can of worms has been opened.

star trek nurse chapel

Leonard Nimoy Always In Ethan Peck's Head Is Why Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Spock Is So Good

  • Ethan Peck carefully builds on Leonard Nimoy's iconic Spock without simply mimicking the late actor's performance.
  • In Strange New Worlds, Peck plays a younger, emotionally vulnerable version of Spock compared to Nimoy's controlled character.
  • Peck incorporates elements of Nimoy's Spock while preparing to channel the logical Spock of TOS.

As Lieutenant Spock in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Ethan Peck builds on the performance of Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek: The Original Series without simply doing an impression of the late actor. Soon after his debut on TOS , Nimoy's Spock became a fan-favorite, and the Vulcan became Star Trek 's signature iconic character. Spock is recognizable even to people who know little to nothing about Star Trek . With Nimoy's performance setting the standard for Spock, Ethan Peck was aware that he certainly had big shoes to fill.

In the Star Trek timeline, Strange New Worlds takes place before Star Trek: The Original Series, making Ethan Peck's Spock a younger version of Leonard Nimoy's character, who has not yet fully embraced the Vulcan way of life. In the first two seasons of Strange New Worlds , Spock struggles with his emotions, often appearing more human than the Spock of TOS . Nimoy's Spock had his fair share of emotional moments , too, but they were typically the result of outside forces. Nimoy brought a subtly to Spock, often implying a deep sense of feeling while still maintaining tight control of any outward expression of emotion.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 - Everything We Know

Ethan peck always has leonard nimoy's spock in his head, peck thinks about how nimoy might've delivered each of his lines..

At Toronto Comic Con, Ethan Peck joined his fellow Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast members Anson Mount and Christina Chong to discuss the show and its connections to Star Trek: The Original Series . As reported by Flickering Myth , when asked about his initial reaction to being cast as Spock, Peck said the following:

“Not [to] screw it up. Really from the beginning, I was trying to do the best Spock that I can. That sounds really obvious, but it’s going to be impossible to separate the actor from the performance, especially with this sort of role, because I have to paint by numbers in many ways. When I prepare my scenes I always have Nimoy’s voice resounding in my head and check in with how he might say it.”

As a prequel, the events of Strange New Worlds lead into the events of Star Trek: TOS , meaning Ethan Peck's Spock will presumably move closer and closer to the Spock of that series. In his romance with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Spock explored his more human side, allowing himself to laugh openly and be more expressive. However, when Chapel broke things off in the Strange New Worlds musical episode , Spock resolved to embrace logic and reason to avoid feeling the pain of his intense emotions. This decision sets up the more logical Spock of TOS , and Peck will likely keep channeling Leonard Nimoy as Spock works to suppress his human emotions.

Before Spock and Chapel began their romance, Spock was engaged to T'Pring (Gia Sandhu), who represents the logic of Vulcan culture. The very human Nurse Chapel, on the other hand, represents everything that Vulcans are not.

How Ethan Peck's Spock Differs From Zachary Quinto's Star Trek Movie Spock

Peck's spock incorporates elements of both quinto and nimoy's version of the character..

Ethan Peck's Spock, too, sometimes struggles to contain his emotions, but he is better able to reign them in and still has the support of his mother.

Leonard Nimoy and Ethan Peck are not the only two actors who have portrayed Spock, as Zachary Quinto took on the famous role for J.J. Abrams' Star Trek in 2009. The alternate Kelvin timeline brought incredible tragedy to Spock's life, as the villainous Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) destroyed the planet Vulcan, killing Spock's mother, Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder). Experiencing this level of grief made Quinto's Spock more volatile and prone to emotional outbursts. Ethan Peck's Spock, too, sometimes struggles to contain his emotions, but he is better able to reign them in and still has the support of his mother (Mia Kirshner).

Star Trek (2009) revealed that the Spock of the Kelvin timeline was involved in a romantic relationship with Lt. Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldaña), something that was not present in TOS . While the Spock and Ensign Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) of Strange New Worlds are undoubtedly friends, there are no hints of any romantic feelings between the two. Ethan Peck incorporates elements of both Quinto's Spock and Nimoy's into his performance , but ultimately, the Spock of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds must become the Spock of Star Trek: The Original Series . Leonard Nimoy's voice in Ethan Peck's head should help the actor channel this more logical version of Spock.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: The Original Series, and J.J. Abrams' Star Trek are streaming on Paramount+.

Source: FlickeringMyth.com

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Release Date May 5, 2022

Streaming Service(s) Paramount+

Franchise(s) Star Trek

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers

Leonard Nimoy Always In Ethan Peck's Head Is Why Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Spock Is So Good

Screen Rant

Is spock in love star trek: strange new worlds' nurse chapel actor responds.

Exclusive: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Jess Bush gives her thoughts on whether Spock and Nurse Christine Chapel are in love.

Warning: This Article Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 5 - "Charades" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ' Jess Bush gives her thoughts on whether Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) is in love with her character, Nurse Christine Chapel. The attraction between Spock and Chapel was apparent since Strange New Worlds began. Although they tried to remain just friends and colleagues, in large part out of respect for Spock's engagement to T'Pring (Gia Sandhu), Spock and Christine's mutual feelings surfaced repeatedly. In Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, "Charades," Spock and Chapel finally acted on their feelings and passionately kissed.

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant , Jess Bush was asked if she thinks Spock and Nurse Chapel are indeed in love considering the events of Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5 . Christine and Spock have had trouble vocalizing their complicated feelings toward each other, and Bush explained where in the course of being in love she thinks they fall. Read her quote below:

I think they're on their way there. I think that this episode, in particular, has forced both of them to be real about their feelings, and probably to clarify them a lot more for themselves as well. Not necessarily for other people, but just the threat of losing Spock or him changing has made Chapel be far more honest about how she feels. Yeah, absolutely. I think that their feelings are becoming stronger, becoming clearer, but who knows what's ahead for them?

How Spock & Chapel's Romance Affects Star Trek Canon

Star Trek: The Original Series canon establishes that Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) share a buried attraction that goes unfulfilled. As for Spock's engagement to T'Pring (Arlene Martel), that formally and bitterly ends in the TOS season 2 episode, "Amok Time." However, those events happen several years after Strange New Worlds, and the prequel is both planting seeds for those eventualities while simultaneously exploring the palpable chemistry between Jess Bush's Chapel and Ethan Peck's Spock. Strange New Worlds is also carefully breaking down the problems between Spock and T'Pring's arranged marriage.

While it's canonically inevitable that both Spock and Chapel and Spock and T'Pring's couplings won't work out in Star Trek: TOS , there are potentially plenty of episodes and seasons of Strange New Worlds for their love triangle storyline to play through in various permutations. Strange New Worlds isn't marching dead-stop toward TOS canon, and part of the fun of the prequel is how it's exploring other possibilities and deepening the characters and their relationships. As Jess Bush noted, Spock and Chapel's feelings are only getting "stronger" and "clearer" but their burgeoning romance could play out in a number of fascinating ways in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

IMAGES

  1. Ever notice that Nurse Chapel's 'medical' insignia was just a red cross

    star trek nurse chapel

  2. Here's The Research That Went Into Bringing Nurse Chapel Back In Star

    star trek nurse chapel

  3. Nurse Christine Chapel

    star trek nurse chapel

  4. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Jess Bush On Exploring Nurse Chapel

    star trek nurse chapel

  5. The Bisexuality Of Nurse Chapel: Importance In The Star Trek Universe

    star trek nurse chapel

  6. Star Trek (TOS)

    star trek nurse chapel

VIDEO

  1. Star Trek Princesses (Chapel, Kira, Hoshi, Jadzia, Elaan)

  2. Star Trek Strange New Worlds S02E09 👩‍🎤👨‍🎤🧑‍🎤 "I'm ready" -Nurse Chapel

  3. Chapel saves a middling episode Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S2X05 (Review)

  4. STAR TREK STRANGE NEW WORLDS

  5. Headstands [Bruises]

  6. Spock & Christine

COMMENTS

  1. Christine Chapel

    Christine Chapel is a fictional character who appears in all three seasons of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Original Series, as well as Star Trek: The Animated Series and the films Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.Portrayed by Majel Barrett, she was the ship's nurse on board the Starfleet starship USS Enterprise.

  2. Christine Chapel

    Christine Chapel was a female Human Starfleet officer who lived during the 23rd century. She served in the medical department, a subsection of the sciences division, aboard the USS Enterprise from the late 2250s to the 2270s, before later serving at Starfleet Headquarters during the 2280s. As a child, Chapel owned a Malamute dog named Milo, who "may or may not have" bitten a girl who once ...

  3. Majel Barrett

    Majel Barrett-Roddenberry (/ ˈ m eɪ dʒ əl /; born Majel Leigh Hudec; February 23, 1932 - December 18, 2008) was an American actress. She was best known for her roles as various characters in the Star Trek franchise: Nurse Christine Chapel (in the original Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, and two films of the franchise), Number One (also in the original series), Lwaxana ...

  4. A Short History Of Nurse Chapel In The Star Trek Universe

    Nurse Chapel is a key character in the Star Trek franchise, from her first appearance in the original series to her promotion to commander in the animated series. Learn about her medical adventures, love life, and role in the films and the new series "Strange New Worlds".

  5. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Jess Bush On Exploring Nurse Chapel

    June 16, 2022 6:00am. Jess Bush as Chapel of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Courtesy of James Dimmock/Paramount+. [Warning: This story contains spoilers for Star ...

  6. Who Plays Christine Chapel In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

    Jess Bush is the new face of Nurse Chapel on the Paramount+ show "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds", which chronicles the adventures of the Enterprise crew before Captain Kirk. She is a model and actress from Australia who has appeared in some low-profile projects before landing the role. Learn more about her background, career, and future plans.

  7. Majel Barrett

    Majel Barrett. Actress: Star Trek: First Contact. Majel Barrett (born Majel Leigh Hudec) was an American actress, known for her long association with Star Trek. She had multiple Star Trek-related roles, though she is mostly remembered for her roles as Nurse Christine Chapel in Star Trek, The Original Series (1966-1969) and as Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek, The Next Generation (1987-1994) and Deep ...

  8. Is Jess Bush's Nurse Christine Chapel Leaving Star Trek: Strange New

    Nurse Chapel is leaving the Enterprise to study under Doctor Roger Korby, but her future on the USS Enterprise is assured. Jess Bush will continue playing the character for years to come, as her placement with Korby sets up her Star Trek: The Original Series storyline.

  9. STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS

    Learn how the character of Nurse Chapel, originated by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, was re-cast and re-written in the new Star Trek series Strange New Worlds. Find out how she became the eighth member of Enterprise's crew and the love interest of Spock in the TOS era.

  10. Christine Chapel

    Doctor Christine Chapel in 2273. Christine Chapel served as a doctor on the medical staff of the Enterprise following its retrofit, relinquishing the CMO position to Leonard McCoy for the V'Ger mission. (TOS movie: Star Trek: The Motion Picture; TOS novel: Ex Machina, ST website : StarTrek.com) She had an awkward moment with unrequited crush Spock in one of the Enterprise's turbolifts after ...

  11. Nurse Christine Chapel Joins the STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW ...

    62. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds keeps the character introductions going with the second member of the show's medical staff — giving us a first look at Jess Bush as Nurse Christine Chapel. A character originated of course by Majel Barrett in the Original Series, Christine Chapel made three-dozen appearances between the classic Star Trek ...

  12. Why Nurse Chapel Wears a Different Uniform on Star Trek: Strange New

    This post contains light spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. With the possible exception of Janice Rand, Nurse Christine Chapel is the most underused character from the original Star Trek ...

  13. Who is Nurse Chapel in 'Strange New Worlds'? Explained

    Explained. Christine Chapel is a character who recurs across different Star Trek series and timelines, including Star Trek: The Original Series ( TOS) where she was played by the inimitable Majel ...

  14. Strange New Worlds Confirms A 57-Year Old Spock & Chapel Star Trek TOS

    Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 5 - "Charades" The burgeoning romance between Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds confirms the theory from Star Trek: The Original Series that the pair had a romantic past. In Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 5, "Charades," Spock and Chapel finally give in to ...

  15. Star Trek: Christine Chapel and Spock's Romance, Explained

    In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (SNW), the dynamic between Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) and Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) unfolds with a depth and complexity that distinguishes it from Spock's ...

  16. "Star Trek"'s Nurse Chapel Dead At 76

    Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry who nurtured the legacy of the seminal science fiction TV series after his death, has died. She was 76. Roddenberry ...

  17. Here's The Research That Went Into Bringing Nurse Chapel Back In Star

    Medical research. More important than research into Nurse Chapel's pop culture legacy, however, was Jess Bush's need to accurately portray a medical professional. While medicine in "Star Trek" is ...

  18. Jess Bush

    Jess Bush. Actress: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Jess Bush is an Australian actress, model, and visual artist who plays Christine Chapel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. She rose to fame at age 19 as a contestant in the talent show Australia's Next Top Model which was followed by a successful career in modeling. In 2017, she appeared in two episodes of the long-running Australian soap opera ...

  19. Strange New Worlds Finally Explains Nurse Chapel's TOS Spock Feelings

    In Star Trek: TOS, Nurse Chapel's romantic feelings for Spock were well-documented. Interestingly, given the character's role in Strange New Worlds, Dr. M'Benga (Booker Bradshaw) is the only Enterprise crew member who's sympathetic to Chapel's unrequited love for Spock. The rest of the crew treat it as a recurring joke, or even an irritation ...

  20. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2: What Are Those ...

    In "The Broken Circle," Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel have trekked to a distant planet to locate their compatriot, Lieutenant Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong). She has been looking after a young ...

  21. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Star Explains Nurse Chapel Costume Change

    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Jess Bush explains Nurse Chapel's costume change. The new series centers on Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the USS Enterprise five years before the Star Trek: The Original Series time-frame where Captain James T. Kirk would eventually helm the Federation flagship. Strange New Worlds is the sixth entry since writer-producer Alex ...

  22. Leonard Nimoy Always In Ethan Peck's Head Is Why Star Trek ...

    In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Ethan Peck channels Leonard Nimoy to play Spock but still makes the role his own. ... In his romance with Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Spock explored his ...

  23. 6 Ways Strange New Worlds Improved Nurse Chapel From Star Trek TOS

    Nurse Chapel didn't see action in Star Trek: The Original Series, which was a function of how the female characters in 1960s Star Trek didn't have fight scenes or engage in much physicality. But Strange New Worlds has tapped Christine Chapel to defend herself when necessary. When the Enterprise was boarded by space pirates from the Serene ...

  24. Is Spock In Love? Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Nurse Chapel Actor

    Star Trek: The Original Series canon establishes that Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) share a buried attraction that goes unfulfilled.As for Spock's engagement to T'Pring (Arlene Martel), that formally and bitterly ends in the TOS season 2 episode, "Amok Time." However, those events happen several years after Strange New Worlds, and the prequel is both ...