I don't think Kirk or McCoy ship Spock/Chapel. Both realize nobody is going to get Spock invested emotionally if Spock is in his right mind. McCoy teases her about her crush and Kirk is more amused by it.
I think part of that is true but I also think Kirk and especially McCoy would want Spock to explore his human side but naturally of his own accord. Aside from Amok Time, I don't think McCoy particularly eggs on Chapel or teases either one of them about the relationship. I think he'd like both of his friends to be happy, and rightly or not McCoy probably thinks for Spock that means the love of a good woman, perhaps not necessarily Chapel. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think McCoy would want them together.
I think same probably goes for Kirk. They aren't necessarily looking to hook the two of them up but probably entertaining how nice that idea would be.
Spock "interrupts" because he is uneasy and suspicious of Korby...Kirk tells Spock about Chapel staying because he is the science office and first officer. He is the one who manages personnel. Plus as science officer he might also manage medical and life sciences which Chapel is part of.
I should have clarified that question. I meant Spock interrupting at the end of the show when Chapel says, "Thank you for letting me make the decision Captain." He approaches what appears to be a semi-private conversation before they are clearly done.
I always saw this as Kirk sort of reading Spock and noticing his curiosity. That is why I read this scene as significant to Spock/Chapel because Spock is curious about what is going to happen to Nurse Chapel and evidently, it couldn't wait until a staff meeting. He walks up to Kirk and Chapel and in as she leaves he watches her. That's when Kirk says she's staying on the ship. I know with real life script writing they wouldn't do the whole waiting game finding out what happens to Chapel, but really the writers can imagine what ever they want. Chapel did not even need to be there if all Spock needed to know was personnel changes. If they just wanted to tell the audience Chapel was staying, it could have been a scene between just her and Kirk, yet the writer(s)/producers/director etc. decided to have Spock there.
I think in general that Spock knows he is too messed up emotionally to have a relationship with anyone within the context of TOS. He is too busy fighting his own demons and has the decency not to inflict himself onto another person. He cares about Chapel, has a highly developed conscience that does not want to hurt anyone, but he has committed himself to the Vulcan way, truly thinks it is the superior way... and this means more to him than anything else.. including his father's life for example.
This complex interaction between Spock and Chapel is quite interesting and I never wanted to see it resolved - or at least not yet. There is still lots that can be written about it. It is so unique that there is lots to intrigue still. It is a great psychological exhibit and examines how compassion interacts with logic.
McCoy expresses his knowledge of Chapels interest in Spock in "Operation Annihilate", "The Enterprise Incident", "Plato's Stepchildren". M'Benga also notes it in "A Private Little War".
McCoy and Kirk would love to see Spock get together with her, but they write it off as impossible.
I can't really say why the writers put Spock in the final scene except that there was nobody any more appropriate. McCoy was better, but he didn't appear in this episode.
McCoy expresses his knowledge of Chapels interest in Spock in "Operation Annihilate", "The Enterprise Incident", "Plato's Stepchildren"
I actually disagree with this but it's a discussion for later episodes.
McCoy and Kirk would love to see Spock get together with her, but they write it off as impossible. So we kind of agree then?
I can't really say why the writers put Spock in the final scene except that there was nobody any more appropriate.
My point was that TPTB didn't need to have Spock or anyone there to tell the audience Chapel was staying on the ship. I think of it as a way to sort of keep the intrigue around Spock/Chapel going. We can disagree about this but neither of us are right since it's all left up to interpretation anyway.
I'll probably put up another episode discussion post tomorrow, so get ready.
Actually I now agree that the Spock/Chapel scene at the end was probably a way of keeping up the intrigue of the Spock/Chapel dynamic going. I never thought of it until you mentioned it but they must have realized how strange it looked to have had Chapel declare love for Spock 2 weeks earlier, and then just drop it. I still think this role was not written to be Nurse Chapel, but they adapted things to get Barrett into the role. The final scene with she and Spock may have been deliberately added for the reasons you mention. Good call.
I think part of that is true but I also think Kirk and especially McCoy would want Spock to explore his human side but naturally of his own accord. Aside from Amok Time, I don't think McCoy particularly eggs on Chapel or teases either one of them about the relationship. I think he'd like both of his friends to be happy, and rightly or not McCoy probably thinks for Spock that means the love of a good woman, perhaps not necessarily Chapel. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think McCoy would want them together.
I think same probably goes for Kirk. They aren't necessarily looking to hook the two of them up but probably entertaining how nice that idea would be.
Spock "interrupts" because he is uneasy and suspicious of Korby...Kirk tells Spock about Chapel staying because he is the science office and first officer. He is the one who manages personnel. Plus as science officer he might also manage medical and life sciences which Chapel is part of.
I should have clarified that question. I meant Spock interrupting at the end of the show when Chapel says, "Thank you for letting me make the decision Captain." He approaches what appears to be a semi-private conversation before they are clearly done.
I always saw this as Kirk sort of reading Spock and noticing his curiosity. That is why I read this scene as significant to Spock/Chapel because Spock is curious about what is going to happen to Nurse Chapel and evidently, it couldn't wait until a staff meeting. He walks up to Kirk and Chapel and in as she leaves he watches her. That's when Kirk says she's staying on the ship. I know with real life script writing they wouldn't do the whole waiting game finding out what happens to Chapel, but really the writers can imagine what ever they want. Chapel did not even need to be there if all Spock needed to know was personnel changes. If they just wanted to tell the audience Chapel was staying, it could have been a scene between just her and Kirk, yet the writer(s)/producers/director etc. decided to have Spock there.
By the way, are you new to this community?
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This complex interaction between Spock and Chapel is quite interesting and I never wanted to see it resolved - or at least not yet. There is still lots that can be written about it. It is so unique that there is lots to intrigue still. It is a great psychological exhibit and examines how compassion interacts with logic.
McCoy expresses his knowledge of Chapels interest in Spock in "Operation Annihilate", "The Enterprise Incident", "Plato's Stepchildren". M'Benga also notes it in "A Private Little War".
McCoy and Kirk would love to see Spock get together with her, but they write it off as impossible.
I can't really say why the writers put Spock in the final scene except that there was nobody any more appropriate. McCoy was better, but he didn't appear in this episode.
Reply
I actually disagree with this but it's a discussion for later episodes.
McCoy and Kirk would love to see Spock get together with her, but they write it off as impossible.
So we kind of agree then?
I can't really say why the writers put Spock in the final scene except that there was nobody any more appropriate.
My point was that TPTB didn't need to have Spock or anyone there to tell the audience Chapel was staying on the ship. I think of it as a way to sort of keep the intrigue around Spock/Chapel going. We can disagree about this but neither of us are right since it's all left up to interpretation anyway.
I'll probably put up another episode discussion post tomorrow, so get ready.
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