Amok Time: Nurse Chapel in Spock's Quarters
- Thread starter Kei Fox
- Start date
I think that was a stylus for one of those clipboard thingies
That is sensible, but that is AFTER she informs him that they will arrive at Vulcan soon. Spock then understood that he did not have to mate with her, knowing that they would arrive in time for him to mate with T'Pring. Also, he was trying to apologise for initially throwing the first bowl of plomeek soup at her in the episode opening. It was logical that he at least do that much, considering how she was only trying to be hospitable and he repaid her kindness very rudely, even if he couldn't help it.
He was already in a very stressed-out mood, and when pon farr hits a Vulcan for the first time, he was not going to take a "No" from Kirk for an answer, plus he was obviously annoyed at Kirk's inquiry about his behaviour. It was only later when Kirk assured him that their conversation would be "totally confidential" that Spock explained everything. But yes, Spock holding a stylus like a weapon to do serious injury to his captain was very suspenseful in the moment.
When I first saw the episode I thought Spock might attack Kirk with the stylus but over the years of re-watching the episode (and him never coming close to stabbing Kirk) I've come to the conclusion naturally that Spock never endangered Kirk. I wonder what the original intention was with the stylus. I thought I read somewhere it was Nimoy's idea to show that Spock's hands were shaking but I'm not sure.
I always took it that Spock was in terrible distress and was using the object to physically focus his emotions onto it so he could look unemotional on the outside.
I never thought it a weapon or a threat to Kirk.
That would have ended the episode and the drama.
I like the scene (and potential relationship) a lot but I interpreted the line differently, that Spock was, though tempted and now sympathetic, still turning her down, still saying that they were too different that a relationship wouldn't work and should be avoided.
Funnily (is that even a word?), they are exploring this exact same paradigm in The Orville, but with the roles reversed. The male involved keeps showing up for work with bruises, broken bones, black eyes, etc... he's barely surviving. And the whole thing is being played off as a joke. I wonder how funny it would be if the sexes were reversed?
And looking back at the whole Nurse Chapel/Spock thing now, knowing what I know (about that show, its producers, and Hollywood in general), it just all has so much more of an 'icky' vibe.
Bottom line: Rodenberry's wife was attracted to Nimoy, and was making scenes with them together get written, and he indulged her, because he was boffing Uhura/Nichols. That is what THAT was really about. Hollywood being Hollywood. Just gross. Poor Nimoy - he was just a victim.
I have a feeling the Lwaxana Troi character wasn't much of a stretch for her.
JOOC, what's the source or citation for that?
Just for the record, although Roddenberry and Majel Barrett began sharing an apartment during the first weeks of Star Trek, at the time Gene was still married to his first wife, Eileen-Anita Rexroat. They didn't legally divorce until 1969, at which time G.R. and Majel were married in a Shinto ceremony in Japan.
And I really don't see the necessity for the "spoiler" tags.
I suppose you're not much of a Deep Space Nine fan, are you? Because that's what they did with the Jadzia Dax/Worf relationship. There were a couple of instances where her suffering from some injury was attributed to the sex she was having with Worf, and they definitely played it for laughs. Not that I ever found it particularly funny, mind you.
QUITE TRUEAre we sure that Nurse Chapel could have even withstood a roll in the red hay with Mr.Spock?
JB
I kind of got the idea Jadzia was giving as good as getting.
A TV series called Alien Nation got there first. They were always riffing on humans getting bruised up from sleeping with the newcomers.
Dax knew all about Klingons particularly from its time as Curzon Dax. Jadzia knew what she was getting into marrying Worf. It had long been established before that in Star Trek that Klingon sex was rough. It was not meant to be seen as Jadzia suffering physical abuse. It was more like going out to play football in the front yard and coming back in an hour later all bruised and sore but having loved every minute of it. Jadzia loved it.
I think Chapel may have "pretended" to misunderstand so she didn't have to get into an explicit conversation. In TOS she didn't strike me as, well, easy. SNW Chapel seems to be a bit different. Perhaps she matured along the way. I do love the scene as well.
Funnily (is that even a word?), they are exploring this exact same paradigm in The Orville, but with the roles reversed. The male involved keeps showing up for work with bruises, broken bones, black eyes, etc... he's barely surviving. And the whole thing is being played off as a joke. I wonder how funny it would be if the sexes were reversed?
And looking back at the whole Nurse Chapel/Spock thing now, knowing what I know (about that show, its producers, and Hollywood in general), it just all has so much more of an 'icky' vibe.
Bottom line: Rodenberry's wife was attracted to Nimoy, and was making scenes with them together get written, and he indulged her, because he was boffing Uhura/Nichols. That is what THAT was really about. Hollywood being Hollywood. Just gross. Poor Nimoy - he was just a victim.
I have a feeling the Lwaxana Troi character wasn't much of a stretch for her.
It was Rodddenberry that was having simultaneous relationships with women on the cast;, Not Nimoy to my knowledge. Majel was only ONE of them. Nichols was one as well. Why does Majel get all this jazz about this but Nichols is practically worshipped? Lwaxana Troi is a histrionic character. She displays all the signs. It is due to the trauma with her dead daughter. I really get tired of the nasty comments about Majel alone. Nobody makes nasty comments about the godlike Gene Roddenberry and his adventures. No. Only ONE WOMAN gets castigated.
Nah. Spock was desperate to live. He wouldn't turn her down. She turned HIM down. This wasn't about a "relationship" of any duration either. I think Spock just would have preferred a WOMAN who cared for him.
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