Why were the other characters so hostile to Christine Chapel?
- Thread starter Christine
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Could you cite some examples of this, please? None are coming to mind for me.
That's what Gene said. In one of the ST videos I had - can't remember exactly what it was called, but it had interviews and clips from a lot of sources, including the Trek bit from the Wonder Years - he said that female viewers of the time reacted to Number One with scorn, saying "Who does she think SHE is?" (that is the exact phrase he used)
But if "The Cage" was never even shown to any women at the time, obviously what he said couldn't be true. (Unless he meant female reaction to Number One's appearance in "The Menagerie.") Whatever.
The Naked Time: "release him!" Great moment for De.
That's what Gene said. In one of the ST videos I had - can't remember exactly what it was called, but it had interviews and clips from a lot of sources, including the Trek bit from the Wonder Years - he said that female viewers of the time reacted to Number One with scorn, saying "Who does she think SHE is?" (that is the exact phrase he used)
But if "The Cage" was never even shown to any women at the time, obviously what he said couldn't be true. (Unless he meant female reaction to Number One's appearance in "The Menagerie.") Whatever.
Rule #1: Roddenberry lies.
I don't believe any character really made fun of Nurse Chapel, except maybe just a slight bit in "Amok Time" by Dr McCoy over the carrying the tray of soup to Mr Spock's quarters. But that's about all I can recall happening.
Chapel was the the ONLY one that could give spock a woody when she wanted to. I guess the others felt threatened by that. Just a guess.
I can say honestly that the female characters were not treated with very much respect in TOS. Many times something a female character says is not acknowledged with a reply or even a glance from a character the woman has spoken to.
But keep in mind the time period this was shot in. Female characters and females in general didn't get much respect to begin with. Should Star Trek been trailblazing in this instance? Yes. Was it? Who knows? Who knows how much censorship NBC really had on the series. Keep in mind Barrett had to be removed as No. 1 in the piolet because the network disapproved, so there was a network bias on how women were to be portrayed.
As far as Maj's acting ability, have any of you who criticize her, ever met her? That woman is nothing like Lxwana Troi, as a matter of fact, she is quite the opposite. The fact that she can create a character so annoying and pull it off so well is a testiment to her abilities.
As for her being the producer's mistress, you call make is sound pretty dirty, when in fact it wasn't. I have never seen a woman so in love with a man. She really, almost helplessly, loved that man. She loved his so much that if he was thrown in jail for murder I think she would've waited for him to come out.
Had she not met him, she probably would have gone on to be a great comic actress. But as many of us know when you fall in love, you sacrifice for that relationship, and I think in her case, she sacrificed her career.
But keep in mind the time period this was shot in. Female characters and females in general didn't get much respect to begin with. Should Star Trek been trailblazing in this instance? Yes. Was it? Who knows? Who knows how much censorship NBC really had on the series. Keep in mind Barrett had to be removed as No. 1 in the piolet because the network disapproved, so there was a network bias on how women were to be portrayed.
As far as Maj's acting ability, have any of you who criticize her, ever met her? That woman is nothing like Lxwana Troi, as a matter of fact, she is quite the opposite. The fact that she can create a character so annoying and pull it off so well is a testiment to her abilities.
As for her being the producer's mistress, you call make is sound pretty dirty, when in fact it wasn't. I have never seen a woman so in love with a man. She really, almost helplessly, loved that man. She loved his so much that if he was thrown in jail for murder I think she would've waited for him to come out.
Had she not met him, she probably would have gone on to be a great comic actress. But as many of us know when you fall in love, you sacrifice for that relationship, and I think in her case, she sacrificed her career.
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Well, once you factor Roddenberry's wife and Nichelle Nichols into the mix, it's not quite the Hallmark moment one might wish it were.
Yep, twice. First time as a dinner guest at the Roddenberry Mansion, December 1991. Second time at an Australian convention, and she remembered me.
Disagree! I fully expected Majel to be like more like Dr Chapel in ST:TMP, but she was all Mrs Troi. No insult intended. I saw her cheering on her favourite team in a televised Superbowl final (semi-final?) during dinner, in her own house, and she was hilarious!
Feisty, formidable, intelligent, humorous, interested. And I reckon living with her energy and passion would get "annoying" at times.
The first that Majel heard about the part of Lwaxana Troi was when Gene came home to tell her that he'd written the perfect part for her, and that she wouldn't even have to act.
Growing up in a house where infidelity was practiced regularly by my Dad, I have no tolerance for it in any form regardless of the situation. People are delusional when they think that infidelity only affects the two adults involved in the situation.
If you need to go wandering then end the relationship you're unhappy in. It's the only fair thing to do for everyone involved.
Personally, I don't really care what people are doing in their private vs. their public lives. Having said that, Roddenberry had an ongoing affair with his secretary, and any other willing female he could find, his entire during all this time too. She even wrote a book about it. Looking to GR as a moral compass will leave you misdirected.
Anyway, I think Majel got all of her employment on Trek because she was doing the boss. Her talent is not exemplary. Had she not been sexing up the boss, I think she would have never had a career.
As far as Chapel being treated poorly, I don't don't really agreee. I remember McCoy snapping at her to get the old portible cortical stimulator (or whatever it was called), but that was in the heat of the moment when he was trying to save a man's life. He didn't have time to for niceties at that particular moment.
I thought she had some nice moments in What Are Little Girls Made Of and, Naked Time and Amok Time.
Anyway, I think Majel got all of her employment on Trek because she was doing the boss. Her talent is not exemplary. Had she not been sexing up the boss, I think she would have never had a career.
As far as Chapel being treated poorly, I don't don't really agreee. I remember McCoy snapping at her to get the old portible cortical stimulator (or whatever it was called), but that was in the heat of the moment when he was trying to save a man's life. He didn't have time to for niceties at that particular moment.
I thought she had some nice moments in What Are Little Girls Made Of and, Naked Time and Amok Time.
A.V.I.A.F.
Captain
Yes, that's one! There are others, although sometimes he is snapping his fingers at others. I need time to think about this and maybe re-watch some episodes. In Wolf in the Fold he snaps his fingers at Jaris who offers a refreshment to Scotty. Like I said, there are others and I will come up with them. I just hate finger-snappers.
To get this conversation somewhat back on track if I may? A Roddenberry bashing is not a plesant thing for outsiders to see.
The crew were never blatantly "hostile" to Nurse Chapel. End of story. Nuff said.
The crew were never blatantly "hostile" to Nurse Chapel. End of story. Nuff said.
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