The Intense Evolution of Star Trek's Doctors: Strange New Worlds Delivers a Thrilling Twist!
Dr M'Benga, portrayed by Babs Olusanmokun, brings a thrilling new dimension to Strange New Worlds as Star Trek's formidable Fighting Doctor, showcasing the impressive skills of a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master
WARNING: This article includes SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 2, Episode 4 - "Among The Lotus Eaters"
While Gates McFadden had the opportunity to showcase her talents as Dr. Beverly Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Babs Olusanmokun's real-life skills have been excellently utilized in his portrayal of Dr. Joseph M'Benga in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. This captivating series follows the thrilling exploits of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and features Olusanmokun as the USS Enterprise's Chief Medical Officer. In the original Star Trek series, Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) openly confessed his lack of combat proficiency, establishing an unspoken understanding that Star Trek doctors were primarily healers rather than fighters. However, more recent Star Trek series have challenged this long-standing belief.
Why Dr. M'Benga Became Strange New Worlds' Fighting Doctor
In the fourth episode of season 2 of Strange New Worlds, titled "Among the Lotus Eaters," Captain Pike selects Dr. M'Benga to join him on the mission to Rigel VII not because of his healing abilities, but rather for his combat skills. Interestingly, Dr. M'Benga acknowledges the irony of being chosen for an away mission based on his fighting expertise. While Dr. M'Benga does utilize his combat knowledge during the mission, it is ultimately his healing prowess that proves vital in saving the life of Chief of Security La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong). Despite the core principle of "do no harm" that doctors uphold, serving aboard a Federation Starship exposes medical officers to a considerable amount of danger.
In the season 2 premiere of Strange New Worlds, titled "The Broken Bow," an intriguing revelation unfolds regarding Dr. M'Benga's unexpected proficiency in hand-to-hand combat. Surprisingly, he had served on the front lines alongside Nurse Chapel during the Klingon War. This fascinating detail not only provides an explanation within the show's universe but also aligns with reality. It turns out that Babs Olusanmokun, the talented actor portraying Dr. M'Benga, is not only skilled in acting but also holds a remarkable third-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In a recent interview on The 7th Rule podcast, hosted by Cirroc Lofton and Ryan T. Husk, the episode's director, Chris Fisher, mentioned his intention to showcase Olusanmokun's impressive fighting abilities. This decision aimed to highlight the exceptional combat skills of both Dr. M'Benga and Nurse Chapel.
In the first four episodes of Strange New World's season 2, glimpses of M'Benga struggling with a haunting experience from the Klingon War have added depth to his character and showcased his unwavering commitment to healing. Despite his desire to move past the past and focus on his role as a doctor, M'Benga's combat skills have proven invaluable on multiple occasions. While his expertise as a doctor saved La'an in "Among the Lotus Eaters," it was his combat prowess that proved to be crucial in "The Broken Bow."
M'Benga & Crusher Show Star Trek Doctors Can Be More
In a similar vein to how Star Trek: The Next Generation showcased Gates McFadden's tap dancing talents through her character Dr. Crusher, Strange New Worlds has incorporated Olusanmokun's real-life jiu-jitsu skills into his role. Director Chris Fisher reveals that both Olusanmokun and Jess Bush performed most of their own stunts as Dr. Benga and Nurse Chapel in "The Broken Bow," exemplifying that Star Trek medical personnel are not just limited to healing abilities. This perfect blend of healer and fighter makes M'Benga and Chapel captivating characters, as well as essential members of the Enterprise's crew.
Upon returning in season 3 of Star Trek: Picard, Dr. Beverly Crusher displayed her newly acquired combat abilities. Despite having rarely utilized her fighting skills during her time on TNG, Dr. Crusher devoted her time to various experiments in the medical lab and even showcased her tap-dancing talents to Data in the episode "Data's Day." Gates McFadden, as Beverly Crusher, exemplified the versatility of Star Trek doctors, and Babs Olusanmokun upholds this tradition by portraying the formidable doctor Joseph M'Benga in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Don't miss the streaming of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 on Paramount+ every Thursday.
