Yeah. There is definitely several stories that could play out here, for both M’Benga and Chapel.
Continuity wise McCoy didn't join the Enterprise until after the first couple of episodes of TOS s1, Mark Piper was the CMO for those so there is definitely a thread they could pick on prior to Kirk taking command of the Enterprise.
For Chapel we know she gets engaged to Roger Korby at some point. Will be interesting to see how they move the character to line up with 'What Are Little Girls Made Of?'
A bit of whiplash from the switch in tone from the last episode but this was a masterpiece. Strange New Worlds seems to be successfully synthesizing all the Trek shows that have gone before it to create something that is classic Trek, but also something new.
I wonder if the first episode of the season would have worked better if this had been before it in the running order?
The whole ensemble got something to do, except Ortegas who slowly turns into SNW’s Travis Mayweather: that one cast member that is just there physically but doesn’t get anything to do.
I get the feeling the writers don't really know what to do with Ortegas beyond that she "flies the ship".
TNG: 'Q Who'
DS9: 'In The Pale Moonlight'
Voyager: 'Scorpion'
Enterprise: 'Carbon Creek'
Discovery: 'Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad' or 'Die Trying'
(I also have a soft spot for parts of Picard season 1)