Star Trek parodies and pop culture references (television)
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.
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The following are Star Trek parodies and pop culture references that have aired on television.
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[edit] Attack of the Show!
The February 9, 2006 live episode of G4's Attack of the Show! aired a pre-recorded skit making a parody of Star Trek's mirror universe. Kevin Pereira left his office cubicle and walked towards the studio, passing along the way various people doing their jobs, one putting up a poster for a blood drive, and two others shredding papers. Pereira entered the empty soundstage and, looking for something to do, walked through the mysterious door on the back of the set and entered into a bending and wavering corridor, at the opposite end of which one can see an identical door. Kevin went through to the other end into a seemingly identical soundstage and headed back out to the hall where the same employees were toiling away. Only, now they were sporting goatees and carrying out various acts of violence, one employee shredding another's arm in the paper shredder, and another hammering a bloodied animal onto the wall.
The skit cut to what was presumably that day's later live broadcast. Sarah, Wil, and Brendan were all on the couch answering chat questions. Sarah asks Kevin's answer to a chatter's question regarding the PS3 vs. XBox 360. Wil hands him a mace upon which he goes to torture the chatter in a segment dubbed "Fresh Blood," in contrast to the normal show's "Fresh Ink." That bit references the fact that they are really tired of receiving that question, as they have mentioned in many shows. Kevin begins to torture the man exclaiming, "This evil world rules!"
Later in the real show, a chatter asked Kevin if he found the bearded Sarah sexy. He said yes, claiming that the entire alternate dimension was hotter, trying to make a joke from the fact that he has a goatee in real life. Another chatter asked if Kevin got away with anything in the alternate universe. Kevin claimed he was able to double-dip at the craft service table. (This was even more humorous, as no G4 shows had any form of craft services, only a break room with various forms of free canned sodas.)
Another episode features the USS AOTS (Nebula-class, no registry number) being attacked by a B'Rel-class Bird-of-Prey. Kevin, Olivia, and two unnamed engineering personnel try to fend off the attack, eventually leading up to the Bird-of-Prey's captain (Wil in Klingon makeup) making demands for a graphic with obscene narration. Despite Kevin apparently being the captain of the USS AOTS, Olivia accepts the demands because she has motion sickness.
Despite the exterior shots depicting a ship whose class was not commissioned until 2357, the uniforms are those from 2265.
[edit] Babylon 5
When an Earthgov assigned political officer attempts to seduce Commander Sherridan, Ivanova quips: "Congratulations, Commander, I believe you are about to go where... everyone... has gone before..."
[edit] Battlestar Galactica (remake)
A Constitution-class starship is briefly visible in one shot of the "rag tag fleet" in an early episode of Ronald D. Moore's version of the show.
In the episode "The Ties That Bind", Colonel Tigh, Chief Tyrol and Tory Foster meet in weapons locker "1701-D", a reference to Ronald D. Moore's work on The Next Generation.
- See: Battlestar Galactica at Wikipedia
[edit] Beavis and Butt-head
In the 1995 episode "Dream On", of the television show Beavis and Butt-head, the main characters, Beavis and Butt-head, have a dream where they portray the roles of William T. Riker and Jean-Luc Picard, respectively. One line recalled from the episode, spoken by Butt-head was, "Number One, I order you to take a number two." Pavel Chekov inexplicably is running conn. "Butt-Head Picard" also orders Counselor Troi to undress.
Another episode has the duo watching an episode of Trek and Beavis attempting to do the Vulcan salute.
- See: Beavis and Butt-head at Wikipedia
[edit] Boston Legal
Boston Legal is a legal comedy-drama currently airing on ABC. The series stars William Shatner in his Emmy-winning role as egotistical and sometimes senile attorney Denny Crane. Also starring in the series is Rene Auberjonois of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fame.
Given Shatner's and Auberjonois's association with Star Trek, several Trek-related in-jokes have crept into the series. In addition, many actors (most having played aliens) who have guest-starred on Star Trek have popped up in guest roles. Trek regulars who have made appearances are Ethan Phillips, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Forbes, Scott Bakula and Armin Shimerman; two actors who make numerous appearances (both as judges) are Ron Canada and Henry Gibson, while Joanna Cassidy had a recurring role as Shatner's love interest. John Larroquette joined the Boston Legal cast in Season 4.
[edit] "Finding Nimmo"
In this episode, Denny takes his friend and fellow attorney, Alan Shore (played by James Spader), to Nimmo Bay in Canada to get over a recent break-up. While staying the night in a cabin, Alan reads a book on sea lice and explains to Denny that the lice are called "cling-ons." Denny replies to this by asking "Did you say "Klingons?"
[edit] "The Cancer Man Can"
Denny receives a new cell phone as a gift from his new girlfriend (played by Star Trek: Enterprise guest actress Joanna Cassidy). When Denny flips the phone open, it makes the chirping sound of an original series communicator.
[edit] "Trial of the Century"
In keeping with the show's penchant for breaking the fourth wall, William Shatner's character Denny Crane, tells a flock of reporters that he "once captained a starship."
- See: Boston Legal at Wikipedia
[edit] Boy Meets World
In a first season episode, Cory Matthews thinks that his teacher, Mr. Feeny, believes fellow classmate Stuart Minkus to be "the next Captain Kirkicard" (mistaking Søren Kierkegaard for both James Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard.) In a second season episode, when Cory is given an assignment to do a biography on a person, he claims his "more interesting" subject will be "Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise." When his teacher, Mr. Turner, protests, he claims that "Captain Kirk is a fictional character. The guy is sixty-three years old and wears a tribble on his head."
[edit] Buck Rogers
Several names from Star Trek, most notably Captain Christopher Pike, can be heard in "background dialog" (PA announcements, etc) in several first season episodes.
[edit] Buffy the Vampire Slayer
In the season one episode "Prophecy Girl", Xander proclaims "I'm sorry, calm may work for Locutus of the Borg here, but I'm freaked out and I intend to stay that way."
In a season five episode, Xander also quotes James T. Kirk in saying "Kill us both, Spock." in a situation where he, like Kirk in "The Enemy Within", had been split into two beings.
- For a list of other Star Trek references in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, see here
[edit] Carol Burnett Show (1991 revival)
In one episode skit, the Enterprise passes through the "Estrogena Nebula" and all the crew have their genders reversed. Kirk is played by Burnett, Spock by Andrea Martin.
[edit] Comic Relief
In the sixth special, a special segment was produced on the bridge and observation lounge sets from Star Trek: The Next Generation during the seventh season and guest starred Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, and Marina Sirtis as Commander Riker, Data, Dr. Crusher, Worf, Geordi La Forge, and Counselor Troi, respectively. In the segment, Data and La Forge beam back to the Enterprise after discovering some artifacts from 20th century Earth on a planet. The artifacts turn out to be a VHS cassette of a Comic Relief special and some articles of clothing ("TEE-shirts" and "SWEAT-shirts" as Data describes them). La Forge downloads the VHS tape into the Enterprise computer, revealing a still photograph of Comic Relief hosts Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg; however, Data and the rest of the crew mistakenly refer to her as "Who-pie." While Worf ponders "what kind of name is 'Who-pie'?", Dr. Crusher notices that "Who-pie" looks an awful lot like Guinan. When she ponders if "Who-pie" and Guinan are one in the same, the entire crew replies with "Nahhhh." As Data explains what the shirts were for (they were given out to donors to the Comic Relief pledgers), La Forge laments that the 50/50 cotton/polyester blend that comprised the shirts didn't interact well with the transporter, causing them to singe.
[edit] CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
In an episode originally aired on February 15, 2007 and entitled "Monster in the Box," it is revealed that Lab Technician David Hodges has a cat named Kobayashi Maru, in reference to the famed scenario. He calls the cat "Mr. K" or "Kobe."
Later, in an episode aired on May 1, 2008 and entitled "Theory of Everything," the team begins finding bodies that have green blood. While it is found that the victims had extremely high levels of sulfur in their systems which caused the green blood, Hodges and DNA tech Wendy Simms argue over the fact of Vulcan blood. While Hodges believes it is sulfur that makes Vulcan blood green, Wendy corrects him, saying it is actually copper and revealing herself to be a Star Trek fan.
[edit] CSI: Miami
In an episode originally aired on January 30, 2006 and entitled "Fade Out," a seemingly mob related murder occurs. Investigation by Horatio and the team leads them to a pair of film students who are writing a screenplay which describes the crime exactly as it occurred. Those students hence become suspects. In a scene during which the two are working on their script, they discuss a character who has the line "Today is a good day to die," a reference to the timeless Klingon saying. One of the boys then suggested that that character be black, referring to Worf, played by Michael Dorn. Delko later mentions how the two have used every cliché in the book.
In the Halloween 2007 episode, the investigators confront a suspect at a Halloween party in Klingon makeup who talks to them IN Klingon. One of the investigators translates and when his associates look at him funny indicates he learned it years ago.
[edit] Diagnosis: Murder
On the television show Diagnosis: Murder, there have been at least two major parodies/major references to Star Trek. The first was in the episode "Alienated", in which case one of the main characters, "Jesse Travis", believes he was abducted by aliens. He is then pursued by a local top-secret government agency official (played by George Takei) he is sure he is on to something. When he goes to a support group for people who have had encounters (led by a character played by Majel Barrett, also featuring a character played by Grace Lee Whitney), he meets another fanatical, who is sure the government is after the two of them (played by Walter Koenig) Also featured in the episode is Wil Wheaton, who plays the character of "Gary Barton," and Bill Mumy as "Parker Craddick."
In the 1996 episode "Murder by the Book", after Jeri Ryan had joined the cast of Star Trek: Voyager, she played murder suspect Melissa Barnes. At the end of the episode, she is present at the marriage of a main character over the radio waves, to the characters husband in the navy serving aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), which to get over static, the characters all scream loudly "ENTERPRISE!".
[edit] Dilbert
In the season one episode The Takeover, the cast of Deep Space Nine were implicated in a scandal that led to the death of the CEO of Dilbert's company.
In the second season premiere, The Gift, in November 1999, Jeri Ryan provided the voice of Dilbert's Seven of Nine alarm clock, which told him, "Get out of bed. Resistance is futile. Wake up and assimilate the day."
[edit] ESPN's Around the Horn
- In one episode of Around the Horn, Los Angeles Times writer J.A. Adande gave the Vulcan salute during his opening statement, for which the other panelists on the show ridiculed him.
- Panelist Woody Paige once had written on his blackboard "How do I set my laser printer to stun?"
[edit] Eureka
In the episode "Dr. Nobel" sheriff Carter is undergoing an experiment with an experimental device made to connect brains, and asks: "Is this some kind of Vulcan mind meld?" In the same episode an other device is described as: "A puzzle, wrapped inside an enigma, encased in three centimeters of titanium.", a nod to the comparison of a Vulcan brain.
[edit] The Fairly Oddparents
The Fairly Oddparents is an Nicktoon created by Butch Hartman. This series often parodied the Star Trek.
[edit] "Boy Toys"
The Anti-Girl Fortress room is similar to the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Phasers are mentioned. The doors open with a same sound of the doors on the USS Enterprise-B in Star Trek Generations.
[edit] "Totally Spaced Out"
The transporters are used in this episode.
[edit] "So Totally Spaced Out"
The doors on Yugopotamia hiss open with the same sound of the doors on the USS Enterprise-D, USS Voyager and the USS Enterprise-E in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis.
[edit] Family Guy
Family Guy is an animated show run on the Fox network, created by Seth MacFarlane. Because MacFarlane is a huge fan of Star Trek, this series often parodied the series.
[edit] "I Never Met the Dead Man"
- "Captain's Log, Stardate 8169.7. The Enterprise has just discovered a strange new planet in the Gamma Faloppia star system. Mr. Sulu, ahead warp 9."
In "I Never Met the Dead Man (originally aired April 11, 1999), the character of Peter Griffin was watching Star Trek: The Original Series, which featured an overly excited James T. Kirk, whose exaggerated mannerisms ended with his pants ripping to reveal "Captain's Log" written on his underwear. When Peter's daughter, Meg, asked him to teach her how to drive, Peter told his daughter that he loved her, but he also loved Star Trek – "and in all fairness, Star Trek came first." The family pet, a highly-intelligent, talking dog named Brian, then suggested that Peter may not be the best person to teach Meg how to drive, to which Peter proclaims that he would be the perfect teacher as he doesn't miss anything. He then makes the new observation, "Holy crap! Uhura's black?"
Later, Peter watches another Star Trek episode. Lampooning the redshirts, Kirk forms a landing party:
- Kirk: "All right, men. This is a dangerous mission. And it's likely one of us will be killed. The landing party will consist of myself, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy, and Ensign Ricky."
- Ricky: "Ah, crap."
At the end of the episode, Meg, who still has trouble driving, accidentally runs over the actor William Shatner, with whom Peter had become friends; Shatner's last words, just before dying, are "Beam me up... God!" A crowd forms around the body, and out of the crowd Ensign Ricky proclaims, "I did not see that coming."
- Note: The Trek parodies in this episode were re-created – almost word-for-word – from an earlier pilot film of MacFarlane's called The Life of Larry, although Ensign Ricky is called "Ensign Skippy", and his response to being added to the landing party is slightly more profane. A low-grade copy of this promo can be seen here.
[edit] "Emission Impossible"
In "Emission Impossible," originally aired November 8, 2001, Majel Barrett supplies the computer voice of Stewie Griffin's Fantastic Voyage-esque craft. (For the record, this episode also featured the voice of Wallace Shawn.)
[edit] "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein"
"When You Wish Upon a Weinstein, an episode of Family Guy originally unaired on the Fox network due to its perceived controversial content, had William Shatner (voice of Seth McFarlane) acting in the play "Fiddler on the Roof". He was using Kirk's mannerisms, which were again exaggerated. After delivering a hasty line of dialog, he pauses and screams out "Khan!", just as Kirk did in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The scream is then heard a second time, outside the theater.
[edit] "Peter's Got Woods"
Yet another episode, "Peter's Got Woods (originally aired September 11, 2005), guest-starred Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes and Patrick Stewart reprising their roles as Worf, William T. Riker and Jean-Luc Picard, respectively. In their scene Picard leans over to Riker and asks him if he would join in a laugh if Picard said that Worf's forehead looks like a fanny. Riker responds that he will, so Picard says it very loudly, eliciting a laugh from the entire bridge crew (even Data, who shouldn't be laughing). Worf gets angry and tells Picard to "suck his ridges" and the scene ends. If this had actually happened it would have had to take place between 2365 and 2366 because it shows Wesley Crusher, in his gray uniform he only wore those two years, as a part of the bridge crew. Worf was referred to as "commander", however he would have been a lieutenant at the time. The conn and operations consoles were reversed in position (unless Wesley was manning ops for some reason). Also, the rank insignia were on the incorrect side of the uniforms.there is also no color in the commbages.
A cut scene from this episode had Patrick Stewart and Marina Sirtis voicing their characters of Picard and Deanna Troi, respectively. Picard asks Troi if she senses anything form an anomalous entity outside the ship. Troi begins to sense some very racy things, apparently from Picard, as he reacts by trying to change the subject by asking Data about his quest to become more Human and La Forge how they are doing on "gas". He eventually flees to his ready room. The errors are the same as mentioned above.
[edit] "Stewie Loves Lois"
After Peter sues his doctor after believing he was molested by him (when he was, in fact, giving him a prostate exam), no other doctor will see Peter. With no one else to turn to, Peter consults Dr. McCoy for a prostate exam. The episode also features Sulu engaging in various homosexual activities, a reference to George Takei's coming out of the closet.
[edit] "Road to Rupert"
In this episode, Brian accidentally sells Stewie's teddy bear, Rupert, at a yard sale. Stewie fears that Rupert may have died and fears having to attend the bear's funeral. The scene then cuts to a parody of Spock's funeral service at the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, with Stewie in the place of Kirk, Brian in place of Scotty, and Rupert in place of Spock's photon torpedo casket. Also present are caricatures of McCoy, Uhura, Chekov, Saavik, and David Marcus. Stewie proclaims that "Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... Human" (mirroring Kirk's eulogy). As Rupert is placed into the photon torpedo launcher, Brian begins playing "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes. The next shot has the Enterprise launching Rupert into space and into the orbit of the Genesis Planet as the sun rises over the planet, just like in Star Trek II.
For the record, this episode also features the voice of Connor Trinneer as a man who, to his own misfortune, has sex with Sharon Stone.
[edit] "Airport '07"
In this episode, Peter causes Quagmire to lose his job as a commercial airline pilot and helps his friend find a new job. Quagmire goes through a series of job – including a stint on the Starship USS Enterprise. Quagmire was apparently let go from this job after walking up to Kirk and asking the captain to "introduce" him to the "black chick" seated at the back of the bridge – referring to Uhura.
[edit] "Stewie Kills Lois"
At the end of the episode, Lois' arrival in the courthouse, a 'to be continued...' and credits ending sequence similar to TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds" occurs.
- See: Family Guy at Wikipedia
- See also: Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story!
[edit] Family Matters
In the fifth season episode entitled "Money Out the Window", a loan shark who is owed money by Eddie and Steve introduces himself as "Bones." Steve asks him "as in the doctor on Star Trek?" to which Bones replies, "No. Bones, as in 'I break them.'"
[edit] Farscape
Farscape contains numerous references to Star Trek. The show's lead character, John Crichton, is a self-acknowledged sci-fi fan. As the sole Human on the crew, none of his crewmates ever get the references.
[edit] "PK Tech Girl"
Having spotted an enemy ship, Crichton says, "Shouldn't we be doing warp a thousand by now?"
[edit] "Till the Blood Runs Clear"
A guest character's name is Rorf, which Crichton mishears as Worf.
[edit] "Family Ties"
Crichton compares his relationship with his crewmate D'Argo to that between Kirk and Spock.
[edit] "Crackers Don't Matter"
Another character exclaims "Revenge is a dish best served cold", to which Crichton responds, "I hate it when villains quote Shakespeare."
[edit] "A Clockwork Nebari"
Dealing with an alien race called the Nebari, Crichton asks them, "Isn't that your Nebari Prime Directive?"
[edit] "Green Eyed Monster"
A star is referred to as Mintaka III.
[edit] "Losing Time"
Crichton nick-names a DRD (diagnostic repair drone) "DRD Pike," because he communicates with it using "one blink for yes, two for no."
[edit] "Meltdown"
When a villain appears suddenly, Crichton asks him if he beamed in.
[edit] "Revenging Angel"
This episode was a mix of animation and live action, in which a cartoon Crichton finds himself plastered to the front of the deflector dish of the USS Enterprise as it flies through space, at which point a Scotty-like voice notes that they've hit something. Later, Crichton compares himself to James T. Kirk, to which another character responds, "That was a television show, John. And he did Priceline commercials!"
[edit] "Crichton Kicks"
Crichton makes unintelligible noises to confuse aliens, claiming it is in Klingon.
[edit] "I Shrink, Therefore I Am"
Crichton refers to his crewmate D'Argo (who has recently been made captain of their ship) as "Captain James T D'Argo."
[edit] "A Prefect Murder"
Crichton does Scotty impressions.
[edit] "Unrealized Reality"
Crichton exclaims "I am not Kirk, Spock, Luke, Buck, Flash or Arthur frelling Dent."
[edit] "A Constellation of Doubt"
Crichton's nephew refers to his uncle as "the first and only Human to boldly go where no man has gone before."
[edit] "We're So Screwed, Part 2"
Crichton flashes the Vulcan hand signal.
[edit] "The Peacekeeper Wars"
Crichton promises, "The next Ferengi we see, we run. No questions later."
[edit] Frasier
Frasier contains several jokes and references to Star Trek. Star Kelsey Grammer, who plays Dr. Frasier Crane, had appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Captain Morgan Bateson in TNG: "Cause and Effect" (Grammer is admittedly a Star Trek fan). Frequent guest star Bebe Neuwirth, who played Dr. Lilith Sternin, also guest-starred on The Next Generation as Lanel in TNG: "First Contact". The Frasier sets on the Paramount lot were also located beside the sets from The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and the first three seasons of Star Trek: Enterprise.
[edit] "Frasier Crane's Day Off"
After Frasier overdoses on medication to combat his flu, in his delirium, he goes down to the KACL radio station and locks himself inside the broadcast booth to continue hosting his show. His producer, Roz Doyle, calls security to come and fetch him, claiming "Captain Kirk's got control of the bridge and he's gone insane!"
[edit] "The Last Time I Saw Maris"
KACL's resident Star Trek fanatic Noel Shempsky (played by Star Trek: Voyager guest actor Patrick Kerr), who keeps an autographed photo of Captain Kirk in his cubicle, seeks Frasier's support on a petition to the producers of Star Trek suggesting a new character: "the all powerful space vixen Rozalinda, four-breasted queen of the planet Rozniak." Frasier signs the petition, much to the chagrin of Roz.
[edit] "Roz, A Loan"
At the end of the fifth season, Frasier inadvertently got all of his colleagues fired as the owner dropped the talk format and went to Salsa. Noel Shempsky remained at the station as he spoke fluent Spanish. On his return, Frasier asks how he's doing and Noel replies that he's still working on his English-Klingon dictionary. Frasier then asks how do you say "goodbye" in Klingonese (Krish-Krush) which Noel doesn't initially pick up the subtle hint. Frasier upsets Roz and in order to make amends, he changes his pompous, ego-centric return speech into one extolling Roz's virtues. Noel discovers the switch and begins reading from it to which Frasier angrily yells "Krish-Krush, Krish-Krush, Krish-Krush."
[edit] "Star Mitzvah"
Frasier seeks Noel's help to learn Hebrew to speak at his son Frederick's bar mitzvah. Noel agrees, only if Frasier can obtain for him Scott Bakula's autograph at a nearby Star Trek convention (one he cannot attend personally due to William Shatner's presence and Shatner's restraining order against him). Frasier is unable to fulfill Noel's request, only obtaining him one of Joan Collins' wigs from TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever". Out of revenge, Noel instructs Frasier in the Klingon language, which he claims is Hebrew. Frasier delivers his speech at Frederick's bar mitzvah in Klingon, much to everyone's embarrassment. A friend translates the speech from Klingon to English for Frasier's son, noting it's much more beautiful "in the Original Klingon." This is a parody of Chancellor Gorkon's line "You have never experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon," from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
[edit] "Lilith Needs a Favor"
While Lilith travels on an airplane to visit Frasier in Seattle, she sits next to a man (played by Brent Spiner) whom she describes as "white as a sheet." The man replies "actually, I'm always this pale," a reference to Data's pale android complexion.
[edit] "The Show Must Go Off"
Frasier finds one of his childhood heroes, Jackson Hedley, at a sci-fi convention. Hadley, a former Shakespearean actor, has been making a living on the convention circuit ever since he was cast in the television show Space Patrol. Frasier and Niles decide to produce a show, and cast Hadley, hoping that he will be able to restart his career. They soon discover that Hadley is a talentless ham, only they couldn't see it when they were children.
[edit] "Star Trek 30th Anniversary Special"
Although not an episode of Frasier, most of the Frasier main cast participated in a sketch during the UPN special where they were "recreating their audition" for Voyager, although the actors (David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney; complete with easy chair and beer can, Jane Leeves, Peri Gilpin, and Moose the dog) were playing their Frasier characters. The sketch had Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) trying to command Voyager with these "wacky crewmembers." However, trouble begins when an alien message cannot be received after First Officer Niles engages a venality filter which keeps Voyager from being bothered by any messages that are "overly insipid or jejune." When Captain Janeway orders him to disengage it, he laments that he can't even "get my phaser to stop flashing twelve o'clock." Lieutenant Daphne suggests using her alien telepathic powers to communicate with the alien ship, but Janeway claims that she's not from another planet, she's just from England. When she uses her psychic abilities, she finds a strong sense of the aliens expressing a desire to breed with the Voyager crew, but quickly realizes that she's actually sensing Niles. A Klingon enters the bridge from the turbolift with Eddie, Martin's dog, and complains he was found on the Klingon homeworld digging up azalea bushes after the Klingons just finished landscaping. Martin offers him a strip of latinum which appeases the Klingon, but claims if Eddie does it again, the Klingons will destroy the Federation, to which Janeway claims "that sounds reasonable." Ultimately, the crew's bickering annoys Janeway to the point that she activates Voyager's auto destruct sequence and destroys the ship. Kelsey Grammer was to have played the role of the ship's captain, but had to bow out after he was admitted to rehabilitation. [1]
[edit] Friends
Friends contains a few references to Star Trek by Chandler Bing and Ross Geller, who are referenced as being nerds throughout the series.
[edit] "The One With the Sonogram at the End"
Ross shows the gang the sonogram of his child, and the group makes jokes while trying to decipher the image. Joey asks, "What are we supposed to be seeing here?" to which Chandler replies, "I don't know, but I think it's about to attack the Enterprise."
[edit] Full House
In the eighth season episode entitled "Leap of Faith", D.J. and Stephanie attempt to convince Michelle that she suffers from "Schmedrick's Disease" which causes baldness, which they believe to have plagued Captain Picard.
[edit] Futurama
Futurama is an animated show that ran on the Fox network from 1999 to 2003, created by Matt Groening, which parodied the gamut of the science fiction genre but held a special affection for Star Trek. Star Trek sound effects were often used in the show.
Aside from the regular Star Trek actors who appeared as themselves, who appeared below, two other Star Trek guest performers provided voices on Futurama, Sarah Silverman and Bumper Robinson.
[edit] "Space Pilot 3000"
The opening spoofs the opening sequence from the original series, and Leonard Nimoy later makes an appearance, played by himself.
[edit] "Love's Labors Lost in Space"
At the Hip Joint, Fry meets a woman from the 21st century who asks if he remembers "when those cyborgs enslaved humanity?" This is a reference to ST:FC, when the Borg attempt to assimilate Earth.
[edit] "Anthology of Interest I"
This episode features the voice talents of Nichelle Nichols appearing as herself in a 2260s-era Starfleet uniform.
[edit] "Roswell That Ends Well"
The end of the episode, when Bender loses his head in the past only to have it recovered in the next scene 1,000 years later, is a parody of the same thing happening to Data in TNG: "Time's Arrow". Both may also be a reference to Marvin, the Paranoid Android, who suffers a similar fate in Douglas Adams' novel The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Also note the table top in the diner: it has a federation insignia that you can see when Fry flips it up, nearly castrating Enos. It is also notable that this episode provides an alternate explanation for the Roswell incident similar to DS9: "Little Green Men", and that the method of time travel is visually similar to that in Star Trek: First Contact.
[edit] "That's Lobstertainment!"
During the Emmy Awards, one of the categories awarded included the "Best Product Placement." Of the three placement nominations, the first was entitled "Star Trek: The Pepsi Generation," showing a still image of Spock holding a can of Pepsi.
[edit] "Three Hundred Big Boys"
In the episode, Crewman Kif (the Vulcan-esque aide to Captain Zapp Brannigan, who is an obvious Shatner-esque clone) is imprisoned on Commander Riker's Island (which was apparently a pun on the actual prison named Riker's Island).
[edit] "Where No Fan Has Gone Before"
While some could argue that all of Futurama is a parody of Star Trek, this is epitomized in the episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before", a title which parodies "Where No Man Has Gone Before".
The episode featured the voice talents of all of the original cast, with the exceptions of DeForest Kelley, who had passed away, and James Doohan, who refused to be a part of the show. DeForest Kelley was portrayed as a character in the episode, but did not speak. Doohan did not appear, as he had been replaced by "Welshie" for the Star Trek Musical, since Doohan could not yodel (this was simultaneously a gag based on the "fake Jan" who replaced an unwilling Eve Plumb in The Brady Bunch Variety Hour in 1977). The antagonist of the story was Melllvar, a cloud creature that was animated using a similar effect as the Companion (see photo). The episode also featured a brief voice appearance by Jonathan Frakes.
In the DVD audio commentary the writer for this episode notes his pride in having included a large number of references to the original series, particularly those items which he claims "the people on the internet" had not found on their own. In particular he noted that in "Shatner's Log", a play on the legendary captain's log, the line "The impossible has happened" is the same line given in the opening log in the episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before".
- After the regular Futurama introduction, the Planet Express Ship is shown flying across a backdrop of stars; this is similar to the opening sequence seen at the beginning of each original Star Trek episode. The music being played during this sequence are also similar to the music used for the Original Series opening. This classic Trek star backdrop is used throughout the episode.
- Zapp Brannigan says, "Bring in the accused," a line taken from the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
- Fry enters the courtroom in a robotic wheelchair that emits beeps for communication identical to the one used by Christopher Pike from TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I" and "The Menagerie, Part II".
- The Planet Express crew is charged with visiting the forbidden planet Omega III, for which the penalty is "twelve concurrent death sentences." Similarly, Talos IV, the planet to which Spock took Christopher Pike in the two-part episode "The Menagerie", is a forbidden planet in the Star Trek universe, punishable by death under Starfleet General Order #7.
- According to the video Nichelle Nichols plays, Star Trek evolved into a religion in the 23rd century; this may be a reference to the fact that the events of Star Trek: The Original Series occurred in the 23rd century.
- A sign in front of the Church of Star Trek: "Ceiling of the Christine Chapel Closed for Renovation", refers to Dr. McCoy's assistant, played by Majel Barrett in addition to being a reference to the Sistine Chapel.
- The Star Trek "priest" orates: "And Scotty beamed them to the Klingon ship, where they would be no tribble at all", referring to the events of "The Trouble with Tribbles". The crowd chants, "All power to the engines!"
- The crowd is dressed in the traditional uniforms of Star Trek: The Original Series.
- Two people in this crowd have the appearance of the black-and-white aliens from "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield".
- The Church's influence caused Germany to be briefly renamed "Nazi Planet Episode Land" (referring to the episode "Patterns of Force"). In reality, because of laws limiting Nazi imagery, that episode is rarely seen in Germany.
- "He's dead, Jim!", one of Leonard McCoy's famous lines, is repeated during a scene when Trekkie virgins are thrown into a volcano.
- This death is described as "the manner most befitting virgins." This may be a reference to the episode "Arena", in which the Metrons tell Kirk that he will settle the conflict between the Enterprise and the Gorn "in the way most suited to your limited mentalities."
- One of the Trekkies being executed is wearing a shirt that reads, "Beam Me Up, Scotty. There's no intelligent life here."
- All the tapes of Star Trek are fired out of a ship on a torpedo, and land on the forbidden planet Omega III, just as Spock's body was ejected onto the Genesis Planet at the end of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Similarly, the Genesis planet became a "galactic controversy" and a forbidden planet by the time of the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
- Fry talks to Leonard Nimoy, asking him if he remembered the episode where he "got high on spores and smacked Kirk around" (TOS: "This Side of Paradise").
- When Nimoy's head leaves the shelf, Jonathan Frakes' head moves forward to exclaim, "Yes! Front row!" Frakes played William Riker, first officer in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
- Nimoy to Shatner: "Bill, you are, and always shall be... my friend," a reference to one of Spock's lines to Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
- The landscape of Omega III features the mountainous Vasquez Rocks, where the episodes "Shore Leave", "Friday's Child", and most notably "Arena" were filmed, are shown on several occasions throughout the episode.
- Various sets from the series can be seen on Omega III, including (in order of appearance): "Spectre of the Gun" (incomplete Wild West buildings), "Who Mourns for Adonais?" (Greek ruins), "Bread and Circuses" (TV backdrop of the Colosseum), "The Gamesters of Triskelion" (the three disembodied brains of the Providers), "The Ultimate Computer" (the M5 computer), and "The City on the Edge of Forever" (The Guardian of Forever).
- The Star Trek actors' ship was pulled down to the planet surface, where they were given youthful bodies bodies and everything was provided for them. This is similar to what happened to Zefram Cochrane in "Metamorphosis".
- Fry asks Walter Koenig to repeat something with his Russian accent, and then to say "nuclear wessels," a line from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
- Melllvar, the entity on Omega III, resembles the Companion from "Metamorphosis" and the vampire cloud from "Obsession" in appearance and various other energy beings from The Original Series in its powers.
- Melllvar speaks lines reminiscent of the "God" that resided behind the Great Barrier from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier such as "It is I" and "You doubt me?" (paraphrased as "You doubt my power?").
- The entity zaps Scotty's replacement (named Welshy), who happens to be wearing a red shirt. This is a play on Apollo zapping Scotty in the episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?". It is also similar to events of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier in which "God" zaps those who doubt his power. It also shows the recurring theme of redshirt security guards being killed off.
- Melllvar gives Leonard Nimoy his body back by enveloping him, much in the same way that The Companion rejuvenated Zefram Cochrane in "