Kevin's Watch

I didn't put this in the general TV thread since Galaxy Quest is specifically about Trek.

Fizban's thread about Brent Spiner guesting on Enterprise got me thinking about this. So, why not have a Galaxy Quest television series? A show about a totally fake Trek crew?

Galaxy Quest was not only a dead-on parody of Star Trek, it was much more fun and exciting than any recent "real" Trek movie. Obviously a TV version of GQ can't afford the likes of Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman, but hey, as long as the jokes work!

The show wouldn't necessarily have to conform to what happened in the movie (it's a spoof, for pete's sake). It could even use continuity gaffes as a running joke throughout its season.

Suggested premise: the GQ crew gets blasted into remote uncharted space by some unknown force and (a la Voyager) spends the rest of the season having misadventures while trying to find their way back to Earth. Along the way, the crew encounters characters and ships that, um...oddly resemble those from Voyager, DS9, TNG, Enterprise, and TOS. Hilarity ensues.

Just a thought.

As much as I'm embarrassed to post in the SW and ST forum I'm very much inclined to agree with Matrixman on this. It would be a great show!

That would be a tremendous show, MM. I'm afraid a program of that nature might end up suffering from Policesquaditis or TheTickdementia. It would be the most entertaining show ever created but will only run for 5 episodes before it is cancelled. I don't think I can deal with that all over again. A program like that is like buying a goldfish for a companion. Your time together is all too short.

I've never seen Galaxy Quest, though I've been meaning to for years. I like all I've heard about it, and it sounds like it'd be a fantastic tv show The idea of discontinuity (Is that even a word? You know what I mean...) as a running joke is absolute genius.

I guess I need to give Galaxy Quest another chance - I didn't like it, but everybody keeps telling me how great it is. I suppose that I was just offended, b/c I am such a ST fanatic. It's kind of like my wife - I can make fun of her all I want, but no one else can. I love to rake ST over the coals (see most annoying ST moment thread) but whenever anyone tells me what a nerd I am for loving that show, I'm ready to fight.

I was blown away by Galaxy Quest. I've seen it about six or seven times now. It works as both an exciting space adventure and as a spoof of all things Trek. Brillantly written and superbly acted.

A Galaxy Quest tv series is a great idea . . . if the writers could keep up the level of the movie. Even if it went the way of Firefly and was canceled all too soon, it would at least be a few episodes we could enjoy.

A movie going buddy of mine and I saw Galaxy Quest for the first time in the theater and found it to be one long giggle. I totally loved it. Sam Rockwell's Guy had probably the best scene stealers. "Wait a minnit! Don't open that! This is an alien planet! Is there air? You don't know!" and "I changed my mind I wanna go back!" Poor guy getting casted as a "red-shirt".
And the Thermians... loved them all. Their wide-eyed look and total love of the Historical Documents.
A tv series... could work... IF the writing is as excellent as the movie. Tough act to follow. I'd be interested in seeing the pilot.

Never give up, never surrender!
Oh shut up.

Yeah, I would love it! So much better than the original Star Trek!!!

While I thought it could have been better, Galaxy Quest was enormous fun--not least because it mocked fandom but with affection. Interestingly, I came across some reports a while back of actors from shows like Trek and Buck Rogers who just howled when they saw the movie! Evidently, their most common comment was "That is my life!"

And evidently the cast and crew of Farscape saw it all on the same weekend. When the came to work on Monday, everyone kept saying things like "By Gapthar's Hammer!" and "Never give up! Never surrender!"



Back on topic. That would be great. But I do believe it would be a very difficult thing to sustain, striking just the right balance between pardody and affection. Then again, you could always simply do that kind of show in a totally zany direction, a la Red Dwarf or maybe Lexx.

Thanks for your input, Zahir. I agree it would be asking a lot from TV writers to maintain the standard set by the movie, and to do it on a weekly basis for a full season's worth of episodes--assuming it could somehow last that long. You bring up the other important point: how to strike and sustain the balance between parody and affection, which was one of the charms of Galaxy Quest? It would need talented writers who are totally committed to the show. I wouldn't mind watching a short-lived show. Like Police Squad!, I'd rather have a few brilliant episodes than none at all. Besides, I'm used to liking shows that die in the ratings.

I've seen a bit of Lexx while channel surfing, but it did nothing for me. I don't want a Lexx or Red Dwarf show: I want a Galaxy Quest show.

Galaxy Quest must be one of the most underrated movies of the past 5 years. I would want it to take the format of the Larry Sanders Show though, splitting a straight spoof with behind-the-scenes spoofing of the television industry. That way we can see the Characters in their TV personae as well as their real personalies (which was half of what made the movie so funny.)

Sounds good, Dreaming! That puts another twist to the show. Yikes, this tv series is starting to be too smart for its own good! It may never sell now...

Wow, I didn't know so many people actually liked Galaxy Quest! I was beginning to think I was the only one on the planet who enjoyed this movie. But I loved it!!
It would make a really cool tv show! All these ideas have been cool but it would be hard to keep it funny without it just being lame.

dlbpharmd wrote:I guess I need to give Galaxy Quest another chance - I didn't like it, but everybody keeps telling me how great it is. I suppose that I was just offended, b/c I am such a ST fanatic. It's kind of like my wife - I can make fun of her all I want, but no one else can. I love to rake ST over the coals (see most annoying ST moment thread) but whenever anyone tells me what a nerd I am for loving that show, I'm ready to fight.

I was of the opinion, up until last night (when I watched it again) that it was an attack on ST fans or sci-fi fans in general. However, I have since changed my opinion because I think the theme is very 'pro-fan'.