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Since its original airing in 1966, Star Trek with spin-off series and movies has become part of (Western) pop culture. Highly recognizabile, Star Trek has been parodied, spoofed and referenced in television series, movies, comic books and other contexts. The references range from overt parody to use of recognized elements such as the vulcan salute or Klingons to more subtle references like use of sound effects or dialogue from the shows.
A few television series with very many Star Trek references have articles of their own. These are Futurama, South Park and The Simpsons.
- If you would like to contribute to this page, please see the discussion page where there is a list of unconfirmed Star Trek references.
Apart from sometimes giving away plot details, the descriptions may also spoil the fun of discovering the references for oneself.
Spacecraft
The space shuttle Enterprise was originally to be named the Constitution. However, after a write-in campaign, the name was changed to Enterprise. It was to be the second space shuttle orbiter, but due to the cost of construction was never refitted for space travel.
VSS Enterprise
Virgin Galactic's first suborbital space tourism vehicle, based on the Scaled Composites SpaceShipOne design, will be called the VSS Enterprise. William Shatner plans to be one of the initial paying passengers.
Movies
In a scene where William Miller rescues Penny Lane, he says "I'm about to boldly go where... many men have gone before."
This film parodies many other films by design. William Shatner guest stars as Murdock, and many Star Trek references ensue, including a scene where Murdock peers through a periscope, and sees the Enterprise fly by.
The chicken Mac, a scottish engineer, is made in the image of Scotty.
As the wooden bird goes down the runway:
- Fowler: We need more power!
- Mac: I canna work miracles cap'n, we're giving her all she's got!
Shortly thereafter, Mrs. Tweedy grabs the light chord hanging from the bird, adding weight to the aircraft as she follows it up into the air.
- Fowler: Great scott, what was that?!
- Mac: A cling-on capt'n! The engines can't take it!
Kathryn, trying to persuade Sebastian to seduce Cecile, says "She's quite cute, you know. Young, supple breasts. A tight, firm ass. Uncharted pootie. Be her Captain Picard, Valmont. Boldly go where no man has gone before."
The entire movie is a parody of/tribute to the Star Trek franchise and its fans.
About half way through the movie Sid, Manfred, Diego and the baby walk past a UFO frozen in ice. The baby looks back to the UFO and does the classic vulcan salute.
Neal and Mr. Cody are discussing the frontier.
- Neal: What about space, the final frontier?
- Mr. Cody: Ah, Star Trek isn't space, that's television. Fine fucking frontier that is.
In the opening credits of the film:
- "Revenge is a dish best served cold" – Old Klingon Proverb
This is a reference to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, where Khan claims the quotation to be a Klingon proverb. However, the source of this proverb is not Klingon, see Quotations on revenge for its history.
Look Who's Talking Now
Kirstie Alley's character takes a job as one of Santa Claus's elves in a local mall. When asked by a girl if she is supposed to be an elf, she sarcastically responds, "No, I'm a Vulcan." Alley's first movie role was as the Vulcan Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
The movie opens with a simulation sequence spoofing the beginning of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. A mechanic called Fungus speaks in frantic technobabble and operates a fiendish machine with three sliding controls, similar to those on a transporter console. Later, the main characters walk across a vast ice landscape, similar to a scene on Rura Penthe in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
The scene where Satan yells "That's it! I have had enough of you!" at Saddam Hussein and throws him into the burning depths of hell spoofs a very similar scene from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
- Kirk and Spock's fight in Amok Time is spoofed when Chip and Steven engage in a battle to the death at Medieval Times. Chip comments that "It's like when Spock had to fight Kirk on Star Trek. Best friends forced to do battle." and then goes on to sing the ST:TOS fight theme (which is also the music being played) while they fight with lirpas – the traditional vulcan weapon that was used in Amok Time.
- Jean-Luc Picard is on a list of cable installers fired during the last four years.
- Many of the things Buzz Lightyear says throughout the movie are reminiscent of Star Trek jargon. For example he records a mission log: "Buzz Lightyear mission log, stardate 4072. My ship has run off course en route to sector 12."
- When Woody and Buzz fight at the gas station, Buzz says "You are a sad, strange, little man. You have my pity", quickly gives the vulcan salute and adds "Farewell!"
As Buzz Lightyear says farewell to the newer model Buzz he gives the vulcan salute.
The name of villain, Mugatu, is taken from the monster Mugato in the ST:TOS episode "A Private Little War".
Television series
This show was famous for spoofing anything pop culture and anything nerdy. References to Star Trek showed up regularly, including space opera sketches and Shatner and Nimoy giving obnoxious dramatic readings, to a very abusive reception.
Woody Boyd's middle name is Tiberius, as was Captain Kirk's.
Dead Girl Walking
Seeing her family after her death, George says, "It was like an alternate universe where I didn't exist. There were no goatees or gold lamé sashes, just a hole where I used to be." This is a reference to the mirror Spock and uniforms in Mirror, Mirror.
The Competition
The doors at the Nirvana company are very similar in appearance and sound to the doors on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Testing
- Dilbert has a model of the USS Enterprise in his cubicle.
- A ship which looks like the USS Enterprise but with a coffin as the saucer section and Gene Roddenberry's name on it flies past a window of the space shuttle. This is a reference to the fact that Gene Roddenberry's ashes were put into orbit around Earth after his death.
The Takeover
In an attempt to manipulate the stock market, Dogbert publishes a magazine called "Dogbert's Business Minute" with the headline "CEO caught in jungle voodoo orgy with cast of Deep Space Nine" and a shocking picture of the incident. Among others, there is a Vulcan in the picture, which is strange since there are no Vulcans among the main characters in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Little People
Alice, Dilbert and Wally are crawling through the air conditioning duct when Dilbert asks if they are in the Jefferies tube.
The Gift
Dilbert is woken up by a Seven of Nine alarm clock with the voice of Jeri Ryan:
- Alarm clock: Get out of bed. Resistance is futile. Wake up and assimilate the day. (twice)
- Dilbert: I wonder if I could ever date a woman like Jeri Ryan.
- Alarm clock: That too is futile.
- Dilbert: Okay, that's enough out of you. (reaches for the clock)
- Alarm clock: Do not touch me.
- Dilbert: Then how do I turn you off?
- Alarm clock: Believe me, I am plenty turned off right now.
Where No Duckman Has Gone Before
The whole episode parodies the orginal Star Trek series and movies.
Just A Touch
In a counseling group, there is a mental patient who speaks only Klingon. The Klingon spoken does not appear to be actual Klingon.
In a very early episode a patient at the admissions desk is heard giving his doctor's name as "Leonard McCoy".
I Never Met the Dead Man
- Peter is watching Star Trek (or a parody thereof) on TV.
- William Shatner shows up at the Griffin family's house. At one point he says "Beam me up, God!" The parody of Shatner's acting is rather extreme (and equally amusing).
Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater
Stewie orders two servants to fight to the death in a scene that parodies Kirk and Spock's fight in Amok Time. One of the servants shirts are ripped and the ST:TOS fight theme is played.
If I'm Dyin' I'm Lyin'
Peter pretends that his son is dying in order to get a cancelled TV-show back on the air. When successful, he notes that he has two more kids and has always wanted to see new episodes of Star Trek.
When You Wish Upon a Weinstein
William Shatner is in the play Fiddler on the Roof. After a short monologue he shouts "KHAAAN!" at the top of his lungs, a reference to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Mr. Griffin Goes to Washington
Peter destroys a company suck-up by asking trick questions to lead it into a contradiction. This is probably a reference to the episode The Return of the Archons or I, Mudd, where Kirk destroys a computer and a robot respectively by asking them trick questions.
The Kiss Seen Around the World
For his school presentation, Neil shows "a fight scene from Star Trek, season 1, episode 18" (Arena) where Kirk fights Gorn to demonstrate that "because of his rough and tumble style of command, Captain Kirk is clearly superior to Jean-Luc Picard." Mr. Berler (the teacher) comments: "Thank you Neil for that incredibly irrelevant presentation. We all know Captain Picard is the superior officer."
Emission Impossible
The on-board computer on Stewies ship uses some Trek-like jargon and has the voice of Majel Barrett, who provided the voice for the computers on many federation starships.
A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas
Stewie appears as the baby Jesus and makes reference to Jeffrey Hunter, who played Captain Christopher Pike on the original Star Trek pilot The Cage. He notes that since William Shatner replaced him, "Apparently Mr. Hunter was good enough to die for our sins, but not quite up to the task of seducing green women".
Star Mitzvah
Frasier makes a deal with the Star Trek fan Noel: Frasier will get Scott Bakula's autograph at a Star Trek convention (Noel cannot attend himself because William Shatner has a restraining order against him) and Noel will translate a speech for Frasier's son's Bar Mitzvah into Hebrew. Frasier fails to live up to his side of the agreement, so Noel gets even by translating the speech into Klingon (Frasier can't tell the difference). Frasier delivers the speech in Klingon (the Klingon spoken is real) to a stunned audience. A friend of Frasier's son recognizes that the language is Klingon, and later translates the speech into English. To make it up to Noel, Frasier gives him the wig Joan Collins wore in the Star Trek episode "City on the Edge of Forever".
Ode to Leonard Nimoy
This is a segment of the episode Foamy the Freakadog / Office Visit / Ode to Leonard Nimoy / Emergency Broadcast System in which Fanboy recites a poem explaining how he desires the autograph of Leonard Nimoy. It begins:
- Leonard Nimoy, Leonard Nimoy.
- Dear Mr. Spock, oh golly gee boy.
- It sure would make me smile and laugh,
- If I could have your autograph.
Taking the Plunge
In a segment of this episode, Kimmy runs to Reno to get married. As the scene opens, we see the minister with another couple in a humorous Star Trek themed wedding:
- Minister: And as you promise to kling onto each other for the rest of your life, I now pronounce you Captain and Vulcan.
- DJ: Kimmy, all I am saying is just think about what you\u2019re doing.
- Kimmy: I am thinking. And I think the Star Trek wedding looks nice.
- Minister: Live long. And pay the cashier on your way out.
Main article: References to Star Trek in Futurama.
Watching TV
The gang are sitting on the sofa watching The City on the Edge of Forever. Numerous Star Trek jokes follow, including 'Star Trek Doors'.
The Last Day
Kryten is threatened by a new android model which is scheduled to terminate and replace him. Lister and Cat offer to help Kryten, much to his surprise.
- Kryten: You would gamble your safety for a mere android? Is this the human value you call... friendship?
- Lister: Don't give me the Star Trek crap, it's too early in the mornin'!
Only the Good...
The title of this episode (the final episode of Red Dwarf) is a play on "All Good Things...", the title of the final episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The UFO Convention
Jonathan Frakes (playing himself) visits the UFO Center and he makes a reference to 'Shatner and Stewart'. Later he has a mold of his handprint made outside and there is an additional reference to 'Nimoy'.
Secrets and Lies
A mysterious murder brings Max to Hollywood. In order to gain access to the Paramount lot he gets an audition for a guest part (Korgan of the Bantoo) on Star Trek: Enterprise. In the audition scene Jonathan Frakes (as himself) appears as the director of the episode and John Billingsley (also as himself) reads the lines of Dr. Phlox.
Jonathan Frakes has actually never directed an episode of Enterprise, and the dialogue in the audition (written by Roswell writers) has never appeared on Enterprise.
Jonathan Frakes is the executive producer of Roswell.
The Foundation
In the beginning of the episode, George and Jerry talk about Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. George's old fiance Susan has died, and Jerry tells her parents that "her death takes shadow in place of new life", inspired from watching Star Trek II. Susans parents start a foundation in her memory and put George in the board of directors. George is furious with Jerry for giving them the inspiration and shouts "KHAAAAAAAN!" at the top of his lungs in the same way that Captain Kirk does in Star Trek II. Later in the episode, Kramer talks to Elaine about Katra (the Vulcan spirit) and how he thinks Star Trek III was better than II.
The character of Dr Grace Kwan in this New Zealand soap opera was a major Star Trek fan and even had a cardboard cut out of Spock in her apartment. In September 1996, Grace was feeling depressed, so her friends threw her a Star Trek theme party and dressed up as characters and aliens from the series. The theme party coincided with the 30th anniversary of Star Trek's first airing, so one can assume that the producers decided to have this storyline as a nod to the milestone, although no actual mention of the anniversary was made on the show.
Main article: References to Star Trek in South Park.
Bye Bye Love
Michael asks what Nikki and Dan have planned for their date and learns that they are going to catch the new Star Trek movie. This episode first aired 1997-01-07, so the movie in question is Star Trek: First Contact which premiered 1996-11-22 in the US.
Children of the Gods
After arriving on Abydos one of the soldiers says "Greetings from Earth, Dr. Jackson" to Daniel while giving him a vulcan salute.
1969
After SG-1 arrives in 1969, O'Neill is interrogated by the commanding officer of Cheyenne Mountain. When asked who he is, O'Neill tells him he is James T. Kirk.
Prometheus
While discussing what to name the X-303 projects lead ship, Carter says to O'Neill "No, sir, you can't call it the Enterprise".
The Defiant One
Dr. McKay: "Who are you Captain Kirk?" (to Major Sheppard when he makes a possessive remark about his puddlejumper)
5:15
When Brooke asks Kelso if he has read the Dr. Spock book she gave him, he replies "No, I kind of lost interest when I realized it wasn't about Star Trek."
Fear Itself
The Teen Titans fight Control Freak at a video rental store where he rampages on account of Warp Trek V (which allegedly 'reunited the entire original cast of the classic TV show') not being on the favorite rentals list. Control Freak calls the girl in the store a Tribble and several sound effects from Star Trek: The Original Series are used.
Precipitate
Johnny Smith asks a clerk in a book store to wrap up ten copies of a book for him to pick up later. When the manager asks what book it was, the clerk holds up the novel version of Star Trek: Insurrection. The manager exclaims "Finally! I thought we'd never move those." This is probably an inside joke as Michael Piller – the executive producer of The Dead Zone – was the story and screenplay writer on Insurrection.
Pigs in Space
Miss Piggy, and some other cast members including Captain Link Hogthrob and Dr. Julius Strangepork travel through the galaxy in the starship Swinetrek. Enjoyed a brief comeback as Pigs in Space: Deep Dish Nine! The Next Generation of Pigs...in Space.
"Tune in next week for another adventure of PIIIIIIGS IN SPAAAAAACE!"
Episode Three
David Brent recalls a previous quiz night, where he had to go home and get a book to prove that Spock was half-vulcan and not a full vulcan.
Main article: References to Star Trek in The Simpsons.
Arctic Radar
Janice Trumbull, a temp at the white house is a Star Trek fan and wears a communicator badge in the office. When asked to remove the badge she causes something of a fuss. In one scene Josh Lyman sits down and discusses the matter with her:
- Josh: I'm a fan. I'm a sports fan, I'm a music fan and I'm a Star Trek fan, all of them. But here's what I don't do – tell me if any of this sounds familiar. Let's list our ten favorite episodes. Let's list our least favorite episodes. Let's list our favorite galaxies. Let's make a chart to see how often our favorite galaxies appear in our favorite episodes. What Romulan would you most like to see coupled with a Cardassian, and why. Let's spend a weekend talking about Romulans falling in love with Cardassians, and then – let's do it again. That's not being a fan. That's having a fetish. And I don't have a problem with that, except you can't bring your hobbies into work. OK?
- Janice: Got it.
- Josh: Except on Star Trek holidays.
- Janice: There's no such thing as a Star Trek holiday.
- Josh: Well work hard around here – we'll make one.
4-D
Reyes offers the theory that Doggett is a doppelganger of the original Doggett, to which he replies "Too much Star Trek."
As with the Animaniacs, space sketches referring to Star Trek were inevitable for Tiny Toons, who especially seemed fond of Tricorders and Spock.
My Best Friend's Tush
Grace meets a famous designer in a restaurant. Not knowing how to act or what to say, she blurts out "Oh my God, I'm like one of those losers when they meet William Shatner at a trekkie convention."
Field of Queens
Will and Jack decide to join a gay football team and are at the first training when the team captain approaches them:
- Captain: Are you the new guys?
- Jack: Yeah, Hi! I'm Jack, that's Will.
- Captain: I'm Kirk, the captain.
- Will: Oh, so you're... Captain Kirk? (laughs)
- Captain: Right.
- Will: Who do we play first, the Romulans or the Klingons? (parodying Shatner's speech and body language)
- The captain stares blankly at Will and then goes on to speak to the team.
Music
99 Red Balloons
The English translation of the 1984 international hit by Nena, 99 Luftballons, compares fighter pilots to Captain Kirk.
Banditos
The Refreshments' 1996 single Banditos describes how the singer and another person will attempt a daring bank robbery. To escape from the law he proposes they enter Mexico using an I.D. card stating he is "Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets" as the border guard "won't speak English anyway".
Ch-Check It Out
The Beastie Boys' 2004 video for their song Ch-Check It Out features, among other things, members of the band wearing TOS uniforms while transporting, fighting, using phasers, and playing basketball. The song's lyrics also reference trekkies and klingons. The video has lengthy credits at the end, which include a number of people who are not actually present in the video, starting with several TOS cast members.
S.P.O.C.K.
Much of the music of the Swedish synthpop band S.P.O.C.K. is about Star Trek. One of their albums is namned "Five Year Mission" and among their songs are "Never trust a klingon", "Dr McCoy" and "Neutral zone". On album covers and in live performances they often wear costumes from Star Trek: The Original Series.
Star Trekkin'
A 1987 UK number one hit single for The Firm. The song and accompanying claymation video are parodies of the original series, each verse supposedly performed by a different character, all of whom are introduced by name.
Novels
Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said
Philip K. Dick's novel Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said portrays a dystopian Earth, where a "Second Civil War" has placed the United States under a police state regime—a far cry from the optimistic future Star Trek portrays. With bleak irony, the characters describe swashbuckling science fiction films as "captain kirks".
Comic books
In issue #115 of Mad Magazine published in December of 1967 there was a strip by the name of Star Blecch, which is a parody of Star Trek. A colorized version of the strip (http://www.startrekanimated.com/mad_main.html) is now available online.
Computer games
In level 3 ("Warp Factor") of episode 2 ("Lunar Apocalypse"), there's a hidden room which looks like the bridge of starship Enterprise. If Duke passes the door where he needs the yellow access card, then moves up the moving hallway, after that turns right and opens a semi-hidden door at the wall (the door is brighter than the surrounding wall) and shoots the button he then sees in the small room, he has to quickly turn around and run around a corner to find a that a pillar has been lowered. Behind the pillar he finds an elevator which leads to the room.
The top-down map of this same stage resembles the USS Enterprise a lot...
Web
Google has translated their search service to the klingon language: Google tlhIngan Hol (http://www.google.com/intl/xx-klingon/).
See also
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