Dawn Procek
Steve Pecchia-Bekkum
Introduction to Film Studies - 1023
August 08, 2015
What has Galaxy Quest done for Star Trek?
Galaxy Quest’s main goal is to pay homage to the Star Trek series, but in doing so it also breathes new life into the original series. The characters, plot, sci-fi gadgets, and even the way the movie carries itself between seriousness and humor are representations of what the original show had to offer. That’s not to say that the original Star Trek is lacking; in fact, the aspects that Galaxy Quest brings to life only makes it easier to appreciate the source material.
Star Trek tends to follow stereotypical character types that Galaxy Quest wastes no time in highlighting. The commander of Star Trek Enterprise, Captain Kirk, is dashingly handsome with looks akin to a Ken doll and is adored by most women (and some men). The same is true of the actor that portrays the commander of Galaxy Quest, Jason Nesmith, but the difference in Galaxy Quest is the commander definitely loves being loved; he is an attention seeking, egotistical male. Captain Kirk is very intelligent and passionate, whereas Jason is very reckless in that he makes decisions without premeditation.
Contrary to what one might expect, Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols (Nyota Uhura), one of the first African women to have a role in American television that was not stereotypical, was subject to very little sexualization that was common to female actors of the time (IMDb). Her character is often seen wearing nylons and very short dresses that show off her legs, but that could be a reflection of the fashion of the time of filming rather than a show of sexualization, as she is one of the few female characters in the sixties who has an important role (communications officer) and knows how to fulfill it. This is the point where a dramatic deviation is seen between Star Trek and Galaxy Quest. Nichols’ character is parodied by Galaxy Quest’s Sigourney Weaver, whose in-universe television show role consisted largely of flaunting her cleavage through a poorly designed suit while pointlessly repeating all communications to and from the ship’s computer. Outside of the in-universe television show, her character is portrayed as a polar opposite, despising the sexualization. When they discover that the ship is real, she fulfills her designated role only to keep from being entirely useless. In both universes, (Galaxy Quest and Star Trek) the ship’s crew has few notable alien members. In Star Trek, it is the logic-bound Spock, a Vulcan/Human hybrid played by Leonard Nimoy. In Galaxy Quest, Doctor Lazarus is a Mak’Tar played by Alan Rickman. The similarities of the two are few and far between, because Rickman’s character is also a parody of the nineties era Star Trek’s Worf. Besides both characters being members of alien species, they are similar in that they have quotable (if not cheesy) catchphrases. Spock’s catchphrase is “live long and prosper,” while Doctor Lazarus’ catchphrase is “By Grabthar’s hammer, by the suns of Warven, you shall be avenged.” The pilots of the respective stories’ ships have somewhat minor roles, and are not a focus in either Galaxy Quest or Star Trek. The most notable difference between the two characters is that Star Trek’s Lt. Sulu (played by George Takei) is Asian, while Galaxy Quest’s Lt. Laredo (played by Daryl Mitchell)is Black; however, it is this difference that also makes them similar. Excluding the alien crewmembers, and Nichelle Nichols’ Nyota Uhura (whose Galaxy Quest parody is White), Laredo and Sulu are the only characters within the main cast who are not White. Unfortunately, these two less major characters stay with the ship unless the story calls for an “away mission,” so they are easily forgotten.
Exclusive to Galaxy Quest is fan interaction within the film. This is only possible because the characters in Galaxy Quest are playing as actors of the in-universe show. According to the original Star Trek cast, who weighed in on the film’s success, the screaming, role-playing fans depicted at a Galaxy Quest convention were accurate representations of the sort of experience the Star Trek cast has had themselves (Trek Talks). The scenes involving fans of the show are telling insights into what it is like to be part of that world.
There’s little to be said about the gadgets in either universe. In most cases, weapons are limited to slight variations on what one would expect to see when hearing the words “alien raygun.” The Galaxy Quest ship bares a slight resemblance to the Star Trek Enterprise, falling short because the Enterprise is much bulkier than the slim and sleek version used in Galaxy Quest. While the ships in both universes are much the same, (controls such as warp speed, rooms with traps that don’t make sense, et cetera) a true comparison is hard to draw. Galaxy Quest is limited in this regard, having a runtime of just 102 minutes, (about an hour and forty minutes) Star Trek had a full hour per episode, over a very large number of episodes, in which to expand its universe, and in this case, the ship.
Although one could argue that having an alien race for the crew to battle in Galaxy Quest is simply done for the purpose of giving the film a coherent plot, it is more likely that this is done because every episode of Star Trek uses this same basic plot. Without fail, any episode one may watch will consist of a species of alien which terrorizes the crew until the crew winds up victorious in the end, just in time for the credits to roll. As a way to keep from falling into monotony, the original series used “away missions,” which allowed the crew to visit other planets to deviate from the main plot of an episode; this was also likely done to pad episode length, and it usually consisted of the crew looking for an object that would solve issues related to the main plot. Galaxy Quest references this by venturing to a desert planet in search of a sphere that is needed to repair their ship. In most episodes of Star Trek, there is a subplot that usually runs for just one episode. They can be as simple as a romantic encounter, or as large as introducing an entirely new alien unrelated to the threat posed by the main plot. While Galaxy Quest tries to keep its plot simple, it finds a subplot revolving around romance with an alien woman. For all the ways that Galaxy Quest pays homage to Star Trek, there are also many ways in which it comes into its own. Rather than solving every new problem with the limited knowledge of the onboard crew, (as Star Trek does) Galaxy Quest takes advantage of being set in modern times, allowing the main characters to enlist the help of their biggest fans. This is particularly interesting because it shows a unity between the show and its fans, bringing them together in a way that fans of television in the real world can only wish for. Perhaps the most important way that Galaxy Quest shows its originality is in not being afraid to be what it set out to be: a parody. Where Star Trek is a very serious show with very serious plots and planning, being at the forefront of sci-fi for the time, (although to modern viewers it may come off as very campy) Galaxy Quest is lighthearted and is not afraid to laugh in the face of evil. These differences serve to set this parody apart from its source material. As much as Galaxy Quest is a parody, homage and a tribute to Star Trek, it is also that which has spawned new appreciation for the series. The characters and plot, and alien settings will be very nostalgic to fans of the original series. To those new to the series, Galaxy Quest has a fair chance at sparking new interest into the show it proves to love. It is a movie that is as much a parody as an original film with a possible sequel in the works (Bracken), but more importantly it is a catalyst for renewed enjoyment of an old classic that, despite some spots of cringe-worthy dialogue, still stands the test of time.

Works Cited
“Biography.” IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 6 Aug. 2015. <http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0629667/bio>.
“The Questarian - Galaxy Quest Databank - Trek Talks.” The Questarian - Galaxy Quest Databank - Trek Talks. 8 Nov. 2001. Web 6 Aug. 2015. <http://www.questarian.com/Databank/gq-trek_talks.htm>.
Bracken, Mike. “‘Galaxy Quest’ Comic Revealed, Sequel Film a Possibility.” Movies.com. 1 Aug. 2014. Web. 6 Aug. 2015. <http://www.movies.com/movie-news/galaxy-quest-comic-and-sequel-news/16444>.