Comtrya!
Throughout the year, Inner Toob is celebrating the concept of "Little Big Screen" or "Toobworld Goes To The Movies". And since summer is upon us, when the movie theatres are booked with all manner of sc-fi films, I thought I'd take a look at one of the classics and its place in the TV Universe....
"FORBIDDEN PLANET"
This loose interpretation of Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" was released in 1956 in the Trueniverse and it is considered a movie in Toobworld as well.
Aside from the MANY references to Robbie the Robot by various TV characters, from Mr. Conductor in 'Shining Time Station' to Xander in 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer', and the sight of so many Toobworld robots which were O'Bviously constructed to resemble Robbie. there were more overt references to "Forbidden Planet" being a movie in Toobworld:
'THE TWILIGHT ZONE'
"One For The Angels"
Three years after the movie's premiere, sidewalk peddlar Lou Bookman (father of Lt. Bookman from an episode of 'Seinfeld') was selling toy versions of Robbie the Robot from his samples case.
'DOCTOR WHO'
"Silence In The Library"
I'd like to think that same Robbie the Robot toy which Lou Bookman had to sell would become a collectible that lasted well into the 52nd Century and became one of the possessions of young Charlotte Lutz which then occupied her dream-state in the Library's data core......
'THE BIG BANG THEORY'
&
'SIX FEET UNDER'
A poster for the movie could be seen in the apartment shared by Leonard Hochstedter and Sheldon Cooper. It could also be found in Arthur Martin's bedroom.
'CHEERS'
"Yacht Of Fools"
Since the movie dealt with psychological terms such as the Id and the Super-Ego, of course Dr. Frasier Crane would believe that "Forbidden Planet" was a better movie than "E.T."
'CASTLE'
"Law & Murder"
Over in an alternate dimension, Detective Kate Beckett and author Rick Castle made plans to see "Forbidden Planet".
What really sealed the deal on "Forbidden Planet" being a movie in Toobworld was during the 27th episode of 'MGM Parade' in its first season. Actor Walter Pidgeon, who played Dr. Morbius in the movie, donned his costume and employed his serlinguist skills to tell the audience in the Trueniverse about the film. (I apologize for the poor quality of the screencap to the right....)
But although the events and characters of "Forbidden Planet" are fictional by the standards Earth Prime-Time as well as by those of Earth Prime, the setting for the movie - the planet known as Altair IV (on which Dr. Morbius lived with his daughter) does exist in the greater TV Universe, mostly thanks to the 'Star Trek' franchise.
'STAR TREK'
"Wolf In The Fold"
Altair IV was the inhabited fourth planet of the Altair system, which was located in Sector 9. Its position in the Milky Way Galaxy could be seen in a star chart.
'STAR TREK'
"Amok Time"
The starship Enterprise had been en route to Altair IV when Kirk ordered an emergency course change to Vulcan so that Mr. Spock could deal with the debilitating effects of pon farr.
"STAR TREK: THE WRATH OF KHAN"
Altair IV was featured as part of the simulated computer war game in the Kobayashi Maru program.
'STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION'
"Encounter At Farpoint"
Another planet in the Altair system was Altair III, which was considered too dangerous for an Away Team to visit.
'STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION'
"Conspiracy"
It was Altair VI which was considered the center of the Altair system and it was a planet well-known for the amenities it offered for Starfleet personnel on shore leave. It was on Altair VI that the Altairian Conference was held and this was where Captain Jean Luc Picard first met Captain Rixx.
'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'
"Prophet Motive"
It was mentioned that Dr. Henri Roget of the Central Hospital on Altair IV was a recipient of the Carrington Award in 2371.
'Star Trek' was not the only sci-fi series to avail themselves of Altair references....
'THE HITCH-HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY'
The financial institutions of Altair VI must have been so strong that the Altairian dollar was the common currency used through the galaxy. (This may be just the books, but Toobworld Central does consider most of the information in one medium to be shared with all when it comes to the universe as seen by Douglas Adams.)
'BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY'
"The Plot To Kill A City"
Raphael Argus was a notorious assassin who began his career on Altair V. After his capture, Buck Rogers assumed his identity in order to infiltrate a conclave of terrorists.
'STARGATE SG-1'
"Tin Man"
One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that by the time the Terrans of Earth were able to visit Altair IV, all of the inhabitants had their minds trnsferred into exact android replicas in order to survive. (This happened 11,000 years before a team of Stargate explorers first visited the world in the latter part of the 20th Century.) The designation for Altair IV by Stargate Command was P3X-989.
It could be that the Enterprise was on its way to Altair IV to negotiate with these long-lived replicants.....
It is because of its existence in 'Stargate SG-1', 'Buck Rogers In The 20th Century', 'The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy' and the 'Star Trek' franchise that the planet Altair IV is being inducted today into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame. (Those other references are due to the movie and so they don't count.)
O'BSERVATION:
"Comtrya" is an Altairian greeting.....
OTHER SHOW CITED:
'Seinfeld'
BCnU!
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