Galaxy Quest
| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Galaxy Quest |
| Abbreviation(s): | GQ |
| Creator: | David Howard & Robert Gordon (screenplay); Dean Parisot (director); Mark Johnson and Charles Newirth (producers) |
| Date(s): | December 25, 1999 |
| Medium: | Live-Action Film |
| Country of Origin: | United States |
| External Links: | Galaxy Quest |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Galaxy Quest is a 1999 DreamWorks science fiction parody film about a group of television actors who defend a group of aliens against an alien warlord.
Canon
The film parodies mainly the television series Star Trek and related media activities such as fandom and fan conventions. It stars Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell as the actors that made up the cast of a defunct television series called Galaxy Quest.
Eighteen years after their show is cancelled, at a Galaxy Quest convention full of dedicated fans, Jason Nesmith is approached by a group of people who identify themselves as "Thermians from the Klaatu Nebula", asking for help. He humors them, assuming they are fans, but soon learns that the Thermians are actually aliens who believe the show is a historical documentary of the crew's adventures, and who have modeled their society on the ethos of the series. Jason manages to convince his ex-co-stars to join him and try to save the Thermians from destruction by a warlord.
Main Characters
Cast of Galaxy Quest:
- Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen), the actor who played Cmdr. Peter Quincy Taggart, the captain of the Protector on the fictional series.
- Gwen DeMarco (Sigourney Weaver), the actress who played Lt. Tawny Madison, the Computer Officer of the Protector, who performed communication duties.
- Alexander Dane (Alan Rickman), the actor who played Dr. Lazarus of Tev'Meck. Lazarus is a "Mak'tar", a member of an alien species renowned for their intellect, who also possess psionic abilities.
- Fred Kwan (Tony Shaloub), the actor who played Tech Sgt. Chen. Chen is in charge of the engine room and the operator of the "digital conveyor" (akin to the Star Trek transporter).
- Guy Fleegman (Sam Rockwell), an actor who had a minor role as a disposable character in a single episode of the original series. Guy has become a "Questerian" (akin to Trekkie).
- Tommy Webber (Daryl Mitchell), a former child actor who played Lt. Laredo, the pilot.
Thermians:
- Mathesar, the leader of the Thermians.
- Laliari, a Thermian crew member who falls in love with Fred.
- Quellek, a Thermian who idolizes the Dr. Lazarus character.
Others:
- Gen. Roth'h'ar Sarris, a warlike humanoid insectoid-reptilian who destroyed the Thermian home planet and most of their race, being bent on their destruction.
- Brandon, a devoted Galaxy Quest fan with an encyclopedic knowledge of the show. Portrayed by Justin Long.
- Kyle, a devout Galaxy Quest fan and Brandon's friend.
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
Galaxy Quest is generally received well by Star Trek fans to the extent that some even jokingly include it in the Star Trek movie canon:
I once read something somewhere that said: “Intelligence is knowing that Galaxy Quest isn’t a Star Trek movie. Wisdom is know it’s the best Star Trek movie”[1]
Galaxy Quest has also been praised by various Star Trek actors, including Patrick Stewart,[2] Tim Russ,[3] Wil Wheaton,[4] and George Takei.[5]
The fandom behind Galaxy Quest by itself is fairly small, but it seems to have gotten a boost in fanworks recently, with gifs and other fanworks being posted to Tumblr and various works at Archive of Our Own.
Galaxy Quest has been a Yuletide fandom for multiple years (see list of fanworks here).
Notable Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanfiction
- The Rebirth of Brandon Wheeger by janicechess. Widely recommended story written for Yuletide 2008
- The Headaches, the Heartaches, the Backaches, the Flops by Maidenjedi; "Gwen DeMarco and the first rise and fall of Galaxy Quest." (2012)
- Touch, Archived version (Alexander Dane/Jason Nesmith) by kangeiko
- Alien reproduction? (Gwen DeMarco/Roth'h'ar Sarris) by Gwens kinnie (2023, 123 hits 2,916 words, explicit)
Fanart
- Is there air? You don't know! by KarimT (Guy)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Quest (spoof fan poster of mashed up GQ/Guardians of the Galaxy)
Zines
Meta
Archives and Communities
- Galaxy Quest works at FFN
- Galaxy Quest works at AO3
Fannish Links
Resources
References
- ^ captainsbabysitter-blog, Tumblr post
- ^ BBC.co.uk Interview with Patrick Stewart, 2002 (archived 2014)
- ^ StarTrek.com interview with Tim Russ, 2002 (archived 2003)
- ^ WilWheaton.net, blog post, 2001 (archived 2012)
- ^ StarTrek.com interview with George Takei (archived 2009)