TOS Homages in TNG/DS9/VOY/ENT

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

Has anyone noticed any subtle homages to TOS in the other Trek series? Aside, of course, from the blatant ones in TNG, which usually involved TOS actors showing up as geriatric has-beens?

The only one I can think of, right off hand, is Picard's habit of ordering the helmsman to "engage" and referring to Riker as "Number One". Kirk usually skipped the "engage" order. Picard's habits seem to be tips of the hat to Captain Pike from "The Cage."

[greenmm]

Has anyone noticed any subtle homages to TOS in the other Trek series? Aside, of course, from the blatant ones in TNG, which usually involved TOS actors showing up as geriatric has-beens?

The only one I can think of, right off hand, is Picard's habit of ordering the helmsman to "engage" and referring to Riker as "Number One". Kirk usually skipped the "engage" order. Picard's habits seem to be tips of the hat to Captain Pike from "The Cage."

Well, I guess we can throw in the time on DS9 where they went back in time for the "Trouble with Tribbles" episode -- since they used stock footage from TOS, I guess it doesn't count as "geriatric has-beens"...

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

No, it does count, because it depended on TOS actors, just in a different way than TNG used them.

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

I was thinking that Enterprise may have done it with their captain's name. "Jonathan Archer" may be a hackneyed version of "Jeffrey Hunter", the actor who played the first captain of the Enterprise to appear on film.

[Patrick Degan]

For a start, frequently seen desktop models of the Enterprise (both TOS and movie configurations) and the shuttlecraft Galileo in various cabins aboard the E-D. References to Capt. Kirk in two episodes. The recreation of the E-nil's bridge on the holodeck in "Relics". Engineering graphic displays from TOS appear on the instrumentation of Prof. Soran's laboratory aboard the Amagosa Observatory in Generations, as does a watercolour portrait of the E-nil and that ship's commissioning plaque on the wall of Kirk's house as seen in the Nexus reality. And, of course, the relief sculptures of previous starships Enterprise on the briefing lounge bulkhead on the bridge deck through season 5 on TNG (replaced by the static display models in a glass case aboard the E-E in First Contact.). Certain sound effects on the E-D being slightly altered versions of those used in TOS (with the original door sound effect used considerably in the episode "Yesterday's Enterprise"). The ceiling of the E-D's transporter chamber(s) was the original transporter platform for TOS, and several starship bridge designs seen on TNG reflect that of the original Enterprise bridge. There are several references to conflict with the Tholians in the series.

On DS9, there's Sisko's desktop model of a Daedelus-class starship (the Horizon, I think) —Matt Jeffries' original starship design for ST— in his office. The famous saurian brandy bottle has been spotted in Quark's bar, and the scotch bottles there have pictures of the TOS engine room on the labels. Both TNG and DS9 have featured the tridimensional chess set ubiquitous to TOS. One of the new baseball teams springing into existence during the game's revival hailed from Pike City on Cestus III.

On Voyager, a Vulcan ryll (lyre), similar to Mr. Spock's instrument, has been seen in Tuvok's quarters.

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

Verily, thou hast done Thy Homework.

[Patrick Degan]

The DS9 people really did knock themselves out on this episode. Beyond the CGI-matting of Sisko and co. into the original footage from "The Trouble With Tribbles" (and one scene from the end of "Mirror, Mirror"), the production team went out of their way to recreate the look and feel of TOS; Enterprise and K7 sets reproduced to the last detail (which involved a hunt for certain materials and knick-knacks common in the 60s but nearly impossible to find today) and lit exactly as was done in the original series. Uniforms and hairstyles recreated in exact detail, and of course Greg Jein's 8 ft. model of the Enterprise, restored to its former glory and lovingly explored on camera in the episode. David Gerrold himself appears as one of the extras. And of couse, the tribbles —recreated in the same pattern as the originals and one shot of Quark buried under a pile of them in the same way as the K7 bartender is featured at episode's end.

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

The DS9 people really did knock themselves out on this episode. Beyond the CGI-matting of Sisko and co. into the original footage from "The Trouble With Tribbles" (and one scene from the end of "Mirror, Mirror"), the production team went out of their way to recreate the look and feel of TOS; Enterprise and K7 sets reproduced to the last detail (which involved a hunt for certain materials and knick-knacks common in the 60s but nearly impossible to find today) and lit exactly as was done in the original series. Uniforms and hairstyles recreated in exact detail, and of course Greg Jein's 8 ft. model of the Enterprise, restored to its former glory and lovingly explored on camera in the episode. David Gerrold himself appears as one of the extras. And of couse, the tribbles —recreated in the same pattern as the originals and one shot of Quark buried under a pile of them in the same way as the K7 bartender is featured at episode's end.

One minor point of contention: are you sure they used a physical model of the Enterprise for this ep? I remember reading that they did Enterprise and K7 in CGI. I may be mistaken.

[Patrick Degan]

The Enterprise which appeared in "Trials And Tribbleations" was a physical model. Deep Space Nine did use CGI compositing for their F/X, but the heavy CGI modeling didn't really come into Trek production full scale until Foundation Imaging was hired for Voyager.

[Darth Wong]

Isn't it amazing how well they duplicated the look and feel of TOS for that DS9 episode, only to throw it all to the winds and use a DS9/VOY-era visual and technological style for "Enterprise?" What the fuck were they thinking?

[neoolong]

Isn't it amazing how well they duplicated the look and feel of TOS for that DS9 episode, only to throw it all to the winds and use a DS9/VOY-era visual and technological style for "Enterprise?" What the fuck were they thinking?

I think you're forgetting that B&B are in charge of making Enterprise. They don't think.

[Patrick Degan]

They "created" it, but then didn't want to soil their hands on a series they considered the Franchise's bastard cousin. DS9 was very largely left to the care of Robert Hewitt-Wolfe and Ira Steven Behr. While their handling of the Dominion War was hamfisted, nothing they did plumbed the utter depths of stupidity which is BragaTrek™.

[Tsyroc]

They "created" it, but then didn't want to soil their hands on a series they considered the Franchise's bastard cousin. DS9 was very largely left to the care of Robert Hewitt-Wolfe and Ira Steven Behr. While their handling of the Dominion War was hamfisted, nothing they did plumbed the utter depths of stupidity which is BragaTrek?.

It's funny, but whenever I read anything where Braga is making comments about DS9 you can just detect the smerc and the general dismisal of the show. It's like he knows that his Voyager was much better than DS9 and feels the show was a bit of a joke.

I find it irritating because I liked DS9 and couldn't stand Voyager.