The sci-fi reference canon

[Lord Jubjub]

There are, of course, numerous science/fantasy/geek/nerd/etc. boards other than this one, but yet it seems as if everyone on all of these boards and chat rooms can make certain references that everyone picks up on without further explanation.

For instance, "Brain the size of a planet" needs no explanation.

Does anyone wish to add to this list?

Monty Python's various works
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in all of its variations
Star Wars
Star Trek
The Simpsons

[ToSeek]

"Beam me up, Scotty!"

"Space is big...."

"I for one welcome our new [fill in the blank] overlords."

"Feel the force, Luke."

[Matherly]

I'd add 2001: a Space Odyssey.

After all, it gave us "I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that."

[Gillianren]

Futurama?

[Donnie B.]

For science fiction specifically, there's a lot of canon that's still only available in the form of the written word... or is best absorbed that way due to pathetically bad film versions.

Some examples:

Asimov's robot stories/novels
Asimov's Foundation series
Dune and its sequels
Niven's Known Space franchise, including the Kzin Wars
Anderson's Gateway series

More obscure possibilities:
Card's Ender's Game
Niven/Pournelle Mote In God's Eye series (on the gripping hand)


P.S. I need an explanation for "Brain the size of a planet". What have I missed?

[Donnie B.]

For non-SF, we must not forget:

the Harry Potter books/movies.

[tdvance]

P.S. I need an explanation for "Brain the size of a planet". What have I missed?

That would be Marvin the paranoid android in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: "I have a brain the size of a planet and yet they ask me to [perform menial task]"

Todd

[Alasdhair]

P.S. I need an explanation for "Brain the size of a planet". What have I missed?

The immortal Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: it's an excerpt from one of his many cutting remarks about being given menial tasks far below his exceptional intellectual abilities, eg:

"Hey Marvin, I've got something to keep your mind occupied!"

"I doubt it: I have an exceptionally large mind..."

[Donnie B.]

Well now I know that.

[Nowhere Man]

And don't try to engage my enthusiasm 'cos I haven't got one.

Fred

[Graybeard6]

Tension, apprehension and dissension have begun (beat)
Repeat ad infinitum.
Alfred Bester "The demolished Man".

[Roy Batty]

Tension, apprehension and dissension have begun (beat)
Repeat ad infinitum.
Alfred Bester "The demolished Man".

Arrgh! it's in my head, make it stop:

Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!


Also, thinking of telepaths: 'Be seeing you' from the Prisoner (used in B5) & 'I am not a number ....'

[Eta C]

And as long as we're listing Marvinisms

"Life. Don't talk to me about life."


So post 1300 and counting. Only 20,000 to go to catch up with the man in Greenbelt.

[Mellow]

"In rod we trust"

[closetgeek]

Awe C'mon...
"I've been talking to the computer..."

"And?"

"It hates me!"

And as long as we're listing Marvinisms

"Life. Don't talk to me about life."


So post 1300 and counting. Only 20,000 to go to catch up with the man in Greenbelt.

[Paul Beardsley]

Anderson's Gateway series

Don't you mean Fred Pohl's?

P.S. I need an explanation for "Brain the size of a planet". What have I missed?

IIRC, several decades ago there was a feature on Marvin in the Radio Times. In this it was revealed that his planet-sized brain was located in hyperspace.

It was probably done by some fannish staff-writer who had nothing to do with Douglas Adams, but it convinced me at the time.

[Donnie B.]

Don't you mean Fred Pohl's?

Doh!

Ever since somebody told me that Poul Anderson's first name is pronounced "pole", I get him confused with Fred Pohl. (Chances are that's not even true anyway!)

As Simon told River: "Well, you're a dummy."

And speaking of which, I've been forcing myself to not post about fifty incredible lines from Firefly/Serenity. It's well appreciated on this board, thank goodness, but I don't think it qualifies as canon (genre-wide). I'm too much of a fan to judge that objectively, anyhow.

[mike alexander]

Not really pronounced 'Pole'. I don't think regular English has quite the phoneme. Isaac Asimov once said it was pronounced slightly softer than 'Pull'. Whatever that means. Like Umlauts, hard to do in English.

[SMEaton]

Like Umlauts, hard to do in English.

I've met the Umlauts, and I'd say they're fairly laid back about that sort of thing.

[Dr Nigel]

And as long as we're listing Marvinisms

"Life. Don't talk to me about life."

And don't forget:
"Life. Loathe it, or ignore it. You can't like it."

and
"I think you ought to know I'm feeling very depressed,"

and
Arthur: "What are you supposed to do with a manically depressed robot?"
Marvin: "You think you've got problems! What are you suposed to do if you are a manically depressed robot? No, don't even try to answer that; I'm 50,000 times more intelligent than you and even I don't know that answer."

[Delvo]

I've never heard of this "Marvin" thing. "Brain the size of a planet" probably means, to most people, what I first thought y'all were talking about: the artificial intelligence/computer network of the starship Andromeda Ascendant in the TV series "Andromeda". In an episode in which the engineer/mechanic, Harper, had to make a fake of a particular gem, Harper said something about even "Rommie"'s internal sensors not being able to tell the difference. Later, when the captain asked "Rommie" if she knew where the real one was and where the fake was, she said yes and then explained "Poor Harper. He'll believe anything I tell him. 'No, really, Harper, I may have a brain the size of a planet, but I just can't tell one shiny rock from another!'"

* * *

I think it's odd that a thread that's supposed to about the universal phrases that everybody knows, most of the examples anyone's given are pretty obscure...

[Dr Nigel]

Jeez, Delvo, here we are at the end of the Universe and you haven't lived yet! Did you miss out!

Look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_...ranoid_Android

[darkhunter]

It's all because of Quantum....

The engines canna take much more!!

Punch it, Chewie!

Just show me where they are....

Just great, another bug-hunt!

Game over, man, game over!

[Serenitude]

Well now I know that.

My days of taking you seriously are definately coming to a middle

[closetgeek]

Awesome reading and an excellent movie! Highly recommended.

So long...and thanks for all the fish!

I've never heard of this "Marvin" thing. "Brain the size of a planet" probably means, to most people, what I first thought y'all were talking about: the artificial intelligence/computer network of the starship Andromeda Ascendant in the TV series "Andromeda". In an episode in which the engineer/mechanic, Harper, had to make a fake of a particular gem, Harper said something about even "Rommie"'s internal sensors not being able to tell the difference. Later, when the captain asked "Rommie" if she knew where the real one was and where the fake was, she said yes and then explained "Poor Harper. He'll believe anything I tell him. 'No, really, Harper, I may have a brain the size of a planet, but I just can't tell one shiny rock from another!'"

* * *

I think it's odd that a thread that's supposed to about the universal phrases that everybody knows, most of the examples anyone's given are pretty obscure...

[Tobin Dax]

And speaking of which, I've been forcing myself to not post about fifty incredible lines from Firefly/Serenity. It's well appreciated on this board, thank goodness, but I don't think it qualifies as canon (genre-wide). I'm too much of a fan to judge that objectively, anyhow.

They've done the impossible. That should at least make them quote-worthy.

[JonClarke]

I've never heard of this "Marvin" thing. "Brain the size of a planet" probably means, to most people, what I first thought y'all were talking about: the artificial intelligence/computer network of the starship Andromeda Ascendant in the TV series "Andromeda". In an episode in which the engineer/mechanic, Harper, had to make a fake of a particular gem, Harper said something about even "Rommie"'s internal sensors not being able to tell the difference. Later, when the captain asked "Rommie" if she knew where the real one was and where the fake was, she said yes and then explained "Poor Harper. He'll believe anything I tell him. 'No, really, Harper, I may have a brain the size of a planet, but I just can't tell one shiny rock from another!'"

Since Marvin the paranoid android predates "Andromeda" by about 25 years this reference is actually a nod to Douglas Adams.

Jon

[Serenitude]

Jayne Cobb: It ain't impossible! Saint Jayne, it's got a ring to it.
Book: I'm just trying to remember how many miracles you've performed.
Jayne Cobb: I once hit a guy in the neck from 500 yards with a bent scope. Don't that count upstairs?
Book: Oh, it'll be taken into consideration.
Jayne Cobb: You made that sound kinda ominous...

[Roy Batty]

I think it's odd that a thread that's supposed to about the universal phrases that everybody knows, most of the examples anyone's given are pretty obscure...

Speak for yourself, I've gotten just about everything

'Monsters from the id!'.

[eburacum45]

I found myself quoting Marvin the other day.
"The first ten million years were the worst. And the second ten million. They were the worst too. The third ten million I didn't enjoy at all. After that I went into a bit of a decline."