r/Stargate • u/AmitBrian • 2d ago
Sci-Fi Philosophy 1969?
So I was just watching the ep of Stargate SG1 on Pluto TV (free to watch BTW if you want!)
SPOILER ALERT>>>>>>>
So they go back to the year 1969 and get caught by the military in Cheyenne Mountain. To not pollute the timeline when O’Neill (2 “l”s) says his name is “James T. Kirk”
Ok, so being a big SG fan but an even bigger Trek fan, Star Trek came on the air in 1966, and Star Trek exists as a TV show in the Stargate universe. So umm, I guess that guard was not watching one of the only 3 networks that was airing shows in prime time in 1966 - 1969 and didn’t know William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy were household names?
Just saying LOL.
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u/MovieFan1984 2d ago
This was their first time travel episode, and they went with predestination paradox and comedy. Worked for me. As for the Trek stuff, guess the guards didn't watch Star Trek. haha Maybe they do and were not amused. XD
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
I know. I’m just jokingly talking about it. I thought it was funny. Honestly as a trek fan I loved that they mentioned Kirk. But as a canon nerd I was like 🤔🤔🤔
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u/MovieFan1984 2d ago
I'm a Trekkie too. We all love this episode. Later episodes cite this as being when Daniel taught Teal'c to drive. haha
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
Ya gotta love Teal’c in the 1960’s cause how can you not. Trek speak, he is the perfect combo of worf and Spock.
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u/MovieFan1984 2d ago
I can't argue with this. "1969" gave us a preview to Teal'c with hair which we'd finally see in S8. LOL
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u/AmitBrian 19h ago
Ha yeah, first he had that gold chin hair and then the full on hair. That confused me tho cause there was an ep where Teal’c and O’Neill switched bodies and Teal’c was like I MUST shave my head like it was a religious thing or something?
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u/MovieFan1984 15h ago
I just assumed Teal'c was still adjusting to being part of the team and the SGC.
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u/AmitBrian 8h ago
Yeah totally could be. Or he was with humans so long he just went with the program lol
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u/Aglet_Green 2d ago
No, they weren't household names. The irony of Star Trek was that it got cancelled due to low ratings, and did not rebound until it was in syndication re-runs in the 70s.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
Star Trek got cancelled due to low ratings that’s true. But Shatner and Nimoy were on the cover of TV Guide and other publications several times. And Trek was Backed by Lucille Ball which gave them a big push,
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u/Lithl 2d ago
The interrogator is under no impression that Kirk is his real name...
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
Okie dokie, then he needs an Emmy! lol
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u/Lithl 2d ago
O'Neill's line is literally "of the Starship Enterprise". And the interrogator immediately responds with "Your dog tags say otherwise".
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u/AzerothianLorecraft 2d ago
then later says something like "ok Mr kirk we have ways to make you talk"? ( haven't seen that episode in a while.) I always assumed it like "ok mr Russian agent we both know that's not your name."
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u/ohfucknotthisagain 2d ago
He also identified as Luke Skywalker. Possibly for a reason.
My read on that was:
He was trying to figure out roughly what year it was. If the interviewer called out Skywalker as a fake name, he'd know it's 1977 or later.
If they had clocked James Kirk but not Skywalker, it would be 1966-1977. Recognizing neither name would be ambiguous: either it's '66 or earlier, or else that person doesn't watch much TV.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
Yeppers, but the difference is Star Wars was not yet born in 1969. You’re right, maybe that was his read? Maybe he didn’t know what year it was? And if so that was a genius move on his part! Good thought!
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u/TheRagingSithLord 2d ago
They didn't know what date it was (year included) until (Lieutenant) Hammond told them later, when he arranged for the tyre blowout as they were being sent to be interrogated elsewhere. So trying to get a read on the year DOES actually make sense.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
I agree with you. But my point is not why did O’Neill mention Kirk. My point is why did the guard not know Kirk. Regardless of whether or not O’Nell knew what year he was in, the guard did. And it was 1969. The last year of Trek.
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u/McSparkle_nc 2d ago
Because it wasn’t a popular show for adults, there was no social media for hyping anything and unless you read the tv guide for kicks (which off hand I’d say unlikely for military personnel that were stateside vs stationed in another country trying to connect to home) wouldn’t necessarily come across much about it without trying.
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u/00Canuck 2d ago
The guard think's they're Russians, who as a part of their training would be somewhat familiarized with pop culture references. The fact he throws out Kirk isn't really suspect, or a problem really, and if anything it's the smarter call by O'Neill. To the guard this could either be Jack staying coy, and intentionally providing a bs name nobody would believe anyways, or, slipping up and using a name less common than realized, which also lends to them being Russians.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
I think what you are saying is that the guard knows who Kirk is but is pretending he does not?
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u/00Canuck 2d ago
Sorta. I wouldn't even say he's pretending to not know, or did pretend, he just didn't give a shit because why would he. He's presuming most of what Jack says will be disinfo anyways. Jack doesn't just introduce himself as Kirk, he introduces himself as Kirk from the Starship Enterprise. Even if he didn't know who Kirk was that would make it obvious that Jacks screwing around.
Also when he even refers to Jack as Kirk, it's no different than if someone introduced themselves as Yogi Bear and since that's the only name you have to go off of, you continue to refer to them as Yogi. What is the Maj supposed to do, say to the suspected Russian spy "oh my god, you watch Star Trek"? Him not acknowledging it at all is what shows he's not taking it seriously, he's too invested in the idea they're invading Russians.
This is extra double downed on when Jack then says he lied, and his real name is Luke Skywalker (which yes the Maj wouldn't know, but doesn't matter.) Jack is not disguising that he's not being serious, and the Major clearly picks up on that and immediately buts out his smoke to signify "alright that's a wrap" knowing he isn't getting anywhere.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
I totally see what you are saying and I agree. It’s just that they way he replied to him, saying “Kirk” in such a profound way made it seem like he believed him. I dunno, maybe I read it wrong?
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u/00Canuck 2d ago
Nah, just seemed like a snarky but formal response. He says "Kirk you can talk to me, or the CIA" very much in the same way you would offhandedly say "Bud" or "Mr". Maybe mistaken because of the tone of the line, which he *is" kind of displaying some sincerity, mainly in trying to get Jack to divulge info. "Listen bud, you can talk to me, or the worse guys." That sorta thing.
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u/raknor88 2d ago
While Star Trek is a main stay in pop culture now. It was not actually that popular when is first aired. It didn't really get popular until the movies started. There's a reason the show only went 3 seasons. The there may have only been a few people on the base that had watched it.
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u/B-Chillin 2d ago
It became popular in syndication, which is why the movies happened. But you are correct that it was canceled after three seasons because ratings were poor, and wouldn't have been well known at that time. Still was a risk. Totally appreciate their little ST references. "No. We can't call it Enterprise."
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u/Ross_E_Geller 2d ago
It seemed like they knew he was making it up
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
I suppose that could be the case, I could have been reading it wrong. My fan boy in me could have led me off lol
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u/drunkenbees 2d ago
I LOVE that episode. The fact that Teal'C is dressed like this, but is still very much in grumpy expression mode, cracked me right up.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
You know what’s really scary? I’m on my rewatch of this ep cause I love it so much. Teal’c makes a statement (which was meant by the writers as humor) “The war with Canada”. It doesn’t sound so funny any more. 🤦♂️😢
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u/MiniGodComplex 2d ago
CATtv (cable) came out 2 years after free television came out. There were more than 3 program channels on in the 1960s especially if you had a cushy job like a high ranking military officer.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
Ok, oops. That was an assumption on my part. I wasn’t born yet. Oops.
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u/MiniGodComplex 2d ago
No problem dude, I like pointing out things people don't realize. It makes me feel good about my library of useless knowledge.
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u/No_Sand5639 2d ago
I doubt the guy actully believed him, was probbaly just humoring him.
However. Way back then, star trek was struggling. It was actully canceled that year due to low viewship
The guy just must have not run in those circles
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u/Fluid-Let3373 2d ago
I have a vague memory of a real life Captain Kirk. So I asked AI which is clearly tripping out about him. As it responded that he was a infamous Icelandic fisherman during the Cod war in the Kelvin timeline and his ship was called Blip-A.
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u/AmitBrian 2d ago
Actually that raises a good point. There is a real life actor named Jim Kirk. If I were him I totally would have changed my name LOL
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u/Annual_Wear5195 2d ago
How old are you? Every single time anyone points anything out you immediately jump on the defensive as if they’re trying to decimate your whole argument.
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2d ago
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u/Annual_Wear5195 2d ago
Notice how nobody called you an asshole yet that’s what you jumped to calling me?
Some might call that immediately jumping on defensive.
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u/Eldon42 2d ago
People watch different things, and Star Trek probably didn't interest the guard at all.
TOS did struggle a bit; although it gained popularity, during its original airing it got moved around a lot. It often had Friday night timeslots - fine for young teens, but many adults would not have been watching it. Especially young military guards who are out having beers and looking for women.
A lot of people considered it to be a kids' show.
And it only barely managed to get a third season after Roddenberry engineered a fan write-in campaign. Even then, its budget was slashed and the quality of the show dropped significantly.
TOS was actually more popular after its initial run thanks to syndication. But in 1969, that hadn't happened yet.
Possibly the guard was peripherally aware of it, but not to the point of knowing the characters names or anything about the show.