aark (09/13/82)
Since no one seems to be objecting to mention of shows other than
"Star Trek" in this newsgroup ("Space: 1999," "Battlestar Galactica"),
I'll bring up my favorite. Does anyone remember "Quark?" As I recall,
it was a summer series starring Richard Benjamin as Quark, the
commander of an interstellar garbage scow. It was a satire of
the "serious" space shows - for example, one of Quark's crew was
a humanoid being who had no emotions (clearly a takeoff on Spock),
and the reason he had no emotions was that he was a plant. (A
vegetable, not a spy.) I don't remember much about the show
except that I thought it was hilarious. Unfortunately, it never
made it into regular programming.
Does anyone else remember more about "Quark?" For example, can
anyone tell me when it was on the air? Has it ever shown up in
reruns?
Alan R. Kaminsky
...ihps3!ihuxv!aarkrtris (09/14/82)
Yes, I remember Quark. It was screamingly funny. I'm a real sucker for good (or even reasonable) satire. Quark was loaded with it. Quark would make log entries in a melodramatic tone a la star trek. And then there was his boss. A cantankerous sort of type. And there was always mention of "The Source" and "Ad Infinitum". There was a version of Robbie the Robot in the form of a cowardly, always needing fixing contraption. There was also a female crew member about which I recall nothing at the moment. A great shame that it didn't make it (at least for a couple of seasons). Ralph.
dpa (09/14/82)
As I remember the series, it had 4 episodes and was aired during the summer of 1980. As far as I know, it has never reappeared. The crew consisted of: Captain Quark, Phicus the Spock-like plant being, Gene/Jean the macho/feminine schizoid, and a pair of "dumb blond" twins who both had the hots for Quark. I thought the show was funny but that it would have gotten old after a few more shows. Dave Allen ihuxo!dpa
bstempleton (09/14/82)
I must not be remembering the same show, for the "Quark" I remember was terrible, which of course makes it odd that the show never made it. It was not at all funny, and it repeated very tired, cheap jokes. I think I watched it once or perhaps twice, but certainly no more than that. How can you guys think it was funny? Anyway, I think this group should stick to star trek (having broken this rule) because it was set up to be a link to the arpanet star trek group.
davy (09/15/82)
#R:ihuxv:-31000:pur-ee:14000003:000:405 pur-ee!davy Sep 14 10:31:00 1982 I first saw Quark at Sears one time when I was watching their TV's whilst waiting for my mother (this was about 5 years ago). I saw the show again a few weeks later, and it was the SAME episode. I think I saw one other episode, and then never saw it again. I thought it was sort of cute -- anyone know who made it? --Dave Curry, Purdue E.E. Department decvax!pur-ee!davy ihnss!pur-ee!davy
will (09/15/82)
I also remember quark, but I can't believe that it was on later than 1978. I was...let's see...10 years old then, and even my little Science- Fiction, computer, and star trek loving self was thouroughly disappointed.
barry (09/16/82)
I recall seeing Quark somewhere around the spring of 1977 or 1978. In
addition to the characters mentioned, there were the two Bettys, one of
which was a clone of the other (although neither knew which was the clone).
I only saw one episode, which had the good captain and his crew captured by
some emperor type whose daughter falls in love with Fikus (Phicus, whatever),
rather reminding me of Ming from Flash Gordon. Amusing slapstick satire, I
thought, but I can't see it lasting very long.
Barry Lay
University of Toronto Computing Services
...!utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!barry
P.S. Does anybody remember the name of the intergalactic garbage scowl?mcewan (09/20/82)
#R:ihuxo:-14400:uiucdcs:24900002:000:268 uiucdcs!mcewan Sep 17 13:59:00 1982 I'm sure I saw more than 4 episodes, and the local station pre-empted several more(including the second half of a 2-part episode). Also, one of the dumb blonds was a clone of the other, and a rather weak running gag was each of them claiming the other was the clone.
ARPAVAX:UNKNOWN:G:wing (09/23/82)
Just as another followup to a followup, the "dumb" sex-crazed blonde are the "Doublemint" twins. This should go on net.trivia too...