Join us at the Oolite Anniversary Party -- London, 7th July 2024, 1pm
More details in this thread.

Science Fiction Trivia

Off topic discussion zone.

Moderators: winston, another_commander, Cody

User avatar
ffutures
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2144
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:34 pm
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by ffutures »

First clue - this refers to something in a film series, the cousin is in a TV series.
User avatar
Old Murgh
Wiki Wizard
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:01 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Old Murgh »

ffutures wrote: Fri May 27, 2022 12:57 am
First clue - this refers to something in a film series, the cousin is in a TV series.
Racking my brain for any series of scifi film that has a cousin connection to a tvseries, but nothing. The Welsh nod makes me fear it has something to do with Dr.Who which I know nothing about, but I wouldn’t have thought that could be described as series of movies.. I think I’m surrendered.
I was young, I was naïve. [EliteWiki] Jonny Cuba made me do it!
User avatar
spud42
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1568
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Location: Brisbane,Australia

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by spud42 »

the Welsh clue made me think of Dr Who as well but no idea what the item would be..
Arthur: OK. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue.
OR i could go with
Arthur Dent: I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.
or simply
42
User avatar
Old Murgh
Wiki Wizard
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:01 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Old Murgh »

One guess –although I have no idea if it has any relation to Wales –but then again a Welsh connection would easily pass me by because how can a foreign boy tell, what's your secret? I mean, Richard Burton? Anthony Hopkins? Jonathan Pryce? Michael Sheen? Christian Bale? Come on! Ioan Gruffudd, Rhys Ifans, Bryn Terfel, ok yes, that helps a bit..
so anyway.. one device that could otherwise fit the riddle is the Men in Black tool [google aid] neuralizer..

,
I was young, I was naïve. [EliteWiki] Jonny Cuba made me do it!
User avatar
ffutures
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2144
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:34 pm
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by ffutures »

Old Murgh wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 2:06 pm
One guess –although I have no idea if it has any relation to Wales –but then again a Welsh connection would easily pass me by because how can a foreign boy tell, what's your secret? I mean, Richard Burton? Anthony Hopkins? Jonathan Pryce? Michael Sheen? Christian Bale? Come on! Ioan Gruffudd, Rhys Ifans, Bryn Terfel, ok yes, that helps a bit..
so anyway.. one device that could otherwise fit the riddle is the Men in Black tool [google aid] neuralizer..

,
Neuralizer it is! The "Welsh cousin" is the Retcon drug (usually in teeny pill form) used by Torchwood, from the Doctor Who universe, which has the same job of causing amnesia.

Congrats and a meaningless bonus point for getting it before I had to post another clue!
User avatar
Old Murgh
Wiki Wizard
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:01 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Old Murgh »

ffutures wrote: Sun May 29, 2022 10:01 pm
Neuralizer it is! The "Welsh cousin" is the Retcon drug (usually in teeny pill form) used by Torchwood, from the Doctor Who universe, which has the same job of causing amnesia.

Congrats and a meaningless bonus point for getting it before I had to post another clue!
Sweet luck!

This part I find harder..
Ok, what is the obvious sci-fi parallel between Joseph Conrad and Miguel de Cervantes?
I was young, I was naïve. [EliteWiki] Jonny Cuba made me do it!
User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6884
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

Old Murgh wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 11:52 am
Ok, what is the obvious sci-fi parallel between Joseph Conrad and Miguel de Cervantes?
I don't know if this is the parallel you're looking for, but characters from their novels have provided names for fictional starships: Nostromo in Alien, and Rocinante in The Expanse
User avatar
spud42
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1568
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Location: Brisbane,Australia

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by spud42 »

not sure where this is going but...

Joseph Conrad wrote a book "Nostromo" which is the name of the ship in Alien. But where Cervantes and Don Quixote fits in i have no idea.

beaten by 6 minutes... missed the Rocinante connection...bugger.
Arthur: OK. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue.
OR i could go with
Arthur Dent: I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.
or simply
42
User avatar
Old Murgh
Wiki Wizard
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:01 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Old Murgh »

Disembodied wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 1:03 pm
I don't know if this is the parallel you're looking for, but characters from their novels have provided names for fictional starships: Nostromo in Alien, and Rocinante in The Expanse
Yes that was indeed the parallel I had in mind. :wink:
That was unusually quick, I hope it wasn’t insultingly easy.
Your chalice, sir.
I was young, I was naïve. [EliteWiki] Jonny Cuba made me do it!
User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6884
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

Here's a related question … in what other SF work might you find a spaceship called Rocinante?
User avatar
Old Murgh
Wiki Wizard
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:01 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Old Murgh »

Disembodied wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 1:38 pm
Here's a related question … in what other SF work might you find a spaceship called Rocinante?
Damn, wasn’t aware of another. You mean they PLAGIARIZED it? :shock:
I was young, I was naïve. [EliteWiki] Jonny Cuba made me do it!
User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6884
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

Old Murgh wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 1:46 pm
Damn, wasn’t aware of another. You mean they PLAGIARIZED it? :shock:
I think several people have had the same idea, naming something clunky after Don Quixote's nag … John Steinbeck called his camper van "Rocinante" in his Travels With Charley.
User avatar
Old Murgh
Wiki Wizard
Wiki Wizard
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:01 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Old Murgh »

Disembodied wrote: Mon May 30, 2022 1:59 pm
I think several people have had the same idea, naming something clunky after Don Quixote's nag … John Steinbeck called his camper van "Rocinante" in his Travels With Charley.
Ah. I suppose then it's more of a multiple homage rather than plagiarism.
I was young, I was naïve. [EliteWiki] Jonny Cuba made me do it!
User avatar
ffutures
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2144
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:34 pm
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by ffutures »

Would it be The Adventures of Don Quick, a British SF sitcom from 1970? I'm not sure because the name of the ship isn't mentioned in the Wikipedia article, and I think I only saw one or two episodes at the time and my memory isn't that good, but it's based on Don Quixote so seems a possible contender.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adven ... _Don_Quick
User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6884
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

ffutures wrote: Tue May 31, 2022 12:18 am
Would it be The Adventures of Don Quick, a British SF sitcom from 1970? I'm not sure because the name of the ship isn't mentioned in the Wikipedia article, and I think I only saw one or two episodes at the time and my memory isn't that good, but it's based on Don Quixote so seems a possible contender.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adven ... _Don_Quick
Ah, not a show I've heard of! A shame it seems to be lost. I googled "Don Quick" "Ian Hendry", and "Rocinante", and although the (one! single!) hit seems to be unresponsive, the preview text reads
For the crew of the Rocinante and the leaders of the Inner Planets and the Belt, ... Cervantes in space: Don Quick (Ian Hendry), astronaut, ...
So even though it's not the answer I was expecting it's still a valid answer, with a MBP attached for sheer obscurity. The honour is yours once again …
Post Reply