Wedding ceremonies -- the joyous union of two individuals before the law (and the Lord?) in holy matrimony -- have been a regular feature of cult television for decades, going back at least as far as the episode of Adventures of Superman titled "The Wedding of Superman" in 1958. In that case, the episode actually involved Lois Lane's (Noel Neill) fantasy or dream of a wedding to the Man of Steel.
In the 1960s, Star Trek (1966 - 1969) featured a wedding ceremony in the early-first season story "Balance of Terror" by Paul Schneider. In this case, two young crew-members aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Angela Martine and Robert Tomlinson, celebrate their joyous wedding day aboard ship. Scotty (James Doohan) gives away the blushing bride, and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) officiates at the ceremony, Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) at his side. Things turn tragic before the end of the episode, however, when the groom is killed during a space battle with the Romulans.
At the wedding, Kirk says: "Since the days of the first wooden vessels, all ship masters have had one happy privilege: that of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony."
Uniquely, Kirk's words officiating the Tomlinson wedding are repeated, nearly verbatim in the fourth season Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994) episode "Data's Day." Here, Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Keiko are joined in marriage via those words (spoken by Captain Jean Luc Picard).
On Star Trek: Voyager's (1995 - 2001) "Course: Oblivion," Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) are married in the Delta Quadrant, but the ceremony viewers witness turns out to be that of a duplicate or "alternate" crew that was fated to die. Because of this plot twist, the wedding felt like just another gimmick in an already gimmicky narrative.
In the 1960s, Star Trek (1966 - 1969) featured a wedding ceremony in the early-first season story "Balance of Terror" by Paul Schneider. In this case, two young crew-members aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Angela Martine and Robert Tomlinson, celebrate their joyous wedding day aboard ship. Scotty (James Doohan) gives away the blushing bride, and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) officiates at the ceremony, Yeoman Rand (Grace Lee Whitney) at his side. Things turn tragic before the end of the episode, however, when the groom is killed during a space battle with the Romulans.
At the wedding, Kirk says: "Since the days of the first wooden vessels, all ship masters have had one happy privilege: that of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony."
Uniquely, Kirk's words officiating the Tomlinson wedding are repeated, nearly verbatim in the fourth season Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 - 1994) episode "Data's Day." Here, Chief O'Brien (Colm Meaney) and Keiko are joined in marriage via those words (spoken by Captain Jean Luc Picard).
On Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999) -- in the midst of the galactic war with the Dominion -- Worf (Michael Dorn) and Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) planned to wed in a traditional Klingon ceremony.
There's only one hitch in this plan: the mistress of the House of Martok, Sirella, isn't exactly keen on having a non-Klingon such as Dax as a family member. Dax refuses to humble herself for the proud Sirella, and it looks like the wedding won't come off unless she changes her mind.
There's only one hitch in this plan: the mistress of the House of Martok, Sirella, isn't exactly keen on having a non-Klingon such as Dax as a family member. Dax refuses to humble herself for the proud Sirella, and it looks like the wedding won't come off unless she changes her mind.
Klingon bachelor parties aside, this episode of Deep Space Nine gazes at the underlying meaning of marriage: the total combination of two lives and the total dedication of one life to another. Dax shouldn't exactly be surprised that her hubby-to-be, Worf, so deeply desires a traditional Klingon wedding, and she shouldn't be surprised that she must jump through some hoops to win over her future "in-laws," given Klingon pride and xenophobia.
With a little help from Captain Sisko, Dax realizes that she must give her soul-mate the wedding he desires, and that it is actually only her own pride standing in the way. There are plenty of times in marriage when the only way to get over a problem is to tuck away the ego and make a sacrifice for the spouse, and this episode understands that fact. If Dax is going to be part of the family, she must respect family tradition, and again, that's something that all prospective brides and grooms realize. It would have been interesting, however, to see Worf do some compromising too. How far would he have gone for Dax, to experience a traditional Trill wedding, I wonder?
With a little help from Captain Sisko, Dax realizes that she must give her soul-mate the wedding he desires, and that it is actually only her own pride standing in the way. There are plenty of times in marriage when the only way to get over a problem is to tuck away the ego and make a sacrifice for the spouse, and this episode understands that fact. If Dax is going to be part of the family, she must respect family tradition, and again, that's something that all prospective brides and grooms realize. It would have been interesting, however, to see Worf do some compromising too. How far would he have gone for Dax, to experience a traditional Trill wedding, I wonder?
Weddings have been a staple of other genre programs outside the Star Trek universe too.
For instance, an important wedding ceremony occurs in the original Battlestar Galactica (1978 - 1979) episode "Lost Planet of the Gods." While the rag-tag, fugitive fleet faces two problems, a deadly plague and a strange "void" in space, Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch) and former news-woman, Serina (Jane Seymour) select a date for their joining ceremony, to be officiated by Commander Adama (Lorne Greene).
Apollo and Serina's "sealing" ceremony is celebrated in a candle-lit chamber beneath the darkness of the starless void, but at the height of the nuptials, a star appears to guide the Galactica and her wards to a planet called Kobol, the very world from which all Colonial life sprang.
Other weddings have appeared in The Greatest American Hero's (1981-1983) "Newlywed Game" as Ralph (William Katt) and Pam (Connie Sellecca) tied the knot under some less-than-ideal circumstances. "Do You Take Dexter Morgan" on Dexter features the serial killer's murder to lovely...and short-lived Rita.
For instance, an important wedding ceremony occurs in the original Battlestar Galactica (1978 - 1979) episode "Lost Planet of the Gods." While the rag-tag, fugitive fleet faces two problems, a deadly plague and a strange "void" in space, Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch) and former news-woman, Serina (Jane Seymour) select a date for their joining ceremony, to be officiated by Commander Adama (Lorne Greene).
Apollo and Serina's "sealing" ceremony is celebrated in a candle-lit chamber beneath the darkness of the starless void, but at the height of the nuptials, a star appears to guide the Galactica and her wards to a planet called Kobol, the very world from which all Colonial life sprang.
Apollo and Serina explore the planet with Adama and encounter Baltar -- and tragedy -- on the planet surface.
A year later, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979 - 1981) featured a far less romantic wedding in "Escape from Wedded Bliss." Here, the Draconian Princess, Ardala (Pamela Hensley) returns to Earth with an orbital doomsday weapon and demands that Buck Rogers (Gil Gerard) marry her, lest she destroy the world. The Earth Defense Directorate surrenders Buck to the Princess aboard her flagship, the Draconia.
There, Buck learns the rules of Draconian courtship and marriage. In short, he must battle Tigerman in the arena to prove he is worthy of a Draconian princess. Then, in the final stages of the wedding ceremony, Buck is to wear not a traditional wedding ring, but rather a wedding collar which constricts and tightens around his neck when he displeases his new bride. This "shotgun wedding" is averted at the last instant, and Buck destroys the doomsday weapon, leaving a jilted Ardala at the altar.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "The Prom" teased an Angel/Buffy wedding day that quickly became a nightmare. This sad wedding was followed up with another. In "Hell's Bells" in 2002,Xander left Anya at the altar.
A year later, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979 - 1981) featured a far less romantic wedding in "Escape from Wedded Bliss." Here, the Draconian Princess, Ardala (Pamela Hensley) returns to Earth with an orbital doomsday weapon and demands that Buck Rogers (Gil Gerard) marry her, lest she destroy the world. The Earth Defense Directorate surrenders Buck to the Princess aboard her flagship, the Draconia.
There, Buck learns the rules of Draconian courtship and marriage. In short, he must battle Tigerman in the arena to prove he is worthy of a Draconian princess. Then, in the final stages of the wedding ceremony, Buck is to wear not a traditional wedding ring, but rather a wedding collar which constricts and tightens around his neck when he displeases his new bride. This "shotgun wedding" is averted at the last instant, and Buck destroys the doomsday weapon, leaving a jilted Ardala at the altar.
"Escape from Wedded Bliss" is a primal male fantasy. A gorgeous, powerful and sexy princess will destroy the world unless you and only you agree to make her your bride? What red-blooded American guy wouldn't be in favor of that arrangement? Then again, there's the wedding collar to think about. But all kidding aside, this episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century does a pretty fine job of revealing how sad and lonely a figure Princess Ardala truly is. As a member of Draco's royal family, Ardala feels isolated and alone, and suspects that Buck -- because of his "out-of-time" nature -- might feel those emotions too.
In V: The Series' "The Rescue" the bride wears scales. The priest is a lizard in cardinal hat. And the wedding banquet consists of gerbils, spiders, and rats. The bride, Diana (Jane Badler) and groom, Charles (Duncan Regher) share not a delicious wedding cake, but rather "a ceremonial mouse" at the lovely reception.
The fun of this episode (and of V: The Series in general) was in watching the wicked machinations and tactics of Lydia and Diana as they forever sought to one-up each other, all while devouring small rodents and other terrestrial creatures.
In V: The Series' "The Rescue" the bride wears scales. The priest is a lizard in cardinal hat. And the wedding banquet consists of gerbils, spiders, and rats. The bride, Diana (Jane Badler) and groom, Charles (Duncan Regher) share not a delicious wedding cake, but rather "a ceremonial mouse" at the lovely reception.
Yep, it's just another day aboard the Visitor mothership.
Here, Diana is manipulated into marriage by her rivals Lydia (June Chadwick) and Charles. Surprisingly, however, Diana and Charles actually seem to fall in love, or at least in lust. This development outrages Lydia, who then plots to kill Diana with "cat poison." The murder attempt goes wrong, however, and it is Charles who ends up dead on his wedding night.
From start to finish, "The Rescue" is utterly outrageous. It's high camp and V: The Series knew it. Why? Well, consider that on July 29, 1981, a very different Charles and Diana were wed at St. Paul's Cathedral in London before a global TV audience of one billion people. "The Rescue's" Charles/Diana nuptials were not viewed by nearly so many, but it was worth a try, wasn't it?
Here, Diana is manipulated into marriage by her rivals Lydia (June Chadwick) and Charles. Surprisingly, however, Diana and Charles actually seem to fall in love, or at least in lust. This development outrages Lydia, who then plots to kill Diana with "cat poison." The murder attempt goes wrong, however, and it is Charles who ends up dead on his wedding night.
From start to finish, "The Rescue" is utterly outrageous. It's high camp and V: The Series knew it. Why? Well, consider that on July 29, 1981, a very different Charles and Diana were wed at St. Paul's Cathedral in London before a global TV audience of one billion people. "The Rescue's" Charles/Diana nuptials were not viewed by nearly so many, but it was worth a try, wasn't it?
The fun of this episode (and of V: The Series in general) was in watching the wicked machinations and tactics of Lydia and Diana as they forever sought to one-up each other, all while devouring small rodents and other terrestrial creatures.
Other weddings have appeared in The Greatest American Hero's (1981-1983) "Newlywed Game" as Ralph (William Katt) and Pam (Connie Sellecca) tied the knot under some less-than-ideal circumstances. "Do You Take Dexter Morgan" on Dexter features the serial killer's murder to lovely...and short-lived Rita.
Smallville, like Lois and Clark before it, featured a wedding episode. In fact, it featured three.
In the first, "Promise" (2007), Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) were married. In the second, titled "Bride" Jimmy and Chloe were married, and in the third, Clark (Tom Welling) and Lois (Erica Durance) almost tied the knot.
In the first, "Promise" (2007), Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) were married. In the second, titled "Bride" Jimmy and Chloe were married, and in the third, Clark (Tom Welling) and Lois (Erica Durance) almost tied the knot.
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