Cult-TV Theme Watch: The Science Fiction Convention

A science fiction convention is a gathering of genre fans, usually in a hotel ball-room or other large space. 

The first science fiction convention is believed to have been held in the mid-1930s, and since then, fans have gathered to celebrate superheroes, Star Trek, The X-Files, and other Hollywood franchises. 

SF conventions are known for special guests (and autograph lines), colorful costumes, the dealer’s room, and panel discussions.

Since the late 1970s -- when they entered the public consciousness thanks to Star Trek -- science fiction conventions have been featured on many cult television series.  In terms of dramatic purpose, conventions are often the site of a murder or crime, which protagonists must then solve while interfacing with devoted -- and stereotypically bizarre -- fans.

In 1979, The New Adventures of Wonder Woman featured an episode titled “Spaced Out” during its third season. 

Here, Diana Prince (Lynda Carter) pursued a jewel thief (Rene Auberjonois) to a science fiction convention in Los Angeles to celebrate the revival of an old space TV series called “Space Quest,” clearly a stand-in for Star Trek, which during the same year was readying for the transition to the big screen with Star Trek: The Motion Picture. 

The convention in “Spaced Out” featured Robby the Robot, the Metaluna Mutant from This Island Earth (1951), and saw several cosplay fans of Logan’s Run dashing about as Sandmen and Runners.

In 1991, the fourteenth episode of the short-lived (but legitimately interesting…) horror series She-Wolf of London, titled “Beyond the Beyond,” involved a mystery at a science fiction convention, and highlighted the personality conflicts behind-the-scenes of a Star Trek-like TV series.  

The Star Trek surrogate in this case is called “Beyond the Beyond” and it celebrates its 25^th anniversary when main characters Randi and Ian attend the con. In short order, the creator of the series, Conrad Stipe (Robert McBain) is murdered, but not before announcing a motion picture of the show…featuring an all-new cast.  The Star Trek knock-off characters here are named Mr. Snork, and Captain Pierce.

Recently, the science fiction convention trope has appeared on “investigation” programs such as Castle, Psych, CSI, and the horror-themed Supernatural as well.

The most famous cult-TV moment regarding a science fiction convention, however, came in 1986, on the variety series Saturday Night Live. 

William Shatner hosted, and the skit involved a group of Star Trek fans at the “16^th Annual Star Trek Convention” asking him crazy and detailed questions about 23^rd century minutiae. Shatner then lost his temper and told the fans to “get a life.”

His exact words:

“Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... get a life, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show! I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little job that I did as a lark for a few years into a colossal waste of time.”

As you might imagine, this particular skit didn’t go over very well with many long-time fans of Star Trek, and Shatner has since disavowed the whole thing as a joke. 

In the year 1992, Saturday Night Live did another, less controversial science fiction convention skit.  This time, Democratic candidates for President -- Bill Clinton, Jerry Brown, and Paul Tsongas – visited the Star Trek convention and made sure to pander to the fans.  But Clinton then flew into a rage when he learned that Leonard Nimoy endorsed another candidate…