For the second week in a row, the CBS comedy The Big Bang Theory dipped into Star Trek, and last night they had the help of Next Generation star Wil Wheaton, once again facing off against his nemesis Sheldon. Watch the clip below.
Wheaton: The Jar Jar Binks Of Star Trek
Last night’s episode "The 21 Second Excitation" was about the boys from The Big Bang Theory camping out to see a special extended edition of Raiders of the Lost Arc, when Sheldon’s nemesis Wil Wheaton shows up to cut in line.
It is hard to decide which is worse, Wil Wheaton’s Jar Jar Binks impersonation, or Jim Parson’s Jean Luc Picard. Parson’s excuse is that, unlike his character Dr. Sheldon Cooper, he has admitted to have never seen an episode of Star Trek. As for Wheaton, he tweeted his excuse last night:
Speaking of "nemesis", the episode also featured a comment about how disappointing it was for the guys to wait in line to see Star Trek: Nemesis.
Thanks to Lucasnet for the clip on YouTube
I honestly don’t think he was the evil one this time. Sheldon was actually the evil one. I have no problem with a celebrity getting special treatment in some cases like this. Taking the movie on the other hand that was evil.
I really hate this show. They just try too hard and it shows.
I disagree number one. I thoroughly enjoyed Will’s disappointment when he realized he wasn’t going to get to see the movie.
I totally agree with this. The Jar Jar Binks of Star Trek. There couldn’t be a better Sci-Fi analogy.
I didn’t mind Sheldon’s Picard. But Jar-Jar Binks is grating on the nerves regardless of who does the voice. I like Wil Wheaton but that just made my neck hair stand up when that came out of his mouth.
Warning! Ridiculous but true proofreading nitpick ahead!
Star Trek: Nemesis doesn’t have a colon in the title. (Generations and Nemesis are the only ones that don’t. [Okay, Star Trek didn’t have one either.])
Now you may go find and report the mistakes in this post.
Jar Jar Binks of Star Trek?
Wouldn’t that be Neelix?
Hey Big Bang? Nemesis was enjoyed by many Trekkers. The British actor playing cloned Picard was very good.
I love the Big Bang Theory. This particular episode was okay, but not representative of the quality they have maintained in the past. Also, I would have liked to have seen more of Wil.
The Episode itself was about 18 Minutes, 45 seconds long. That’s 18.75/30 which is 62.5% of the aloted time, a D-. How is it that TV has been alowed to become this shortened down?
Nice to see Will still making money off the role he supposedly hates.
Tom Hardy was no Picard….
To be quite honest, I never understood Shinzon’s angst, nor Picard’s. Um, well I guess I might not like having someone clone me without my knowledge or permission.
That was but one reason why ‘Nemesis’ fell a little flat for me (actually, there were a number of things. the B4 thread; Data’s death; the dune buggy; the Romulan slave thread… okay, the story was just too overwrought with problems.
As to The Big Bang Theory. Love it!!!!
6. StalwartUK – November 12, 2010
Agreed – Neelix needed to die somewhere midway through season one.
Maybe the Will Robinson (or Robbie the Robot) of Star Trek (sorry, Lost in Space fans..)
@MC1 Doug-
I agree that there were many flaws with Nemesis. I had one grip to be honest in particular that bugs me every time I watch it.
Its the scene with Data and Geordi. He’s hooked to B4 and they are discussing how Data should feel about the situation and Data says, “I feel nothing Geordi.” What is up with that? We have Generations with some funny stuff when it comes to the emotion chip. First Contact. He gotten the hang of it for the most part. Its removable in Insurrection and then complete forgotten in Nemesis. Some of the worst continuity.
Ok, if there had been a BETTER storyline for Nemesis, would the TNG cast been invited back for ST11 2 or 3 years later? I think so.. But, such as it is, about half of the movies have been ‘so-so’. It is probly good to get new blood into the franchise, and as long as we get rid of pint-sized sidekicks (sorry Scotty), I think we are on the way to some good movies.
And I LIKE Big Bang Theory. I ‘see’ some of my friends in there…
Hell, we had a 5 movie marathon at the now-nonexistant Glenwood Theatres in OP, KS. Star Treks 1 through 5. ‘Sit Long And Prosper’.
Kind of hard to sit through the last one…
Re: #6. StalwartUK
“Jar Jar Binks of Star Trek? Wouldn’t that be Neelix?”
Yes! Until they made him a little less annoying it nearly ruined the show for me.
Re: #10. Phaser Guy
“Nice to see Will still making money off the role he supposedly hates.”
Exactly…
Re: #12. Phil
Don’t you mean “the Dr. Smith of Lost in Space” (60’s)? I tried watching that show as an adult and instantly had the same reaction to him that I had to Jar-Jar Binks. I loved it as a kid but will NEVER purchase the dvds because of Dr. Smith’s presence. It annoys me that he’s ruined it for me.
Anyway… I enjoyed the character Wesley Crusher. Not being able to conceive, I’ve never known the joy of holding a baby of my own. I have seen delightful children and, um, “non-delightful” children. I would have been proud to name Wesley as a son.
Wil Wheaton, on the other hand, seems a little pompous and opinionated (unless we are only being fed the negative crap which wouldn’t surprise me). So… if I had a choice, I’d pick Wesley. And by the way, don’t blame Wesley. Blame the writers if you hated him. He was just doing what he was told. My hat is actually off to Wil in that his hatred of the character didn’t show through in his acting.
Let’s see: would I rather have a polite, young man for a son or one who curses and is pompous and angry and resentful? Hmmm…
Am really surprised that Wil hated it so much. Of course if you’re insecure and can’t handle a little good-natured razzing from people I can understand. I used to be an insecure teenager and remember all too well what it felt like when being teased. It felt like rejection. I became a hellion in high school just to prove that I wasn’t a goody-goody because my parents took me to church. But I grew up and grew out of it. Am surprised that Wil hasn’t yet. Oh well, it’s his right to like/dislike what he wants. Guess I just disagree.
Love the Star Trek bits on Big Bang (youtube clips). Otherwise I don’t really watch it that much.
And regarding the bit where Wil gets preferential treatment in the movie line-up — I REALLY HATE the privileged attitude that famous/wealthy people have. The entitlement attitude is off the scale for some of them. Whether you have money or fame doesn’t make you a better person. I think we can all name a few people that fit that description…
IMO
ktg
10. In spite of your sanctimonious jab, it’s obvious by listening to him he relished the experience and the friendships he made even if he wasn’t fond of his character.
I’m pretty certain Wil Wheaton doesn’t hate the character he played on “The Next Generation”. I do think its probable that there are parts he didn’t like but overall, I think he’s just joking around. Because if he really did hate being Wesley Crusher, he was biting the hand that fed him…….
As for Jar Jar Binks, he’s in a clASS of his own. No other character comes close to the level of idiocy and annoyance this cg “character” exhibited.
And notice how I emphasized ASS in class?
Liam Neeson (Qui Gon Jinn) and Darth Maul were the best things about the awful “Fandom Menace”……errr I mean “The Phantom Menace”.
I’m sure he didn’t care for how Wesley was portrayed in the first and second seasons because he talks about it endlessly.
I’m pretty sure that WIl loves Star Trek and doesn’t hate the time he spent there. He just wishes he wasn’t the writer’s favorite Mary Sue.
Oh God, that’s going to become his name, I know it.
The Jar Jar Binks of the Star Trek universe. lolz
so..is there an extended cut of raiders?
Neelix was the JarJar of Trek,
Wesley was the over-achieving wonder boy and represented the best of the best, the kind of person who is accepted by thw West Point of the future, Starfleet Academy.
Star Trek Nemesis is a GOOD MOVIE!!!!!!!! Arrrggghhhhh!!!!!!!!
Wil Wheaton doesn’t hate Wesley Crusher. He hates how the character was written by bad writers, especially in the first season. Just read his book Memories of the Future Vol.1. Not only is it hilarious, he writes about his love of Trek and his fellow cast members. Can’t wait for Vol.2!
Was anyone else more interested in seeing the missing 21 seconds of Raiders than anything that was going on in this episode? ;)
Neelix is a much better comparison to Jar Jar.
It isn’t merely about being annoying and obnoxious. That description could be applied to Wesley, Julian Bashir, Charles “Trip” Tucker III, and numerous other characters. It is the deaths that result from their stupidity, though, that put Neelix and Jar Jar in a class of their own.
Jar Jar was directly responsible for Palpatine assuming dictatorial power at the end of the second prequel and everyone just brushed it off as if nothing happened. Likewise, Neelix – the self-proclaimed “survival expert” – was responsible for getting an extraordinary number of Janeway’s crew killed and everyone just brushed it off as if nothing happened.
@ 1
I completely disagree, while Sheldon shouldn’t have stolen the movie, I don’t think its right of celebrities to get things just cause they got lucky enough to be famous.
@ 7
Really? I’ve found most trekkies hate Nemesis.
“Wil Wheaton doesn’t hate Wesley Crusher. He hates how the character was written by bad writers, especially in the first season.”
I don’t think it was “bad writers” as mcuh as it was “bad writing” or, more specifically, the frequently awkward result of middle-aged people (or older) trying to write teenaged characters. Especially in the 24th Century future of “evolved humanity” where adult characters don’t really act like real people, what chance was there for a teenager who couldn’t exhibit much in the way of typical teen behavior?
I really enjoy BBT, but this last season has seemed a bit too “Laverne & Shirley” to me. Wit and subtlety seems to be increasingly sacrificed in favor of guest stars and BIG guffaw-style laughs. Too bad. And personally, I’d really like to see some kind of re-ignition of the Penny/Leonard thing. That was kind of the point of the show, wasn’t it? The geek gets the girl? Or they could at least do more of Penny instructing Sheldon on the ways of ‘normal’ people, as those were usually the best bits of the show sometimes. The two of them (Jim Parson and Kaley Cuoco) have such brilliant platonic chemistry together.
BBT hasn’t jumped the shark yet, but I can see them setting up the ramp on the water….
Nemesis wasn’t a bad film. It was just a bad choice for a final film. It needed one more film to end the series properly.
Shouldn’t Jar Jar Binks be the Wesley Crusher of the Star Wars universe?
Assuming you subscribe to a linear interpretation of time of course.
“The Jar-Jar Binks of Star Trek” – EPIC INSULT!
Nice episode. I like the primary story of the guys standing in the movie line, but I thought the B story of the girls’ night slowed down the show.
#7
I hate Nemesis.
Tom Hardy is an amazing actor. Watch the movie Bronson if you disagree. He was a great villain for Nemesis.
Wil Wheaton? Talk about a has-been. Not only did he play the worst character in all of Trek history, but he hasn’t done anything since. Even Mark Hamil is above this guy.
Sheldon allowed Leonard to move into the apartment in 2003. They met that day.
Star Trek Nemesis was released on December 13, 2002. Hence, they never lined up to see the movie, unless their mock time machine actually worked.
Jar Jar Binks of star trek was Scotty in Trek 2009.
I am surprised Nemesis did any business, coming out in the same year as Attack of the Clones and The Two Towers.
Not unlike when star trek V when up against Ghostbusters II, Indiana Jones Last Crusade, and batman 1989 all in the same year.
# 35
Actually Wil Wheaton has been in a number of projects since the end of TNG. A quick check of IMDB shows aside from his semi recurring role on Big Bang Theory, he’s appeared on Eureka, Criminal Minds, and Numb3rs. These appear to be his highest profile projects and yes, that’s going back about 3 years. Nothing spectacular, but at least he’s getting jobs.
I looked up Mark Hamill on IMDB and didn’t recognize a single thing he’s been in.
39
Mark Hamill appeared on an episode of “Seaquest” about 16 or 17 years ago. He’s also voiced the Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series”, various animated “Batman” dvds as well as in “Batman: Arkum Asylum”.
He also appeared once on “The Simpsons” and has done his own line of comic books. He’s done other stuff as well.