found footage, 300, quark, spartans, spoofs, star wars, cheese, parodies, star trek

Darth Vader Vs. The Spartans

If you've ever wanted to see Star Wars mashed up with 300, then this clip from the short-lived 1978 show Quark may make you happy. Or maybe not. The Great Gorgon, a transparent Darth Vader rip-off, comes in his big orange Death Star to conquer the planet of Spartans... who surrender. I remember loving Quark when I was a kid, but it doesn't hold up that well now.

Quark is mostly a Star Trek spoof, even down to the original series' sound effects, and the Vulcan-esque first officer, a plant who debates logic vs. emotion endlessly with Captain Quark. Somehow, even though Quark is the galaxy's greatest hero, he ends up commanding a garbage ship and getting into hilarious mishaps in each of the eight episodes. His crew also includes a cowardly android, an androgyne who alternates between extreme manliness and extreme girliness, and two incredibly hot blonde female clones in hotpants. There are still no DVDs, but you can watch the whole thing online here.

4:00 PM on Fri Feb 15 2008
By Charlie Jane Anders
5,157 views
24 comments

Comments

FredicvsMaximvs at 05:33 PM on 02/15/08
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WOW!!! I was beginning to think that I was crazy, that I'd just imagined that show. Anyone I've ever tried to describe it to just ended up giving me a blank stare.

Thanks Charlie Jane! I feel so validated now! ;)
strider_mt2k at 05:35 PM on 02/15/08
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I loved this show as a kid too.
It's one of those shows that disappeared with no explanation or nothin'.
So bad it's priceless.
Charlie Jane Anders at 05:38 PM on 02/15/08
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@FredicvsMaximvs: Glad I could help! I really used to be obsessed with the greatness of this show, and now...
strider_mt2k at 05:45 PM on 02/15/08
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Oh yes they are all mine.

Thanks io9!
Nabilac at 07:20 PM on 02/15/08
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Hahahaha @ the last response from the spartans.
Killa_Charlie at 07:34 PM on 02/15/08
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"Hail High Gorgon, highest leader. All mighty seer of depth and perception!"
antimatty at 07:36 PM on 02/15/08
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lame . the spartans just give up? fu*ck that.
Charlie Jane Anders at 08:30 PM on 02/15/08
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@antimatty: I know!
keithldick at 09:14 PM on 02/15/08
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I never got to see it... :( It looks like plain silly fun... hehe

I also missed Red Dwarf but I did get to see most of the Dr. Who's, Blakes 7 over the years...
dOk at 09:18 PM on 02/15/08
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lol... ok i think i still love that show...
and i miss Ficus... their version of Spock

and come to think of it.. i miss
Holmes and Yo-Yo
Amstrad at 10:22 PM on 02/15/08
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>>Hail High Gorgon, highest leader. All mighty seer of depth and perception!

Apprently The Great Gorgon is the only member of the race with two eyes?
aboriginal at 10:34 PM on 02/15/08
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Mork would've handed him his ass.
Darkweave at 03:03 AM on 02/16/08
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@Charlie Jane Anders: THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Loved that show! I had no idea it was available out there. Thats one of the ones I truly miss from bein a kid :P
tetracycloide at 12:07 PM on 02/16/08
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i am gorgon, master of ceremonies. i have spoken!
Benjo at 12:19 PM on 02/16/08
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It doesn't get any better than the unnecessarily large head floating in space.
oldandintheway at 01:28 PM on 02/16/08
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I did a google search for "QUARK", and found out
that it aired on NBC on Friday nights. I t didn't last very long because it was up against Wonder Woman and the INcredible HUlk on CBS.
Frozen-Tex at 09:17 PM on 02/16/08
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Oh, Lord.... it's all coming back now... I REMEMBER THIS!!! AAAAAAUUUGGHH!!!
Katana_Mind at 08:27 AM on 02/17/08
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And now I finally know where the "Wwwyzzzard" from the Aqua Teen Hunger Force episode "Interfection" got his whole "floaty head in space"-thang from.
jrghoull at 03:54 PM on 02/17/08
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"darth vador" looked like chevy chase.
905 at 11:41 PM on 02/17/08
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I always remember the plant guy, Fikus, who had to occasionally 'pollinate" bu contorting in weird positions and making strange loud noises...God Bless the 70s.
Gev at 05:47 AM on 02/18/08
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@FredicvsMaximvs: Ahaha.. I also was beginning to think that I had just imagined the show too.

I'll be doing a lot of right-click, save-as-ing today.
rightback12 at 08:24 AM on 02/18/08
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I recommended io.9 stage the ultimate cross-cultural sci fi debate: Red Dwarf vs. Quark.
oldandintheway at 06:06 PM on 02/20/08
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@rightback12: Red Dwarf waslight years ahead of "Quark", and NOT a Star Wars Rip off..
thecurse at 08:29 PM on 03/15/08
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@oldandintheway:

How, exactly, can it rip off the thing it is spoofing? That's what spoofs are.