MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Name some unintentionally iconic element...

Name some unintentionally iconic elements of a franchise, series, etc.

posted 2 years ago by jonathan_k80 (6436)
25 replies | jump to latest

What I mean here is some aspect of a movie, TV series, etc. that wasn't part of the original concept, but became a signature component of the franchise after being implemented due to budget constraints or some other reason. I'll start with this:

Series: Star Trek
Element: The transporter
Reason: Budget and time constraints.
Gene Roddenberry originally planned to depict the USS Enterprise landing on each planet the crew visited, but the continuous utilization of models and sets would have been too expensive. This led to the concept of the small shuttlecraft, but the models and sets for it were still under construction at the time filming had begun. So the idea of the transporter was settled upon, using simple camera fade-out effects and superimposition of the beams of light.

Today, Star Trek just wouldn't be Star Trek without its iconic transporter and the accompanying (misquoted) catchphrase, "Beam me up, Scotty."

What are some other instances of this? (There's another I could mention, but will wait and see if someone else comes up with it).

[–] Dogiswhite (1288) 2 years ago

Yeah great one, but people can't just accept it for what it is. They need it explained. How does it work? What happens if it malfunctions?

[–] Dogiswhite (1288) 2 years ago

I mean Roddenberry originally wanted it to be Wagon Train in Space so why not more shuttle craft?

So what other instance?

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

I can think of another science fiction series, but will give others a chance to participate. If no one mentions it within a few days, then I will post it.

[–] Mustang (5418) 2 years ago

I’ve even heard people go as far as asking what happens to the persons soul during this process!

That said a malfunction of some kind would have made for an interesting story.

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

I read somewhere that it was originally intended to use real horses, but due to budget constraints...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9nXfffeAIU

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

And it ended up being hilarious.

[–] RoboReCop (3294) 2 years ago

So, Star Trek had the original idea for 'space horses', but Disney Star War actually did it [Episode IX]? Pretty interesting thinking about it.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

nyctc7 is referring to Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975).

[–] FredBurroughs (21447) 2 years ago

Harrison Ford was reportedly too sick the day of shooting, so instead of a more elaborately choreographed fight scene, we got this:

https://youtu.be/vdnA-ESWcPs

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

Indy vs. the swordsman is a classic.

[–] RoboReCop (3294) 2 years ago

Steve Urkle from 'Family Matters'. He was supposed to be a one-off character in an episode, but became the icon of the entire series.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

I had thought of this one, too. I remember reading about the main cast members being unhappy about getting upstaged by Jaleel White.

[–] Mustang (5418) 2 years ago

There is also the Fonz on Happy Days.

And in Good Times JJ stole the show from what was supposed to be about the (boring) parents.

I’ve also read Diff’rent Strokes was meant to be a vehicle for Conrad Bain. But Arnold became the star.

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

Dr Smith was never intended to be the focal point of Lost in Space. His repartee with the Robot is certainly iconic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfh-YY465HA

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

Some bubble-headed booby rewrote the script.

Here's a compilation of Dr. Smith's alliterative affronts:
https://irwinallen.fandom.com/wiki/Dr._Smith%27s_Insults

[–] kukuxu (5409) 2 years ago

Not exactly unintentional, more of an inside joke.

Money was scarce during the production of Battlestar Galactica (2004). The producers kept telling everybody that they had to cut corners everywhere. So they literally did 😂: http://kaedrin.com/images/screenshots/bsg/bsg2.jpg That's why every book, folder and paper in the show has its corners cut.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

I didn't know about this because I've never seen the 2004 series, but that is a great inside joke.

[–] kukuxu (5409) 2 years ago

Then congrats, since you can still enjoy watching for first time the best sci-fi show ever made.

Avoid spoilers, don't read anything about it. You can dismiss Caprica (the spinoff), but don't miss the two episodes miniseries that served as pilot.

---

By the way, another one due to budget was Doctor Who's Tardis (the blue police box). It was supposed to adapt to the environment, but they made up the story that the system broke and stayed as a blue police box because they didn't have enough money to use a different prop in each episode.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

Thanks. I'll have to look for it. I vaguely remember the 1978 original but have never seen the newer one.

----

Ah, yes... the chameleon circuit. Doctor Who was another series I was going to mention, but for a different reason. I told Dogiswhite in the reply above that I will post it in a few days if no one else does. I want to give others the chance to participate in this thread.

[–] kukuxu (5409) 2 years ago

I've seen both. Watched the 1978 one when I was a kid and loved it, but the 2004 one plays in a different league.

[–] nyctc7 (43591) 2 years ago

The most iconic thing about 'Good Times' is Jimmie Walker saying "dyn-o-mite" which apparently was quite unintentional. Some of the other cast resented this.

[–] beantown23 (1438) 2 years ago

Happy Days Fonzie was suppose to be a fringe character. He wasn't allowed to wear the leather jacket at first as it was seen as too edgy by the show's developers.

[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 2 years ago

And it was Fonzie who jumped a shark on water-skis, prompting the iconic catchphrase that has become a part of the lexicon.

[–] beantown23 (1438) 2 years ago

Well said.