# References to Science fiction in mainstream media



## Marlon (Apr 25, 2009)

Jeopardy Question:  Author of Moon is a harsh mistress nad Time enough for love?

Where else have you seen /heard references to science fiction?


----------



## j d worthington (Apr 25, 2009)

Marlon said:


> Jeopardy Question: Author of Moon is a harsh mistress nad Time enough for love?
> 
> Where else have you seen /heard references to science fiction?


 
That largely depends on how you define sf and whether you include parodies and the like. 2001 was all over the place for many years, including, of course, references in _Monty Python's Flying Circus_. If you include Lovecraft (and many do, at least as one of the marginal founders of sf), his name has cropped up in gameshows before as well; the following being the most recent I am aware of:

YouTube - Lovecraft on Mastermind

And then there are the numerous references to films such as Batman, etc....


----------



## Grimward (Apr 25, 2009)

letterman - hancock

leno - starship troopers

conan o'brian - war of the worlds

And that's entirely ignoring references to Star Wars, Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc.  There's no shortage of sff fodder in mainstream media....


----------



## dask (Apr 25, 2009)

Time magazine did a cover story of sf quite a while ago. Friend of mine saw an episode of Jeopardy once where the guy, not knowing the right question, blurted out "What is "Overdrawn At The Memory Bank?'" When MINORITY REPORT came out Time magazine had a small essay on Philip K. Dick which was kind of cool.


----------



## Teresa Edgerton (Apr 25, 2009)

I've heard Keith Olbermann drop SF references from time to time.


----------



## jojajihisc (Jun 12, 2010)

I watched *Explorers (1985)* again for the first time in probably twenty years (it wasn't as good as I remember, funny how that happens) and when they first create the little sphere that becomes their spaceship it burns holes in several Asimov and Heinlein paperbacks. I'm pretty sure *Fantastic Voyage* was shown and maybe *Stranger in a Strange Land*.


----------



## Interference (Jun 12, 2010)

I listened to the news.  Robots are fixing an oil leak in Florida.  And you tell me that's not science fiction?


----------



## J-WO (Jun 17, 2010)

Does anyone recall an episode of Monty Python that's almost entirely SF? It features an alien invasion where they zap people with a special weapon that turns them Scottish.

I won't do a spoiler and explain why, but the alien's reasoning is brilliant and fiendish!


----------



## Quokka (Jun 17, 2010)

In one of The Simpson episodes Lisa says "I can see through time" after eating spicy food cooked by Apu, I always took that as a reference to Dune but maybe that's just me .

Edit: Dune is also referenced in Fat Boy Slim's Weapon of Choice. With the line repeated: _Walk without Rhythm, and it won't attract the worm.  _


----------



## Interference (Jun 17, 2010)

"I can see through time" is one of the best lines I've heard in my life.  I will use it often from now on


----------



## Stephen Palmer (Jun 18, 2010)

Dave Langford's essential "Ansible" regularly updates how non-SF types see us.


----------



## J-WO (Jun 18, 2010)

Stephen Palmer said:


> Dave Langford's essential "Ansible" regularly updates how non-SF types see us.



Some of those quotes are really quite astounding.


----------

