Space Quest influence?

[on:]

How much influence, if at all, do you think the Space Quest series might have had on our beloved show?

When you come to think of it, Fry and/or Brannigan share alot of similarities to Roger Wilco.



Look at Brannigan's pic near my name.. he looks like the Matt Groening's version of the guy on the picture! Even their belts (look closely) are similiar! and they are both pretty dumb, both bad starship captains (Roger atleast was, for one game).

Here is a picture of him in even the same pose:

[Reply #1 on:]

I think Zapp's personality is more inspired by William Shatner(sp?), but I agree that the designs are alot alike. Who knows? Maybe Zapp was inspired by everyone's favorite space janitor from orbital platform 4.

[Reply #2 on:]

Yeah, in the audio commentary to LLLiS, Cohen notes that Zapp seems like "half William Shatner, half captain Kirk", and Groening repsonds with "Exactly!!"

Later Brian Kelly (Writer of LLLiS) chimes in with how he was instructed to treat Zapp: "pretend William Shatner is the captain of the Enterprise, not captain Kirk".

Though the design of the uniform looks a bit similar.

[Reply #3 on:]

I really think it's a coincidence...
Anyway, Roger's not a space hero! He's a lazy sod!
...who happens to save the universe now and then...
not like Fry at all...
 
I don't think the simulariteis are intentional. I just think that Zapp and Wilco's picture suffer from the fact there there are only so many heroic poses that a space hero can adopt.

And Roger wasn't that bad a spaceship captain! He blew up some pirates! Ka-Powie!

[Reply #4 on:]

He was kicked from the position of captain (a position he got there after cheating in the tests and because of mice going into the grade-checking computer) - just like Zapp.

[Reply #5 on:]

I do agree that Zapp and that guy do share similarities