For this most requested, I wanted to focus on one of the most prolific sci-fi TV shows to not air in the late 70’s – early 80’s. But that hasn’t stopped the throngs of fans from meeting at conventions and swapping merchandise. But the one thing missing from all those collections? Official Galaxy Quest action figures.
Galaxy Quest is one of my favorite movies of all time. Every couple years I have to re-watch it, and if I happen to catch it on TV while flipping stations, then I’m stuck. Not only is it a terrific movie in its own right. Not only does it have a terrific cast of character actors. But Galaxy Quest is also the perfect spoof. Why so perfect? Because Galaxy Quest pokes fun at the things we all knew were silly but still loved. It would have been easy for the writers to make a movie that tore apart the show and ridiculed the fanbase. Instead, they gave us the equivalent of a high school love letter. Something we can look back on with fond memories, yet still laugh in good humor at our naive infatuation when things seemed much “simpler”.
It’s been eleven years since we first met the crew of the NSEA Protector. The movie was considered a box office success, yet there was very little in terms of merchandise. It’s kind of ironic. In the Galaxy Quest Universe, there are convention halls full of props, memorabilia, and products as far as the eye can see. But in reality, there’s hardly anything: A couple of model kits, a poorly written comic book miniseries, and the movie itself. It’s a shame, because there’s so much potential here.
So, what do I want? Toys. I want the figures we should have gotten in 1999: Captain Peter Quincy Taggart, Lt. Tawny Madison, Dr. Lazarus, Tech Sgt. Chen, Lt. Laredo, Mathesar, Sarris, oh and Crewman #6 (What was the name of that Guy?). Preferably I’d like them to be done in a similar way of Playmates recent Star Trek movie line, where each figure comes with a section of the bridge. Except this time the whole thing gets released.
So is any toy company really going to resurrect an eleven year old product? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t happen. If Galaxy Quest has taught us anything, it’s that we should never give up and never surrender.
Hells yeah!
Woo hoo, I’m not alone!
You know they almost DID make GQ action figures – there was a feature in Wizard/ToyFare some years ago and they ran pics of the proposed sculpts. IIRC they were going to be 6 inch size and look a lot like the Art Asylum Star Trek line. There’s a pic of the big bad here: http://www.questarian.com/gq-faq.htm
And you never know – they did just release a model kit of the NSEA Protector, and a role-play of the gun and communicator, so anything is possible.
Awesome, thanks for the pic Will. I’m going to have to pick up that gun and communicator next I think. Hopefully some company out there wouldn’t mind making figures though.
I’ve beeen waiting for toys of these guys for years. I’m amazed that it never happened a few years back when it seemed like everything was getting toys.
I know. You’d think when “R” rated movies like Alien and Terminator are getting toys that they would make figures for a movie kids could actually watch.
i’d have bought these and i wouldn’t own a star trek toy on a dare!
Those Playmates Star Trek toys rocked 😛
I don’t think there’s ever been such a diverse line as those.
I’d own the entire crew and more and display them proudly next to my BSG figures. I think DST would do a helluva job on them so long as they released all the characters instead of multiples of the same over and over again.
Yeah, DST would do great as long as we got them all. I don’t want the series to be done and we don’t have Lazarus still.
I would buy some Galaxy guest toys if someone will make them.Galaxy Guest is one of my favourite movie of all time.
I’m right there with you.
Perhaps they’ll come if we perform the Maktar Chant of Strength…
lol, It can’t hurt!
You know after reading this I was surprised to realize this film never had figures. Seems like it would have been an obvious marketing vehicle.
I know, it would have made a great toy line when it came out. Now it would just be a great collector’s line.
What was the name of that Guy?
Guy Fleegman, AKA Security Chief “Roc” Ingersoll.
lol, oh I know, I was just making a funny 😉
The death of Resaurus threw a lot of licenses into limbo. I think there was a Toyfare article about this – I’ll have to look through the archives.
As for a figure line now, it would like a company making toys from Krull. It would make some people very happy and lose a ton of cash.