Commentary:Where No Fan Has Gone Before

Topics of Discussion

 * Matt Groening confesses that he has never seen an original episode of Star Trek in its entirety. He explains that he didn't dislike the show, but just never watched it.
 * He felt that this could help the episode by judging the jokes without knowing what they are alluding to.
 * Past usage of the distinctive wheelchair, both in the Simpsons and Futurama.
 * Pat was a Star Trek fan as a child, but since then never watched it then until directing this episode. Many of her colleagues at Rough Draft Studios were jealous of her directorial position.
 * David X. Cohen concludes that they picked the best series to create a parody of.
 * David A. Goodman mentions his work on this episode got him a job writing for Star Trek: Enterprise.
 * Original ideas for the episode, including a battle between a giant William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.
 * The story behind getting all of the original Star Trek cast members to play themselves in the episode.
 * The only actor to reject the offer was James Doohan. David A. Goodman then titled the original script "We Got Everybody Except Scotty."
 * David A. Goodman confirms to Maurice LaMarche that all listed episode numbers in one of Melllvar's lines are correct.
 * Discussion of the two returning Star Trek characters in the show, Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle Nichols.
 * Matt was nervous of being questioned by William Shatner on his knowledge of the show.
 * Billy also had a conversation about Futurama with William Shatner.
 * Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner were the only two actors who were allowed to converse their lines into the same microphone during the recording process.
 * David X. Cohen tells the story of squishing everyone into the Recording Booth to watch their idols act.
 * David A. Goodman speaks of his moments urinating next to Leonard Nimoy.
 * The episode was approved of by the fans at the Pasadena Star Trek Convention.
 * A line of Melllvar's was intended to have a strong tone, but Maurice felt it needed to be softer and was used instead.
 * Discussion of deleted scenes.
 * David X. Cohen questions the phasers moving away from each other at the ship, but meeting each other at their target.
 * David X. Cohen describes several early versions of Melllvar.
 * David A. Goodman mentions references to Star Trek that were missed by fans.
 * David A. Goodman talks about his yearning to write the planned Star Trek episode for Futurama.
 * David X. Cohen admits he was keeping quite about who would be writing the episode because he was trying to find time to write it himself.
 * David X. Cohen talks about John DiMaggio and himself laughing so hard at the table read of this script they cried.
 * A series of maladies left David A. Goodman with very little time to write the episode.
 * The commentators wonder the inspiration behind Dan Vebber's line on Melllvar's age.
 * David X. Cohen asks Pat about dealing with lawyers throughout her time directing the episode.
 * William Shatner's spoken word cover of "."
 * The various background for the closing credits.

Highlights / Quotes
David X. Cohen: He's not joking by the way. David Goodman now writes for Star Trek: Enterprise. David A. Goodman: And that will be the next series that I put in the ground. Matt Groening: And [James Doohan] wouldn't do it because he wouldn't do anything or...? David A. Goodman: Well the quote we got was "No way." Matt Groening: A simple no would have been sufficient! David A. Goodman: "No way!" Maurice LaMarche: The "way" was quite unnecessary.

Commentators

 * Matt Groening
 * Executive Producer
 * David X. Cohen
 * Executive Producer
 * David A. Goodman
 * Writer
 * Pat Shinagawa
 * Director
 * Billy West
 * Actor (Fry, Zapp Brannigan, miscellaneous)
 * Maurice LaMarche
 * Actor (Melllvar, Kif Kroker, miscellaneous)