# William Shatner heads off to the final frontier (space, not death) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [October 4, 2021, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868 "2021-10-04T15:40:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/81 "2021-10-07T15:59:52Z")
Everyone else is refering to the Twilight Zone episode where Shatner is a passenger on an airplane and sees a gremlin outside on the wing messing with the plane’s engine. Someone linked to its Wikipage upthread under the name of Nightmare at 20,000 Feet. They remade it later with John Lithgow as the passenger, hence the Third Rock reference. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/82 "2021-10-07T16:30:31Z")
I know, but that’s too obvious. So is _Third Rock_. You can’t feel superior to the rabble if you don’t cite something more obscure. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/83 "2021-10-07T19:40:59Z")
In the episode _Frozen Dick_, Dick (John Lithgow) believed he saw something on the wing of the airplane that he and Mary (Jane Curtin) were aboard, getting them both thrown off. So that was a callback to Lithgow’s segment in the _Twilight Zone_ movie. So when Dick met the Big Giant Head, they had that common experience in-show, as well as in their respective _Twilight Zone_ stories. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h4wKlrCEmzE/hqdefault.jpg "3rd Rock from the Sun S01xE12 Frozen Dick TR altyazılı") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4wKlrCEmzE) ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/84 "2021-10-08T19:43:47Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Agreed, **wolfpup**. Have a safe flight, Captain Kirk, and I hope we can hear you say, “Space … the final frontier” at least once from space. I hope he pretends to see a gremlin. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/85 "2021-10-08T20:30:15Z")
There should be a band playing the _Star Trek_ theme to send him off. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RL1ubWvgovU/maxresdefault.jpg "Star Trek TOS Theme - USAF Band of Mid-America") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL1ubWvgovU) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/86 "2021-10-08T20:43:11Z")
Better yet, if the Shat is listening during the launch. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Hci3fWEx-JA/hqdefault.jpg "T.J. Hooker - Intro [HQ]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hci3fWEx-JA) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/87 "2021-10-08T20:45:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Better yet, if the Shat is listening during the launch. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hci3fWEx-JA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hci3fWEx-JA) - He should climb on the hood nosecone and hang on. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/88 "2021-10-09T17:49:33Z")
Somehow, I think this would be more appropriate: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8wI4jMxveyI/maxresdefault.jpg "(AUDIO RESTORED) William Shatner "Sings" 'Rocket Man' 1978") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wI4jMxveyI) Or perhaps this: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi8MI7jjpSY) ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/89 "2021-10-09T19:43:50Z")
I want him to sing his rendition of “MacArthur Park” the whole time he’s up there. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/90 "2021-10-09T21:39:34Z")
Or maybe “Taxi.” _… And me, I’m flyin’ in my taxi, takin’ tips … and gettin’ stoned._ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/91 "2021-10-11T16:56:32Z")
Looks like weather has delayed the launch eight days to Wednesday of next week. They’d best get him up there as quickly as possible, as each passing day is a risk he won’t be around anymore. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/92 "2021-10-11T19:28:16Z")
No, it’s only delayed by one day, until the 13th, two days from now. > [@](#): > > Blue Origin has pushed the next launch of its New Shepard vehicle, which will carry Shatner and three other people to suborbital space, from Tuesday (Oct. 12) to Wednesday (Oct. 13) due to weather concerns. > **[William Shatner's Blue Origin launch delayed to Wednesday due to weather](https://www.space.com/william-shatner-blue-origin-launch-weather-delay)** > > The wind forecast isn't favorable for a Tuesday liftoff. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2021, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/93 "2021-10-12T06:48:25Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > No, it’s only delayed by one day, until the 13th, two days from now. Excellent. Still, they’d best get him up there sooner rather than later. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/94 "2021-10-13T13:59:02Z")
:Liftoff in just a little over half an hour. Streaming live on the Blue Origin site: > **[Home | Blue Origin](https://www.blueorigin.com/)** ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/95 "2021-10-13T14:01:33Z")
The final frontier… ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/96 "2021-10-13T14:09:59Z")
T minus 22 minutes and counting… ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/97 "2021-10-13T14:46:03Z")
4 minutes to go ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/98 "2021-10-13T14:55:41Z")
**[VOICE OF CLINT HOWARD]:** Sir, it looks like a giant… ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/99 "2021-10-13T15:13:53Z")
He’s back! ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868/100 "2021-10-13T15:14:37Z")
I was more interested in watching how the rocket booster landed. Fins extended from the top, to keep it oriented vertically. Then the rocket fired to slow it down. Then, at the last moment, the legs extended for it to land on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-heads-off-to-the-final-frontier-space-not-death/951868.md?page=6)