Enough with the Star Wars References!

So there I was, watching the trailers on a rented DVD the other day.  Amongst the previews was one for the Karate Kid remake, and there is a bit where Will Smith’s Mini Me son says to Jackie Chan, "So you’re like Yoda, and I’m a Jedi."

I was immediately hit with something that’s been bugging me for a while now:  I have had enough of Star Wars.

George Lucus’ universe has been parodied, retold and paid tribute to so often it’s sucked any enjoyment I once garnered from the saga (although where the prequels are concerned that wasn’t exactly hard).

A by no means exhaustive roll call of offenders:

STATING  YOUR RELIGION AS 'JEDI
KNIGHT' WOULD ALSO DO THE TRICK

30 Rock

The funny but never hilarious sitcom's leading lady Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) is obsessed with the saga, admitting "I was Princess Leia, like, four Halloweens in a row – recently!" and donning the iconic garb to avoid jury duty.

Spaced 

The classic geek-com features Simon Pegg as comic book artist Tim Bisely, whose love of the films ensures they are frequently referenced.  His theory of how the gunner on Episode IV’s Imperial ship is key to the plot of the entire series is amiable enough stoned talk, and at least the show dares to present the movies in a negative light when Bisely’s hatred of The Phantom Menace becomes a running gag.

MARK 'WHERE DO I SIGN?' HAMILL

Kevin Smith

Practically his entire canon, including the debate in Clerks about the culpability of the Death Star’s building contractors in Return of the Jedi, to Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back’s very title, not to mention several key scenes plus Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher cameos.

 Robot Chicken 

They devoted a whole episode to Star Wars and outdid Smith by getting Lucas himself to contribute a voice, along with alumni like Billy Dee Williams, Ahmed Best and the seemingly always available Hamill.   An hour-long special swiftly followed.

"I BENT MY WOOKIE!"

The Simpsons 

Although, as ever, they do it with a lot more wit and charm than most ("Marge, you're as pretty as Princess Leia, and as smart as Yoda").  Naturally, Mark Hamill has lent his voice ("Luke, use the forks!").

Family Guy

Lord.  For a once-funny show that's now completely made up of lazy and random references, it was pretty inevitable that they would eventually disregard original thought altogether and just re-do an entire film – the creative equivalent of the journey from Scream to Scary Movie.  We’ve now been ‘treated’ to feature-length tributes to every part of the original trilogy.  Obi-Wan as portrayed by the creepy paedo guy!  R2-D2 is Cleveland in blaxpoloitation mode!  Morons rejoice.

UGH. JUST... UGH

Video games

A seemingly endless production line of hugely varying quality.  Star Wars: The Old Republic is the latest out the blocks.

George Lucas

All the various spin-offs, tie-ins and re-dos that considerate ol’ George treats us to on a regular basis whenever he fancies adding an extra sandbox to Skywanker Ranch.  Yes, we really needed Jabba digitally added to A New Hope, and boy oh boy is it great to learn more about the period between the two trilogies in The Clone Wars, first a in movie and then a TV series. And what’s this: new box sets comprising the whole saga and Blu-Ray editions, out just in time for Christmas, and a 3D reissue early next year?  Back up that truck, we’re gonna need a lot of sand!

Enough is enough people.  Allow me to set the record straight: Star Wars is a bit of warm nostalgia for those of us who remember when the originals used to be on TV every Christmas or got to see them in the cinema – be it in the late 70s/early 80s or when they were re-released in 1997.  It’s fantasy fun for today’s youngsters for whom the rapid CGI and bright colours are enough of a distraction from the plodding tedium of the new films.

Everyone else – kindly leave the saga alone and stop ramming it down our throats at every opportunity!

*UPDATE* 09 November 2011

I just saw Currys/PC World's painful Christmas TV ad campaign, which features Darth Vader landing his ship in one of the store's car parks and inspecting the staff.  Sounds like James Earl Jones' voice, too – that or a good mimic.  I truly hope the man himself hasn't stooped so low as to sell himself out flogging laptops and vacuum cleaners.

*UPDATE* 30 January 2012

Now it seems Vodafone are the latest to get in on the act, using a CGI Yoda to flog their mobile phone services.  Really, how much sand does one man need??

YAWN... ER, I MEAN... YAY...