The Most Important Device in the Universe - All Movie Appearances
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- Patreon: / nitpickingnerd
This device has been spotted in numerous science-fiction movies and tv shows. It is the ultimate re-used prop, and there is not a single of its numerous appearances where its purpose would be explained or hinted at. The prop is described as 'dual generators with rotating neon lights inside an acrylic tube, light-controlled panel with knobs and buttons, or simply as 'blinking tubes without function.
The first time we see it is in the Regula lab in Star Trek II Wrath of Khan. They are also visible in the Enterprise-A's shuttlebay in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
They also appear in a number of Star Trek episodes: Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Datalore', Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Suddenly Human', Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'The Quality of Life', Star Trek: Voyager episode 'Retrospect', and Star Trek: Voyager episode - 'Inside Man'. Finally the prop can be seen in Soong's hideout. as well as on the research station in Star Trek: Enterprise episode 'Cold Station 12.
It also appears in the background of various science labs in Star Trek: Lower Decks , in cartoon form. The tubes appear in other science fiction series and movies, as well, such as V (the 1983 miniseries), The Last Starfighter , The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988 TV movie), The Flash in episode 'Deadly Nightshade,' Star Crystal , Alien Nation , as well as Airplane II: The Sequel (with William Shatner, who would again encounter it in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier which he directed and starred in), in Lois & Clark season 2 episode 8 with Denis Crosby.
and Finally in season 2 of "Future Man"
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That last clip pretty much summed up all that prop is doing... LMAO
"That's the joke" - Rainier Luftwaffe Wolfcastle
Precisely what i was thinking lol
I belive that scene is from "airplane 2" so....that would be exactly the joke they were going for,
It was genius. So funny 😂😂
That’s fucking brilliant
They really should make a USB powered desktop sized version of this.
I would rather get a full sized one
Actually, all you need is a set of red LED filaments, a light controller from a string of RBG LEDs, the plastic tube containers from two things of craft store beads, and 3D printed or polystyrene assembled end caps.
And that will make a fully functional one, right? 😉
@@scottwillis5434 of course.
@@mr.mickles Sorry to be a downer, but I'm not sure if the Zabrucky-Turnbow Field can be modulated on a small enough scale for a desktop-sized Zabrucky-Turnbow Device to induce an appreciable Zabrucky-Turnbow Effect.
It should have its own IMDB page.
😂😂😂😂
+
I love how Shatner and Crosby are in scenes outside of Star Trek that use the prop.
I thought that was Amanda Tapping (Carter from Stargate SG-1) at first. On second viewing, it's indeed Denise Crosby! :D
@@Kazuo1G I thought it was Amanda, too!
@@Kazuo1G me too! Do you have any idea what movie that is?
And Spiner.
It's a Dimensional Cohesion Stabilizer. It has a different purpose in every dimension (and sometimes within the same dimension), but that's the essence of what it is. You need it to keep the multiverse from falling apart, thereby ripping the space/time fabric. It's high-tech stuff, you wouldn't understand.
@TurboKat I used to keep mine in the basement until I saw they were supposed to be in a lab, if possible.
Donated it to Boston Dynamics, they told me not to ask them what they'll use it for. Eh, I already know enough. As long as we are here, it's safe.
Yes. Everyone who's seen the TARDIS knows this is its core engine. Even Starfleet warp cores are based on this fundamental technology.
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This man speaks the truth! 🙂↕️
"Hey, I need a prop."
"Just wait your turn, buddy. I still have 3 seasons to go."
Well, rather than having them rot in storage.
It’s the Modern Props #195-290-1, a movie prop originally built in the 1970’s. It’s a product of the creative mind of [John Zabrucky] who founded Modern Props in 1977 to serve Sci-Fi television and movie productions that wanted to invent the future with their props.
This thing is like sci-fi royalty. It's the most prolific star in sci-fi. Title and credits should read: Special Guest Star "Sir Red Light blinky tube thing" as "Important plot point equipment"
In the hall of fame next to Robbie the robot
@@joserobertosolismerlin5527 Or maybe next to "Inanimate Carbon Rod"
Fun fact: The device's in-universe purpose in all of these films is just as a super ultra mega convoluted automatic vegetable peeler that uses 1nm thick lasers to burn off the peelings from any vegetable.
nice source, random internet person
That would taste horrible
Someone should make a small version of this thing and sell them at Comic-Cons etc. I'd pay $100 for one, to put on a shelf in my office at work
Why would you put all that money into a thing with red lights that go back and forth? It doesn't make any sense.
@@TokyoXtreme It would have to be REALLY good, for me to spend $100 on it
I legit want one of these.
How big do you want it to be?!
@@TokyoXtreme and yet here we are,
so it must have worked some how?! 🤔
Maybe it's a dark magic, or a magic smoke generator! 😳
Or maybe even a sci-fi nerd conversation tractor beam generator?! 🤯
My favorite part is at 4:49. "Have you ever seen anything like this before?". The answer is, "Yes. It seems that we've seen it a LOT. We've seen it in almost every science lab, or space-ship from almost every movie, or TV show made in the 80's or 90's. It has these two tubes with red lights in them that blink back and forth..."
"What does it do?"
"I dont know sir, it seems to have no other discernible function aside flashing red lights"
"It must have _some_ other function, who would spend millions of dollars to create a device that just flashes red lights?"
"Who knows sir but it would be bitchin' at a party"
Now we know the truth. It is just a Thing with moving red lights. 😉
I mean, we have flashing lights all over our computers. It's not that hard to imagine we'd decorate space ships and such with them too.
This seems like a self aware joke at the fact that it's been everywhere and is just some lights.
It is interesting to see a movie prop that gets used in so many different movies and TV shows, considering that all it is is a set of flashing neon tubes.
You missed one. Knight Rider: Knight Behind Bars
It’s in the lab that the gymnasts breaks into to steal a crystal which would make the laser 10x more powerful. Blah blah.
I saw it and just remembered I have stumbled on this video, and couldn’t remember if it was in there.
2:50 "The colonists' laboratory is extremely well equipped."
I should say so! It's got this thingy in it!
It's the Wilhelm Scream of sci-fi props!
I just realized that this thing is made from 4 swimming pool skimmers. Specifically Baker Hydro. Genius!
I just googled "Baker Hydro pool skimmer" and HAHA, you're right! There it is!
It’s function is to detect and protect the Temporal Directive across all universes. If you forgot how this was done please refer to Q.
'V,' 'The Incredible Hulk,' and 'Alien Nation' were all the creations of Kenneth Johnson, who wrote and directed many episodes of each. I wonder if this is his trademark.
If I ever get abducted by aliens and they don't have this thing on their ship, I'll just get up and walk out.
It's appearance in Buck Roger in the 25th Century pre-dates Star Trek II by a couple years but all that proves is the device can jump time and realities.
It's first appearance was in "The Incredible Hulk"...
This is got to be my most favorite video of yours that prop needs to be in the Smithsonian
I'd love to see an interview with the person/people responsible for building this prop! I bet they're proud :)
That is so unbelievably cool I can not believe how many different show's it was in that is so freaking funny.😂😂😎
Ah yes, the Standard Universal McGuffin.
It is so secretive, they could not explain it to the viewers...
It's like the Rutger Hauer of the props world!
It's not actually a prop. It's the chameleon circuit of a tardis that's being piloted by a massive film buff
It probably has earned it's own IMDB page by now, considering how many times it shows up.
The Wilhelm Scream of props!
That thing should be called the Paramount Propotron. 😀
future archaeologist are going to be very confused by this, I imagine someone is going to write their thesis on this device
Needs to be updated with Lower Decks S4 E2.
It's called Tucker tubes now.
Add Star Crystal (1986) to the list.
First time I saw it was in Wrath of Khan, then Shatner's scene in Airplane II. That's when I started seeing it everywhere!
So it's an omnipresent, omnipurpose electronic device. A literal Deus ex Machina, if you will.
3:51 "It's a Hex-Decimal password..."
Yeah, those are notoriously hard to crack if you don't have a Flux Capacitor handy.
A shame it was not in Galaxy Quest, or "Paul".
I'm pretty sure that "Prop # 195-290-1" (that's its name) has been in a lot more things than is featured in this video...
apparently, it has more film and tv credits then Michael Cain
Yep
Yep
Thank you for posting its name!
The ones used in Star Trek or at least some of Star Trek were actually redesigns to look more sleek with the set. You can see they were also different designs
They owe the red blinky tube thing some serious residuals
I want those lights blinking in sequence!
Spotted The Device at 13:24 into the 1984 film Trancers
That high powered microscope Spock uses in Star Trek VI also got some mileage.
I guess its long journey in Sci Fi began in Buck Rogers.
Yeah, it appeared on the Searcher in 1980
He should sell tiny replicas of that thing I want one
It's the WiFi Router 9f the future.
I realize that this prop has literally been in hundreds of productions, TV and film, so can we get a list going where else you've spotted it? As first entry, the film Star Crystal 1986. I think it had the alternate name of Star Beast in some locations.
That must be how they make self-sealing stembolts
I had self-sealing stem bolts figured out years ago...
Looks like a pretty standard turbo encabulator to me.
Then where's the parametric fan?
@@stainlesssteelfox1 It's right next to the polar wayne shaft, duh!
plot twist: they're all in the same universe
What if this was true. That every iteration of the device is in fact the same iteration of the device existing simultaneously across dimensions and universes.
Aggghhh I know I've seen this in another Red letter media video. I don't remember if they actually talked about the prop or they just showed the star trek scene that happened to have the prop in it
But they’re hack frauds. Lol. I thought the same thing. They just show it when they notice it. They didn’t do one big supercut like this.
5:20 it makes me think of the machine from Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. Where it's basically a machine that is meant to go "bing!"
It was also in Alien Nation (the movie), at the facility where they made the alien Jabroka narcotic.
Of course we know what it is, it's a de-grayness tube. In the future there are less colours so to make up for this imbalance every room where things happen needs to have a de-grayness tube.
That's what's called cost efficient. This prop was a investment in the future.
I was waiting for the Airplane 2 reference!! LOL!!
when this device is destroyed, it lets out a scream. guess what the scream sounds like. yep. that one.
3:51 "It's a hexdecimal password" LOL
I just saw this prop in Trancers.
I admire your dedication to this scavenger hunt!
If the prop maker only had the vision to attach royalties for use of his artistic creation, he would be rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
Did they tell Thor that thing is a rental?
I have seen that damn thing for so many years, but did know it was used that much outside of Star Trek.
Lmfao the last clip just totally sums up every time its been seen in any movie or show.
That prop gets around. I think its earliest appearance was on the Incredible Hulk tv special.
The Buck Rogers clip was well before that.
Star Trek TOS, at least once, But I'm betting more.
Its the Zawbrucky-Turnbow Device(or Drive)..its primary function is to keep the multiple time/space dimentions separate, thus preventing trans-dimentional crossovers.
Now, I can never un-see it.
OH MY GOD THOR NEARLY BROKE THE DEVICE
I just remember seeing it Star Trek a lot, didn’t know it was in other shows.
Aaaaah, utility #2043 in the Wenger Swiss Army knife. Always wondered what that thing was for. Now I know.
Now I want to know, who built that thing? How it was built? Why it was so often reused? How are the red lights powered?
The second most expensive piece of machinery next to big, bulky console with blinking lights.
Just yesterday that last clip popped up in my TickTock feed followed by prop archaeology explanation of it. Found it in fact is only two red lights going back-and-forth. The algorithm is working way too well at this point.
Whoever designed that must of saved the film industry millions.
I love it when that thingy shows up.
It’s a Gas detector. The red color happens when a laser is shined through helium, argon and other gasses between the focusing mirrors.
2:12 lmao that scream
imagine if aliens disovered the ruins of earth and this thing was still in one piece. it would drive them insane and bankrupt the economy of several star systems trying to figure out what it does.
Also featured in an episode of Knight Rider
There's another one that usually accompanied it, an upright bulky computer console.
The most repeating prop is the square panel covered with random flashing lights it has been used since the 1960 from drw who lost in space, land of the giant's battle star Galactica, columbo, star trek, UFO space 1999 etc etc etc.
We've all got our switches, lights and knobs to deal with. ruclips.net/video/Ebo0aLLPYwA/видео.html
Some prop guy spent way too much time and money making this and was so frustrated he just said fuck it we're using it in everything.
Well... Enterprise made a lot of mistakes, but you have to give them credit! At least they changed the color of the lights ! 3:49
1:29 what show is that from?
Looks like Star Trek but the insignia is sideways…
That just looks like a (retro? turbo? can't quite tell) encabulator, no wonder it's appearing everywhere.
No one knows what it does, they just know they absolutely have to have it!
It's a power converter for matter antimatter to the fusion reactor... duh!
Where can I get schematics, drawings and those hard-to-source parts for a fully functional one?
When the AI takes over, this prop is going to the equivalent of kissing a bat.
I never realized they reused props like this.
considering that I know a production designer that used the same curtains from Gone With The Wind for an HBO comedy special in the 90's....the answer is unequivocally yes.
Turns out it's a snack dispenser.
This and Vasquez Rock in LA 😅
You missed Star Crystal. 1986 film. @16:40
Thanks mate
Keep seeing this device, used it in V, Trancers, Star Trek, is there something in this device??? Are they sending us a secret message??
It's a particle accelerating strawberry cold-fusion reactor.
I always loves these thing on Star Trek... but I always asked what hell is that thing.
Also, it's interesting that at some time they make some modifications to make look more modern (On Voyager and Enterprise we can see differences on the casing), and oddly using on Enterprise where it's presumably showing a more older version of the thing!
I think they just put mental ventilation tape on it in VOY
0:41 Denise Crosby quit TNG for this
Like most Superhero & Sci-Fi series (including TNG), Lois & Clark had varying degrees of success on an episode by episode basis. While this particular one, "A Bolt From the Blue", may not be the best written, it still gave us fun with Leslie Jordan as "Resplendent Man" via a power transfer by lightning story that Smallville would echo later with "Leech".
Denise is guest-starring as Dr. Gretchen Kelley, an important ally to Lex Luthor in the comic books at the time (she pretended to be the mother of Lex's cloned body...long story) so her few appearances on L&C were met with excitement as those episodes were always important to the over-all Lex storyline.
Since Star Trek II: Wrath Of Khan principal photography filming dates go from 11 November 1981 - 28 January 1982,... and Airplane II from 2 June 1982 - 28 July 1982,.. we can fairly say that the prop was conceived for the former,.. and endlessly re-used by Paramount Studios in the Sci-Fi genre.