10 Greatest Star Trek In-Jokes
1. The Writer And The Principal
Far Beyond the Stars will forever be considered one of the best Star Trek episodes ever made. Powerhouse performances from the cast — from Avery Brooks in particular who also directed — and the episode's brilliant narrative conceit bring the theme of racial prejudice and its harrowing consequences into sharp focus in a manner never before managed so directly in Star Trek.
The episode is also notable for its use of insider references. The 1950s style drawing of Deep Space 9 that inspires Benny Russell to write his story in the first place was a nice touch, and you perhaps noticed the Original Series matte painting of Starbase 11 on the cover of competitor magazine Galaxy.
For Benny Russell's group of writers' own publication — Incredible Tales of Scientific Wonder — the front cover of the March 1953 edition sports an image of Delta Vega from Where No Man Has Gone Before. The issue then features the stories ("First of a new series!"): "The Cage by E.W. Roddenberry," The Corbomite Maneuver by Jerry Sohl (Illus. by Matt Jefferies)," "Journey to Babel by D.C. Fontana," "Metamorphosis by Gene L. Coon," and "Where No Man Has Gone Before by Samuel Peeples".
Finally, in a memo from editor Douglas Pabst to Herbert Rossoff (Armin Shimerman), apparently used as set dressing but never visible on screen, was written: "No one would believe that a cheerleader could kill vampires." The snide principal Snyder might also have been but a writer's dream.