10 Times Star Trek Reused Props To Cut Corners

8. Wall Paneling

Star Trek Wall
CBS

This wall paneling has been used many times in Star Trek. It contains US Navy sonobuoys, which are used in battle with submarines or occasionally for sound experiments underwater. They are octagonal in shape, doubling up for many elements in the Star Trek universe. They were built into several wall sections in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, including a piece of Starfleet Academy that Kirk exits near the beginning of the film.

They would be reused again in the next film, becoming the walls of the Transporter Room that Uhura takes up her new post in. They look like a complicated mass of piping and hoses, though they are in actuality a relatively simple mould.

They pop up again in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The episode Too Short A Season pops up again here, as they become the walls in the underground system of caverns that the criminal Karras is hiding in. They also then go on to appear in The High Ground, A Matter of Honour and Liaisons as well. They effectively become the standard 'backing panel' when the set needs to look alien.

In this post: 
Star Trek
 
First Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"