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Galaxy Quest
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In the early 1980's, a short-lived science fiction show called "Galaxy Quest" took off for thrilling and dangerous missions into space. After only 4 seasons, they were canceled. They live on in re-runs, and also in "Questarian" conventions, where the ex-cast members show up for a small fee.
So begins Galaxy Quest; one part spoof, one part comedy. It's not hard to see the parallels to Star Trek. Jason Nesmith (Allen) plays Commander Peter Quincey Taggart on the show, and Nesmith gleefully embraces each Questarian; each one loving them almost as much as he loves himself. The rest of the cast isn't having such fun though. Gwen DeMarco (Weaver) played Tawny Madison on the show, and is disgruntled that everyone regards her as a walking set of boobs. Alexander Dane (Rickman) is a Shakespearean actor who got stuck, and now he can't get a job anywhere else because of his role as "Dr. Lazarus", a half man half reptile character who's mantra seemed to be "by the Hammer of Granthor". He's always forced to say it, and his panic attacks are highlights.
Tony Shalhoub plays Fred Kwan as a perpetually bemused man; why bother taking anything seriously when they're not taking you seriously? And then there's Guy; a character so unimportant he was only given the name "crewman number 5". He's worried that he's going to die on a mission until Kwan helpfully points out he might be there for comic relief.
Mistaking the Galaxy Quest show for historical documents, an alien race called the Thermians seek out the legendary Commander Taggart to put an end to a thorn in their side named General Sarris, whose race may or may not be "a big green hulking beast". They've painstakingly replicated everything from the show, right down to Dr. Lazarus' bathroom (you can only see this as a deleted scene from the DVD edition). The ship is there too, and the Thermians expect each one of the crew members to take their spot, just like on the show.
Who can't see Leonard Nimoy in Alexander Dane? Who is just as puzzled by Uhura as they are by Tawny Madison? Gwen DeMarco's sole role seems to be to repeat everything the computer says, and she's not going to give up her only role.
As a satire, it's fairly blunt. As I've just said, Nesmith is pretty much a blatant poke at Shatner, and the other characters are parallel to Star Trek cast members. Indeed, "Galaxy Quest" is almost a synonym for Star Trek.
But it's a lot of fun. It takes the same material that Star Trek has always taken so seriously, and then it turns it right around. When we watch Star Trek, we can always pick which character is going to die. In Galaxy Quest, that character knows it too.