Trivia

Remember the 1968 movie 2001, A Space Odyssey? The movie’s main character was Dr. Dave Bowman, played by Keir Dullea.

The sequel to 2001 was 2010 (aka 2010: The Year We Make Contact), filmed in 1984. Dullea reprised his role as Dave Bowman. Bowman’s wife, Betty, was played by actress Mary Jo Deschanel.

Mary Jo Deschanel is the mother of actress Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) and actress Emily Deschanel (Bones).

In 2010, the captain of the Russian spaceship was Tanya Kirbuk, played by actress Helen Mirren.

Kirbuk is Kubrik spelled backward. Stanley Kubrik directed 2001.

2001 introduced us to HAL9000, the human-sounding computer that killed most of the ship’s crew – although in its defense, it thought it had to do so to succeed at its mission. You probably recognize this bit of dialogue even if you never saw the movie:

Dave: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
Dave: What's the problem?
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Dave: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
Dave: I don't know what you're talking about, HAL.
HAL: I know that you and Frank were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.

And who can forget HAL9000’s iconic red eye?

2010 introduced us to SAL9000, HAL9000’s earthbound sibling. SAL9000’s voice was performed by actress Candice Bergen (though credit went to “Olga Mallsnerd”, a pseudonym.) And whereas HAL’s eye was red, SAL’s eye was blue.

SAL9000 is also the online name of a Japanese man who famously (or infamously) married a character in a popular video game. Her name is Nene Anegasaki. He then took her – and his handheld game console – on a honeymoon to Guam.