Reverse the polarity!

[sid]

Well, damn.  Here I always thought that "reverse the polarity" was a Star Trek trope that began with TNG, widely mocked (and loved.)

I Google and find that it was a pet saying of Doctor Who in his 3rd incarnation!  (1970-1974.  John Pertwee didn't enjoy learning technobabble, so he wanted one simple phrase that he could use in a myriad of situations.)

And why was I Googling? 



Saturday afternoon I watched an hour or so of a Disney movie from 1963.  Son of Flubber, the sequel to The Absent-minded Professor. 

Professor Brainard (Fred MacMurray of My Three Sons fame) is pointing his newest invention at a cloud, trying to produce rain.  Nothing seems to be happening, so... he reversed the polarity!  Geez, he said it like three times!  I was dying!!

Go forth unto geekdom and let the truth be known!  :--D 
 

Comments

[sg1danny.livejournal.com]

Us Dr Who Geeks in the UK have always known WHO emmitted these immortal words *giggle*

[sid]

Yeah, okay, but Fred MacMurray still said 'em first!

I saw all or most of those Pertwee episodes - I just don't remember any of his lines. I remember Jo and Sarah Jane and the UNIT soldiers and Bessie. I can never quite decide whether I like Pertwee or Baker the best. :-)

[lolmac]

In fact, the complete line from Doctor Who was "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow". It went along with the Venusian karate.

The line was a send-up of the technobabble; Pertwee and Elisabeth Sladen eventually did an audio adventure (I can't remember the title) in which they sent up the line.

[sid]

Yes, I got lazy and didn't type the entire thing. Venusian karate! I remember that! :-D

I liked Pertwee's character so much with Jo Grant that I didn't really approve of Elisabeth Sladen at first. I didn't think there was much chemistry between them. But she was tremendous with Tom Baker!

[radiotelescope.livejournal.com]

*Original* Star Trek, 1969. Although it's a magnetic probe that needs reversed, not neutron flow.

[sid]

That comes before the Doctor Who reference, but still after Son of Flubber. It's a sweet timeline we're establishing though, right through to where the Stargate universe starts mocking it. *g*