Among the many targets which this little spoof has in common with Galaxy Quest (the captain wanting to tear his shirt, being one of the most obvious), Spok's frustration at not being taken seriously as an actor is perhaps the most surprising. Well, to me anyway!

Had Leonard Nimoy really begun to complain openly way back in the mid-1970s? It seems unlikely but, even assuming he had, would the teenage me have picked up on it?

In reality, I suspect this was just a little piece of whimsy on my part which accidentally happened to hit upon a truth. Either way, I shall never again be able to watch Alan Rickman scowling through his purple prosthetics without thinking: "Hah - I did that first!"