Earlier this year we wrote an article about a 3D animated puppet parody of Star Trek called Stalled Trek that’s featured on a web-series hosted by a one-eyed alien called Paunk!  The Paunk! Show, as it’s aptly titled, is a pilot episode that snowballed into a full-blown 15 minute parody of the well know Trek episode “Amok Time”, called “Amutt Time”, now available on DVD.

“Have you ever had one of those ideas that just wouldn’t go away?  That’s what "Amutt Time" has been for me. The idea originally came to me in 1996… and over the years I’ve tried various ways to put it to rest.” Says "Amutt Time" Creator Mark R. Largent. 

Stalled Trek: Amutt Time features the crew of the USS Secondprize, led by their fearless, and always amorous leader, Captain Krock.  Second in command is the Vulcanine science officer Mr. Spot and rounding out the Trek trinity is the grumpy old southern doctor, Dr. McGruff.

"As I remember it, I was thinking of "Vul-canine.".... along with the idea that Spock was a "mutt" and that Pon Farr was kind of like a dog going into heat. The [Amutt Time] parody grew out of that." Mark continues, "Over the years, it was that one project that kept coming back to mind....I even started experimenting and trying to learn 3D animation just so that I could do an animated version."

“Amutt Time” is a Parody in the true sense of the word.  Of course when I say that, I mean it with the highest compliment.  Ya see, I grew up on Mel Brooks comedies, so to me, “Amutt Time” and Stalled Trek use the same funny mechanisms that you’ll find in Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein… and Mark’s work fires those mechanisms with superb accuracy.

Slapstick…check.  Long looks at the camera…check.  Background characters stealing the show for brief moments of celluloid, or I should say bits and bytes…check.  Well executed parody voices of each of the characters…check, check, and check. 

The truly amazing part of the Stalled Trek: Amutt Time production is that Mark is responsible for the whole sha-bang.  Mark writes, animates, and voices the main characters, so to say it’s a labor of love is quite the understatement.  It is a labor of love and one that pays off with great attention to detail.  The animation, sound, production, and DVD packaging all surpass that of your average fan production.  I could easily see this for sell at Best Buy or on Amazon, and for the $10 asking price, it’s a steal.

I truly enjoyed Stalled Trek: Amutt Time and if you’re a fan of Star Trek (well, duh, you’re reading a D-list Star Trek blog) and enjoy Mel Brooks-ian comedy… grab a copy of Stalled Trek: Amutt Time.  I think you’ll really enjoy it.

You can grab your copy here.

Also, check out The Paunk! Show pilot below.