Wars or Trek? Lost or Heroes?

I watch both Heroes and Lost. I happen to like them both, but I can't help but wonder if the shows are setting themselves up as opposing sides in the next big fanboy war, or perhaps they are simply taking sides in an ongoing battle.

You see, fanboys, geeks that they are, don't have rivalries over petty things like East Cost/West Coast, Catholic/Protestant or Republican/Democrat. Instead they fight over whose show or movie is greater. Star Wars fans scoffed at the ridiculousness of Star Trek, while Star Trek fans pointed out the childishness of the Star Wars films (only to have more ammunition given to them by George Lucas with the introduction of Jar Jar Binks). While there are a few who try to belong to both camps, like political independents, they are rare and not taken seriously be either side.


Make no mistake, I am not taking any sides in this conflict, nor am I claiming that either of these newer television shows will be equal to or have the cultural impact of either of the earlier shows, but the fact remains that the evidence is there. Look at discussions online, and you will find Heroes fans complaining about Lost's pacing and Lost fans mocking Heroes' writing. Even more, the shows themselves have each aligned with one of the "Star" franchises. A few examples simply from the top of my head (I'm sure there are more to be found if one were to search for them):

Heroes

• Ando suggests using the "Vulcan death grip" on someone.
• Hiro is questioned by police who are skeptical that he has teleported from Japan to New York. He says, "like Star Trek," and flashes the Vulcan salute. (He throws the Vulcan gang sign another dozen or so times in the show.)
• Hiro's father is played by George Takei, Sulu himself. As he gets into a limo and drives away, his lisence plate is revealed to read NCC 1701.
• A new character who does not know Hiro refers to him as Sulu.

Lost

• While Michael and Jin are repairing the raft, Michael says, "No this one goes here. That one goes there." (cf. Han and Chewie repairing the Millennium Falcon in The Empire Stirkes Back)
• Sawyer refers to Michael and Jin as Han and Chewie. At other times, he refers to Hurley as Jabba.
• Sawyer tells a guard not to be mad just because he "fell for the old Wookie prisoner gag."
• Hurley refers to something as a "Jedi moment."
• Hurley's imaginary friend Dave tries to argue that a picture without him is not proof of his nonexistence. "What, you think they really blew up the Death Star?"

As I said, these are only some of the instances where each show references one of the earlier franchises. I think we should prepare ourselves, because an online flame war can't be far behind.