"John Byrne wasn't the first to offer that pronunciation for Mxyzptlk. Michael L. Fleischer…"
Re-Watching Mystery Science Theater 3000
OK, I'll be handling this one a little differently than some of the other TV series I've re-watched. I don't own every episode of this, and what I do own isn't in broadcast order, so I'll be watching them as I find them, and updating this initial post as to where they sit in the show's history.
Season One
Show 101: "The Crawling Eye" (11/18/1989)
Show 102: "The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy" (11/25/1989)
Show 103: "The Mad Monster" (12/2/1989)
Show 104: "Women of the Prehistoric Planet" (2/20/1990)
Show 105: "The Corpse Vanishes" (12/9/1989)
Show 106: "The Crawling Hand" (12/16/1989)
Show 107: "Robot Monster" (12/23/1989)
Show 108: "The Slime People" (12/30/1989)
Show 109: "Project Moonbase" (1/6/1990)
Show 110: "Robot Holocaust" (1/13/1990)
Show 111: "Moon Zero Two" (1/20/1990)
Show 112: "Untamed Youth" (1/27/1990)
Show 113: "The Black Scorpion" (2/3/1990)
Season Two
Show 201: "Rocketship X-M" (9/22/1990)
Show 202: "The Sidehackers" (9/29/1990)
Show 203: "Jungle Goddess" (10/6/1990)
Show 204: "Catalina Caper" (10/13/1990)
Show 205: "Rocket Attack U.S.A." (10/27/1990)
Show 206: "Ring of Terror" (11/3/1990)
Show 207: "Wild Rebels" (11/17/1990)
Show 208: "The Lost Continent" (11/24/1990)
Show 209: The Hellcats" (12/8/1990)
Show 210: "King Dinosaur" (12/22/1990)
Show 211: "First Spaceship On Venus" (12/29/1990)
Show 212: "Godzilla vs. Megalon" (1/19/1991)
Show 213: "Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster" (2/2/1991)
Season Three
Show 301: "Cave Dwellers" (6/1/1991)
Show 303: "Pod People" (6/15/1991)
Show 304: "Gamera vs. Barugon" (6/22/1991)
Show 305: "Stranded in Space" (6/29/1991)
Show 306: "Time of the Apes" (7/13/1991)
Show 307: "Daddy-O" (7/20/1991)
Show 308: "Gamera vs. Gaos" (7/27/1991)
Show 309: "The Amazing Colossal Man" (8/3/1991)
Show 310: "Fugitive Alien" (8/17/1991)
Show 311: "It Conquered The World" (8/24/1991)
Show 312: "Gamera vs. Guiron" (9/7/1991)
Show 313: "Earth vs. the Spider" (9/14/1991)
Show 314: "Mighty Jack" (9/21/1991)
Show 315: "Teenage Caveman" (11/9/1991)
Show 316: "Gamera vs. Zigra" (10/19/1991)
Show 317: "The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent" (10/26/1991)
Show 318: "Star Force: Fugitive Alien II" (11/16/1991)
Show 319: "War of the Colossal Beast" (11/30/1991)
Show 320: "The Unearthly" (12/14/1991)
Show 321: "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians" (12/21/1991)
Show 322: "Master Ninja I" (1/11/1992)
Show 323: "The Castle of Fu Manchu" (1/18/1992)
Show 324: "Master Ninja II" (1/25/1992)
Season Four
Show 401: "Space Travelers" (6/6/1992)
Show 402: "The Giant Gila Monster" (6/13/1992)
Show 403: "City Limits" (6/20/1992)
Show 404: "Teenagers From Outer Space" (6/27/1992)
Show 405: "Being From Another Planet" (7/4/1992)
Show 406: "Attack of the Giant Leeches" (7/18/1992)
Show 407: "The Killer Shrews" (7/25/1992)
Show 408: "Hercules Unchained" (8/1/1992)
Show 409: "The Indestructible Man" (8/15/1992)
Show 410: "Hercules Against The Moon Men" (8/22/1992)
Show 411: "The Magic Sword" (8/29/1992)
Show 412: "Hercules and the Captive Women" (9/12/1992)
Show 413: "Manhunt in Space" (9/19/1992)
Show 414: "Tormented" (9/26/1992)
Special: "This is MST3K" (11/14/1992)
Show 415: "The Beatniks" (11/25/1992)
Show 416: "Fire Maidens of Outer Space" (11/26/1992)
Show 417: "Crash of the Moons" (11/28/1992)
Show 418: "Attack of the Eye Creatures" (12/5/1992)
Show 419: "The Rebel Set" (12/12/1992)
Show 420: "The Human Duplicators" (12/26/1992)
Show 421: "Monster-A-Go-Go" (1/9/1993)
Show 422: "The Day The Earth Froze" (1/16/1993)
Show 423: "Bride of the Monster" (1/23/1993)
Show 424: "'Manos': The Hands of Fate" (1/30/1993)
Season Five
Show 501: "Warrior of the Lost World" (7/24/1993)
Show 502: "Hercules" (7/17/1993)
Show 503: "Swamp Diamonds" (7/31/1993)
Show 504: "Secret Agent Super Dragon" (8/7/1993)
Show 505: "The Magic Voyage of Sinbad" (8/14/1993)
Show 507: "I Accuse My Parents" (9/4/1993)
Show 508: "Operation Double 007" (9/11/1993)
Show 509: "The Girl in Lover's Lane" (9/18/1993)
Show 510: "The Painted Hills" (9/26/1993)
Show 511: "Gunslinger" (10/9/1993)
Show 512: "Mitchell" (10/23/1993)
Show 513: "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" (10/30/1993)
Show 514: "Teenage Strangler" (11/7/1993)
Show 515: "The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman" (11/13/1993)
Show 516: "Alien from L.A." (11/20/1993)
Show 517: "Beginning of the End" (11/25/1993)
Show 518: "The Atomic Brain" (12/4/1993)
Show 519: "Outlaw" (12/11/1993)
Show 520: "Radar Secret Service" (12/18/1993)
Show 521: "Santa Claus" (12/24/1993)
Show 522: "Teenage Crime Wave" (1/15/1995)
Show 523: "Village of the Giants" (1/22/1994)
Show 524: "12 To The Moon" (2/5/1994)
Season Six
Show 601: "Girls Town" (7/16/1994)
Show 602:"Invasion USA" (7/23/1994)
Show 603: "The Dead Talk Back" (7/30/1994)
Show 604: "Zombie Nightmare" (11/24/1994)
Show 605: "Colossus and the Headhunters" (8/20/1994)
Show 606: "The Creeping Terror" (9/17/1994)
Show 607: "Bloodlust!" (9/3/1994)
Show 608: "Code Name: Diamond Head" (10/1/1994)
Show 609: "The Skydivers" (8/27/1994)
Show 610: "The Violent Years" (10/8/1994)
Show 611: "Last of the Wild Horses" (10/15/1994)
Show 612: "The Starfighters" (10/29/1994)
Show 613: "The Sinister Urge" (11/5/1994)
Show 614: "San Francisco International" (11/19/1994)
Show 615: "Kitten With A Whip" (11/23/1994)
Show 616: "Racket Girls" (11/26/1994)
Show 617: "The Sword and the Dragon" (12/3/1994)
Show 618: "High School Big Shot" (12/10/1994)
Show 619: "Red Zone Cuba" (12/17/1994)
Show 620: "Danger!! Death Ray" (1/7/1995)
Show 621: "The Beast of Yucca Flats" (1/21/1995)
Show 622: "Angel's Revenge" (3/11/1995)
Show 623: "The Amazing Transparent Man" (3/18/1995)
Show 624: "Samson vs. The Vampire Women" (3/25/1995)
Season Seven
Show 701 (and 701T): "Night of the Blood Beast" (11/23/1995) 701T, ...
Show 702: "The Brute Man" (2/10/1996)
Show 703: "Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell" (2/17/1996)
Show 704 "The Incredible Melting Man" (2/24/1996)
Show 705: "Escape 2000" (3/2/1996)
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie - "This Island Earth" (4/19/1996)
Show 706: "Laserblast" (5/18/1996)
Unproduced CD-ROM: "Assignment: Venezuela"
Miscellany:
"MST Poopie!"
"The MST Scrapbook"
Season Eight
Show 801: "Revenge of the Creature" (2/1/1997)
Show 802: "The Leech Woman" (2/8/1997)
Show 803: "The Mole People" (2/15/1997)
Show 804: "The Deadly Mantis" (2/22/1997)
MST3K - The Home Game: "The Day the World Ended" (2/25/1997)
Show 805: "The Thing That Couldn't Die" (3/1/1997)
Show 806 "The Undead" (3/8/1997)
Show 807: "Terror from the Year 5000" (3/15/1997)
Show 808: "The She-Creature" (4/5/1997)
Show 809: "I was a Teenage Werewolf" (4/19/1997)
Show 810: "The Giant Spider Invasion" (5/21/1997)
Show 811: "Parts - The Clonus Horror" (6/7/1997)
Show 812: "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and ...
Show 813: "Jack Frost" (7/12/1997)
Show 814: "Riding With Death" (7/19/1997)
Show 815: "Agent for H.A.R.M." (8/2/1997)
Special: "The Making of Mystery Science Theater 3000" (8/15/1997)
Show 816: "Prince of Space" (8/16/1997)
Special: "First Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review" (9/2/1997)
Show 817: "The Horror of Party Beach" (9/6/1997)
Show 818: "Devil Doll" (10/4/1997)
Show 819: "Invasion of the Neptune Men" (10/11/1997)
Show 820: "Space Mutiny" (11/8/1997)
Show 821: "Time Chasers" (11/22/1997)
Show 822: "Overdrawn At The Memory Bank" (12/6/1997)
Miscellany: "MST Poopie! II"
Season Nine
Show 901: "The Projected Man" (3/14/1998)
Special: "Mystery Science Theater 3000 Academy of Robots' Choice Awards Preview Special" (3/19/1998)
Show 902: "The Phantom Planet" (3/21/1998)
Show 903: "Puma Man" (4/4/1998)
Show 904: "Werewolf" (4/18/1998)
Show 905: "The Deadly Bees" (5/9/1998)
Show 906: "The Space Children" (6/13/1998)
Show 907: "Hobgoblins" (6/27/1998)
Show 908: "The Touch of Satan" (7/11/1998)
Show 910: "The Final Sacrifice" (7/25/1998)
Show 911: "Devil Fish" (8/15/1998)
Show 912: "The Screaming Skull" (8/29/1998)
Special: "Second Annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Summer Blockbuster Review" (9/4/1998)
Show 913: "Quest of the Delta Knights" (9/26/1998)
Season Ten
Show 1001: "Soultaker" (4/11/1999)
Show 1002: "Girl in Gold Boots" (4/18/1999)
Show 1003: "Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders" (9/12/1999)
Show 1004: "Future War" (4/25/1999)
Show 1005: "The Blood Waters of Dr. Z" (5/2/1999
Show 1006: "Boggy Creek II: And The Legend Continues" (5/9/1999)
Show 1007: "Track of the Moon Beast" (6/13/1999)
Show 1008: "Final Justice" (6/20/1999)
Show 1009: "Hamlet" (6/27/1999)
Show 1010: "It Lives By Night" (7/18/1999)
Show 1011: "Horrors of Spider Island" (7/25/1999)
Show 1012: "Squirm" (8/1/1999)
Show 1013: "Diabolik" (8/8/1999)
Miscellany: "The Last Dance-RAW"
Season Eleven
Show 1101: "Reptilicus" (4/14/2017)
Show 1102: "Cry Wilderness" (4/14/2017)
Show 1103: "The Time Travelers" (4/14/2017)
Show 1104: "Avalanche" (4/14/2017)
Show 1105: "The Beast of Hollow Mountain" (4/14/2017)
Show 1106: "Starcrash" (4/14/2017)
Show 1107: "The Land That Time Forgot" (4/14/2017)
Show 1108: "The Loves of Hercules", first broadcast 4/14/2017
Show 1109: "Yongary", first broadcast 4/14/2017
Show 1110: "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom", first broadcast 4/14/2017
Show 1111: "Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II", first broadcast 4/14/2017
Show 1112: "Carnival Magic", first broadcast 4/14/2017
Show 1113: "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't", first broadcast 4/1...
Show 1114: "At the Earth's Core", first broadcast 4/14/2017
Season Twelve "The Gauntlet"
Show 1201: "Mac and Me" , first broadcast 11/22/2018
Show 1202: "Atlantic Rim", first broadcast 11/22/2018
Show 1203: "Lords of the Deep", first broadcast 11/22/2018
Show 1204: "The Day Time Ended", first broadcast 11/22/2018
Show 1205: "Killer Fish", first broadcast 11/22/2018
Show 1206: "Ator the Fighting Eagle", first broadcast 11/22/2018
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Luke Blanchard on
-
The other film has that twist too, at least in one cut.
Wikipedia tells me they came out only a couple of months apart.
-
Permalink Reply by Ronald Morgan on -
This movie didn't need to be on the show, it does a great job of making fun of itself.
The Baron said:Show 107: "Robot Monster", first broadcast 12/23/1989
The Shorts: Two episodes of Commando Cody in "Radar Men from the Moon. In Chapter Four: "Flight to Destruction", the heels kidnap Joan as a lure for Cody. Cliffhanger: The plane Cody and Joan are in crashes! In Chapter Five: "Murder Car", the heels are short of money. Cliffhanger: A stolen ambulance hits Cody's car! These Republic serials are amusing, but pretty badly-made.
The Film: The film is from 1953, and features Ro-Man, whose alien costume is a gorilla suit with a diving helmet and antennae on. This is a weird, trippy movie. Very badly-written.
The Host Segments: Joel explains the show. The Mads invent the self-inflating whoopee cushion. Joel invents the cumber-bubble-band. Joel and the Bots try to work out if the plane stunt in the short could really have happened. The Great Guidance (Crow) commands Ro-Man (Servo) to kill the Hu-Man (Joel). Joel and the bots discuss surrealism. Joel and the bots do a skit about Ro-Man. The Mads are weirded out.
Favorite Quotes: "I'm surrounded by idiots of my own design!" -Joel
"Could we have sent a stranger person into space?" - Dr. F
Rating: An OK episode. Watchable, but not great.
-
Permalink Reply by Ronald Morgan on
-
There's another ending? They always ran the twist ending on TV.
Luke Blanchard said:The other film has that twist too, at least in one cut.
Wikipedia tells me they came out only a couple of months apart.
-
-
Another notable thing about Robot Monster is who wrote the music. It was Elmer Bernstein, who went on to write the music for The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape among many others. He won an Academy Award for his score for Thoroughly Modern Millie.
-
Permalink Reply by The Baron on
-
Show 423: "Bride of the Monster", first broadcast 1/23/1993
The Short: Part One of Hired!, in which a Chevrolet sales manager laments his staff's lack of gumption.
The Film: Bela Lugosi and Tor Johnson in what is in my opinion Ed Wood's best film, which is a textbook example of damning with faint praise if there ever was one. It is at least watchable and relatively coherent. Bits of it are even amusing. The shifts to and from stock footage are quite funny.
The Host Segments: Joel hooks up Crow to a monitor, so they can view his dreams. Crow dreams of Tom, dressed as a candy-striper, coming on to him. Seeing this upsets Tom. Frank's been bad, so Dr. F has invented the Tough Love Seat. Joel and the Bots have invented Microwave Faith Popcorn. Joel and the Bots put on "Hired! The Musical", one of the show's classic bits. Joel and the Bots discuss things that could be used as monsters in films like these. Joel and the Bots do a "no advertising" skit. Cambot re-edits the end of the film.
Favorite Lines: "You know, installing this Rumple Minze cooler was a great idea!"
Rating: Another favorite episode. A perfect film for this show, with good riffs and host segments.
-
-
Show 818: "Devil Doll" , first broadcast 10/4/1997
The Film: From 1964, this picture features William Sylvester as a reporter investigating a crooked ventriloquist/hypnotist with a haunted dummy. It's fairly insipid stuff.
The Host Segments: Mike and the Bots hold a "dorm party". It doesn't go well. On Earth, Pearl tries to liven up the Romans' party. (In the background, someone can be heard singing "Headin' out to Eden, yay, brother".) Crow makes a deal with the demon Pitch. Mike objects. Crow and Servo attempt to recreate the British pub experience for Mike. Crow bargains with Pitch for the ability to transfer souls. Servo transfers his own soul into a toaster strudel. Crow traps Mike in a cage and dresses him up as Hugo the dummy. Pearl and Observer are at the Colosseum to see the Mad Goth.
Cliffhanger: The Mad Goth is Bobo!
Rating: A so-so episode. The movie is mediocre. The host segments in Rome are amusing.
-
-
Show 911: "Devil Fish", first broadcast 8/15/1998
The Film: In this 1984 Franco-Italian effort, a shark/octopus hybrid appears, and various people pursue it. This picture is kind of a muddled, hard-to-follow mess.
The Host Segments: Mike's wallet is missing. The bots find it. Castle Forrester has been mistaken for a cruise ship. The Mads entertain two guests (Patrick Brantseg, Beez McKeever). Mike insults a dolphin. A dolphin warship attacks the SOL. Pearl sends up an electrician (Paul Chaplin). Mike insults him. The dolphin warship attacks again, as dolphins and electricians are allies. Pearl uses a filter to make Mike and the Bots look like Italian ethnic stereotypes. The Bots discuss what other things they would combine. Bobo ruins the Captain's Dinner.
Rating: An OK episode, nothing special either way.
-
-
Show 109: "Project Moonbase", first broadcast 1/6/1990
The Shorts: More Commando Cody in Radar Men from the Moon, Chapter Seven: "Camouflaged Destruction", in which the heels have a death ray. Cliffhanger: Cody's plane is hit by a raygun!
Then Chapter Eight: "The Enemy Planet", Cody goes to the Moon to steal some stuff. Cliffhanger: Ted's air hose comes unhooked! Not especially gripping stuff.
The Film: From 1953. The only actor I recognize in this is Hayden Rorke, a.k.a. Doctor Bellows. In the far-off year of 1970, a co-ed space crew must defend a good guy space station against an enemy spy. Nothing special. By modern standards, the treatment of the female character is fairly misogynistic. the enemy spy claims to be from Brooklyn and has never heard of the Dodgers, which is really dumb writing.
The Host Segments: Joel has been cleaning the Bots. Joel invents water-juggling. The Mads invent the Insect-O-Sketch. Joel helps Servo play Commando Cody. Joel and the Bots discuss neckties of the future. Later, they do an ad for SPACOM. They end the show by reading some letters.
Rating: Another so-so episode.
-
Permalink Reply by Ronald Morgan on
-
The Marvel Super Heroes songs (Doc Bruce Banner, belted by gamma rays...) were apparently written by famous song writers who were paid just enough to accept the job but not enough to put any effort into it.
The embarrassingly bad original unused theme song for Gilligan's Island was written by "Johnny" Williams. Clearly he improved since then.
Luke Blanchard said:Another notable thing about Robot Monster is who wrote the music. It was Elmer Bernstein, who went on to write the music for The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape among many others. He won an Academy Award for his score for Thoroughly Modern Millie.
-
-
Show 322: "Master Ninja I", first broadcast 1/11/1992
The Film: From 1984, this is apparently two episodes of a TV show called The Master (which I never saw), strung together. It stars Lee Van Cleef as an America ninja who is traveling the country looking for his long-lost daughter, and Timothy Van Patten as his idiot running buddy. Guest stars include a very young Demi Moore, Sho Kosugi , Clu Gulager and Claude Akins. Forgettable TV hackery. Van Cleef does what he can with terrible material, but Van Patten couldn't act worth a bucket of cold excrement.
The Host Segments: The Bots have built a model car. Dr. F has invented Boil-in-a-Bag Intravenous dinners. Joel and the bots present pop-up book for adult titles. Crow unveils the Van Patten Project. Joel and the Bots play-act the characters in the film. Later, they do variations on "nunchucks", and close out the show with their rendition of "Master Ninja Theme Song".
Rating: An OK episode. The host segments and riffing mostly compensate for the tediousness of the "film".
-
Permalink Reply by Philip Portelli on
-
Riff when young Timothy Van Patten is getting kicked by ninjas (I think):
"That's for Eight Is Enough! Tell your dad!"
The Baron said:Show 322: "Master Ninja I", first broadcast 1/11/1992
The Film: From 1984, this is apparently two episodes of a TV show called The Master (which I never saw), strung together. It stars Lee Van Cleef as an America ninja who is traveling the country looking for his long-lost daughter, and Timothy Van Patten as his idiot running buddy. Guest stars include a very young Demi Moore, Sho Kosugi , Clu Gulager and Claude Akins. Forgettable TV hackery. Van Cleef does what he can with terrible material, but Van Patten couldn't act worth a bucket of cold excrement.
The Host Segments: The Bots have built a model car. Dr. F has invented Boil-in-a-Bag Intravenous dinners. Joel and the bots present pop-up book for adult titles. Crow unveils the Van Patten Project. Joel and the Bots play-act the characters in the film. Later, they do variations on "nunchucks", and close out the show with their rendition of "Master Ninja Theme Song".
Rating: An OK episode. The host segments and riffing mostly compensate for the tediousness of the "film".
Latest Activity
"Now say how you pronounces this guy's name:"
"SUPERMAN #11:
A stranger who resembles Marvel's Beyonder drops in to the office of The Daily…"
"No, he's confusing Memorial Day with Armed Forces Day, but I know your heart is in the right…"
""...please remember those who served or currently are on active duty."
You're…"
"Okay, it's taking me a quintet of covers to make 29 today, but since it's also Memorial…"
""To whatever degree Barda was sexually abused, it's a topic that requires more sensitive…"
"Great news!"
"I have no doubt that Byrne was intentionally ambiguous and wanted to capitalize on the controversy.…"
"The gist of your argument, as I understand it, as that what Byrne presented was ambiguous enough…"
"I'm loving these photos! And I can't get enough to the stink-eye the kid behind Bozo is…"
"I meant that to be completely generic, but it just happened to follow your post. I didn't mean…"
© 2023 Captain Comics, board content ©2013 Andrew Smith
Powered by
