Mystery Science Theater 3000

[Heroine of the Dragon]

have you watched Mystery Science Theatre 3000?
What are your favourite episodes?
What do you like most about this show?

While the cast of MST3K changed throughout its history, the basic premise of the show remains consistent: a human test subject—first Joel Robinson (Joel Hodgson), then Mike Nelson (Michael J. Nelson), and most recently Jonah Heston (Jonah Ray) and Emily Connor (Emily Marsh)—has been imprisoned aboard the spacecraft Satellite of Love by mad scientists (collectively called "The Mads") and is forced to watch a series of bad movies in order to find one that will drive the test subject insane.

In an attempt to keep his sanity, Joel built sentient robots ("the bots") from parts aboard the Satellite of Love, and they subsequently remained aboard with Joel's successors as test subjects. The Bots include Tom Servo, Crow T. Robot, GPC (formerly Gypsy) who is in charge of satellite operations, and Cambot, the silent recorder of the experiments. Crow and Servo join the human test subject in watching the film in the satellite's theater. To keep from going mad, the trio frequently comment and wisecrack during the movie, a process known as "riffing". At regular intervals throughout the movie, the hosts leave the theater and return to the bridge of the satellite to perform sketches (commonly called "host segments") that often satirize the film being watched.

-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_S ... eater_3000

[Booyakasha]

I'm a pretty big fan. I got into it back around '93------------it's a lot of fun.

My favourite eps are all in the Joel/Mike era---------'Space Mutiny' and 'Giant Spider Invasion' are good stuff.

...I haven't seen much of the online seasons. I think the riffing is a little weak, but the host segments are still on point.

[CaptHayfever]

Still one of my favorites after all these years.
I think it's one of the funniest shows ever made.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Booyakasha]

Hey, gang, so like what's up with the changes they made to Gypsy?

Like, alright, I get that the name is potentially offensive all on its own, so I can see changing it. I don't necessarily get the direction they went in (calling her 'GPC' is flippin weak), but I get not wanting to hurt people. Cool. But so now she's so different they might as well have just made her an all-new character. Giving her a lady robot-voice and depicting her descending from the ceiling...what is she, GlaDOS? Like...I guess I don't know. I thought it was really funny that she was kind of silly and dim-witted and voiced by a man. Sort of MST3K's version of Miss Piggy, except actually likeable. (Ahahaa. Shots fired.)

I mean, I haven't watched loads of the current MST3K--------does Magic Voice still exist, or have they smushed Magic Voice and Gypsy together into a single character? Because if they did that, they probably should not have done that.

[CaptHayfever]

That's basically what they did, smushed together Gypsy & Magic Voice into GPC. That part I actually like. What I don't like is:
a) that they made her smarter, because the whole joke was always that she uses all her processing power to run the Satellite.
b) the voice. Rebecca Hanson--who also plays Synthia--does not have a distinctive voice, & she doesn't change it *at all* when doing GPC.

I also don't get what the deal is with Waverly & Growler? They barely had any lines in seasons 11-12 (& haven't seen 13 yet), & I don't really understand what the point of them is.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Booyakasha]

...I don't think I remember Waverly or Growler, so that should tell you how much I've kept up.

(EDIT: I've been watching lots of old MST3K the last couple weeks.

Do you ever feel bad for good actors who wind up in stupid movies? Like, I really wish 'Quest of the Delta Knights' weren't the silliest movie ever, because David Warner was clearly trying to make it work. I guess he collected a paycheck, and I'm sure it wasn't his greatest regret as he lay dying (that'd probably be 'being remembered as that guy who got beaten up off-screen by smelly Jack and Rose in Titanic'). Whatevs. They can't all be winners.

MST is one of the few shows where, no matter how much I've seen it, I don't skip tbe opening. It's consistently fun and informative, and, for as goofy as MST has always been, it's always good to bear that one line in mind--------"repeat to yourself 'it's just a show, I should really just relax'". I might not be able to live by that rule, but it's still a good rule to have. Nobody ever died younger because they weren't worrying about Star Wars all the time.

[Booyakasha]

Say, @CaptHayfever, what new iterations of MySTie do you like these days? You into NetFlix's version of MST3K? Rifftrax? Cinematic Titanic? Film Crew? The Mads? Simply curious.

[Booyakasha]

I'll tell you what I like, is when a comedian has other talents. I love that Mike's so good at spinning pictures and clipboards and stuff on his fingertips. It seems effortless, but I can't get the hang of it. It's like watching Steve Martin play the banjo or juggle or do prestidigitation. For crying out loud, Steve can even do balloon animals better than I will ever. It hardly seems fair. (I'm sure they had to practice a whole lot. I could do that stuff if I practiced. I wasn't a natural sharpshooter first time I fired a gun, I'm a bog-eyed nitwit. It takes effort, I'm just being a spavined crybaby.) (I wouldn't know the word 'spavined' if I didn't practice learning how to spell and read and takwk Ænglish gud. Mor goudrley. I tuk secundest plaicse ot Staat Fair Shpelling Battel vhen ich war in thurdest graede. I tak smart und spel ja wel rightig, für i lurnede!

I am an object lesson unto myself.)

[CaptHayfever]

So far I've been loving it:
I've seen all of Cinematic Titanic (& I went to a couple of their live shows before that ended!) & both Netflix MST3K seasons. (Still haven't seen MST3K season 13 on "Gizmoplex", but I found a special livestream event with Emily on Tubi, so I know she's funny too.)
Rifftrax is great, but the sheer size of their library is daunting, so I've barely scratched it.

Apparently there are only 4 episodes of Film Crew & they're all available for free now, so I should check those out.
I have no clue where I can watch The Mads; it seems like they only do live events & they've only been in my area once.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Booyakasha]

So far I've been loving it:
I've seen all of Cinematic Titanic (& I went to a couple of their live shows before that ended!) & both Netflix MST3K seasons. (Still haven't seen MST3K season 13 on "Gizmoplex", but I found a special livestream event with Emily on Tubi, so I know she's funny too.)
Rifftrax is great, but the sheer size of their library is daunting, so I've barely scratched it.

Apparently there are only 4 episodes of Film Crew & they're all available for free now, so I should check those out.
I have no clue where I can watch The Mads; it seems like they only do live events & they've only been in my area once.

I don't know where to watch the Mads. There was a reunion special that the whole bunch did a couple years back, it was the first I'd seen Trace or Frank in like twenty-plus years.

I haven't seen any of Cinematic Titanic. You know, I guess I maybe always liked the SyFy era best; I like Mike better than Joel, I like Bill better than Trace, I think everyone likes Kevin better than J Elvis.

Film Crew's good stuff. It was before Rifftrax got underway. There was a big old fight between Mike and co. and Jim Mallon. It's kind of sad, actually-------------it seems like Jim decided to nevermind his friendships with the gang in the name of the money. Anyway, out of the four eps...'Giant of Marathon' is best, followed by 'Killers From Space', 'Hollywood After Dark' and 'Wild Women of Wongo'.

I get it, Rifftrax is big. Even if you stick to the free stuff on YouTube, you're on the hook for days.

[Booyakasha]

I just heard a Rifftrax joke that just about killed me. It's from their take on 'Fun in Balloon-Land'------------it was something along the lines of, "You know, at least one day these kids will be able to look back on this experience and laugh...maniacally, from the comfort of their nice padded cells, where they'll live out the rest of their days." Milk shootin out my nose, if I'd been drinkin any.

[CaptHayfever]

All 12 Cinematic Titanic episodes are on Tubi for free.

Jim Mallon is also the reason Joel left.
Kevin Murphy is an absolute treasure & probably the single most talented actor in their cast (until Day & Oswalt joined the revival).

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Booyakasha]

Ugh. Jim did them dirty.

You ever read one of Mike's books? He wrote a real comedy masterpiece in 'Death Rat!' Loaded with Minnesota lore---------generic equivalents to Prince and Jesse Ventura and Garrisson Keillor, and himself if I had to hazard a guess. Excellent funny book.

[Booyakasha]

'Film Crew' has host segments. I didn't realise how much I missed them when I was doing lots of 'RiffTrax', but the MST3K marathon on YouTube reminded me.

[Booyakasha]

I have no clue where I can watch The Mads; it seems like they only do live events & they've only been in my area once.

So I've just stumbled over their YouTube channel, The Mads Are Back. Evidently it's been around for years.

Spoiler.

[Booyakasha]

Boy. You know, I think I've figured it out. The movie can't be too stupid.

Like, I'm watching the "The Creeping Terror" episode, and it's got great riffs and host-segments, but it's such a bad movie that it's infuriating to watch even in MST3K. Gods below.

[Booyakasha]

Hey Cap, do you remember what the first episode of MST3K you ever saw was?

As I recall, mine was 'War of the Colossal Beast'. I don't remember why we were up so late------------MST3K was on at like midnight and 4AM. Mom and I were having taco hell and looking for anything to watch, and we had no idea what was going on, but we laughed ourselves stupid, no mistake.

[CaptHayfever]

It was almost certainly 'The Unearthly'.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Booyakasha]

Hmmmm. I remember not liking Mike at first. Funny how things work out.

[Mario500]

Hey Cap, do you remember what the first episode of MST3K you ever saw was?

As I recall, mine was 'War of the Colossal Beast'. I don't remember why we were up so late------------MST3K was on at like midnight and 4AM. Mom and I were having taco hell and looking for anything to watch, and we had no idea what was going on, but we laughed ourselves stupid, no mistake.

(question: "taco hell")