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Volume XV ReviewJason Bailey at DVD Talk reviews the new box set. Since I’m a completionist, I can’t say that I agree with his criticism of including Season One episodes in the sets.
60 Replies to “Volume XV Review”Commenting at Satellite News
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I’m a completionist too, but I can’t disagree with him about any of his points on Season One. Definitely the show’s worst season.
I’m glad to see the season 1 episodes coming out.
Getting first season episodes on DVD is mixed bag. It’s great in that they are the rarest non KTMA episodes, but it kind of stinks that we get two Joel episodes in this set (and the last one as well), but one of them has to be from that batch of admittedly worse episodes. There are so many amazing Joel episodes out there from the second season onward that we haven’t gotten yet, and I’d personally like to see Shout focus on those as well. An occasional first season episode is fine, but I wouldn’t want it to become the standard for each set.
I’d rather have season one than large chunks of season three, to be honest. I’m kinda glad Sandy Frank is saying no, because really, those episodes in particular are a trudge. There are quite a few two-and-three DVDs I just don’t bring out anymore. I can’t watch the Hercules films… and I recently checked to see if Catalina Caper was as weak as I remember it… oh yeah. It is.
Give me Untamed Youth, please oh please. Black Scorpion… and man. Robot Monster. A must.
I don’t mind the season one shows, even though they are the worst of the series. At least they only put one in per release. Girl in Lovers Lane is an episode I have never seen, so I am looking forward to that. Shout is doing a great job and I hope they have at least one more release by the end of the year!
By the way, in the article they say that Rhino released bonus materials like trailers or the original movie. I don’t remember any having the original unriffed film, were there any?
Wow, M…I simply could not disagree more. For me, Season 3 was the highpoint of the entire series. And with the exception of Mighty Jack….MST3K + Sandy Frank = classic episode.
Unfortunately, I do agree whole-heartedly with the reviewer. I adore Joel. But, Season 1 episodes are virtually unwatchable for me. Please Shout Factory….your heart’s in the right place. I love including 2 Joel eps and 2 Mike eps per set…that’s perfect….but, no more Season 1! There’s a reason BB avoided showing them for years!
Without having season one episodes, I would have never seen Women of the Prehistoric Planet and the Flesh Barn song, so I’m cool with season one. Plus, seeing as how I had never seen even 1 season one ep before Shout started releasing them, it was at the very least interesting to see how J. Elvis did and what the riffing was like back then.
I’m not a proponent of a season one ep every time, but I’m fine with an occassional sprinkling.
While this is not necessarily relevant…as long as I’m imploring Shout Factory:
Please, please, please, please, please release my favorite MST3K episodes of all time:
Master Ninja I and Master Ninja II
If you do, you have my word that I will purchase that set twice. Twice, I say!
I’m serious.
Thank you for your time,
Droppo
>By the way, in the article they say that Rhino
>released bonus materials like trailers or the
>original movie. I don’t remember any having the
>original unriffed film, were there any?
Some of the early Rhino box sets had both the riffed and unriffed version. I recall trying to sit through the regular version of THE CREEPING TERROR and failing utterly…
” I recently checked to see if Catalina Caper was as weak as I remember it… oh yeah. It is.”
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What! How about Tom Servo’s poignant “Creepy Girl” song? And the spellbinding opening credits. And the French cinema purists must love the insurance agent’s Jerry Lewis-ish pratfalls.
I too find it hard sometimes to sit through a season one episode. It’s more like the comedy aspect comes from the films being bizarre. I can understand that not everything great can jump start immediately, and I am glad comedy central kept them on so that they could improve. I saw some postings that some Sandy Frank episodes were sluggish too, which I can see, but there was always a few things which were really outstanding. The host segments I recall from those episodes were some of the best, crazy songs and costumes galore. Not to mention that there was always some comment during the theater segments that had me on the floor convulsing with laughter. Those episodes had a lot of energy, which I miss from new ventures such as cinema titanic and rifftrax.
M,
Catalina Caper is weak? But you have to have Robot Monster?
Two words: wow.
I have no problems with SF releasing Season 1 episodes; I missed most of them when they were first out, and I enjoy comparing those eps with the ones that came later. Besides, I get the feeling that most of the attainable S1 eps have been released anyway, so those who don’t like them shouldn’t be too concerned about future releases.
I’m not that big a fan of the Season 1 episodes, either. However, it’s good to get the best quality copy of them. Mine aren’t that good. Thankfully, there’s only 13 of them.
I’m generally in favor of Season 1 episodes — but getting through Mad Monster in the last box set was a chore, and I won’t watch it again. The other ones I’ve seen aren’t too bad.
I agree about season 1 being the weakest, and I wish they would release a Joel episode from season’s 3 or 4…Master Ninja’s were good or Warrior of the Lost World.
I’m glad to see Zombie Nightmare, I have it on VHS, and got rid of my bootleg copy when I found out it’s being released by Shout!
Never seen Girl in Lover’s lane.
Looking forward to this box set, really great extras, just wished I didn’t have to dish out 30-40 dollars.
I personally think Catalina Caper is absolutely one of the best MST episodes. The only episodes from season 1 that I would actually be excited to get on DVD would be Moon Zero Two, and Robot Holocaust (MAYBE Robot Monster) but I would be ecstatic to get any of the Sandy Frank episodes. Don’t get me wrong, if MST had run for just the one season and then stopped I would still consider it one of those brilliant shows that just didn’t catch on, but with the heights they reached in the years after season one those early episodes get lost in the shuffle of better ones.
I’ve never been able to get through Catalina Caper. Execrable. No amount of riffing can justify watching it to me.
I don’t mind season 1, as long as we only get them every so often and not in every set.
By the way, have the titles been announced for Vol XVI?
I’m with the reviewer’s revulsion for Season 1. There are times when you can get up, crack a beer, return and not miss a single riff. I like Josh as a member of CT. But as Tom Servo, he was a bust. The only significance of releasing Season 1 is if you wish to observe the evolution of the show. And boy did it evolve.
Randy
Season 1 may not be my favorite (mine is season 3), but I’ve got no problem with their inclusion. I’m a true completionist and I want all the episodes. Warts and all. And its not as if there aren’t near unwatchable eps later in the series (all the way up to 1009 Hamlet).
Robot vs Aztec Mummy is one of my favorite episodes. I love the early feel of the show and the movie is interesting enough to keep my attention. Glad it’s officially coming out on DVD. I’d rather watch it than the Gamera movies. Those bore me to death.
I agree that season 1 isn’t their best,but it had its moments for a show that was still finding its feet.I prefer season 1 over the KTMA episodes any day,even though I don’t watch it as much as the others.It’s still interesting to watch season 1,but MST3K found their groove or their niche after season 1.Or maybe season 2 for that matter..I sometimes wish that they could’ve gone back and re-riff or re-do some of the movies from season 1 for season 4 or season 6 or even the sci-fi era.
Does anyone think that towards the end that MST3K wasn’t really picking really bad movies?? For me,I could do without Quest of the Delta Knights.The best ones they ever did during the sci-fi era were Werewolf,Space Mutiny,Future War and Horrors of Spider Island.I might have missed a few,but those are the ones that come to mind.
Season one is my favorite season. But that’s probably because I taped most of the episodes when they were first on and then the my cable service canceled the commedy channel so I couldn’t watch a new episode for about two years. I’ve watched every season one episode about 10 to 20 times each and the later ones 2 or 3 times each. I still like Josh as Tom Servo as much as Kevin, but I’d never try to justify that since it’s probably because of familiarity.
One of my favorite episodes is The Robot Vs. The Aztec Mummy. Very happy to see it in this set. It was the first one that I saw because it was the only one we had on tape for years and I’ve watched it more than any other episode. Can’t wait till this set comes out.
I stand by my statements. For me, MST didn’t really get its groove on until midway through season 4, and from there, it’s pretty much all good (but not without lapses. I can’t not lose interest in Secret Agent Super Dragon). 1 and 2 get more forgiveness for finding their feet early on and then through big cast changes, plus there’s something about the feel of real early MST that appeals to me… it feels more casual, looser, guys-watching-a-movie-for-the-first-time, a feel that started to get recaptured in season 5. That Frank and Joel both seemed to loosen up a lot and come across as more comfortable in front of the camera by then helps immensely. That and some of season 1’s sketches that dissect the science/logic of the movie just work for me… it feels like a genuine coping mechanism for three guys forced to deal with this schlock. (Plus, the Mads’ fixation on being archetypal mad scientists tickles me to no end. I was glad to see that come back with Pearl.)
But really, season 3 is for me largely soft and forgettable, plus has too much of the feel of “guys blatantly reading from a script”, and, for lack of a better word… a bit too “timid” in its approach. The use of a lot of Japanese films, which are generally a death march in any capacity, does not help. (Prince of Space is about the only Japanese film in the whole MST catalog I can really enjoy unreservedly… but not Invasion of the Neptune Men. Ye gods.)
“Creepy Girl” is a damn good song, yes, you’ll get no argument there. Every MST episode has at least flashes of brilliance and some good riffs, and Catalina Caper is no exception. But that doesn’t mean the whole episode becomes great. The other host segments don’t really go anywhere at all (love the Tank Tops, though, if only on a “man, they MADE that?” level). Lanky McPratfall’s antics are anti-comedy, and the crew’s reactions to them are frankly unfunny as well.
I do agree that I’d love to see more recent takes on some of those early episodes… be for higher riff count or the willingness to go a little “further” with the jokes. Slime People is indeed ripe material, and as much as I enjoy what they did… there’s more to mine.
There is no such thing as a MST3K episode I don’t want released, and I have liked the season one episodes I’ve seen so far (and The Robot Vs. The Aztec Mummy is probably my favourite of the few season one eps I’ve seen) so I’m with SHOUT!
Especially if it’s only one of them per set.
i dont care what comes out as long as it comes out at this point. Even episodes I dont like, I dont mind since it replaces washed up vhs tapes…
At least as the Season 1 episodes get released, they wont be released again a 2nd time and I say just put them out – soon there wont be any Season 1 SF would have the rights too, like the ones owned by Warner..
I can’t seem to get the article up. I’m clicking on the “review” underline and it’s going to the site and I am seeing an advertisement for a doctor, but NOTHING ELSE!! What am I doing wrong?!
In case I can’t get the article up, someone please tell me the titles for this volume.
Never mind! The site just started working right after I added comment #30. Stupid Smart-Aleck website!
Heh. As usual, the comments here bear out the uselessness of picking any one strategy for “selecting” episodes to release. One fan’s trash is another’s seminal episode.
Good thing Jordan Fields and SF are focused more on getting releases out regularly than trying too hard to hand-pick episodes to make some fans happy. (https://www.mst3kinfo.com/satnews/visit/jordan.html)
Yes, I know he says they try for 2 Joel/2 Mike, but even that’s not a hard rule (see the Anniversary set)
Can’t wait for my preordered set to come. Think I’ll watch “Robot vs the Aztec Mummy” first… :mrgreen:
Hearing multiple people claim Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy as a favorite makes me wonder, “Is there any episode that absolutely no MST fan would claim as a favorite?” One episode everyone can agree is not worthy of favorite-episode status?
I’d hope it’s Castle of Fu Manchu.
I did like Women of the Prehistoric Planet. That was a good season 1 episode and the only good one I can remember. Anyways, I do like Shout’s system so far doing 2 Joel and 2 Mike episodes per set.
Steve K says:
June 21st, 2009 at 8:42 pm
“Heh. As usual, the comments here bear out the uselessness of picking any one strategy for “selecting” episodes to release. One fan’s trash is another’s seminal episode.
Good thing Jordan Fields and SF are focused more on getting releases out regularly than trying too hard to hand-pick episodes to make some fans happy. (https://www.mst3kinfo.com/satnews/visit/jordan.html)
Yes, I know he says they try for 2 Joel/2 Mike, but even that’s not a hard rule (see the Anniversary set)
Can’t wait for my preordered set to come. Think I’ll watch “Robot vs the Aztec Mummy” first… :mrgreen:”
Agreed. I’ll take any MST3K set that Shout! Factory makes.
Oh, indeed. I’m happy for whatever episodes they can put out, my personal preferences aside. I don’t regret even the box sets with the weaker episodes at all. Far too many of my old tapes have gone the way of degradation, and one or two have snapped… argh.
I was at BotCon (the Transformers convention) a few weeks ago, and Shout! folks were there since they’re putting out the old cartoon DVDs. I had a nice talk with them about the MST sets and the work they do, and how glad I was for what they’ve done with them so far. And pressed that if there’s one episode they need to fight to get the rights for… it’s Outlaw.
(Now, let’s see how many posts it takes before someone says they hate that episode.)
OUTLAW? COME ON!!!!!
Listening to “CABOT!” x 1,000 would make my ears bleed!
(Just kidding Missed call, funny episode.)
I agree with Erhardt, just because the S1 eps are not of the same calibeur as other seasons beyond, it shouldn’t be ignored by SF if the availability to release them are at hand. The fact that those episodes were taken out of rotation merely two years after being first released makes them something of a commodity, at least for those of us not fortunate enough to watch the show from the start.
Overall, I think Jason Bailey’s review is insightful. It’s clearly obvious that he’s a fan of the show…he’s very opinionated, has his favorite eps from different years, as well as knowledgable about much of the show’s history. I’m going to take a not-so-dangerous guess, though, and state that he’s probably one of the people who are pushing for the show to come out on Blu-Ray; his reviews about the audio and video aspects of SF’s dvds were less than flattering. Personally, I don’t know how you could improve on the quality that DVD provides, seeing as the entire run of the show was shot on a SD format anyway.
#33 “I’d hope it’s Castle of Fu Manchu”
One of my favorite episodes. But, to each his own (my wife used to be president of the Christopher Lee fanclub).
I also vote for Master Ninja I/II.
As I recall, did not the Brains THEMSELVES not want Comedy Central showing reruns of season 1? If that is the case, why on Earth are these pieces of rubbish stealing dvd spots of much much much MUCH better episodes? There are a couple season 1 episodes that are ok, but the vast majority are all but unwatchable. Keep them out of these dvd sets!
How do we know that season 1 episodes ARE stealing spots from more deserving episodes? We don’t know. I’m sure that Shout! Factory is doing what they can and releasing whatever episodes that are available.
I had actually wondered about how dvd reviewers (and possibly, more casual fans) would react to the releases of 103 and 102, especially considering they’re the first episodes they’d probably watch in the set. This review is fairly accurate-I’m a huge fan of the show who wants every episode released, but if you’re not, you’ll probably find those two to be a chore.
I doubt these episodes are taking places of others, however. I think Shout! would love to stick a Gamera on the DVD set instead of those, but it’s just not going to happen right now.
Look at it this way, there’s only 13 episodes of season one and over 160 episodes that were made after that. It’s only a matter of time before they simply run out of season one episodes that they can get the rights to. The people who hate season one should just be glad that Shout Factory has no plans to release full length KTMA episodes. They can save those until after they’ve released all the others they can get the rights to.
I don’t mind them releasing season 1 episodes. I’m happy to get any episode in DVD quality. Of course I’d prefer many of the later seasons. But I also understand that getting the rights to these episodes isn’t easy, so we should just be happy we are getting as much as we have so far.
I’ll take anything they wish to put out. They’ll just be replacing my own lesser-quality recordings.
I personally could have done without Future War and Werewolf, but I wouldn’t for a moment suggest that people who like those better should be deprived of them.
One thing that does baffle me, though, is that people seem to want episodes they’ve already seen released rather than episodes they haven’t seen. If I hadn’t seen all the episodes, I’d be clamoring for the release of the ones I hadn’t seen.
What I find really odd, is that so many folks on here clamor for the KTMA episodes, yet turn their noses up at Season 1????? I love and enjoy them all. Sure at times I’ll pop on “Mad Monster” and it won’t strike me as funny, but six month to a year later, I might find that part of my regular rotation. My VHS tapes are 20 years old, I NEED season 1 on DVD. The bootlegs are fine, but I want the real deal. Shout…keep ’em coming. Don’t care which host, what season, what network they come from..just get them in my hands!
Do you know if the Sci-Fi channel will ever repeat MST episodes? They air wrestling on a weekly basis so Mike and Bots wouldn’t be out of their realm.
I’m not a fan of the Season 1 episodes either, except for the Commando Cody episodes. For some reason they really seemed to keep the speed of the riffs pretty high for those serials.
I saw “Aztec Mummy” back when it was broadcast for the last time on Comedy Central and was very dissapointed in it. Very slow movie, very slow riffing and not much of it was funny. I thought the demon dog stuff was funny only because I recognized the He-man toy they were using as the puppet model.
But as others have pointed out, one persons “weak episode” is another person’s “favorite epidose”. I see a lot of hate aimed at “Hamlet”, but really enjoy that one.
As for “Catalina Caper”, that one is an average episode for me. The creepy girl song is the highlight, and some of the riffing is good, but the forced comedy of the film doesn’t really lend itself to good riffing. And the movie isn’t bad enough to supply other fodder.
Compare this to say, “The Wild World of Batwoman” or “Hobgoblins”, two films that were supposed to be funny but failed. They were both such badly executed films that it provided MST3K with much more fodder, especially when the “comedy” was getting painful.
I’m happy that Shout Factory is releasing these for us. I don’t like the season one epidoses too much (so far, I haven’t seen all of them, but “Robot Holocaust” sounds like a winner), but I dont’ mind getting them. I’m really excited to see the other three episodes. I saw “Girl on Lovers Lane” years ago and it was really funny. The other two will be all new.
Let me just say, I truly enjoy CATALINA CAPER. It was the first episode I saw during the reruns of Season 2. Livonia Michigan didn’t get CC until 1991. This episode has a soft spot in my heart. Plus, after his Disney years, Tommy Kirk only made bad movies. This is a Fave.
#48 Roman Martel…
Robot Holocaust was my first MST3K episode ever (which made Laserblast‘s shared theme music all the more poignant for me at the time), and will always remain one of my favorites… even if it seems the skits got a bit reversed in when they should have happened in the show.
Extended Spinal Tap references won me over so fast.