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Weekend Discussion Thread: Least Memorable EpisodesAlert regular Jenny (a LONGtime MSTie) writes:
For me, it’s RADAR SECRET SERVICE. Classic short and the segment that goes with it, but the rest of it is all gray men in suits and hats who all look alike. How about you? 142 Replies to “Weekend Discussion Thread: Least Memorable Episodes”Commenting at Satellite News
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jungle goddess
“Being From Another Planet” is one I almost never hear a peep from (And the page for it here only has like 30 comments).
Yet, I would consider it one of my Top 10 favorites. I just like the cool “Early 80s” vibe from it and the riffing is decent (if not spectacular).
Mighty Jack. I don’t remember anything from it except the segment when Servo’s head exploded. Nothing…none of the other host segments, what it was about, who was in it. I think it was from Japan. That’s how much I just don’t remember.
Gah, no wonder Servo’s head exploded…
Last of the Wild Horses. Don’t remember anything about that one at all.
#44 (losingmydignity) – you don’t have amensia, you have ambrosia !!
It’s gotta be “First Spaceship on Venus” for me. I watched it when the DVD came out, but don’t really recall anything about it. Not one of the episodes I watch repeatedly.
My least favorite episode ever was “The Atomic Brain.” That old woman was by far the most annoying character ever, and yes I am including Eddie Deezen in “Laser Blast.” She was such a torture test to deal with that I’ve only been able to watch the episode twice (as opposed to seeing the rest of them a few dozen times). Even knowing that she got it in the end, it just wasn’t worth putting up with her. You could tell me that the winning Powerball numbers were in the episode and I still couldn’t tolerate it.
There is one Joel episode where they riff on someone mentioning skid marks with something like “The one in his shorts?” It was a black-n-white and I think it was a “biker/beatniks-like” episode. That is the only thing I remember from the movie.
By the way, I would like to know the name of that episode if anyone out there knows….
@thedumpster,
That would be (I believe) the Giant Gila Monster. They keep talking about the skid marks left by the tires of a car attacked by the eponymous monster.
thedumpster: I think you’re thinking The Giant Gila Monster. “Would you forget the skid marks!” I love the episode, but I might find it forgettable if it wasn’t one of the first shows I ever saw.
For me, I’d say She Creature was fairly forgetable for me. And The Dead Talk Back. All I really remember were Tickle Me Carlo Lombardi and Cosmic Freight Train, respectively.
The Giant Gila Monster and the Killer Shrews are real dust bunnys.
Attack of the Giant Leeches. I remember a hot wife and the “Danger to Myself and Others” song. That’s it. I can’t remember a single riff. The plot, what there might be of it, I’m sure has some giant leeches that, I hope I’m right on this, attack.
Anything from the first season other than The Crawling Hand, just because that was released on Rhino way back then.
And other than Gypsy being in the theater, I can’t pay attention to “Hercules and the Captive Women” one bit. It’s just too hard to look at/listen to.
Actually Blood Water of Dr Z is one of the most memorable to me. That open speech and the insane plan to turn himself into a catfish make for great mocking. The least memorabel ones are that slew of teen angst, girls school, high school jock ones all from the 50’s and just blending together into a mess of whining kids and pleated skirts.
I’m with Sampo on Blood Waters Of Dr. Z. Even after half a dozen viewings of my home copy, I could NEVER remember anything other than Servo saying “I need to simplify my masturbation ritual!” (which I couldn’t believe they got away with). Having gotten and watched the DVD, I can now remember one other riff (“Good thing my name is Edward Boy!”) and…that’s it; I had to go to Wikipedia to look up the plot. And I know there are others I like far less, but with this one it’s like it somehow erases its tracks even as I’m watching it.
Colossus & the Headhunters.
Rebel Set would be another good example.
It’s about as average as an episode gets. (Only thing I can recall now is the “Layover in Chicago” host segment)
I thought some parts of Super Dragon dragged, however, it still is a fun episode. Those Undersea Kingdom shorts didn’t do much for me either.
About the only episodes I haven’t watched many times and loved were Hamlet and Castle of Fu Manchu.
On a side note, I see all my favorite episodes getting slammed here! You would think that since we are all MST fans we would have a little in common taste-wise! :mrgreen:
I’ll admit that the first time I watched Mighty Jack, following the plot was like taking a ride on the spinning teacups. But when I saw it again, being familiar with the characters really freed me up to make some sense of the “plot(s)”. It’s a memorable episode for me because it offers a Japanese take on the whole 60s Eurospy genre, complete with unbelievably bad English dubbing.
On the other hand no amount of replaying can sort out The Castle of Fu Manchu…everything after the first half hour makes absolutely no sense. But I like it all the same :)
Stranded In Space would be my pick for least memorable/dullest. Seen it twice, fell asleep twice.
I think people are confusing the question here. Least-memorable doesn’t mean un-funniest or an episode you didn’t like. It’s simply an episode that seems to slip your mind when trying to remember it. It could be a good episode, but for some reason until you watch it again there’s no memory of it.
That episode for me is “Indestructible Man.” Lon Chaney, that’s all I have. When I check the ACEG on in it, there’s no remembrance of it, and I must have seen this episode at least 20 times. It just keeps slipping away from me…
407 – The Killer Shrews. All I remember about it is that Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane was in it, and that people stood around contemplating shrews. And the song by Joel and the bots: “Killer shrews! Killer shrews! K-I-double-L-E-R shrews!” If it weren’t for the song, I would have forgotten it existed at all.
I would have to say most of season 6 is forgettable to me. There are a few excellent episodes (ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE, THE SKYDIVERS, THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS), but the rest are all episodes I’ve seen once or twice and rarely think about. Which isn’t to say there aren’t episodes worth watching, it’s just that I generally don’t even consider them when thinking about MST3K–which is strange considering how much I prefer the Comedy Central era over the Sci-Fi era. I think I’m gonna go back and re-watch season 6 now. :)
The disparate episodes mentioned in the replies to the main topic here once again prove that one MSTie’s junk is another’s favorite episode. I know many episodes mentioned as forgettable by others here are favorites around my home.
For me most of the forgettable episodes come from the Sci-Fi Channel years. For one, I just never watched those repeatedly as often or with the same affection as I have for the episodes from the first few seasons. I prefer Season One to the Sci-Fi years in general, but then I like Season One quite a lot compared, especially in comparison to many other MSTies. I remember very little about a number of the movies in many episodes from the Sci-Fi years, a problem that is much rarer for me with Comedy Central era shows.
Castle of Fu Manchu is the uncontested Ambien king of the cinematic world. I don’t think I’ve made it all the way through this movie yet without dozing off. As previously stated, bad sound + non action + subdued riffing are a killer cure for insomnia.
For second place though, I’m going to have to go with the double whammy of Rocket Attack USA and Invasion USA
Both were utterly forgettable black and white anti-communist yawners, and I can never remember which one is which without consulting an episode guide. I don’t consider Red Zone Cuba in this category, simply because it was so randomly edited and full of bizarre plot culdesacs that the movie moves along at a fair clip… even if it never arrived at an actual destination.
Strange, I freaking LOVE “Radar Secret Service.” Everyone’s so excited about radar! And there’s Monkey Boy! And he just ups and disappears without explanation in the middle of the picture! (I’ve watched the non-MST3K version to confirm it; he just never reappears.)
Even stranger, I completely forgot that “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” was an MST3K episode, even though I enjoy both versions on Rhino DVD. But I too would pick “Castle of Fu Manchu.” It just lies there like a dead dog in my eyes.
Johnny Ryde & Disco 3:16
Thank you!
Re Sampo and the Blood Waters of Dr Z- I guess he didn’t enjoy the closeup of the fish anus that Mike kindly points out.
The japanese dubbed ones, they just didnt hold my attention and I cant seperate one from the other
The Castle of Fu Man Chu
Manos the Hands of Fate (I’m sorry I know that’s practically “sacred” with a lot of Misties but I hate that episode)
Overdrawn at the Memory Bank
Prince of Space
And especially, Invasion of the Neptune Men (shiver)
Crap! I forgot Future War! That episode was THE WORST!!!!!!
@82: If you forgot it, then that’s good. For this thread, that is.
1.Hamlet
2.Stranded in Space
3.Starfighters
4.Radar Secret Service
5.Rocket Attack USA
6.Wild Rebels
7.Sidehackers
8.Tormented
9.Gorgo
10.Diabolik
I HATE these episodes. With the exception of the delightful host segments in “Diabolik”, the level of unfunny in that one was unforgivable considering it was the last show.
When I think n-memorable, the tidal wave of dull grey films from Universal (and others) come to mind.
Revenge of the Creature, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, The Thing that Wouldn’t Die, Leech Woman, The Deadly Mantis, Indestructable Man, Space Children, Phantom Planet…None of these are bad episodes, they just don’t leave as much of an impact. I do realize that some of this is due to the color format, not just B/W, but very grey overall without much visual contrast. First Spaceship on Venus and Women of the Prehistoric Planet are just as gray, in spirit, anyhow.
– The bottom of the FVI riffing (City Limits, Stranded in Space, Master Ninja 1-2): Late 70’s/early 80’s TV will NEVER be cool, no matter how it’s riffed. (And that applies to M&tB’s public-domain package of San Francisco Int’l, Diamond Head and Gemini Man.)
– RE-riffing all of Sandy Frank from KTMA started out fine with the first Gameras and Time of the Apes, but by the time they got to vs. Baragon, you can hear the weariness with Servo’s “Well, kids, you wanted monster battles…”
– M&tB’s film-illiterate attempts to pull names out of Medved’s Golden Turkeys sight unseen (Village of the Giants, Space Children, Sinister Urge, Revenge of the Creature)–We were only lucky that “Incredibly Strange Creatures” WAS bizarre enough to be riffable, but that doesn’t sound like the reason it was picked.
– Hamlet–Yeah, the “Shakespeare into German and back into English” sounded like it might’ve been fun on paper, but the dubbers spoiled the fun by keeping the translation accurate. Not M&tB’s fault that we’ve heard funnier takeoffs of the play.
Re #55: yes, much preferable methinks…
Re Radar Secret Service: Who could forget the incredible “Maid” sequence!
It has been a long time since I saw Castle of Fu Manchu, so I’ll go with Blood Waters of Dr. Z. I just watched it yesterday and can’t remember a single host segment nor did I have a clue what the film was about.
Some episodes seem to erase themselves from my memory immediately after viewing, ones that come to mind are:
-Indestructible Man
-Castle of FuManchu
-The Rebel Set
-Gorgo
-Hamlet
Also, even though i like it and have watched it many times “The Dead Talk Back” also erases itself. Every time I forget who the murder is.
BTW, even though it’s dreary I love ‘Radar Secret Service’, on of my faves!
#87 (losingmydignity) – Make a wish, baby…. :)
#72 – If that’s the case, then the Rocky Jones films are the least memorable. I don’t recall any of the plot of either film, if either of them had a plot to begin with. Someone told me that John Banner and the kid who played Scotty in “Our Gang” were in them and if so, I hope they were paid well for it. But the films themselves were a total cypher.
And “The Atomic Brain” still sucked.
The only one close is Castle of Fu Manchu,although everytime I watch it I think Naylon whats his face is Waylon Smithers. So, there are laughs in this dreary film, and it does have Christopher Lee. I’ve watched every episode of the series, including KTMA ones, at least 5 times, so I have found something good in every episode. I happen to love Radar Secret Service (and the short)- this film makes me laugh hard. Last night I watched Wild, Wild, World of Batwoman (with Cheating) and had forgotten how good it was. Offended on so many levels, the mole people rip off, the host segments- what a great one. So, no- I love ’em all.
“Hamlet” is the least-watchable episode for me, even with the H.Q. riffing. It’s such a dreadfully dull movie that I can’t sit through it.
@ #12
You should definitely give 12 to the Moon another shot. It has great riffing, great host segments, and the movie itself is actually watchable.
The undead…..all i can remember is there is wagon in it..that’s it :???:
Ring of Terror. That is all.
Castle of Fu Manchu. Both my least favorite episode and one which I have trouble recalling anything about, despite trying many times to watch it. Same goes with Mighty Jack, no idea what happened. Also Untamed Youth from season one. Think it had Maimie Van Doren in it, so I know at least she must have been memorable, but I just can’t remember anything else about it.
I can’t really think of a least memorable episode, but there are episodes with gaping holes in my recollections of them.
A prime example is The Dead Talk Back. I absolutely love everything about this movie. It’s one of my favorite MST3Ks. But despite seeing it dozens of times, I can’t for the life of me remember which character turns out to be the murderer.
The only thing I remember from ALIEN FROM L.A. is THAT voice ! Argggghhh…. I can’t take it. However, the very least memorable experiment without any doubt is IT LIVES BY NIGHT; I couldn’t tell you anything about it if you shoved bamboo under my fingernails and made me listen to Dick Contini !