Short: (1956) While her songwriter husband struggles with a difficult tune, a newlywed dreams of redecorating her house with phones.
Movie: (1958) After his rocket crashes, an astronaut discovers he is carrying alien embryos.
Turkey Day bumpers
1: Dr. F. is at it again, planning to rule the world using his collection of MST3K experiments. His mother is stopping by later, and he wants to rule the world before she gets there. Then, Jack Perkins arrives. He explains that TV’s Frank invited a bunch of guests for Thanksgiving dinner months before he was assumed into second banana heaven.
2: Mr. B Natural pops in.
3: Pitch appears.
4: The Kitten With The Whip arrives.
5: Dr. F is unhappy until he hears piano stylings of Michael Feinstein.
6. The party continues but nobody hears Pearl banging at the door of Deep 13.
7: Pearl arrives. She’s upset that Frank is gone but joins the party.
Turkey Day host segments–aka 701T
First shown: 11/23/95
Opening: M&tB rain sports cliches on a baffled Gypsy
Intro: Dr. F.’s party continues with Pearl providing the movie
Host segment 1: Crow and Tom present: “Stuffing vs. Potatoes”
Host segment 2: “Art” and Pearl have a chat
Host segment 3: Thanksgiving dinner on the SOL and in Deep 13
End: Tom is mincemeat; Pearl’s “Turkey surprise” is a hit in Deep 13
Stinger: “Wounded animal that large isn’t good”
Regular show host segments
First shown: 2/3/96
Opening: Crow and Tom are concerned about their personal security, so they taze Mike
Intro: Dr. F. has a traumatic trombone recital, but Crow shines
Host segment 1: M&tB sing about decorating with phones
Host segment 2: Pearl makes Dr. F. apologize
Host segment 3: Crow claims he’s pregnant with shrimp babies
End: Crow’s rant about babies disrupts Mike’s attempts to read letters; Pearl wants Dr . F. to act like a baby
Stinger: “Wounded animal that large isn’t good”
(209 votes, average: 4.48 out of 5)
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• This episode, with the Turkey Day bumpers included as extras, is included in the “Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol. XVI.”
• We are proud to point you to our EXCLUSIVE season-seven continuation of the Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, here on this site. We paid good money to get these! You’re welcome. Read them! Mike talks about the main episode here and Bridget offers some thoughts on the Turkey Day version here. Now on with the discussion…
Turkey Day bumpers
• Of course, there’s no way any of the following Turkey Day bumper sets could ever rival the fun and delight of the first one, but these were okay. They got the job done and there were some genuine laughs.
• In the third segment, Dr. F says “I will rule the WORLD!! AHAHAHAHA!” almost exactly like he does in the opening of “MST3K:TM.”
• Mike’s song goes on too long.
• Mike is hilarious as a smitten Jack Perkins, prepared to “change teams” if necessary to the enjoy the pleasures of Mr. B Natural, and Bridget is equally funny as a guy who isn’t really into what Jack has in mind.
The Turkey Day host segments:
• According to our records, the host segments, that debuted on Nov. 23, 1995, ran three more times, on Dec. 2 (at 5 p.m.), Dec. 3 (at 10 a.m.) and Dec. 4 (at 2 a.m.). So that makes a total of four showings.
• For the record, the stretch between the end of season six and the beginning of season seven was 243 days (more than eight months!), the second-longest amount of time MSTies had to wait between episodes. (The stretch between seasons 7 and 8 was the longest.). Fans were jonesing bad.
• Of course, we have new theme song lyrics, mostly involving changing the personal pronouns from plural to singular, reflecting the departure of Frank. There’s also some great new footage in the opening.
• The opening is fun and breezy, with poor Gypsy trying to make sense of M&tB as they spout endless sports cliches.
• Why does Pearl call Crow “Art?” [Deep breath] Calling Crow “Art” is an obscure BBI in-joke. During a host segment in episode 203- JUNGLE GODDESS, Joel was introducing the ‘bots at the end of a sketch in the same manner Jackie Gleason used to use at the end of his TV show: bringing out each cast member to take a bow. In fact, when he got to Crow, he got so into the Jackie Gleason premise that he introduced Crow as “Art Crow!” much as Gleason would yell “Art Carney!” when introducing his long-time co-star. Well, apparently some little kid saw that, didn’t get the Jackie Gleason reference, and assumed that Crow’s name was actually Art. That kid wrote a letter to the show, which was read in episode 402- THE GIANT GILA MONSTER. The letter included pictures of each of the robots, and the drawing of Crow was labeled “Art.” When Pearl calls Crow “Art,” it’s a reference to that. [Exhale]
• The stuffing vs. potatoes bit is very funny. “Nature’s Bouncing Betty…”
• Although Dr. F would be browbeaten and henpecked by Pearl — to the dismay of some fans (see below) — this season, the two also seem to work reasonably well together in this episode, working together to defeat the unpleasant guests.
• I had forgotten Pearl’s hilarious “Turkey Surprise” recipe: “Bake at 200 degrees for one hour and then rub with a turtle.” Brilliant.
The regular episode:
• This was the first new episode (sort of) in six weeks.
• The riffing, both of the short and the main feature, is just hilarious. Very strong and a great start to this all-too-short season.
• If the movie’s scenery looks familiar, it should: Yes, this was another movie featuring exterior shots done in Bronson Canyon. Other movies where that location was used include: “Robot Monster,” “King Dinosaur,” “It Conquered The World,” “Viking Women,” “War Of The Colossal Beast” and “Teenagers From Outer Space.”
• Note that in the background of the redecorated Deep 13 is the projector from Deep 13 set of “MST3K: TM.”
• The opening, with the bots torturing Mike for no discernible reason, is the beginning of what will be a season 7 running theme.
• Ah, the trombone recital. The beginning of all “the troubles” in the view of some folks (again, see below). I will be honest: I laughed. I thought it was pretty funny and I think Trace and Mary Jo do a great job in the scene. But not everybody thought so. Another reason there was some dismay about this segment came later: the outtake that appeared in “Poopie 2,” when it appears that Trace actually was injured slightly during the filming. A bit disturbing.
• Crow’s solo is the same song — “Getting Sentimental Over You” — that our hero plays at the end of Mr. B Natural. And, hey! Crow’s arms work!
• Nice job on the prop trombone that constantly shoots spit.
• Pearl again calls Crow Art.
• Pearl makes several references to wishing Clayton had been a girl, topped with the announcement that Dr. F’s two middle names are “Deborah Susan.”
• The short is a gem: One of those weird promotional things that never actually comes right out and says what they’re selling.
• The little song “Line em up against the wall and pop goes the weasel,” is from “Duck Soup.”
• Crow mispronounces Ray Manzarek’s name.
• During the riffing they do a parody of Eddie Bauer — “comes in loden, pant and twerp” — that they would expand on in a later episode.
• I love Tom singing the sign in the movie.
• One riff, “We learned not to send Polacks into space” caused a small kerfuffle after the episode aired. Some felt it was an uncharacteristically mean-spirited riff.
• A couple of times they make a reference to “undercupping.” Visit this site, for an explanation of what that term means.
• Callback: “The Beast of Yucca Flats.”
• The whole “Steves” running gag was funny and all, but there was only one character in the movie named Steve. Don’t really see where it comes from, is all…
• I want to address what happened in the fan base when Pearl arrived and the whole dynamic in Deep 13 changed. What happened, I believe, was an unfortunate disconnect between the writing staff and the fans, and although the fans might have made more of an effort to understand what was happening, I must lay most of the blame at the feet of the writing staff. Let me lay it out for you.
In the writing room, it’s clear they felt they were running out of fresh comedic permutations for the characters. I think they felt they’d taken these characters in every direction they could possibly go. And I got the sense that they were thrilled at the arrival of Pearl, and the chance to “shake things up” — a phrase they would use often later on, when fans began to ask them what the hell was going on. From the writers’ point of view, Dr. F and Pearl were simply characters on a page, representing a whole new set of comedic possibilities.
But for a lot of fans, Dr. F was not a concept on a page, to be played with any way the writers liked. He was an established character, a personality they had come to love and appreciate. And when the writers took that established character and began to take it in new directions, some fans didn’t like it. Put simply, they liked to see Dr. F. evil and in charge. They didn’t want to see him henpecked and timid, even if that allowed the writers to try new comic ideas. It was really one of the first times on this show that the fans and writers parted company.
In public appearances and interviews, Mary Jo and Trace expressed genuine confusion when fans questioned the direction they were taking Dr. F (and that’s when the “we just wanted to shake things up” explanations began coming out). It was pretty clear they simply didn’t see any reason not to change the characters any way they liked, as long as they thought it was funny.
In the end, for most fans, it wasn’t a deal breaker (though for a few it was). But it was something new for a show where, previously, the cast and the writers could virtually do no wrong.
• Cast and crew round up. I am not going to do the Arkoff or Roger Corman litany again. Producer and story writer Gene Corman was also the producer of “Attack of the Giant Leeches.” Director Bernard L. Kowalski also worked on “Giant Leeches.” Cinematographer John Nicholaus worked on “Giant Leeches” and “High School Big Shot.” Editor Jodie Copelan worked on “Ring of Terror” and “Laserblast.” Editor Richard Currier also worked on “The Unearthly.” Makeup guy Harry Thomas also worked on “The Unearthly,” “High School Big Shot,” “The Mad Monster,” “Project Moon Base,” “Bride of the Monster,” “Invasion USA” and “Racket Girls.” Production Manager Jack Bohrer also worked on “Giant Leeches” and was assistant director on “Teenage Caveman” and “Viking Women and the Sea Serpent.” Art director Dan Haller also worked “Giant Leeches” and “The Girl in Lovers Lane.” Prop master Karl Brainard also worked on “It Conquered the World,” “Teenage Caveman,” “The Undead” and “The She Creature.” Sound guy Herman Lewis also worked on “Teenage Caveman,” “Viking Women and the Sea Serpent” and “Mitchell.” Score composer Alexander Laszlo also worked on “Giant Leeches,” “Manhunt in Space” and “Crash of Moons.”
In front of the camera: Michael Emmet was also on “Giant Leeches” and “Untamed Youth.” Ed Nelson was also in “Teenage Caveman,” “Swamp Diamonds,” “Riding with Death” and “Superdome.” He was also a costumer for “Giant Leeches.” Tyler McVey was also in “Giant Leeches. Ross Sturlin was also in “Teenage Caveman,” “Viking Women” and “Giant Leeches.”
• CreditsWatch: Beginning with this episode, Best Brains began to behave in a way they hadn’t had to behave in several years: When they got an order for episodes, they assembled a crew and pumped them out. When the order was complete, they laid people off and closed down the studio until another order came in. In other words, there were a lot of new faces. And many longtime regulars had departed.
Gone from the season six list of writers are Frank Conniff and Mike Dodge. Gone from contributing writers is Colleen Williams. The Turkey Day host segments were directed by Jim Mallon. The regular episode segments were directed by Trace Beaulieu. Replacing Jann Johnson at production manager (the separate job of production coordinator goes away completely) is Wendell Jon Andersson (formerly an intern–something that rarely happened!). In the job of “production assistant,” held by the departing Sarah Wisner since season four, is Mary Banovets and Michael D. Parker in the Turkey Day episode. Parker took over the job by himself during the regular season. With the departure of Toolmaster Jef Maynard, the new job of “prop master” appears. One Dean Trisko did the job for the Turkey Day segments. During the regular season the job was held by Helena Espinosa. There was also a new “prop assistant” job. One Beth McKeever first appears in the credits in that role for the Turkey Day episode, along with a Wilson Webb. Beez was also an intern for the first two episodes of the season. Dean Trisko was in the role for the regular episode. The “audio” credit is gone. Tim Paulson no longer appears under “Editors” leaving Brad Keeley in that post alone. Jann and Ellen McDonough are both gone from the “post-production coordination” job and in their place are Wendell and Brad. Andrea DuCane did hair and makeup for all episodes this season except 704. Working as an intern both on the regular show and the Turkey Day segments was Debra Baxter. Danika King and Kelly Schrandt worked as interns for the entire regular season. The “additional original music written and arranged by” credit, which went to Mike for all of season six, again goes to him for the Turkey Day segments and for the rest of the season, but not the regular episode, where Kevin’s name appears instead. Barbara Tebben appears in the credits for the first time, with the title “assistant poobah,” as Julie Walker began to eye the exit. The “special makeup effects” credit for the turkey day segments went to Crist Ballas and Gary Bohem.
• Fave riff from the short: “What would Liberace do? Oh, better not do that!” Honorable mention: “What rhymes with blue balls?”
• Fave riff from the movie: “No more questions! More boobies!” Honorable mention: “You ever seen stroganoff?” and “Honey! You’re taller than you were last year!”
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I’m surprised I don’t have any comments here on this episode already from when it first got fan comments in 2009. Maybe because my enthusiasm for it is less than before major cast changes began to alter the show. I also have been repeatedly mystified by the “Steves” gag, there is clearly only one character named Steve in the movie. Mike Nelson and Kevin Murphy as I recall were even wearing name tags that said “Steve” on them at one point during the MST3K convention as a call-back to this gag. Amusing, but I’m still wondering how they got so confused in the writing room about the character names in the movie.
I also found the comedic dynamic between Dr. F and Pearl to be lacking, it simply doesn’t make me laugh. Let’s face it, Frank and Forrester were a great comedy duo and it simply wasn’t possible to recapture that by severely altering the pairing and Dr. F’s behavior after Frank left, especially for long-time fans still missing Frank. The chemistry was all wrong and just didn’t have much inspired “comedy magic” in it.
The episode as a whole is pretty funny though most fans were smarting at that point from losing Joel and Frank. The movie at least worked pretty well and there are some good jokes during it from the MST3K writers. It was good to see a new episode at the time in spite of the unwelcome cast changes.
Not a big fan of this episode. The short is definitely the highlight, and even it’s lacking for me. The rest of season 7 is fantastic, though.
I’d have to say the TD segments were the better of the two.
Since my comments in ’09, I’ve purchased the Shout box set that contains both versions of this episode. Last night was probably the first time I’ve seen the trombone sketch since its original airing and I have to say, it hasn’t grown on me. Sampo does a pretty good job of listing the reasons why. Fortunately, this ep is saved by some quality riffing, especially in the short.
One thing I noticed in the TD bumpers that I hadn’t before was Bridget (as Mr. B) standing like Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, pretending to play the flute which was a nice touch. I also like when Dr F. goes to give the blessing for the food, then apologizes to Pitch.
Sampo, unless I’m mistaken Sarah Wisner also left the show between the end of season six and the beginning of season seven. I noted that because she’s the one who gave my wife and me a tour of Best Brains in the fall of 1993.
Good catch, revillo. Now fixed.
Sitting Duck #98 – looking through your list of Bechdeled MST3K eps was very thought provoking for me (a male), esp. noting the eps with rather large female casts (e.g., Fire Maidens of Outer Space, which you had not tested but which I’m pretty certain fails). Also interesting to see how many eps pass, but just barely. ALSO interesting to note films (Gamera vs. Guiron) which pass primarily b/c female characters are assuming stereotypically “male” roles that require planning/exposition (i.e., plotting the conquest of a planet).
I don’t really have a point or anything here. Just interesting.
Okay, here’s my two cents on the whole “changing of the guard” thing: It never really bothered me, as there seemed to be a lot of turnover when I started watching the show. You see, I started watching MST3K during Season 6, so Mike was the already the host, and I was hooked on the show for the movie riffing right from the start (Mike’s a good riffer), but Comedy Central was still showing re-runs of Joel episodes, which I watched and loved just as much if not more, as those episode (S2-S4) had a special kind of magic were the movie riffing AND the Host Segments worked (not always, but often, and very often was genius), which isn’t to say that Mike-era Host Segments didn’t occasionally have their magic, it’s just that it was on a less occasional basis during S6-10…
So my attitude towards the show when I started watching it was (and is still) “this show has two hosts, I like them both, they each have strong suits,” and I apply the same train of thought when it comes to the Mads. Dr.F and Frank are the best (duh), with Pearl, Bobo, and Observer coming in second (admittedly, it took me time to warm up to this trio), Dr. F and Dr Erhardt coming in third, and Dr. F and Pearl coming in last, if only because they have fewer episodes in which to work out there dynamic. I think the Clayton/Pearl dynamic as it is (she’s a browbeater, he’s scarred of her but wants her approval) was established well enough in her previous appearances on the show, so I find Dr. F’s “shift in character” to actually totally be in line with the development (as it is) of the character of Dr. F. Sure, seeing him be timid isn’t as funny as him kill Frank over and over, but Season 7 has it’s moments.
Speaking of: I really like Season 7, most of the experiments work great for me, the final four (Deathstalker, Melting Man, Escape 2000, and Laserblast) are some of my favorites, but this lead off episode of NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST, is the weakest of this shortened season. The movie is kind of a bore, until the monster starts talking in the last 10 minutes. The short is weird, but not weird enough for me. I watched the regular version of this and found the Host Segments to be not that good. Afterwards I watched the Turkey Day bumpers and Host Segments (thanks Shout! Factory!) and I preferred those overwhelmingly. The stuffing vs. potatoes debate, the Pearl/”Art” conversation, and the giving of thanks in Host Segments #3 all seem to be much more in line with the show’s sense of humor and it makes for a very nice Thanksgiving Day episode actually (turkey surprise and all). Plus, it is a much more sensible and easy to take introduction to Pearl’s character.
–
RIFFS:
–
short:
Servo: “Oh no, angel dust!”
Servo: “‘Scuse me while I light this spleef.”
Mike: “The following scene contains graphic sexual content.”
–
MOVIE:
Crow: “Dick Currier: When your dick has to positively be there overnight.”
Servo: “And the Steves are there!”
Crow: “No more questions, more boobies.”
Crow: “WOW! He’s loaded with shrimp!”
Crow: “Not the copier!”
Servo: “My resume was in there!” —-I’m looking for a job right now, I found this extra funny.
the creature jumps down into the bushes,
Mike: “I REGRET NOTHING!”
–
Not a great start to Season7,
things get a lot better,
2/5
It’s a real treat to see the Thanksgiving extras, thanks Shout! They must have had a blast filming those segments in Deep 13. The regular version has charms too–because Crow has a good point. Those annoying babies…they make me so mad. The whole Pearl/Dr. F dynamic? It made me wince for Clayton sometimes, but it had its fun moments for sure. Sick, whiny Pearl who wants Art to read a dirty novel to her, and the lady in the box that Toblerone immediately falls for, and her randy suitor annoying Clay, I love those bits.
The short is a stitch and so is the movie. My only complaint? I really really really hate that Johnny. “You WILL give him a chance?” Dude, I’ll give you a chance. To shut up.
I’ve decided one hard and fast rule for MSTies:
Your favorite incarnation of the show is the one you started with
…it’s like your first bottle of beer, music you grew up with, girls (or boys) you ogled in junior high…it simply boils down to personal preference based on strong emotion…
As for the Clayton abuse? Hey, after 2 seasons belittling Dr. Erhardt and another 4 abusing/killing Frank, 6 short episodes seems pretty lenient…I guess karma isn’t always a bitch!
that being said, I wish we could double up on episodes and just get to Season 8 already!
Oh look, a frog!
Sampo, there is something else you can add to your round-up (technically, at least). According to “Keep Watching the Skies,” the costume worn by the Blood Beast is the exact same costume Corman used as the “The Thing That Causes Death at a Touch” in Teenage Caveman.
After all, Corman never wastes good material, not even the script. :-)
To this day I call shrimp “crow babies.”
A little gem from Roger’s little brother Gene Corman, this makes pretty liberal use of Bronson Canyon, Caves and Griffith Park.
Favorite lines (Once Upon a Honeymoon):
[title card] Once Upon a Honeymoon—how many times Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie had sex.
It’s spring time for Hitler in Germany.
[of Chick Chandler] Poor Buck Henry.
[full ashtray] Mickey Rourke came over to help.
Wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which files up first.
Honey, your cocaine is all over the phone.
[player piano] Welcome to Shakey’s…Elton John was here.
Favorite lines (Night of the Blood Beast):
I’m being severely backlit.
[explosion behind seat] Oh, I knew I was lactose intolerant, but…
“Cause of death must be due to an internal rupture.” He should have worn a cup.
It all started at a 500-watt radio station in Fresno, California.
[Dave sitting at radio transmitter] I’m putting a burrito in the microwave, you guys want anything?
“I can’t transmit across the room with this thing.” Goldstar, huh?
[Hurricane Lamp] Oh, neat, did you get this at Pier One? Yeah, that and a 10K really lights up the place.
Don’t wake up Dad, he’s in a really bad mood.
[Blood Beast in shadow] Martha Graham. Who put my sweater in the dryer?
[Blood Beast enters room] Barney’s been in a fire. This is no way to meet the in-laws. Ah, boy, you know, you marry the whole family. Not the copier—my resume was in there.
Yeah, just lay him on the ironing board.
[Julie] “He’s not dangerous, not to me anyway.” Except when the Packers lose.
“How about a Molitov cocktail”? Well…it’s pretty early, I mean…
“It’s better to stalk it then have it come after us.” Yeah, that’s my dating policy.
“Within the hour the first of our new generation will be born. It’s true.” I’m dilated to four. Get the cocktail sauce.
Final Thought: The same view of Bronson Canyon and caves as in Teenagers from Outer Space. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars.
NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST deals with an alien life form that impregnate a human, Steve of course, and then terrorizes a group of people in an isolated environment. A little known fact is that this was the actual film that inspired Ridley Scott’s ALIEN!
OK episode. Sadly, season 7 is pretty much just a string of these OK episodes, save for a really good one coming up next and a really bad one.
Bart #114> That’s interesting if true. Do you have a source on that?
It was my understanding that “It: The Terror From Beyond Space” with Ray “Crash” Corrigan playing the monster was the inspiration. Crew of males and females (2), “rescue mission”, alien gets on board, alien hides in air ducts and attacks/abducts careless crew one at a time, alien is killed in the end by
–spoiler alert–
evacuating the air from the ship.
Sound familiar?
I had read that there were a few different movies had inspired Scotts ALIEN including Tom’s comments and I think Bava’s Planet of the Vampires. It just seemed at one point people were citing every 50’s SF movie as an influence.
In short, I was attempting humor but not at the expense of you folks. The more I think about it, why not? Would Scott own up to this if true? I would’nt.
One question about this episode: I’m surprised there were no Nuveena jokes directed at the wife in “Once Upon a Honeymoon”. They seem very much alike, both singing annoying somgs about all the modern conveniences they’d like in their respective homes.
I also have been repeatedly mystified by the “Steves” gag, there is clearly only one character named Steve in the movie.
There’s also a guy named Dave. Early on, one of the other characters (Donna, I’m pretty sure), bleats out, “DAAAAVE!” in a really shrill voice, so that it kind of sounds like “STEEEEVE!” Thus began the Confusion of the Steves.
Here’s something else to chew on regarding the Blood Beast/Alien maybe connection. Though not adapted from any of his stories, Alien is considered to be a very Lovecraftian film (writer Dan O’Bannon and designer H.R. Giger are both Lovecraft fanboys). Meanwhile, Roger Corman directed the very first film adaptation of a Lovecraft story (The Haunted Palace is an adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and is considered to be a reasonably tolerable film).
Once Pearl replaced Frank, Dr. F lost his EVIL! EVIL! He stopped being a caricature of a mad scientist and became just another…well, that’s just it, he wasn’t really anything, just this guy who lived with his mother or, rather, whose mother lived with him.
To be a mad scientist, one needs a subservient assistant who’ll pretty much go along with whatever one says and does (like Frank and Dr. Erhart before him), not a parent to whom one IS subservient, who can pretty much just say “stop being so ridiculous” OSLT. It just doesn’t work. IMHO.
The Steve joke begines when one of the guys calls for Steve and actual Steve and the young woman both look in response. “Me Steve or she Steve?”
jjb3k @100: Absolutely agree about Season 7. I get that the Deep 13 shake-up isn’t to everyone’s liking, but from a riffing standpoint I’ll never understand where the detractors are coming from. I’m inclined to say that the riffing in this season is the best yet up to that point in the show’s history. Mike really hit his groove as a riffer in this season and the writing in general felt sharper and more satisfying. I recall Comedy Central drip-feeding this season’s eps amidst daily repeats of older episodes, and remember being struck by how much funnier these new episodes were compared to the repeats (granted, the reruns were going out late at night and I had to force myself to stay up to see them, and Joel-era riffing is more soporific than laugh-making when you’re a sleep-deprived college kid).
Touches #122> I’d disagree that Dr. Erhart was a subservient assistant. He was much more so an equal to Dr. Forrester.
#48
I loved for continuity’s sake during the Sci-Fi years when Pearl would call Crow “Art”.
Some fans just can’t handle change. I happen to enjoy a show (to remain unnamed because its haters are as rabid as its fans and I don’t wanna start a thing here) and half its fanbase shat themselves and burst into flame last year when one of the main characters got a “promotion”* that, if anyone THOUGHT about it, creates a huge wealth of story opportunities without destroying the relationships the fans have come to love.
It’s always a bit sick when some fanboy who can’t even spell thinks he knows the show better than the people who have worked on every episode for three or four seasons.
*let’s just say she “earned her wings”
Off to a good start with Season 7. There’s a lot of fun stuff in this episode. My favorite part is when Servo’s wearing the white glasses from the short. Love that short, by the way. The movie’s a bit of a slog, but that happens sometimes.
#127
I don’t get it either. I will read an article about a show I enjoy and there are dozens of comments about how they don’t watch it because it is not funny. Well, if you don’t watch it, how do you know it’s not funny? I think most MSTies are really cool in keeping this a fun and positive site. (And kudos to Sampo and Erhardt) They didn’t fire Frank to make the show funnier. He left as a personal decision. It shouldn’t be a question of was Clay and Pearl funnier, but were the shows still funny. I definitely have my preferences, but that doesn’t make them superior to yours so I’m not going to bash you for them like so many people seem to have a need to do.
Yeah, what’s up with that? And my hip hurts, why? And get off my lawn, too.
Bumped four years later for truth:
There was no more of the “You guys are completely twisted and evil…” “THANK you!” from the Forrester & Erhardt days–And Frank’s cliche’-oddity act was funnier than Erhardt’s sniveling (which looked like something guys would do for monster movies on a local station), but at least it was more evil to see sweet, nutty Frank be the victim of Dr. F’s experiments, and gave Deep 13 a chance to try and crush our unsuspecting world with evil plots.
The idea of letting MJ do her Melissa-McCarthy-in-Ghostbusters act, and that Pearl would snarkily annoy the world into submission took the away the central humor of the show that M&tB didn’t quite get either: The movies had to be a threat to our heroes’ sanity, and possibly to the world at large, and we were watching the guys do what they could to survive it. Not just act bored because someone was “trolling” with them with bad movies to waste their time.
That loss of focus sort of became the problem when every other backstager wanted their own running character on the show.
I find the claim that stuffing is a superior vehicle for gravy to be preposterous. Aside from the fact that people don’t eat Thanksgiving dinner in centrifuges, potatoes (at least the mashed variety) are better suited for the task since you can form a hole in the middle to do that volcano thing.
This line’s going to need to be updated on the next go-round.
“What rhymes with blue balls?”
fur balls maybe?
@133
i know there are a few others, but that is the all i think we can put here (ie as family friendly as Sampo and the rest want).
That is correct, since the new longest wait, between seasons 10 and 11, is 6424 days.
The short is easily one of the Top 5 they ever did, IMO. And it took me a while to warm up to Pearl, but I eventually did. I used to say I liked her Season 8-10 incarnation better, but having just watched Deathstalker &TWFH again recently, I have to say her incessant cries of “CLAYTON” won me over this go round (can’t explain it), and I try to work in “a little golden man just read to me from a dirty book” any time I’m at home sick.
The movie still drags a bit for me, and I also prefer the T-Day segments, with the notable exception of Gypsy’s take on the Phone Song in the “regular” version.
And I never really cared as to whether or not the writers were sticking to the original premise of WHY the Mads/Pearl were showing Joel/Mike the movies. I was just grateful to have more MST, even when the network was forcing those “continuity” storylines (but that’s a story for about 6 weeks from now…)
Hey, you keep Thanksgiving in your way and let me keep it in mine, huh?
Ooh, that reference to McCarthy in the new Ghostbusters makes me think our beloved EricJ is an MRA. Watch out, Ladies, we’ve (maybe) got an alpha in our midst…
Let’s review. What are we talking about?!
So we come to Season 7, a time of great transition yet a microcosm of the show’s purpose, with examples of at least one of most of the genres of movie the show regularly tackled (crime drama, rubber-suit monsters, cheese of both the 70s and 80s flavors, etc.). I enjoy most of the episodes of this season, and while I realize it’s a bit of a cheat because of it’s brevity, I’m really happy that I’ll now be able to watch all of this season on official Shout! Factory DVDs.
I honestly couldn’t tell you which version of this episode I prefer. Both have their moments, and while I hate pickles I don’t know if I could resist trying one if Gypsy offered me one. She was just so gosh darn sweet about it! As for Pearl, I truly fell in love during the Sci-Fi years, so I wouldn’t know what to say to those who went through this change in real time and found her introduction intolerable. I suppose it might be similar to how I feel about the changes ‘The Simpsons’ went through around Season 8, particularly the episode ‘Homer’s Enemy’. I remember feeling something go out about how I enjoyed that show when I saw that episode and never quite enjoyed subsequent episodes as much.
But for MST3k, I enjoy it regardless of what era an episode is from. That’s a rare accomplishment for any show.
Fave short riffs:
I was known as something of a ‘Chick Handler’ myself!
Poor Buck Henry…
My God Honey, what have you done to our lives?!
Ah, the familiarity, the coziness, that feeling of “coming home.” I am, of course, talking about Bronson Canyon. Ye gods, how many B movies and TV episodes were filmed there? I get the feeling that on weekends it must have been the Grand Central Station of film making. Btw, I highly recommend Larry Blamire’s spoofs such as “The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra” for more Bronson Canyon goodness.
P.S. I refuse to get in this pissing contest of Joel-Mike-Frank-Pearl-whatever. I love them all, like a good Mom.
But you DON’T keep it, uncle! I say, Thanksgiving is a time of goodwill for all men, and god bless it!
Hey, like YOU could tell Pearl Forrester apart from Abby Yates in a police lineup…Want to put up comparative photos and try?
I think the vile Pearl makes perfect sense as the sort of mother who would create a son like Dr. F. I miss Frank, but Pearl works, and I think we’re all here for the riffing anyway. Good host segments are a nice bonus, but no the reason we fell in love with the show.
nope! “grue malls.”
“thanksgiving in zero-g” is what you have before “christmas at ground-zero.” ;0
;0 i idly wondered that… and also, after all, mj would have originated/pre-dated that “kind of” role by over a decade, wouldn’t she?
(i just recently watched the new gb too; it was “amusing,” but not so much “funny”… so much of the humor was of the stripe of “oh, i see what you did there just then, yeah, ah, uh-huh…” but it could have easily been just as “mostly unfunny” with an all-male cast. wasn’t at all fair to single out that one factor! though, not playing into the favor of that argument was that the only -really- funny stuff seemed centered around their moronic receptionist, ken or kevin/whatsisname… he was the one part that made me laugh out loud! so, why did -he- get the funny, and the rest of the cast got lines that sounded more like sardonic twitter replies? a younger me, must be said, would’ve been very “fetched” by the uber-punko-scientist one… would have been a short but quite torrid and funny relationship. ;0)
Clay & Pearl is, mostly, cringe comedy. And that’s something a lot of people don’t like or can’t handle too much of. For my part, I think it fits Clay’s characterization just fine, but his entire world crashing down isn’t a very pleasant thing to watch.
That is interesting about the fans and writers disagreeing over the new direction for Dr. F. I did not like seeing Dr.F being Henpecked and made so timid in season 7, but I still enjoy that season anyway. However, there are a few season 7 episodes where Dr. F goes back to his old self when he locks Pearl in a miniature home in Escape 2000. Also in the Brute Man, Dr. F turns Pearl’s date into the chicken of tomorrow which is something his old self would do. I forget which movie, but there is one where him and Pearl together embezzle Crow’s movie budget. Another thing I noticed was that Dr. F’s character evolved (or devolved) from KTMA to season 7. In the earlier episodes he was more serious, stern, and generally more evil, while in later episodes he became sillier, grew increasingly timid and insecure well before Pearl’s arrival, and less constantly evil. In early episodes Dr. F usually spoke in a stern manner while later on he would get pretty silly and ham it up, especially after Mike took over as host. It is similar to how Homer Simpson devolved from a somewhat dimwitted dad who meant well to a complete idiot and mean jerk.
Also I think many writers operate as the Best Brain writers did, that its ok to change characters and plots all around as they see fit. George Lucas once said, “continuity is for wimps.”
One thing about this movie that always bugged me… The undead guy full of alien babies keeps verbally defending both them and the alien. Yet no one asks him what he thinks is going to happen to him when those babies are “born”.
Could be the alien babies are exerting mind control or influence on the host like some real life parasites do. Like that bactiera that makes rats attracted to the scent of cats so they get eaten by them and infect the cat.
U-Hauls?