You’ve had a crappy day. Your boss was a dink, your project was a failure, things didn’t go how you planned, something disappointing or even downright bad happened.
Now you’re back home. You need cheering up. And you’re a MSTie, so you know what you need.
I hear from MSTies all the time that MST3K is often the perfect thing to pick them up when they’re down.
Works for me, too. My favorite pick-me-up ep is 601- GIRLS TOWN. I never get tired of it. Great riffing, wacky movie. I always feel better when it’s over.
What episode do you pick when you need cheering up?
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Weekend Discussion Thread: Episodes That Cheer You Up182 Replies to “Weekend Discussion Thread: Episodes That Cheer You Up”Commenting at Satellite News
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Monster A Go-Go. I always feel better after having survived “Chinese Music Torture.”
Plus, the movie itself profoundly delivers upon the Nietzeian concept that there really is no monster. OK, maybe not. I just like it, OK???
“Boggy Creek II” is for me the ultimate comfort substance (I have a slight, totally inexplicable crush on Doc). It does the same thing for me as macaroni and cheese; it just makes me feel better. The shorts are wonderful for that, too, especially “Is this Love?” and “Last Clear Chance.”
Riding with Dead allways does it for me. So mellow :mrgreen:
I first got into the show in 1999 right after getting fired (but I got unemployment anyway).
I spent the entire six month state paid sabbatical watching all the rhino released videos. I drove to every blockbuster in Pittsburgh (that’s alot of blockbusters) until I saw every one of them.
Anyway, I also taped every sci-fi episode.
Then when I got a job, I bought the whole Comedy Central library from a good source.
By the time I got fired from that new job, six years later, Film Crew had just come out giving me even more relief from my joblessness.
Then I got a new job and bought all the Rhino dvd sets.
Then I got fired again and by then Cinematic Titanic & Rifftrax were going full force, and I got all the rifftrax already synched-shorts/movies and also the CT releases to get me through.
This sabbatical lasted 19 months thanks to the crappy job market, but at least I got unemployment thanks to all the extensions from the bad economy.
So I just started a new job and I’m watching all the rifftrax shorts for relief. It was a rough first day though, so I think RIDING WITH DEATH is getting popped in tonight.
I need to do a pinch hit, pop in some Deep Purple, and get this secret government project on the road! Turkeys Ho-o-o-o!
If I can only pick one it’s gotta be “I Accuse My Parents”. This is pretty much a comfort food episode for me. It’s one of the first ones I saw back in the day. When it came out on tape, I picked it up and even bought it twice on DVD. I’ve practically got the darn thing memorized, but I love all the riffing in it, and the combination of songs, goofy Jimmy antics and Happy Chef always make my day.
Runners up include:
The Movie – Partially because of nostalgia reasons, and partially because I think nearly every riff hits the mark. It’s got bright colors and the Metaluna Mixer just seems like a real good time.
Hercules Against the Moonmen – First episode I ever saw, but still one of my favorites. I love the sword and sandal flicks for the most part and this one has a great combination of silliness, sandstorms and women in togas.
Space Mutiny – This movie is joyfully inept. It bounces along showing us incredibly stupid things and hopes that we’ll just go with it. But how can you? The little golf cart chase attempting to conjure images of “Ben Hur” never fails to keep me smiling long after the movie is over.
Overdrawn at the Memory Bank – Another colorful mess of a movie. Lots of silly dialogue, and interesting acting. The joy of “interface” is contagious. I just can’t help but be just as delighted as Mr. Fingle at the prospect.
Pod People – This works when my day isn’t too horrible, you know, just a bad day. Trumpy and the band’s antics make me smile. The best scene is when Trumpy does magic things. The music, the riffing and the stop motion are perfect. “It’s called evil, kid!”
Shorts:
Drugs are like that – Hilarious short from Rifftrax and one that will cheer me up in a quick burst. I love to come up with additional things that drugs are like.
Date with your family – Perfect for when your family gets you down. Everyone starts out so cheerful and then it gets ugly, but for demonstration purposes only. :)
Mr. B – How can he/she not cheer you up. He/she’s so damn perky and insane that you’ll end up playing “Flight of the Bumblebee” on your kazoo!
Out of the World – Perfect for when I feel like I’m not measuring up. At least I’m not a bread truck driver. Then my soul would be the battleground for Satan… or is that stan?
A Case of Spring Fever – No matter how bad I feel, I’ll never be as bummed as this poor dope and his lack of springs.
Junior Rodeo Daredevils – Is it wrong to be so uplifted by children being thrown from bucking horses and bulls?
Personally I can’t wait to get some of the Russian movies on DVD. I had “Jack Frost” and that used be my “go to” episode for cheering up, if “I Accuse My Parents” was available. But my tape vanished in a move. I get the feeling that it will take it’s place near the top of my list if I had it back.
@#144 – Manny, good luck with the new job, you turkey! (I’m giving you the fade-away jerk handshake too.)
Just the other day I was feeling like Jim Stafford’s used bath water and the first thing at hand when I plopped down in my chair before the TV was “The Brute Man.”
Within minutes I was born again. I think it’s the way M&TB are just chattering away to each other under their collective breaths through that episode. They seemed to be making each other laugh more than usual – like every time the blind girl started to play the piano and Tom would automatically start singing, “And now….the time is here….and we face….the final curtain….”
Or – Crow: (As the Creeper) “Honey? My face is just as huge and someone shot my sizzler off.”
But those have always been the best, life-restoring moments in MST3K for me – the riffs, gags and bits where you can tell the BBI gang were cracking each other up as much as they were cracking all of us up.
Good times….good times….
Re: #61 Pinback 65:
I had a very similar experience – and again, not to get too maudlin – but in Feb. ’05 my mom was diagnosed with cancer and died within 11 days – one of those 11 days was my birthday. We were extremely close, and I really didn’t think I would be able to live thru the nightmare. BUT…Mom always told me to make sure and laugh, that SOMETHING in life is funny, no matter how dark things may be. So, I turned to MST3K. I fell in love with Joel Trace, Frank and the Bots in ’92, but little did I know what a huge boost they would provide in my “dark time”. My go-to eps were:
Catalina Caper – oh God, poor Tommy Kirk
Werewolf – God love the actors, they’re trying, but DAMN!
Gunslinger – the ending is just astounding
MST3K : The Movie – “…but I’m not an alien!”
And, most of all, EEGAH! “Roxy? ROOOOOOXY!”
To this day, these are my faves for sheer goofy joy. And, if one should watch “Catalina Caper” with a bit of a buzz…well, it’s just HYSTERICAL. I mean, I was on the FLOOR.
If any of the Brains are reading…THANK YOU! Your creations, past AND present, are so wonderful…did you ever think you’d affect people this way?
Sampo…GREAT thread idea! And thanks to all of you great commenters…I live in a very rural area, where no one but me, it seems, has ever seen this wonderful show, and at least I have all of you to commiserate with. It’d be so cool to be able to gather together with other MSTies and shoot the bull…but this great website will have to do. :grin:
This is a little off topic, but it reminds me of what I told Joel, Trace, and Frank when I met them recently after a CT performance. I told each of them individually that I always watch MST3K before I go to bed (usually in 20-30 minute installents). I then said that no matter how crappy my day has been, watching MST3K always puts a smile on my face before I fall asleep. Joel genuinely seemed touched by this, and then asked if I had many crappy days. I said no, but when I do, it’s nice to know that MST3K is waiting for me.
I’ll pick two go-to episodes when I’m down in the dumps — Gamera vs. Zigra (Joel) and Prince of Space (Mike). Night of the Blood Beast comes in a close second.
Definitely “Mitchell”, and here’s why. One day, many years ago (most people could care less, but hey, you asked) I was leaving a college class that I particularly despised; I also had a splitting headache at the time. I stopped by the Books-A-Million on the way home, and they had a copy of “Mitchell”. Fine. I bought it, drove home to my crappy little trailer and heated up my crappy little tv-dinner, then watched “Mitchell” as I grimly chewed. Just about 2/3rds into the movie, Joe Don is laying in his own offal and Joel makes the comment “It’s a very special Joe Don Baker Christmas!” Just as I was laughing at this comment (head still throbbing), the bots start making really loud fart noises as JD gets off the bed. I laughed so hard I thought I was going to choke. Then my headache was gone. Seriously. To this very day, NOTHING cheers me up more than the MST3K treatment of “Mitchell”. I’m not saying miracle cure, but I do remember looking around my crappy little trailer and asking “Where did my headache go?”
For me there are so many that cheer me up, especially Teenage Strangler, Space Mutiny, The Incredible Melting Man, The Wild Wild World of Bat Woman, The Horror of Party Beach, Girls Town, and Village of the Giants, just to name a few!
However, what always sends me into an uncontrollable fit of laughter and turns a bad day into something good, is actually the host segment (the movie featured embarrassingly escapes my memory at the moment)where Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank introduce their invention: the William Conrad refrigerator alarm! (Trace and Frank seemed to be cracking each other up, too! Every time I see it, I laugh so hard, I cry (tears of laughter, of course!)!
Of course being the Castleton Snob, Timechasers cheers me up (but what about my hockey hair?)
as does Catalina Caper, and Codename Diamondhead.
Speaking of Castleton State College. From their website:
“Castleton State College offers 20 varsity sports. All sports except men’s and women’s alpine skiing compete in the NCAA Division III. Castleton holds full membership in the North Atlantic Conference and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Spartan ice hockey teams compete in the ECAC East Division III, while the skiing teams compete in the United States Ski and Snowboarding Association, Thompson Division. Women’s Lacrosse is affiliated with the New England Women’s Lacrosse Alliance. Conference tournament champions receive automatic qualifiers (AQ) to the NCAA Division III national tournament in 12 of the 20 sports offered at Castleton.
Men’s Teams Women’s Teams
Baseball – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ) Basketball – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ)
Basketball – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ) Cross Country – NCAA DIII, NAC
Cross Country – NCAA DIII, NAC Field Hockey – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ)
Football – NCAA DIII, ECFC Ice Hockey – NCAA DIII, ECAC East (AQ)
Golf – NCAA DIII, NAC Lacrosse – NCAA DIII, NEWLA (AQ)
Ice Hockey – NCAA DIII, ECAC (AQ) Skiing – USCSA, Thompson Division
Lacrosse – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ) Soccer – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ)
Skiing – USCSA, Thompson Division Softball – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ)
Soccer – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ) Tennis – NCAA DIII, NAC
Tennis – NCAA DIII, NAC Volleyball – NCAA DIII, NAC (AQ)”
So which sport did our hero (chin guy) participate in? I see him as an alpine skier. And, hey, I liked the movie.
The best cheer-up for me is probably Prince of Space by a hair, but Mitchell, Master Ninja I, Gamera vs. Guiron, Cave Dwellers, Final Sacrifice and Pumaman do the trick as well. If I need to cheer up in a hurry, the scene of “Lee Van Cleef” tearing up the bar in Master Ninja I is the best for me. I cannot even describe that scene out loud because I laugh so hard. CT’s Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks and Rifftrax’s The Room are getting there for me as well.
One more cheer-up item that should be noted- The Satellite News. Thanks to Sampo and co. for always bringing the cheer.
When news is bad and the world has gotten me down, I put in a Joel episode. Episodes with Joel are slightly less edgy and mean spirited. Not that I don’t like Mike episodes, I love them. But when I am blue, I need to be treated gentle. And Joel has “pleasant uncle” attributes.
for me sinbad even though he’s not really sinbad. watching crow fly around the SOL on his personal search kills me every time. a close second is beast of yucca flats something about it makes life less depressing for me.
GREAT TOPIC!!!
While there are so many fav’s to choose from best I could do was narrow it down to five:
*Prince of Space-how can you not love it! Now I’m typcially not a huge fan of the black/white films but this one’s a non-stop riot! Plus the quotability is great!
*Cave Dwellers-this was the first episode I ever saw, back during “The Mystery Science Hour” with Jack Perkins. It was like 3am and I remember them pointing out the mistakes with the film to the Mad’s. Priceless!
*Boggy Creek II-I abosolutly love this one. There is so much about this one that puts me in my happy place that it should be illegal. “They named the creature tributary?”
*Space Mutiny-my old roomie and I, to this day, randomly text each other the names they called Dave Ryder “flex squatthrust”
*Mitchell-nuff said! This one, without a doubt, can put me in a happy place regardless the situation! We got the chance to see this a couple of years ago (the non-MST version) at Alamo Drafthouse in Austin Texas and it was incredable! This movie is non-stop brilliance from the brains. My only complaint with the episode is that the host segments (IMO) are just droll-I can’t stand watching them-thank goodness for DVD :-D
Post 165: great point.
I’ve always said that I love both Joel and Mike with a slight preference toward Joel and a definitive preference for the CC years.
And I think your post is the first time I’m realized why: as funny as it sounds, given that the main function of the show is skewering these films….there is a certain warmth and sweetness to the show too. To me, it’s definitely most evident in the Joel episodes…but, I also see it in some of Mike’s CC episodes (particularly Season 5…my favorite batch of Mike episodes, for the most part).
The Sci Fi era, RT and CT…while all extremely enjoyable…sometimes (not always) seem to miss that warmth and feeling that you’re among your friends and family (yes, I’m aware of how mentally disturbed that sounds given that I’m talking about fictional puppets being my friends/family).
You know what?
I think perhaps I’ve just crossed the line into MSTie insanity.
Folks, you’ve just witnessed it.
Droppo has gone off the deep end.
(My answer to Sampo’s initial question, however, remains as fixed as the day is long: Master Ninja I and II).
Somehow my faves are centered around things that crawl and/or fly.
Giant Spider Invasion
Horrors of Spider Island
The Deadly Mantis
In Spider Invasion, who could not burst into tearful laughter watching Alan Hale play the only role he knows (Goofy Skipper/Sheriff).
In Spider Island, the dance audition scene alone is good for a thousand laughs.
In Deadly Mantis, Perry Mason’s half-witted investigator tries his hand at a serious role, and over-acts his way into MST3K immortality.
There are a thousand others that I could go on about, but…
Santa Clause Conquers the Martians makes me laugh the most. And who doesn’t get upbeat when seeing all the decorations on the SOL?
I hate to keep beating a dead horse, as it was, since everyone seems to be mentioning them, but Cave Dwellers followed by Prince of Space. I had to clean out one of our deadbeat tenants apartments after they left and found a tape with a partial copy of Cave Dwellers. This was shortly after I had to live without cable and I watched that 43 minute tape over and over to get my fix until it finally broke. When I found the full copy of Cave Dwellers that was one of the happiest days of my life. As for Prince of Space, there’s just something about the Prince that just cracks me up every single time he proclaims to be unaffected by their weapons.
Right there with you, Droppo–
My 18 year old cat died today. I will definitely say that MST3K is a welcome distraction from thinking about it.
“SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL”!!!
There are just so many killer riffs (“My vibes were good”… “What about the top of ME?”… “All those people are getting a divorce because of you, Davey”… etc.). And the movie itself is just so awful in a truly “TV-movie way.”
But there’s plenty of good runner-ups:
“The Thing that Couldn’t Die”
“Leech Woman”
“Agent for HARM”
“Riding with Death”
“Touch of Satan”
(… and not to leave out Joel:)
“I Accuse my Parents”
Seriously, though… ANY episode of MST can cheer me up after a crappy day. (Well… maybe not ‘Manos’!) :shock:
Time Chasers has to be one of the best riffings and always puts a smile on my face. Wild Wild World of Batwoman is so awesomely, truly bad I’d have to put it up as a favorite.
I go through phases where I watch episodes on constant loop. One reemerges periodically, however. Boggy Creek 2. Anytime I see either a scrawny, shirtless man…or an attractive, fully clothed woman, I hear Crow’s plea:
“Those without shirts please put them on, [and] those with shirts please take them off.”
Prince of Space, Space Mutiny, Outlaw and Girls Town are four solid-gold certs to cheer me up. There’s a real strong goofy yet well-natured spirit running through them all, sometimes on the film’s part as well.
After those, I’d say The Final Sacrifice (NEVER gets old), Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (remains strangely watchable and involving) and Riding With Death (such amusingly stupid heroes…)
my number one would have to be jack frost. i’ve probably watched that one a kajillion times. i also like soultaker, future war, hobgoblins, bride of the monster [HIRED!], quest of the delta knights, and revenge of the creature, to name a few. our garage recently burned down, leaving the rest of the house severely smoke damaged, and one of the only things i hoped were okay was my giant case of mst3k dvds, haha.
ck: I would guess tennis or maybe intramural bike riding. :grin:
Droppo not only are you the laziest man on mars, now you’re insane!
I don’t remember if I was having a particularly bad day but one of the first episodes I ever saw was Gamera vs. Guiron. A very goofy movie with Japanese boys in little pants, rubber monsters and my most favorite character of all, Cornjob! When he threatens to shave the head of one of the kids, I mean, who does that? Always cheers me up regardless!
#165: Great point, very interesting! I tend to prefer the Mike episodes, precisely because there is this great edge to them. But, you know, it’s not some cynical, East Coast, too-cool-for-the-room cynicism, but rather a very Midwestern thing, with a seeming innocence that briefly masks the fact that someone is getting skewered clean through . . . (I speak from experience, being a Chicagoan who’s lived in New England for many years.) Another Joel-Mike observation: Joel relates to the ‘bots as an adult to children–he’s like their calm, sleepy teacher who teaches them and scolds them for their naughtiness; with Mike, on the other hand, it’s like the ‘bots have grown up, and Mike is more “one of the gang”. #168: I know what you’re talking about: to me, Crow, Servo, and Gypsy aren’t puppets at all, but real living beings . . .
Very hard to pick just one ,as I am glad to see.There are SO many ,crappy days lately,
My #1 by a hair , because I remember seeing the movie in the 60s as a kid, would have to be Prince of Space.
Krankor just cracks me up every time.