Alert reader George asks:
Which episodes would you propose to be sacred, untouchable, and indispensable–the essential definition of “MST3K”? Pick 10 from the Joel era and 10 from the Mike era. And show your work–provide at least a one-line argument in support of each choice.
Ouch. Only 10 episodes for each era? That eliminates a lot of classics (but of course opens the door to a lot of discussion). But I did it. So can you.
BTW–here’s a quick and easy ep list that might help.
Here’s mine (with the caveat that I might very well pick an entirely different 20 episodes if asked on a different day):
Joel era
107- ROBOT MONSTER with shorts: COMMANDO CODY PTS 4 and 5 (I think by doing this classic bad movie they declared who they were and what they were doing to the national TV audience. Also the Commando Cody segments are golden.)
310- FUGITIVE ALIEN (One of those episodes that “grew in the riffing” to paraphrase Tolkien. It could have been a weird little Japanese throwaway like, oh, I don’t know, “Mighty Jack,” but somehow a weird synergy developed between the movie and the riffing that created something greater.)
311- IT CONQUERED THE WORLD with short: SNOW THRILLS (So much wonderful stuff here, including one of the first real shorts.)
321- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (You can’t escape this one, somehow. Though I have to say I have recently migrated to the Cinematic Titanic version.)
422- THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE with short: HERE COMES THE CIRCUS (perfect movie, perfect short, maybe everything an episode can be. Sampo!)
423- BRIDE OF THE MONSTER with short: HIRED! PT 1 (The quintessential Ed Wood movie, riffed to within an inch of its life, and, quite frankly, the funnier half of the short.)
505- MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD (Another episode that works on several levels simultaneously. So much going on here it could be the basis of an academic paper. And gaspingly funny throughout).
506- EEGAH! (Another absolute gem, where the performers took the strange movie and just built on it.)
507- I ACCUSE MY PARENTS with short: THE TRUCK FARMER (Another near-perfect episode as Joel prepares to take his leave. Everything works.)
512- MITCHELL (THE pivotal episode, THE must see. Not a foot wrong.)
Mike era
515- WILD, WILD WORLD OF BATWOMAN with short: CHEATING (After improving steadily, Mike finds his footing and proves the show is going to be fine.)
519- OUTLAW (OF GOR) (The epitome of the really watchable — and utterly riffable — MST3k movie. The level of riffing reaches and perhaps surpasses Joel.)
521- SANTA CLAUS (Why do the Christmas episodes stand out so much? Brilliance.)
610- THE VIOLENT YEARS with short: YOUNG MAN’S FANCY (My desert island episode. Fires on all cylinders for the entire show.)
706- LASERBLAST (Trace departs with a big giant bang.)
810- THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION (The show is saved, yet again.)
814- RIDING WITH DEATH (Another ep that could have been a middle-of-the-road outing, but that transforms into something more under the riffing.)
816- PRINCE OF SPACE (The bad movie’s weapons are useless against a riffing team that has completely rejunenated.)
904- WEREWOLF (Probably the Sci-Fi Channel era’s finest hour. Everything works.)
1001- SOULTAKER (Again, I cannot be objective.)
What are your picks?
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Joel
320- THE UNEARTHLY
414- TORMENTED
418- ATTACK OF THE THE EYE CREATURES
420- THE HUMAN DUPLICATORS
422- THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE
423- BRIDE OF THE MONSTER
424- “MANOS”: THE HANDS OF FATE
501- WARRIOR OF THE LOST WORLD
505- MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD
506- EEGAH!
Mike
513- THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE
603- THE DEAD TALK BACK
606- THE CREEPING TERROR
624- SAMSON VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN
704- THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN
812- THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES
817- HORROR OF PARTY BEACH
904- WEREWOLF
912- THE SCREAMING SKULL
1006- BOGGY CREEK II
I’d trade most of my Joel episodes for more Mike Episodes, though. I mean it’s absurd to limit Mike to 10 when he did quite a bit more and the show wasn’t still in it’s formative stage when he took over. So here’s the replacement eps:
705- ESCAPE 2000
803- THE MOLE PEOPLE
805- THE THING THAT COULDN’T DIE
806- THE UNDEAD
808- THE SHE CREATURE
810- THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION
820- SPACE MUTINY
1003- MERLIN’S SHOP OF MYSTICAL WONDERS
1012- SQUIRM
Oops! Buh-bye, Joel…
Damn, I blew it. Forgot to add my “arguments”. Too busy, anyway…
Great topic.
Joel Era:
The Lost Continent: My favorite Lippert film. The “rock climbing” sequence is one of my all-time favorites.
Pod People: Goofy movie, great riffing, legendary host segments.
Star Force: Fugitive Alien II: My favorite Japanese film they riffed. Host segments are hilarious, highlighted by the medley.
Master Ninja I: This and its sequel and are my all-time favorites of the series. My favorite combination of movie and riffing ever.
Master Ninja II: Ditto. I can’t stress how much I adore these episodes. Their riffing on Van Patten is off the charts hilarious.
The Magic Sword: My favorite sword and sorcery epic on the show.
Manos: Deserves its reputation. Essential.
Eegah!: Wonderful episode in all aspects. Riffing and film are great. Host segments are funny and strangely poignant knowing Joel’s almost out of the SOL.
I Accuse My Parents; The host segment where Gypsy lipsynchs to “Are You Happy In Your Work” gets me every time. Joel’s costume changes and expressions? Brilliant.
Mitchell: Second only to Master Ninja. and even then, it’s a toss up. A+. Amazing farewell to Joel and the single-best pile on of any actor ever.
Mike Era:
Wild Wild World of Batwoman: One of the best short/film combos ever.
Alien From L.A.: The moment I was sure the show would be great post-Joel.
Santa Claus: My favorite Mike episode. Every second is hilarious and the movie is so wonderfully insane.
Village of the Giants: Ron Howard AND Beau Bridges? Plus, the Frank gets fired storyline? Classic.
San Francisco International: Second only to Master Ninja in the TV movie genre. Pernell is great fodder.
High School Bigshot: Love the short, love the film. My most underrated Mike episode.
The Incredible Melting Man: Don’t love the host segments (I loathe Pearl), but, the film and riffing are among the best ever.
Hobgoblins: So bad = so good
Merlin’s Mystical Shop of Wonders: Incredible. I love the pitifully patched together “movie.”
Track of the Moonbeast: Two words: Johnny Longbone
@Castle Monster (#51): “I’d trade most of my Joel episodes for more Mike Episodes, though. I mean it’s absurd to limit Mike to 10 when he did quite a bit more and the show wasn’t still in it’s formative stage when he took over.”
Joel starred in 86 episodes, Mike did 90. (If you count KTMA, Joel did 110. If you count the movie, Mike did 91. If you count the episodes Mike wrote for, most could be called Mike episodes anyway, so the distinction becomes completely pointless.)
The point being, they’re pretty much equal in terms of what would be called by most people a “Joel” episode or a “Mike” episode, so your rationalization for listing more Mike episodes falls apart. If you like Mike episodes better than Joel ones, that’s fine — but that wasn’t the point of this discussion anyway.
I’m with CPE @5 so I’ll do three each, not necessarily top three cause these seem to change dep on my mood. I did Joels @25.
521- SANTA CLAUS Great, silly, holiday movie and the birth of some funny recurring characters Pitch & Santa. M&TB have already gelled and riffing is terrific.
624- SAMSON VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN The end of the fab Dr F/TVs Frank era. Wrestling AND Vampires! A cant miss fodder for a riff-a-po-loo-za.
816- PRINCE OF SPACE Loopiest of the loopy movies and it was riff-o-matic. Also the episode that I knew the series was fine with the new additions.
@54- actually, if you count the KTMA episodes (21) Joel hosted 107 (save the KTMA version of “Time of the Apes” where Joel was “locked” out of the SOL when in fact he was on a business trip)- and Mike was in 90 plus the movie. I will host mini turkey days for myself and my GF, I always alternate between Mike and Joel. Last week, I watched “Space Mutiny” and “Gamera”- and last night it was “Fugitive Alien” and “Radar Secret Service”. It makes for an interesting contrast. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
A nice topic. It’s the picking and the choosing that can be
the hard part. Here are my picks, I had to make some tough choices
on what I thought were the best of the best.
Joel Era:
213- GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER: I love Godzilla movies. vs Megalon is very good, but I laugh even more with this episode. The riffing is strong, and I love the host segments.
301- CAVE DWELLERS: A true classic episode, the movie is cheesy bad and the riffing is outstanding. This one showed how the show was getting even better as it went.
303- POD PEOPLE: Another classic, I laughed my ass off the first time I saw it.
411- THE MAGIC SWORD: I love this episode, the movie is fun and the riffing is fantastic. This is one I rewatch often.
421- MONSTER A-GO-GO: This awful movie is painful to sit through, but the riffing is great and makes it a fun ride.
422- THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE: I love all 4 Russo-Finish movies they did, the first is one of the best. The riffing is fantastic. SAMPO!
424- “MANOS”: THE HANDS OF FATE: A classic, milestone episode. Great riffing on one of the worst movies ever. This episode made me a permanent fan of the show. I love Torgo. A true Essential episode.
505- MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD: More Russo-Finish goodness, this one is really bizzare with Joel and the Bots delivering fantastic riffing. I love it.
506- EEGAH!: The first MST3K episode I ever watched, and what a wonderful intro to the show. I laugh almost non-stop with this episode. The riffing is top notch, oh and “Watch Out For Snakes!”
512- MITCHELL: Not only is it Joel’s final episode as host, but the riffing is fantastic. What more could you ask for in a Essential episode?
Mike Era:
521- SANTA CLAUS: Ahh, good old fashioned nightmare fuel! One of the most bizzare movies they ever tackled, and the riffing is awesome. I laughed so hard the fist time I watched it. I enjoy this one more that Santa Conquers The Martians.
621- THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS: Gotta have at least one Coleman Francis movie on the list, and this one slighty edges out Skydivers as my favorite of the Francis Trilogy (although I havent watched Red Zone Cuba yet to be fair). The riffing is awesome, the jokes off Tor Johnson are a hoot.
813- JACK FROST: The last Russo-Finish movie is another winner. Wonderfully bizzare with outstanding riffing. Mike and the Bots seem to have alot of fun with this one, I love it.
816- PRINCE OF SPACE: Ha Ha Ha Ha! Krankor FTW! This one has me doubled over in laughter every time I watch it. Just a goofy, awful movie riffed to perfection. The host segments showing the weird effects of their travel through a wormhole are alot of fun too. I like it very much!
820- SPACE MUTINY: I love Reb Brown movies, and this is one of his worst. The riffing on this one is just on target almost the entire time. The many nicknames for Brown’s hero (Thick McRunfast! Buff Hardback!), the villian Kalgan, the wonderful continuity errrors (love the girl dying then being alive on the bridge a few minutes later!) and of couse, Railing Kills! A classic episode.
821- TIME CHASERS: Another classic, not only is the riffing outstanding, but the host segments with Crow Time Traveling to alter Mike’s past are hilarious. Plus we get Mike’s mean brother Eddie in the theater for awhile too!
903- PUMA MAN: A goofy, awful superhero movie provides the perfect fodder for Mike and the Bots. The movie helps thanks to the goofy hero, the Aztec sidekick, Donald Pleasance, and horrible Disco music providing some of the best riffing ever.
904- WEREWOLF: As Kevin Murphy called it “A Gift from God” and I couldn’t agree more. This goofy, horribly made werewolf movie was made for MST3K. The riffing is just on target and fantastic. I laugh very hard and often every time I watch it. As Natalie puts it “This is absolutly fascinating.”
907- HOBGOBLINS: Another horrible and painful movie that produces awesome riffing. It still amazes me just how bad this one is. Thankfully the riffing is excellent, I laughed alot the first time I watched this one. Thanks alot Rick Sloane!
1007- TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST: I finally saw this one last week and it immediatly shot right up into my all time favorites list. The riffing is awesome, many of it thanks to the character of Johnny Longbow. His legendary stew provides some awesome jokes, as does the rest of this cheesy 70’s monster movie. Lots of wooden acting from our leading man & lady, and a really cheesy looking monster. The last great episode of MST3K in my opinion.
My bad.
OK, I’ve read these lists but didn’t contribute one of my own. Sure, I have my favorites, but enough of the series is still new to me that I can’t fairly rank them all against one another yet. But I’m going to critique the above posts anyway, so if that makes me a douche, so be it.
1. Way too many inclusions of 101-The Crawling Eye solely for it’s historical importance. Have you seen this one recently? Sure, it’s charming in it’s slow, goofy riffing, but the audio defects of the print they used render it nearly unwatchable. I would NEVER include this in a Desert Island/Time Capsule of MST’s Greatest Hits.
2. Too much wiggle room in the defining parameters of the topic for me. Thedumpster @ # 50 nailed it:
Agreed, but on the other hand, MSTies love to gush over their favorites and this topic gave everyone a chance to share the love. Overall these are solid lists, and I applaud everyone for taking the time to compile them.
3. Tallies. As the idiot who counted up all the mentions of episodes in our recent Over/Underrated Discussion, it was amusing to find Mitchell and Space Mutiny at the tops of the vote counts (as of post #40). The biggest winners/losers in that previous thread were Manos, The Final Sacrifice, Pod People, all highly favored episodes here also.
4. Despite the frequent lamentations about the unavailability of the Sandy Frank productions, there’s not a lot of appearances of Gamera, etc. on these lists.
5. Not enough love for Girl In Gold Boots, but that’s my own personal fetish. And a lot more Hamlet fans than I expected. That upcoming discussion should be fun…
6. Castle Monster just apologized for his gaffe in #51, so I won’t draw attention to it here (though I just did).
I’m much more a fan of the “Joel” era than I am of the “Mike”, so I’ll just give a list for the “Joel” time period:
“The Amazing Colossal Man” – A typical 1950s era sci-fi stinker that relied on the old fear that radiation from atom bombs and the like would make humans and other living things grow to an “Amazing Colossal” size.
“Eegah” – A low budget flick with shoddy film editing and equally shoddy sound effects (“Watch out for snakes!”) combined with a teen idol wannabe who couldn’t sing made this gem a perfect fit for MST3k.
“Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” – The perfect turkey to screen for a special Chirstmas episode of MST3k, “Martians” wins a special award for the most ridiculous costumes made for visitors from out of this world, and a Santa Claus that acted like he might have been a little too tiddly.
“Monster A-Go-Go” – Wow. Watching this movie makes me wonder if the film makers were just making it up as they went along. (Hey, you don’t think….?) The cop-out at the end is worse than the time that Bobby Ewing came back from the dead on “Dallas” and the whole previous season was just a dream.
“Pod People” – This was the episode that got me hooked to MST3k. An obvious rip-off of “E.T.”, the riffing from Joel and the ‘bots kept my sides splitting! (“He stepped in some Trumpy-dumpy!”)
“Master Ninja” (parts 1 and 2) – These four strung-together episodes of the short-lived “The Master” series reminded us just how laughably silly some of those 80s action TV shows were. Lee Van Cleef as a martial arts expert with the combined agility of Spider Man and Bruce Lee? Who came up with that one? Crow’s ribbing of Timothy Van Patten’s speech impediment is hilarious!
“Stranded in Space” – An unsold TV pilot with a premise that was a little too hard to swallow. That “made-for-TV” feel of the early 1970s abounds here, and the riffing during the film wastes little time in pointing that out.
“Teenagers from Outer Space” – I think this one perfectly exemplifies what MST3k is all about: Poking fun at low-budget sci-fi/horror films from the 1950s (give or take a decade) and proving that watching them in the right frame of mind can be a whole lot of fun! Just the title of this movie foreshadows just what a hoot this was. If I were to make a list of the episodes with best riffs, this one would probably be in the top three!
“Gamera vs. Guiron” – This import from Japan served as a prime example of the bad English dubbing that is so apparent when you take a foreign language film and try to dubb it into English. Oh sure, the dubbing in many other Japanese made films is not perfect, but the English translation in “Guiron” is especially bad, with long awkward gaps in the dialog and characters seeming to struggle to finish a complete sentence! The out-of-sync dubbing combined with cheap special effects make “Gamera vs. Guiron” prime red-meat riffing material for MST3k.
“Manos: The Hands of Fate” – How could anyone NOT include this classic in any top-ten list!? I remember reading someone likening “Manos” to a train wreck: As awful as it was, you just couldn’t take your eyes off it. It’s really hard to classify “Manos” as a real film. It’s more like taking your neighbor’s old 8mm home movies from the 1960s and somehow stringing them together to form a single reel of film and putting a title on the canister. Everything you’d expect in a low-budget stinker is here: bad script, bad acting, bad set design, bad costume design, bad lighting, bad camera technique, bad sound production…it’s all bad! Did I mention the word “bad”?
Mike
513- THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE: You just know the doctor guy is evil even before you see the basement horror. Even so, it’s interesting that he never manages to actually kill anyone, making the ending pretty much a wash. Just a perfect film for making light of horribly bleak circumstances without guilt. “No problem! No head!”
603- THE DEAD TALK BACK: One of my all time favorites. There’s just something beautiful about the child-like wonder and credulity of everyone surrounding Krasker’s thoroughly ludicrous shenanigans. I like how the police never treat him like a suspect and the idea that they would actually consult his “expertise”. And the riffing plugs in perfectly. “I’m so lonely! *sob*” And a perfectly fine short.
606- THE CREEPING TERROR: This film is high art and the embodiment of a 3AM Late Show fever dream but it’s genius was never complete before M&tB’s running commentary. Together they’re a celebration of schlock horror.
624- SAMSON VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN: I first found out about this K. Gordon Murray/Churobusco-Azteca flick on a late night show called Reel Wild Cinema. To have this movie AND have it riffed on by MST3K is just too good. The movie is sheer camp but it’s almost like the people making it had no idea. Like the masked wrestler is right out of Bram Stoker’s book. “Vampires have a pretty basic agenda with everyone they meet.”
704- THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN: I remember seeing pictures of this movie in Famous Monsters and Fangoria and other horror mags as a kid. It looked terrifying. When I first actually saw it was on MST3K and I was quite disappointed. It was achingly dull and dreary. Didn’t even like the episode until I revisited it years later. Now it seems like a perfect fit. Who knew that radiation could make you superhuman and cannibalistic while making you melt and fall apart all at the same time?
812- THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES: This is another one I have memories of from Shock Theater as a kid. Carnival gypsies hypnotizing loners into avenging petty grudges. And acid that will burn your face off while somehow turning you into a zombie. I’ll tell you if you’re going to burn someone’s face off you may want to think about just melting them down completely rather than just shoving them into a closet. Again, the riffing just captures that spirit. And the musical numbers. What. the. funk? “I’ve been asked to explain the ‘iron and steel’ joke.”
817- HORROR OF PARTY BEACH: The Beach Party movies needed more radioactive anthropomorphized skele- I mean fish-… wait, they weren’t fish, technically… Well, whatever. They needed more beach bunnies being mauled by loathsome surf monsters, is what I’m trying to say. The singing is fun (though the “score” generally grates on my nerves WONKWONKWONKWONK-PINGPINGPINGPINGPING) and the dancing is hilarious. Almost too dreary at some points but I can forgive that. “This is going right up my nose!”
904- WEREWOLF: It’s like a bunch of people were at a company picnic and decided to make a horror movie between Catch the Flag and the marshmallow roast. The whole werewolf subgenre deserves to be mocked. How could the notion of werewolves only coming out on full moons have survived so long? No werewolf movie ever adequately expresses the months and yearscycling by. I guess life moves pretty slow between werewolf rampages in these films. I think I’d actually look forward to them! “An American werewolf in traffic.”
912- THE SCREAMING SKULL: Not just a ghost but a screaming bone! It screams and flies through the air and rips your throat out without even introducing itself. Why this movie didn’t spawn a franchise boggles the mind. Skulls: scary! Screams: scary! Put ’em together! No, it wouldn’t be worth squat without the riffing and the Gumby short doesn’t hurt, either. “It was a rainy day…and he shot her.”
1006- BOGGY CREEK II: I saw the original Legend of Boggy Creek as a kid and was traumatized by it. Especially the kitten who dies of fright. Many years later it’s not nearly so awesome. Boggy Creek II is makes much better MST3K fodder. The late Charles B. Pierce puts himself out there for a grand beclowning with his silly narration and ill-conceived attire before Jimmy Clem steals the show in the last act. It’s a chicken-fried episode served with cheesecake.
Sorry, but I have only seen a few Joel episodes that weren’t released on dvd, but here is my list.
My lists(in no particular order):
Joel Era:
Women of the Prehistoric Planet
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Monster a Go Go
Manos, the Hands of Fate
Warrior of the Lost World
Pod People
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Cave Dwellers
Manhunt in Space
Secret Agent Super Dragon
(I hear great things about the Master Ninja episodes, but have not seen them.)
Mike era:
Space Mutiny
Touch of Satan
Hobgoblins
Prince of Space
Merlin’s Mystical Shop of Wonders
Werewolf
Overdrawn at the Memory Bank
Agent for H.A.R.M.
The Mole People
Final Sacrifice
My response to this is “skewed” because I still have not seen every episode of MST3K 3000, and when I eventually (hopefully) do I’m sure the list will have changes. For now, here goes:
Joel episodes:
1. “Women of the Prehistoric Planet”: A terrible, patched together movie with several has-beens, with the riffing and host segments giving you a look at how the show was evolving into the treasure it became.
2. “Catalina Caper”: A nowhere near reality look at “youth culture” of the 1960s, bad music, a totally wasted Little Richard, and Creepy Girl (hubba-hubba!).
3. “The Sidehackers”: Rommel and J.C. (a brilliant German general and the Christian savior of the world- a deliberate parallel?). Anyway, a really creepy movie and two more creepy characters: “chili peppers burn my gut”.
4. “Santa Claus Conquers The Martians”: Ridiculous costumes (especially the polar bear and Torg the robot), a grating and annoying theme song, a movie that trys to be funny and endearing but turned out odd and disturbing, great host segments- a classic.
5. “Cave Dwellers”: This Conan wanna-be movie would be totally unwatchable without the riffing. One of those movies that seemed to have been made to eventually get the MST treatment.
6. “Teenagers From Outer Space”: A male protagonist who, to quote Servo I think, always has the look “of a man just slapped with a fish”, the lame giant lobster effects, “teenagers” played by people in their late 20s, great riffing on all of it.
7. “Manos: The Hands of Fate”: I was thinking of leaving this off, because I can think of episodes I feel are just as good, but then I remember Torgo delivering the pizza to the Mads at the end, and thus edges out other episodes.
8. “I Accuse My Parents”: I have always loved this episode, maybe because it was way different than the usual selection, and the riffing and host segments are top notch, really digging into the premise of the movie and burying it where it belongs.
9. “Eegah!”: What a despicable, disgusting, slimy movie, every bit as bad as “Manos”, and Joel and the Bots body slam it with great “excellence of execution”.
10. “Mitchell”: Goodbye, Joel. The creator of absolutely one of the best T.V. shows EVER, and he left with a fantastic legacy. However, I am not one of those fans who feels the show was worthless with his departure, so on to the Mike episodes.
Mike episodes
1. “The Brain That Couldn’t/Wouldn’t Die”: Enter Mike, and they found another dark, disturbing movie to introduce him, and the riffing/host segments continue the mightiness of the show.
2. “The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman”: This is one of my favorites because of the short, and the host segments connected in response to the short. The movie riffing is mostly good too.
3. “The Creeping Terror”: “Manos” is the worst “film” they ever riffed? I think this would be one of my prime exhibits to argue maybe not. Like Crow said, “So the monster in this movie will be goofy!”, and not only does it look goofy, but the method it uses to eat people- what, does it immobilize its victims with some kind of hypno-ray or something? Just walk away from the damn thing, idiots!
4. “The Skydivers”: Like I believe is mentioned in the ACEG, this was a movie tailor-made for the MST treatment, and the swing choir competition is hilarious.
5. “The Revenge of the Creature”: The show “reboots”, and I have to say, the string of Universal monster movies they start this season with were fond (distant) memories from my childhood, but witnessing the MST treatment was fine by me, and this is my favorite of the bunch (“ah, the Charlton Heston fish locator”).
6. “Prince of Space”: The return of made in Japan (“oh, the inanity! oh, the Japanity!”- “Invasion of the Neptune Men”), and they provide some of the best riffing ever.
7. “Space Mutiny”: The leap of faith the makers of this movie expect of us (from space-faring vessel to the interior of an abandoned factory or something) is just too much, and again the riffing is top-notch throughout.
8. “The Incredibly Strange Creatures etc.”: “Whoa, Hank, I think I saw the little sizzler!” Ortega, another extremely creepy male protagonist, lame music from the early 1960s- great stuff.
9. “Werewolf”: This would make my list for the song medley over the ending credits alone, but the riffing and host segments are excellent too, especially Mike as the “Werecrow”.
10. “Future War”: This wannabe Terminator/Jurassic Park entry is REALLY BAD, especially considering it was made in the 1990s. There were other episodes from season 10 that came close, but overall this one was the best, and being a teenager from the late 60s/early 70s, I love Pearl’s “secret” LSD test, with Brain Guy and Bobo’s little take on Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival.
Thanks for reading, if you do. See ya!
now this is a lot of work!
Joel
1. MITCHELL – not only a landmark, but quite probably my single favorite Joel episode!
2. TORMENTED – a rarity, in that i actually kinda like the movie! – plus a memorably wimpy hero (or is he the villain?) and the delightfully precocious sandy!
3. EEGAH – what’s to be said – a classic.
4. THE MASTER NINJAS – for some reason i found the “failed tv episodes cobbled together” to be fun.
5. MANOS – i remain a fan of this bizarro.
6. BRIDE OF THE MONSTER – J&TB at their best & ed wood at his delightful worst – & i agree with sampo, the funnier half of hired.
7. ATTACK OF THE KILLER LEECHES – many great moments including one of the best songs!
8. CRAWLING HAND – generally not a big fan of season one (i would note that i think j.elvis is great on CT – a major improvement on his short mst stint) but i like all the smoking in this one.
9. MONSTER A GO GO – good example of the “worse the movie the better the episode.”
10. KILLER SHREWS – although this one has faded a bit over multiple viewings, it remains a staple for me – festus channeling his inner coleman francis in a starring/directing role.
for mike
1. WEREWOLF – the “manos” of the mike era.
2. THE COLEMAN FRANCIS TRILOGY – i know this is cheating (see MASTER NINJAS, above!) but how can you choose amongst this mess!
3. GIANT SPIDER INVASION – wisconsin shown in the worst possible light.
4. THE DEAD TALK BACK – see MONSTER A GO GO.
5. GIRL IN GOLD BOOTS – who knew the sex-&-drugs business had a seamy side? also a wonderful time capsule of sleazyness, 60’s style, & one of my favorite skit premises, the board certification!
6. RIDING WITH DEATH – as with MASTER NINJAS, tv magic – & with ben johnson, the john agar of the 70s.
7. WW OF BATWOMAN – good movie, but makes this list because of my favorite short – cheating (along with M&TB takeoff).
8. INCREDIBLY STRANGE etc etc – i pair this with EEGAH from the joel era.
9. SAMSON VS THE VAMPIRE WOMEN – landmark episode & a mexican wrestler!
10. TERROR FROM THE YEAR 5000 – my candidate for underrated episode – one of my personal favorites.
ACK! I forgot SPACE MUTINY! okay my 20 essentials are now up to 24 (i need to rewatch “cheating” – did i mean to cheat or am i just innately evil?)
JOEL:
201 Rocketship XM: The first episode where all the pieces finalln fell into place: Kevin as Servo, Frank as Frank, the new SOL… the shows bedrock was finally settled and they were ready to concentrate on the writing & producing each episode…
212 Godzilla vs. Megalon: Just a great episode- perhaps their first perfect episode. Great goofy movie, “Rex Dart: Eskimo Spy”, the great Orville Popcorn sketch, the Jet Jaguar fight theme… Plus, the opening (halloween costumes) and closing (new arms) bits really capture Joel’s playful, prop-based spirit.
303 Pod People: The first episode I ever saw. I wish I could be hypnotized into forgetting it & MST3K so I could
313 Earth vs. the Spider: I was going to pick “War of the Colossal Beast” but I was being swayed by Mr. B natural. THIS is the quintessential Bert I. Gordon film, and the host segments in this episode are great- Earth Vs. Soup starts here, and the rant about the Thingmaker is another great Joel moment.
418 Attack of the The Eye Creatures: A near-perfect episode, with perhaps the Earl Holliman sketch being the only sour note. One of my favorites.
421 Monster A Go-Go: I contend that this movie is worse and harder to watch than Manos. Joel and the bots fight back with all they’ve got and the host segments are all playful fun.
423 Bride of the Monster: One of the all time great episodes and a friggin’ ED WOOD MOVIE!
506 Eegah: I think this was one of the first episodes released on DVD, I’m sure it was the first one I got, and what a good choice. Dreadful movie with great riffing and solid host segments from beginning to end. Watch out for snakes!
509 The Girl In Lover’s Lane: This one doesn’t get a lot of attention because the movie’s not that flashy, but this episode is one of the funniest ever. They had these characters down pat by this point, as evidenced by the Crow as Elam segment, the Mads presenting “Evil Event Days” (“I’m not saying it’s not funny, but what, you gonna give kids poop?”), the bots trying to get Joel to play pinball and the sweet ending where they rewrite the ending.
512 Mitchell: Joel went out with a bang. A hilarious, momentous episode.
MIKE:
523 Village of the Giants: Fun, colorful movie and one of the few episode-long-story-arcs that really worked (followed directly by Nuveena, one of the ones that doesn’t). Loved Frank on the hexfield directly interacting with Mike and the bots, I wish they had done that more.
606 The Creeping Terror: Manos/Monster A Go-Go/Beast of Yucca Flats caliber movie with a ridiculous monster and good, weird host segments.
621 The Beast of Yucca Flats: For my money, the best of the Coleman Francis trioka. Actually, I think “Skydivers” and “Red Zone Cuba” have funnier movie segments, but this one has better host segments and TWO shorts!!
706 Laserblast: “The Incredible Melting Man” is my favorite season 7 episode but if we’re going with “essential” you can’t miss this monumental episode. The Brains did finales really well.
806 The Undead: The first great Sci-Fi channel episode. I’m an imp!
814: Riding With Death: Howlingly funny.
821 Time Chasers: never get sick of this one.
907: Hobgoblins: An episode to hook your friends who haven’t seen the show before.
1012 Squirm: The series was almost over yet they were still churning out great episodes, like this killer short/movie combo with a few good host segment moments (the safety check, Pearl’s fair)
Much harder to narrow the Mike era down to ten than the Joel era…
Joel:
Robot Monster
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Cave Dwellers
Pod People
Fugitive Alien
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Teenagers From Outer Space
Monster A-Go-Go
“Manos” The Hands of Fate
Mithcell
Mike
Santa Claus
Zombie Nightmare
Red Zone Cuba
The Incredible Melting Man
The Giant Spider Invasion
Space Mutiny
Time Chasers
Puma Man
Final Sacrifice
Soultaker
I’d expound…but, come on…we all know and love ’em already!
Wow this is hard! I didn’t watch the Sci-Fi years when they originally aired but last year started catching up and just finished Puma Man this weekend so my Mike picks may be leaving off some good episodes.
Joel:
Catalina Caper
Godzilla v Megalon
The Amazing Colossal Man
The Giant Gila Monster
Tormented
Human Duplicators
Manos
Eegah!
I Accuse My Parents
Gunslinger
I wanted to list War of the Colossal Beast (for Mr. B natural of course) but while Mr. B. was a hilarious short and host segment, I don’t think the rest of the episode was that great. It was obvious where they put their effort for this episode and I think they were right.
Mike:
Alien From LA
Radar Secret Service
Teenage Crimewave
Last of the Wild Horses
Giant Spider Invasion
Jack Frost
Time Chasers
Joel
Project Moonbas
Catalina Caper
Godzilla vs Megalon
Fugitive Alien
Master Ninja
Master Ninja II
Star Force: Fugitive Alien II
Hercules and the Captive Women
The Rebel Set
Operation Double 007
Mike
12 to the Moon
Invasion, U.S.A.
San Francisco International
Escape 2000
The Deadly Mantis
Parts: The Clonus Horror
Puma Man
Future War
Joel:
1) Cave Dwellers (Miles of Keefe)
2) Day the Earth Froze (comfort favorite)
3) Crawling Hand (world’s weirdest cat fight)
4) Attack of the The Eye Creatures (they just didn’t care)
5) Rebel Set (Almost a watchable movie)
6) Warrior of the Lost World (Not Megaweapon!)
7) Hercules Unchained (I’ll be asleep in the back)
8) Mitchell (Buzz off, kid!)
9) Manos (Smoke on the Weirdo)
10)All the Season 2 biker flics for the kicks
Bonus: Ring of Terror (Puma)
Double Bonus: KTMA episodes that are quite fun (City on Fire; Superdome; Phase IV; Humanoid Woman and The Last Chase)
Mike:
1) Outlaw (possible all-Series favorite, even though I lean towards Joel)
2) Space Mutiny (Calgon, blow me away)
3) Zombie Nightmare (Tennis anyone?)
4) Jack Frost (Schnauzer patrol)
5) Werewolf (That’s so incredibly interesting)
6) Diabolik (Got to get to daycare)
7) ISCWSLABM-UZ (Jerry?)
8) Girls Town (Gigantor)
9) Girl in Gold Boots (Don’t you know that he’ll kill you for that?)
10) Final Sacrifice (It’s a Wizard of Id convention)
Bonus: Bloodlust (surpisingly funny, almost bumped Larry Csonka off the team)
Double Bonus: many goofy second half Season 5’s (Strangler, Batwoman, Atomic Brain, Village, Alien Ireland, all merry gems who belong on some list somewhere)
Triple Bonus: Frank and Wrestling movies: you are TV’s The White now, little angel
I obviously hit some kind of macro on 8. Santa Claus should be in the Mike Double bonus too, but maybe the word “merry” was my subconscious mind filling in the gap. Lots of great episodes I left out, but including them would defeat the point of the list.
A bit late, but not too late.
Joel:
111. MOON ZERO TWO – Best Season 1 episode.
212. GODZILLA VS. MEGALON – Best of the Japanese monster movies, I reckon.
301. CAVE DWELLERS – One of the greatest introductory episodes.
303. POD PEOPLE – Come see the Tales of Trumpy!
315. TEENAGE CAVEMAN – Has everything MST3K can offer in one episode.
321. SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS – With a name like that, it’s got to be good.
422. THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE – Can’t go wrong with a Russo-Finnish co-production.
423. BRIDE OF THE MONSTER – First Ed Wood movie on MST3K and they don’t hold back.
508. OPERATION DOUBLE 007 – Great example of a pretty good movie made better with riffs.
512. MITCHELL – Passing the baton.
Mike:
513. THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE – My first episode. It worked nicely.
609. THE SKYDIVERS – Gotta have a Coleman Francis in the mix.
703. DEATHSTALKER AND THE WARRIORS FROM HELL – Makes Outlaw look like Manos.
813. JACK FROST – One Russo-Finnish for each host.
816. PRINCE OF SPACE – Mike’s take on a Japanese film.
820. SPACE MUTINY – Best. Episode. Ever.
903. PUMAMAN – Tearing apart a wimpy hero who isn’t Arch Hall Jr.
910. THE FINAL SACRIFICE – Not even Canada is safe.
1004. FUTURE WAR – The most modern-day B Movie feature on the show.
1007. TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST – The final “5-Star” episode for me.
God this is nerdy. Anyway…
This is the ultimate 20 episodes that sum up the show? I generally find the Joel episodes to be more emblematic of the show and iconic than the Mike ones. So I tried to pick ones where watched all of these in order you would pretty much understand the entire run of MST3K and all really funny episodes. Notice the Joel list gets less “typical MST3K movie” as it progresses. I also don’t think you could make a list like this without Manos or Mitchell, but those need the context of some more typical episodes.
Joel:
Rocketship X-M, (really set the stage for the show, and how good it could be)
Gamera, (Best Japanese giant monster episode)
Pod People, (Too many classic lines to leave out)
The Amazing Colossal Man, (Very good iconic episode)
It Conquered the World, (Ditto, and brilliant short)
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, (A little overrated but still funny and I think it needs to be on the list)
Manos: The Hands of Fate, (The ultimate in bad film making)
Eegah, (just too damn good to leave out)
I Accuse My Parents, (like a giant, terrible short)
Mitchell (Absolutely perfect)
Mike:
The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, (Mike seemed a little nervous at first but I love this horrible movie)
Alien from LA, (Such a shiny piece of 80’s pap I had to include it. Prettier than most of their 80’s movies but very bad and funny)
Beginning of the End, (Not a step wrong in this)
Santa Claus, (Incredibly funny/bizarre)
Laserblast, (Again, not a step wrong. I think it kind of set the stage for the tone of the Sci-Fi Channel episodes, too)
Prince of Space, (You can’t erase Krankor from your mind. Your weapons are useless.)
Horror of Party Beach, (Love this episode too much not to include it)
Space Mutiny, (Just incredibly funny)
Werewolf, (Poetic in its ineptitude)
The Final Sacrifice (Rowsdower)
Problems with this list: The Crawling Eye and Diabolik are the bookends that would this shelf of titles together but I don’t think they’re strong enough episodes to put with the rest of these. The Movie probably should also be there. This list doesn’t have any representation of how weird the episode selection of Season Six was. This is the main season where I think they were having trouble finding the typical movies to do (bad Sci-Fi/Horror) and so they did stuff like Racket Girls, Starfighters, and Code Name: Diamond Head. If I had to include a Season six episode I would get rid of Alien From L.A. and replace it with Girls Town. Also I’m missing some of the best shorts, which sucks.
I’ve really enjoyed reading what everyone else has picked so far. Great topic! I’m not sure I agree with all the love for “Monster A Go-Go”. That episode hasn’t clicked with me at all, and I’ve given it three seperate tries. My wife can’t even stay awake through it.
Well here’s my list. As Sampo said, this was tough and I’m guessing that this list would change if you asked me again tomorrow. I put them in order of airing…
Joel Era
212 – Godzilla vs. Megalon
For me this is episode has it all. You’ve got Godzilla, a recognizable monster, and ludicrus storyline, bad dubbing and best of all hilarious riffing. This was the episode I used to introduce some coworkers to the show. After this one, they asked me to bring in more.
303 – Pod People
Another great one for beginners. The riffing is a little on the slower side, but the movie is filled with great moments, such as the recording session and the Trumpy murder spree. Plus everyone loves an E.T. ripoff.
402 – The Giant Gila Monster
This is also a great one for new viewers, not only is the giant creature wonderful in his role, but you’ve got hilarious songs and all the knee up action. I like this movie as a whole more than the more sedate and dreary Bert I Gordon films of the same ilk.
410 – Hercules Against the Moon Men
For me, this is the best of the so called Hercules films. It’s so off the wall and silly. I think the riffing is top notch too. Of course this was the first episode I ever saw, so I might not be completely objective.
423 – Bride of the Monster (Hired)
Gotta go with Sampo on this one. You’ve got one of Ed Wood’s most fun films, you’ve got great riffing and a bonus short.
424 – “Manos” The Hands of Fate
While I wouldn’t subject newbies to this one, it is really a match made in heaven. Manos and MST3K, they really go together and show just how well the format can work with a horrid little turd of a film.
505 – Magic Voyage of Sinbad
MST3K does a great job with fantasy film. And this silly little adventure is fun to look at and great to riff. The slow pace may annoy some viewers, but I think it’s a great example of series.
507 – I Accuse My Parents (Truck Farmer)
The short is hilarious. The film takes itself so seriously. The songs are perfect for riffing and the whole thing just clicks. One of my favorites to use as an introduction episode.
510 – The Painted HIlls (Body Care and Grooming)
Most people know Lassie, but they don’t know her like this. Lots of hilarious sequences (I love the montage scene) and the short is icing on the cake.
512 – Mitchell
Even if you put aside its significance for fans, the movie riffing is really top notch. A perfect example of MST3K can do with 70’s schlock. One of the times they focus on a lead character and just pummel them. It’s a bit meanspirited, but so is the film – it all works out.
– – –
Mike Era
514 – Teen-age Strangler (Is this love)
For me this is Mike’s first big episode. The short is hilarious. The movie is amazingly inept and the character of Mikey just makes it click. A real crowd pleaser.
521 – Santa Claus
For me this is the best of the two Christmas themed episodes. The movie is so bizarre and surreal that it almost doesn’t need to be riffed. But then you hear the riffing and it gets even better.
601 – Girls Town
Teens in peril always make for great episodes and this has lots of recognizable names. It’s got songs, it’s got nuns and it’s got Mel Torme! Great riffing makes this one top notch.
619 – Red Zone Cuba (Speech)
Like “Manos” you can’t have MST3K without Coleman Francis. I almost picked “Skydivers” because it’s less dark and disturbing. But honestly if you’re going to pick Francis – this is the iconic movie.
703 – Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell
Sword and Sorcerery done badly. This is probably my favorite of the bunch, what with the unlikable hero, the hilarious villian and stupid special effects. The riffing is gold on this one.
813 – Jack Frost
The most accessable of the Russian films and one of the most outlandish and fun movies they’ve ever tackled. The riffing is top notch too.
820 – Space Mutiny
Bad 80’s sci-fi, oh yeah that’s just what the doctor ordered. So much to work with and so much comedy gold to be mined. It’s almost too easy.
907 – Hobgoblins
More 80’s but this time it’s a horror comedy that isn’t scary or funny. Luckily Mike and the bots just go to town on this one. The movie deserves it’s riffing and it’s perfect for anyone who loves bad 80’s films.
1003 – Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders
The last of the best episodes. This mess of a film was made to be mocked. Constantly presenting new and exiting things to riff on, this episode is almost nonstop laughs.
1009 – Hamlet
You know I really teetered on this one, and ended up sacrificing “Angels Revenge” because of it, but I think it needs to be on here. I think it’s a very funny episode, and it shows just how good the Brains could be. They take one of the greatest dramas written, and not only riff the production elements but elements of the play. It amazes me that they tried it and it amazes me that it is so funny. This is the show taken to its stretching point and succeeding.
Ended up cutting a lot of episodes I really enjoy: “Cave Dwellers”, “Eegah”, “Fugative Alien”, “Angel’s Revenge”, “The Undead”, “Girl in Gold Boots”, etc. Even “The Movie” which is a great way to get new viewers into the show, should be mentioned. But at the same time I felt that these episodes provide the best sample of MST3K, taking it from it’s most basic to it’s most extreme.
Well, I’m always a Johnny come lately to these things but here it goes:
#206 – Ring of Terror
#307 – Daddy-O
#321 – Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
#408 – Hercules Unchained
#415 – Beatniks
#422 – Day the Earth Froze
#506 – Eegah!
#507 – I Accuse my Parents
#509 – Girl in Lovers Lane
#512 – Mitchell
#519 – Outlaw (of Gor)
#604 – Zombie Nightmare
#614 – San Francisco International
#619 – Red Zone Cuba
#812 – Incredibly Strange Creatures…
#817 – Horror of Party Beach
#818 – Devil Doll
#907 – Hobgoblins
#1002 – Girl in Gold Boots
#1007 – Track of the Moon Beast
The idea for descriptions for each episode was a good idea but after reading the previous entries I stopped reading them after awhile and just looked at the episodes. So I’ve written one of the boring entries.
JOEL
201-ROCKETSHIP XM: Where it truely began for me. Always been a favorite.
310-FUGITIVE ALIEN: This one grew on me. I think it’s the Dr Who references in the riffing.
322-MASTER NINJA II: I, personally, have little trouble in understanding Timothy Van Patten’s speech, but whatever…
401-SPACE TRAVELLERS: Crow does such a killer Peck.
403-CITY LIMITS: One of my first, and I like that the movie is just barely watcheable (it helps me sometimes to get caught up in the plot).
426-MANOS: THE HANDS OF FATE: Tom Cruise is Dr John.
505-MAGIC VOYAGE OF SINBAD: He’s not Sinbad!
508-DOUBLE 007: Hello, Mrs. Pants!
511-GUNSLINGER: In this case it IS the pretty lady. Beverly Garland…
512-MITCHELL: …Mitchell!
MIKE
513-BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE: It’s not just that it’s Mike’s first show. It’s that it’s fun!
521-SANTA CLAUS: Something about a child’s character going up against the devil makes for a win.
604-ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE: Adam West jokes! “Hello…? 1-900-SPANK-ME? No, I must stop…”
620-DANGER! DEATHRAY: Ahh, the ocean’s beautiful on this side of the tub…
701-NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST: My god, this has Steve written all over it…
703-DEATHSTALKER & THE WARRIORS FROM HELL: Hey, check it out. He’s going on a little camping trip…
804-DEADLY MANTIS: But I got a mantis in my pantis!
822-OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK: When loving lovers love…
902-PHANTOM PLANET: “Y’know, Captain…?” “Oh, shut up!”
1012-SQUIRM: Wrong… Just wrong… And yet so right…
I’m likin’ this thread a lot.
JOEL:
TIME OF THE APES: Silly, goofy, weirdo Japanese ape-people, and I don’t care.
GAMERA VS. GUIRON: The first true masterpiece of the series.
ATTACK OF THE THE EYE CREATURES: Probably the episode I’ve seen the most, as it always seemed to re-running during the time when I watched CC non-stop as a lad, and I can still watch it anytime.
MONSTER A GO-GO: Another flat-out masterpiece. Perhaps the highest level of wit and comedic intelligence in the show’s run. Give in.
THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE: This might be the quintessential MST3K episode. Non-stop top-level riffing in both the movie and the short, and the best all-around single episode host segments.
BRIDE OF THE MONSTER: More of the same here. MST3K really working at it’s peak genius from top to bottom.
EEGAH: Another classic that never seems to get old. Shtemlo!
I ACCUSE MY PARENTS: My favorite episode as a teenager. Perfect host segments, excellent riffing that really digs into the heart of the movie.
THE GIRL IN LOVER’S LANE: Very typical of the most solid episodes of the Joel era. I’ll defend this episode to the death.
MITCHELL: If MITCHELL had better host segments, then I would say this is the single greatest all around episode of MST3K. Certainly the best theater segments. Pure unadulterated genius.
MIKE:
TEENAGE STRANGLER: A Mike-era classic right out of the gate. Every time Mikey is on the screen the Brains are at their absolute best.
ZOMBIE NIGHTMARE: Excellent episode. Great riffing, really stupid funny-on-its-own movie.
THE SKYDIVERS: Though I think it’s generally overrated by MSTies, this is still a killer episode.
THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION: Another episode I can pretty much watch any time.
JACK FROST: A very good episode, especially in the first half.
WEREWOLF: One of the few Sci-Fi era episodes that can hang with the best of the series. Keeps getting funnier every time I watch it.
THE TOUCH OF SATAN: Another personal favorite. Really good example of how the show was at its funniest when the writers dug into the movie and kept running jokes, instead of just aloofly making fun of what was on the screen.
MERLIN’S SHOP OF MYSTICAL WONDERS: The first half hour in the theater might be the funniest half hour stretch in the series. Every single joke hits hard. The rest of the episode is solid as well, but never quite matches the first third.
BOGGY CREEK II: The last great episode of the series and the best of the Sci-Fi era, I’m surprised this hasn’t been on more lists.
SQUIRM: An always-watchable episode for me. I can rest easy with near-certainty that the people who made this film are deeply ashamed of themselves.
This is a really enjoyable topic.
Top 5 of each host, 10 is a bit much.
Joel
102: The Robot vs the Aztec Mummy
111: Moon Zero Two
202: The Sidehackers
302: Gamera
314: Mighty Jack
Mike
510: The Painted Hills
603: The Dead Talk Back
518: The Atomic Brain
515: The Wild World of Batwoman
622: Angels Revenge
But this is a little bit skewed since I haven’t seen all of the episodes.
@79- The Painted Hills is a Joel EP ;-)
Since I’m sitting here bored at work I thought I’d offer my 20 episodes. But keep in mind I have yet to see Santa Claus, Laserblast, and Werewolf among others.
Joel
107-Robot Monster: This one got me hooked on the show.
303-Pod People: I rarely enjoy the host segments, but this episode had some good ones.
321-Santa Claus Conquers the Martians: Terrific replay value.
402-The Giant Gila Monster: Your classic 50’s B movie.
404-Teenagers from Outer Space: I remember laughing out loud a lot watching this.
410-Hercules Against the Moon Men: This one doesn’t get enough credit, the riffs are coming at you fast.
503-Swamp Diamonds: Beverly Garland, nuff said.
511-Gunslinger: Again, Beverly Garland.
312-Gamera vs Guiron: Just a wacky, wierd movie.
315-Teenage Caveman: You get a Roger Corman film plus 2 shorts! Win,win!
Mike
514-Teen-age Strangler: Ah Mikey.
602-Invasion USA: Best short ever, A Date With Your Family.
606-Creeping Terror: Of all the black and white B movie monsters, this was the funniest.
616-Racket Girls: The background crowd noise was like a Flintstone chase scene. They kept repeating it over and over.
621-Beast of Yucca Flats: There was so much continuity errors with this film it was laughable. Plus you get 2 shorts with it.
810-The Giant Spider Invasion: I’m from Wisconsin and Mike’s riffs about us were dead on.
820-Space Mutiny: A great episode to introduce someone to the show.
821-Time Chasers: My favorite. It’s actually not bad of a movie.
908-The Touch of Satan: “This is where my tongue lives.” Great riff.
1012-Squirm: This movie was too easy to make fun of.
Okay, I’m done. I feel better.
If I love one thing, it is lists.
Joel Era
204- CATALINA CAPER – Little Richard tripping balls.
212- GODZILLA VS. MEGALON – My first MST3k experience, it will always have a place in a favorites list.
312- GAMERA VS. GUIRON – Officer Cornjob
321- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS – Droppo, you’re the laziest man on Mars.
322- MASTER NINJA I – Hi, I’m Max Keller.
324- MASTER NINJA II – The continued adventures of the homeless Van Patton
410- HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN = Hi, I’m a chocolate bar.
424- “MANOS”: THE HANDS OF FATE with short: HIRED! PT 2 – The worst movie ever made.
506- EEGAH!- Watch out for snakes.
512- MITCHELL – Buzz off kid.
Mike Era
706- LASERBLAST – She’s one of the turtle aliens.
816- PRINCE OF SPACE – Lucille.
819- INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN – Explains how Japanese children influence national security.
820- SPACE MUTINY – Big McLargeHuge
821- TIME CHASERS – I want you to buy me an orange julius.
822- OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK – Why are you not Puerto Rican?
903- PUMA MAN – When you want the flavor of bacon in a dip.
907- HOBGOBLINS – It’s the 80’s, do a lot of coke and vote for Ronald Reagan.
910- THE FINAL SACRIFICE – Pipper Partners
913- QUEST OF THE DELTA KNIGHTS – Sounds like a movie Matthew Broderick should be in.
JOEL
201 ROCKETSHIP X-M By this time my lungs were aching for air… (and Frank’s intro)
203 JUNGLE GODDESS Love the gobos lesson, and the movie is wonderfully dated
204 CATALINA CAPER “Creepy Girl” song / “here fishy fishy fishy”
311 IT CONQUERED THE WORLD because of the speech at the end, and great short film
317 VIKING WOMEN VS. THE SEA SERPENT One word: waffles.
401 SPACE TRAVELLERS Gene Hackman AND Gregory Peck..? This is gonna be great.
508 OPERATION DOUBLE 007 Because otherwise I’d never believe this movie had ever been made.
509 GIRL IN LOVERS LANE Lane there’s just something funny about saying “big dumb stupid”
510 THE PAINTED HILLS because we get to see Lassie murder someone
512 MITCHELL (the one word says it all)
MIKE
611 LAST OF THE WILD HORSES because of the switcheroo in the theater
615 KITTEN WITH A WHIP this is a great dated/ironic movie
701 NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST the “multiple versions” and Crow’s anti-babies rant in one
706 LASERBLAST a great finale
809 I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF the milk-throwing scene springs to mind
819 INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN loved the krankor visit, and how awkward it gets
822 OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK the telethon is brilliant
909 GORGO a favorite, probably just because it was so “rare” and hard to get
1008 FINAL JUSTICE Mike’s aborted “escape” is hillarious
??? THE FIRST ANNUAL LITTLE GOLD STATUE SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER REVIEW great concept
I really think that this website should compile these comments into a poll of the fans’ most “essential” episodes. And submit them to Shout Factory! Or something. The fact that the Onion AV Club is going to be featuring “City Limits” as their “Very Special Episode” next week leads me to both joy and outrage. Joy, that they’re covering MST3K. Outrage that it’s City Limits. So inessential (other than Crow loving Kim Catrall). Here are my essential 20…although they could change if I think too hard about this…
JOEL
#1 204 – Catalina Caper. Some people hate this episode, but to me it’s a great example of 60’s cheese, and perfect fodder for MST3K. But I’m sure there’s nostalgia feeding into this choice (it was probably the second episode of MST3K I ever saw).
#2 207 – Wild Rebels. The best biker movie they ever did, hands down. The Wild Rebels cereal skit is priceless.
#3 210 – King Dinosaur. My favorite Lippert, with the Joey the Lemur sketch.
#4 303 – Pod People. Following the band-in-the-recording-studio scene directly with MST3K’s spot-on re-enactment is a perfect encapsulation of the show’s magic. But Trumpy can also do magic things.
#5 308 – Gamera vs. Gaos. I think this is the one I mean (they all blur together, and the titles don’t help). One of these sequels had me in tears of laughter for the entirety; I think it was this one.
#6 322 – Master Ninja I. I was going to put Santa Claus Conquers the Martians here, but screw it. We need a cheesy 70’s TV show to capture MST3K’s range.
#7 416 – Fire Maidens from Outer Space. The skits are as great as the movie is awful.
#8 424 – Manos: The Hands of Fate. Come on. It’s Manos.
#9 506 – Eegah! “Watch out for snakes,” plus the terrible songs.
#10 507 – I Accuse My Parents. I was going to put Mitchell here, but truth be told, I’ve never held Mitchell that high. (Not that it would be possible to hold Mitchell very high.) I Accuse My Parents is the juvenile delinquent melodrama that wins my heart.
MIKE
#11 514 Teen-Age Strangler. The kid in this movie – he looks like my high school senior photo. Scary, but true.
#12 521 Santa Claus. For my money, much more funny, entertaining, and frightening-bizarre than that other MST3K Santa Claus movie, though I love them both.
#13 612 The Starfighters. This film is so bad that it may actually do physical harm to you.
#14 624 Samson vs. the Vampire Women. How great that Frank’s last episode is a very strange and funny Mexican wrestling film!
#15 706 Laserblast. This would be a classic episode even without the “MST3K event” aspect.
#16 802 The Leech Woman. I saw this for the first time recently, and it’s a sleeper. Very underrated.
#17 820 Spacy Mutiny. Quite possibly the best episode of the Sci-Fi era.
#18 910 The Final Sacrifice. Rowsdower. Rowsdower. Repeat.
#19 1003 Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders. Unbearably hilarious.
#20 1013 Diabolik. Because the movie is goofy and the last host segment is a pretty touching conclusion to the show.
This is a great topic, because it gives a chance for everyone to get all enthusiastic about their favourites :smile:
—JOEL—
112 – Untamed Youth (bit like a proto-Girls Town, both in style and riffing)
201 – Rocketship X-M (Frank debuts, amusingly dated film, sharp riffs)
301 – Cave Dwellers (very good riffs & skits)
318 – Star Force Fugitive Alien II (goofy fun)
321 – Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (very silly, lampooned mercilessly)
421 – Monster A-Go-Go (a terrible film made watchable by quality riffing)
424 – Manos: The Hands of Fate (…and an even better example of that!)
507 – I Accuse My Parents (some killer lines, over-ernest film is a nice fat target)
508 – Operation Double 007 (ridiculous spy flick that gets a good roasting)
510 – Lassie: The Painted Hills (a little slow by the end, but generally fun riffs and skits)
—MIKE—
519 – Outlaw (of Gor) (laughable film, excellent riffs, nice eye candy ;) )
601 – Girls Town (lots of upbeat fun, great rainy day one)
612 – The Starfighters (a true triumph of making the unwatchable watchable)
705 – Escape 2000 (Toblerone! Nosferatu! Flying Officer Herb Petersen!)
804 – The Deadly Mantis (old scientist riffs particularly great, hokey monster fun)
814 – Riding With Death (turkeys, The Elusive Robert Denby, “nO. It can’t bEE!”
816 – Prince of Space (giant infant scientists saved by a whisper-thin batchelor)
820 – Space Mutiny (“I’d like to confuse bok choy with cabbage, sir”)
904 – Werewolf (Warwilf, Fountain O Hair, “To Kirk Douglas’s house!”
910 – The Final Sacrifice (“I hates maps!”)
Richard the Lion-footed (#42), says, “Of course these are subjective. Its entertainment not rocket science (or, its meteorology, not geology).” But it IS rocket science….how else could the SOL have ended up in orbit?
Now, fetch Grandma a drink, please!
What, only ten each? Oh, well.
Joel era:
Manos: The Hands of Fate – too obvious, but there’s a reason. The quintessential Joel episode.
War of the Colossal Beast – Mr B Natural! The Spirit of Music kicks this one near the top.
Lost Continent – Rock climbing, Joel. Oh, boy. I loved this one. “Hey, there’s Vitalis all over this rope, Cesar!!”
Robot vs the Aztec Mummy – my favorite of Season 1. Absolutely ridiculous Mexi-goofball movie.
Bride of the Monster – Ed Wood’s most coherent film. “Hey, check this out – it’s a whole ‘nother room!” “What do ya know?” and my favorite riff: Bela putting on his cloak: JOEL: “Hey! It’s Dr Clayton Forrester!” and “It’s a sinister day in the laboratory! A sinister day in the lab! Hello, neighbor!”
Samson and the Vampire Women – Push the button, Frank! Another mexi-goofball movie. Sure wish they had done more Santo pics.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians – A Patrick Swayze Christmas. ‘nuf said. And the Titans kicked it when it was down – and it’s still great.
Monster a-Go-Go – because there was no monster. You can’t go wrong when a movie doesn’t know where to go any more than you do.
Teenage Caveman – the one that pulled me into the abyss. “You know, since this is a Roger Corman film, we’d better get used to this scenery.” And “Catching Trouble.” What the studios did in the 50s!
Time of the Apes! “Sandy Frank! Gads about the house all day!” Hey, it pissed Sandy Frank off. And that Colonel Sanders ape! A classic in both versions – They’re different enough to make them both worth seeing.
Mitchell! Ditto for Joe Don Baker. So long, Joel! Yeah, I know that makes eleven. Sue me. :evil:
Honorable Mention: Robot Monster. If only they did this one in the Comedy Central era, what a classic it would be.
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
Mike era:
Puma Man! Who can tear through tissue paper in a single bound! The quintessential Mike episode.
Zombie Nightmare – Gotta be the Batman! Gotta be Adam West! “Oh is your Batmobile in the shop?” “Shut up!”
Outlaw of Bore, sorry Gor. Gotta love it. The Jack Palance biography sells this one: “Day 15. Missed call. I … think I killed a man? More later?” :cool:
Diabolik! – the last, the best, the only. Even goofy without the riffs. “Look sophisticated!” CROW: Sophisticated! Not GAY!”
Riding with Death – Please, Ben Murphy made this one inevitable. “Sam, I’m blown to several thousand bits, but I’ve got to finish these patent papers!”
Santa Claus – the more I watch it, the more I love it. Five minutes in, it manages to tick off everyone over the age of ten. And to think they called it a kid’s movie.
Soultaker – Joel and Mike together! But I guess it helps when the star writes the script: “You’re beautiful.” CROW: “Yep, she did write this.”
Jack Frost – sorry, but Nastenka was cute and Ivan was a jerk. A combination that makes a great episode. “It’s a deal, Father Mushroom!” CROW: “I thought Jerry Garcia was Father Mushroom.” and “Ivan!” CROW: “Killed your girlfriend! Coffee?” Classic all the way round.
Overdrawn at the Memory Bank – one of my favorites of the Mike era, and only the host sequences bring it down (Sorry, Mary Jo, but that pledge drive skit went on FOREVER!)
Honorable Mention: “The Brute Man.” “We represent the Lollipop Guild!”
Tossup: Village of the Giants and Eegah! “This is Tommy Kirk REALLY acting!” Beau Bridges trying to act! “Watch out for snakes!” And Richard Kiel in pleather. You just cannot choose between classics. And they bridge the eras, so nyah!
“Okay, sheriff, we’ve given your idea a lot of thought and we’ve decided to step on you.”
Samsom vs. the Vampire Women = Mike episode
FRANK: “Time for go to bed!”
TRACE: “Oh, who’s pandering now, Frank!”