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Mystery Science Theater 3000: On April 14th, We've Got Movie Sign

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Tobor

Member
Yikes. I disagree with this viewpoint very much. First should be "are they funny?" Whether or not they sound like our expectations of Crow and Servo should be way down on the list. A giant part of what made MST work is that the puppeteers are also the show's writers. They're directly connected to the material.

It's still puppeteering though, and they are doing voice work. Kermit the Frog still sounds like Kermit after all these years.

That said, I'm not asking for a Kevin Murphy mimic, just that the guy should at the very least be a baritone to offset Crow.
 
Yikes. I disagree with this viewpoint very much. First should be "are they funny?" Whether or not they sound like our expectations of Crow and Servo should be way down on the list. A giant part of what made MST work is that the puppeteers are also the show's writers. They're directly connected to the material.

Delivery is a huge part of being funny.

I'm not sold on his delivery at all, but I'll wait for actual MST3K content for a final verdict.
 

Blues1990

Member
Quick-Question: From watching a series of clips that have been posted on YouTube (The Home Economics Story, Days of our Years, Money Talks!), I want to properly get into MST3K. However, I don't know where to start. I know most of the episodes from the show's run are on YouTube, and Shout Factory! has selected episodes of the show available on DVD/Blu-Ray, but what would be the best approach? What episodes could you guys recommend me watching?
 

Eegah

Member
You will get a lot of different answers to this question because the episodes depend heavily on the movie being shown and your person tastes. With that said, here are a few that are worth checking out:

Manos: the hands of fate
The final sacrifice
Pumaman
Santa Claus conquers the Martians
The pod people
Warrior of the lost world
 
Quick-Question: From watching a series of clips that have been posted on YouTube (The Home Economics Story, Days of our Years, Money Talks!), I want to properly get into MST3K. However, I don't know where to start. I know most of the episodes from the show's run are on YouTube, and Shout Factory! has selected episodes of the show available on DVD/Blu-Ray, but what would be the best approach? What episodes could you guys recommend me watching?

Oh man, this is a big question. You don't want to start off with something as terrible as Manos, even though it is one of the most popular episodes they have. And you also probably want to watch things in a certain order so that you're not bouncing around between Comedy Central Joel, CC Mike, and Sci Fi Mike episodes.

So I'm going to give you episodes that I think will help ease you into watching whole movies, get to know the characters, and will follow the time line. This will not be literally every important MST3K episode, nor will it give you all of the catch phrases that become popular throughout the series (you'll have to go back later to stuff like Women of the Prehistoric Planet to find Hi-Keeba!, for example), but I think this will give you the highlights pretty well.

My Recommendations (watch in this order if you really want to "get into MST"):
(Items in Bold are some of my all time favorites)
  • Rocketship X-M (Season 2, Episode 1) - First TV's Frank, First Kevin Murphy Servo
    [*]Godzilla vs. Megalon (Season 2, Episode 12)
    [*]Cave Dwellers (Season 3, Episode 1)
    [*]Pod People (Season 3, Episode 3)
  • Manos, the Hands of Fate (Season 4, Episode 24)
  • Mitchell (Season 5, Episode 12) - Last Joel Episode
  • The Brain that Wouldn't Die (Season 5, Episode 13) - First Mike episode
  • Sampson vs. the Vampire Women (Season 6, Episode 24) - Last TV's Frank episode
  • MST3K: The Movie
  • Night of the Blood Beast (Season 7, Episode 1) - First episode with Pearl as Main Character
    [*]Laserblast (Season 7, Episode 6) - Last Dr. F. episode, last with Trace as Crow, last CC episode
  • Revenge of the Creature (Season 8, Episode 1) - First Sci Fi ep, first with Professor Bobo, first with Bill as Crow
    [*]Space Mutiny (Season 8, Episode 20)
  • Time Chasers (Season 8, Episode 21)
    [*]Werewolf (Season 9, Episode 4)
    [*]The Final Sacrifice (Season 9, Episode 10)
  • Soultaker (Season 10, Episode 1) - Special Guests!
  • Diabolik (Season 10, Episode 13) - Final Episode

Again, this list is nowhere near exhaustive. I took out a lot of episodes I really, really love or would be considered classics (Gamera vs. Guiron 312, Santa Clause Conquers the Martians 321, Fugitive Alien 310, Santa Claus 521, Prince of Space 816, Puma Man 903, etc.) because I wanted to give you the big hitters. Season 8 has a story line that tries to matter, so I gave up and only put in the episodes that I think people really love after the first episode. I also kind of ignored Season 1 because I think of Classic MST3K beginning in Season 2.

If you get through that list, I can give you a number more that would be great to pick up things that reoccur throughout the series.
 

Coin Return

Loose Slot
Quick-Question: From watching a series of clips that have been posted on YouTube (The Home Economics Story, Days of our Years, Money Talks!), I want to properly get into MST3K. However, I don't know where to start. I know most of the episodes from the show's run are on YouTube, and Shout Factory! has selected episodes of the show available on DVD/Blu-Ray, but what would be the best approach? What episodes could you guys recommend me watching?

Watch Werewolf on the Shout Factory Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yPlXcSLOOo

I'd suggest buying MST3k DVD's Volume 4 and 5, since I think they contain some of the series' best episodes, but they go for ridiculous prices.

Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, Boggy Creek 2, Space Mutiny, Time Chasers, Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders, Girl and Gold Boots...I really hope they get around to re-releasing those sets.
 

Seraphis Cain

bad gameplay lol
My recommendations would be:

Werewolf
Space Mutiny
Tormented
Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell
Teenagers from Outer Space
Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders
 

Owensboro

Member
I cannot believe no one is including any Gamera in their "Best of MST3K" lists. Any list without Gamera vs. Gurion is a crime. What would Officer CornJob think?

Edit: Skiptastic, I see you mention it, but that's not good enough!
 

mclem

Member
Doesn't Gamera have the problem that it's kind of a PITA to actually see legitimately? I've got the DVD set, fortunately.

For what it's worth, my first episode was Daddy-O, which isn't a great jumping-in point, but the gag about delivering pats of butter really stuck with me.

$2.2M, which means we're over that slightly awkward hump between "$2M gets us going" and "Each additional $1.1M means an extra three episodes". Full steam ahead towards extra episodes!
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
I'm excited for this, but honestly I never liked Joel, Mike was always the one I enjoyed and have had a great time listening to RiffTrax, so I dont really feel like I've missed out on any MST3k.
 
$2.2M, which means we're over that slightly awkward hump between "$2M gets us going" and "Each additional $1.1M means an extra three episodes". Full steam ahead towards extra episodes!

It's moving at a brisk pace, it should be hitting the 3.3M goal no problem if it keeps up as its going now. Lot of time to go, and with final pushes and ppl going to likely up pledges I think this has a good chance at the 4.4M goal. The full 12 ep goal I doubt will happen
 

mclem

Member
It's moving at a brisk pace, it should be hitting the 3.3M goal no problem if it keeps up as its going now. Lot of time to go, and with final pushes and ppl going to likely up pledges I think this has a good chance at the 4.4M goal. The full 12 ep goal I doubt will happen

I've been saying for ages that my gut is that we'll get nine episodes out of this. I think it's conceivable we'll up it further with a good final push, though.

I have... a bit of a thing for polo shirts that look like employee shirts for fictional companies; I fell in love with a Cyberdyne one years ago and was disappointed that I couldn't find it in my size. I'd probably throw more money in for a Gizmonic Institute one.
 

HylianTom

Banned
Quick-Question: From watching a series of clips that have been posted on YouTube (The Home Economics Story, Days of our Years, Money Talks!), I want to properly get into MST3K. However, I don't know where to start. I know most of the episodes from the show's run are on YouTube, and Shout Factory! has selected episodes of the show available on DVD/Blu-Ray, but what would be the best approach? What episodes could you guys recommend me watching?

My favorites:
Fugitive Alien
the Gamera episodes
Godzilla
Prince of Space
Time of the Apes
Master Ninja 1 & 2
Santa Claus vs the Martians
Mitchell
Danger!! Death Ray
Operation Kid Brother
Agent for h.a.r.m.

(If there's a lot of Tom Servo singing, that tends to bring my rating for an episode up. I love it when Servo sings along with a movie's music.)

...

If you want to watch episodes in order, the vast majority of them are available at club-mst3k.com, starting with the KTMA episodes (which are a very unrefined/rusty product compared to the episodes of their glory days later on).
 
I cannot believe no one is including any Gamera in their "Best of MST3K" lists. Any list without Gamera vs. Gurion is a crime. What would Officer CornJob think?

Edit: Skiptastic, I see you mention it, but that's not good enough!
Believe me, I wanted to include Gamera vs. Guiron at the very least, but I didn't want to make my list so Season 3 heavy.

Again, my list isn't "This is the Flat Out Best of MST3K." It is the seminal moments and certain touchstones that pretty much all MSTies need to have. I'd drop Manos from my list for Gamera vs. Guiron every time if we're talking Best Of, but Manos is one that everyone needs to see (after they are invested in MST, I would never show Manos to a first timer).

You'll see there are very few episodes on my list that aren't "someone leaves/someone comes back/new voice". There are four in the CC era and four in the Sci Fi era. If I have to choose between Godzilla vs. Megalon and Gamera vs. Guiron on a best of list, I'm taking Godzilla 9 times out of 10. But I could add in so many episodes in the CC era that it would weigh heavily there and I wanted to give the Sci Fi era its due.

If you want the "YOU HAVE TO SEE THESE" list, there are a LOT more that I would add from Seasons 1, 2, 3, and 6.

If you are going to watch only one episode to start with, it needs to be Pod People.
Either Pod People or Cave Dwellers would be my suggested first episode. Both of them are silly movies that are easy to watch, amazing riffs, and great host segments (especially Pod People).

Cave Dwellers was the first MST I ever saw, at my friend Mike Wells's basement. I was probably 12 or so and didn't understand all the jokes, but it was still amazing.
 

Tom_Cody

Member
You will get a lot of different answers to this question because the episodes depend heavily on the movie being shown and your person tastes. With that said, here are a few that are worth checking out:

Manos: the hands of fate
The final sacrifice
Pumaman
Santa Claus conquers the Martians
The pod people
Warrior of the lost world
I'll just add that a bunch of classic episodes are up on the official youtube page. I would point anyone who is interested in checking out MST3K for the first time to start there:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYy4ZargUluf-iyr4vFpe-xaJ46GEDpBI
 

Westonian

Member
I'm still waiting patiently for Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell.

"What are we?"
"Bats!"
"What do we want?"
"Insects!"
"When do we want them?"
"Now! Squeak. Squeak. Squeak."

"Potatoes are what we eat!"
"Horses are what we ride!"

"All I have to say was, she was Ore-Ida."
 

Seraphis Cain

bad gameplay lol
I'm still waiting patiently for Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell.

"What are we?"
"Bats!"
"What do we want?"
"Insects!"
"When do we want them?"
"Now! Squeak. Squeak. Squeak."

"Potatoes are what we eat!"
"Horses are what we ride!"

"All I have to say was, she was Ore-Ida."

I PUT THE
BEATS
IN MY OWN
SCRIPT
AND I'M
STICKING
WITH
THEM

Oh Truxartis, you are magical.
 

HylianTom

Banned
How the hell did I miss Miles O'Keefe and Cave Dwellers? Their riffing on Valeria's accent alone slays me.. GREAT episode.

And Ring of Terror's steady onslaught of jokes about the actors' ages - amazing. The description of Miss Cataracts' tubular-design hip replacement reads like it's been ripped right out of a medical marketing publication.
 
How the hell did I miss Miles O'Keefe and Cave Dwellers? Their riffing on Valeria's accent alone slays me.. GREAT episode.

And Ring of Terror's steady onslaught of jokes about the actors' ages - amazing. The description of Miss Cataracts' tubular-design hip replacement reads like it's been ripped right out of a medical marketing publication.
Valeria was Robot Holocaust. That had a hunky white guy who looked like Miles O'Keefe, but it was a different episode.

Cave Dwellers had the old man, his hot daughter, and the very effeminate villain.
 

Sagroth

Member
Very excited to see this back. Wish I had more money to help this along. MST3K has been a part of my life for two decades.
 

opoth

Banned
I hope the eventual Felicia Day announcement will help get it into the $3 mil territory and the 2 Turkey Day marathons get us to at least $4.4mil in the end.

In for $100 now, definitely contemplating a bump to $200 for the Blu-Rays especially if it looks like we're getting at least 9 eps.
 
I'm really curious about what the next update is going to be. Joel's teasers for the update have been very cryptic.

New update posted.

  • We're 40% of the way to making twelve new episodes of MST3K!
  • You beat the 24-Hour Challenge in just 12 HOURS: 3 classic episodes unlocked!
  • But, if we don't reach $5.5M, this could still be the last MST3K ever!
  • We've got 23 DAYS LEFT to help #BringBackMST3K for good!
  • PLUS: your first look at the OFFICIAL Campaign Poster!

Update coming tomorrow on the Turkey Day marathon.
 

Tom_Cody

Member
New update posted.

  • We're 40% of the way to making twelve new episodes of MST3K!
  • You beat the 24-Hour Challenge in just 12 HOURS: 3 classic episodes unlocked!
  • But, if we don't reach $5.5M, this could still be the last MST3K ever!
  • We've got 23 DAYS LEFT to help #BringBackMST3K for good!
  • PLUS: your first look at the OFFICIAL Campaign Poster!

Update coming tomorrow on the Turkey Day marathon.
Ok, I was expecting something more dramatic than that. It sounds like the notion that the three episodes will definitely get made and that the series might get picked up is finally starting to sink in for him.
 
Quick-Question: From watching a series of clips that have been posted on YouTube (The Home Economics Story, Days of our Years, Money Talks!), I want to properly get into MST3K. However, I don't know where to start. I know most of the episodes from the show's run are on YouTube, and Shout Factory! has selected episodes of the show available on DVD/Blu-Ray, but what would be the best approach? What episodes could you guys recommend me watching?
If you want to dip your toe in, check out any of the Shorts compilations. That'll give you the idea of the style of humor and what they do. My favorite short was always "A Date With Your Family": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5qAn8osAaY


A few faves:
Space Mutiny: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa42pxJyq64 (Movie starts about 7 minutes in)
The Movie (which covers "This Island Earth"): http://www.canistream.it/search/movie/mystery science theater 3000
Mitchell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmNZwJTp9nM (This was put up by the official MST3K channel and has notations explaining the references!)
Catalina Caper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAr3y1-e9Xc
 

Blues1990

Member
Oh man, this is a big question. You don't want to start off with something as terrible as Manos, even though it is one of the most popular episodes they have. And you also probably want to watch things in a certain order so that you're not bouncing around between Comedy Central Joel, CC Mike, and Sci Fi Mike episodes.

So I'm going to give you episodes that I think will help ease you into watching whole movies, get to know the characters, and will follow the time line. This will not be literally every important MST3K episode, nor will it give you all of the catch phrases that become popular throughout the series (you'll have to go back later to stuff like Women of the Prehistoric Planet to find Hi-Keeba!, for example), but I think this will give you the highlights pretty well.

My Recommendations (watch in this order if you really want to "get into MST"):
(Items in Bold are some of my all time favorites)
  • Rocketship X-M (Season 2, Episode 1) - First TV's Frank, First Kevin Murphy Servo
    [*]Godzilla vs. Megalon (Season 2, Episode 12)
    [*]Cave Dwellers (Season 3, Episode 1)
    [*]Pod People (Season 3, Episode 3)
  • Manos, the Hands of Fate (Season 4, Episode 24)
  • Mitchell (Season 5, Episode 12) - Last Joel Episode
  • The Brain that Wouldn't Die (Season 5, Episode 13) - First Mike episode
  • Sampson vs. the Vampire Women (Season 6, Episode 24) - Last TV's Frank episode
  • MST3K: The Movie
  • Night of the Blood Beast (Season 7, Episode 1) - First episode with Pearl as Main Character
    [*]Laserblast (Season 7, Episode 6) - Last Dr. F. episode, last with Trace as Crow, last CC episode
  • Revenge of the Creature (Season 8, Episode 1) - First Sci Fi ep, first with Professor Bobo, first with Bill as Crow
    [*]Space Mutiny (Season 8, Episode 20)
  • Time Chasers (Season 8, Episode 21)
    [*]Werewolf (Season 9, Episode 4)
    [*]The Final Sacrifice (Season 9, Episode 10)
  • Soultaker (Season 10, Episode 1) - Special Guests!
  • Diabolik (Season 10, Episode 13) - Final Episode

Again, this list is nowhere near exhaustive. I took out a lot of episodes I really, really love or would be considered classics (Gamera vs. Guiron 312, Santa Clause Conquers the Martians 321, Fugitive Alien 310, Santa Claus 521, Prince of Space 816, Puma Man 903, etc.) because I wanted to give you the big hitters. Season 8 has a story line that tries to matter, so I gave up and only put in the episodes that I think people really love after the first episode. I also kind of ignored Season 1 because I think of Classic MST3K beginning in Season 2.

If you get through that list, I can give you a number more that would be great to pick up things that reoccur throughout the series.

Awesome! I'll start with these episodes, and I'll go from there. Thanks, man.

With that said, I might be gone for a while. With the episodes you have listed, and with each one being roughly 90 minutes apiece, it will take me roughly 27 hours to get through them all. And that's a lot of & playful mockery to go through. 0_0
 
Awesome! I'll start with these episodes, and I'll go from there. Thanks, man.

With that said, I might be gone for a while. With the episodes you have listed, and with each one being roughly 90 minutes apiece, it will take me roughly 27 hours to get through them all. And that's a lot of & playful mockery to go through. 0_0
Just think: I gave you 26 episodes out of 152 official cable episodes. You have a LONG way to go, my friend!

MST3K is definitely a long investment but it has major dividends. You can really dive deep into the characters, how they evolve, how the riffing evolves, and so much more. All while enjoying the fun of ridding on bad movies (disclaimer: I actually think there is a good movie or two thrown in there but they are still fun riffs).
 
Just think: I gave you 26 episodes out of 152 official cable episodes. You have a LONG way to go, my friend!

MST3K is definitely a long investment but it has major dividends. You can really dive deep into the characters, how they evolve, how the riffing evolves, and so much more. All while enjoying the fun of ridding on bad movies (disclaimer: I actually think there is a good movie or two thrown in there but they are still fun riffs).

Yep. I'm a HUGE fan and I haven't even seen all of them yet.

6856fcb7cf835ca9b5c5251688226ee9_original_zpsrgff7pkw.jpg
 

Sliver

Member
Missing handfuls of Season 1 and 2 (and KTMA). Not a huge fan of any episode prior to Season 3 (they're fine, just not there yet).

Lol. I haven't watched ANY KTMA besides a couple minutes here and there. I honestly think I've watched like 20-30% of the total episodes in the show. I get into moods of wanting to watch the show, and dragging it out this long has been awesome.
 
Lol. I haven't watched ANY KTMA besides a couple minutes here and there. I honestly think I've watched like 20-30% of the total episodes in the show. I get into moods of wanting to watch the show, and dragging it out this long has been awesome.

I have a few KTMA episodes just for historical purposes.

And I agree. It's great knowing there's still episodes to watch aside from the Jonah era.
 
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