Season 8: MST3Ks Triumphant Return!

MSTies rejoice as our favorite puppet show found a new home on the Sci-Fi Network. With a new network came a lot of changes. There was a new Crow (Bill Corbett) a familiar new Mad (Pearl Forrester, played by Mary Jo Pehl) who would eventually be joined by 2 sidekicks (Observer –Corbett- and Bobo –Kevin Murphy-). Early on the movies didn't have the variety of past seasons (3 of them were drawing from the Bridey Murphy phenomenon -The Undead, She Creature, I Was A Teenage Werewolf) and Sci-Fi wanted a running storyline on the host segments. The season began on Feb 1st, 1997 with Revenge of the Creature.

Season 8 is my second favorite overall. 9 episodes made the top 50. One episode will stand out above them all for me. Jack Frost leaves me doubled over with laughter and I'm so impressed with the style and smarts of the riffing that it became my all-time favorite episode.

MST in 97
Turkey day was a no-frills affair. Just 7 episodes and a special, “The Making of MST3K” – The episodes shown were #801, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812

In addition to "Making of..." (first aired Aug 15th) we also got the hilarious "MST3K’s First Annual Summer Blockbuster Review" (first aired on Sept 2nd)

Jack Frost is sadly our last weird Russian film, and the Undead will be the last time we watch a Roger Corman directed movie get riffed on.

Vikings RB Robert Smith becomes MST's first celebrity guest when he appears in a skit during the "Mole People" experiment.

What else was going on in 1997?
* Super Bowl XXXI: WOOO HOOO! My beloved Green Bay Packers defeat the New England Patriots, 35-21!
* Clinton begins his second term as President.
* The "English Patient" wins the Best Picture Oscar.
* Tara Lipinski, 14, becomes the youngest women's world figure skating champion.
* Diana, Princess of Wales, and Mother Teresa die within a week of one another.
* Titanic opens in U.S. Young ladies flock to the theater over and over and over again.


My 15 Favorite Season 8 experiments (culled from the top 100 list)
1. Jack Frost (#1)

2. Deadly Mantis (#11)
3. Riding with Death (#13)
4. Agent for H.A.R.M. (#20)
5. I Was a Teenage Werewolf (#23)
6. The Thing That Couldn’t Die (#27)
7. Horror of Party Beach (#29)
8. Time Chasers (#46)

9.  Space Mutiny (#50)

10. Terror from the Year 5000 (#54)

11. Devil Doll (#56)
12. Clonus Horror (#76)

13. Neptune Men (#90)

14. Leech Woman (#97)

15. Spider Invasion (#99)

Award Breakdowns
Best in Show: 5 total
Jack Frost, Riding w/Death, Mantis, H.a.r.m., Teenage Werewolf 
Platinum: 4 total
Thing that Couldn’t Die, Party Beach, Time Chasers, Space Mutiny
Gold: 5 total
Terror Year 5000, Devil Doll, Leech Woman, Neptune Men, Clonus Horror

Silver: 3 total
The Undead, Giant Spider Invasion, Prince of Space
Bronze: 2 total
Rev Of The Creature, Mole People, She Creature, Memory Bank
Sub-Par: 1 total
Incredibly Strange Creatures

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