Special Guests: None, though Cambot gets some screen time
What I said in 2018: "That was cute. Not amazeballs, but cute. I enjoyed it well enough."
The Gauntlet was a fun gimmick, not that far removed from the Turkey Day Marathons of old. I didn't binge in 2018, just watched them at the pace I wanted, but I liked the idea of a running gag to connect each episode on the season. The set-up skit was funny - the gesture Kinga comes up with that Max tries to imitate, the way the two fight to be front and center for the announcement, and the bot's startled reactions, very amusing. The Mads experiment (Algernon) explains how Synthia got smart (something we first saw in the comic book miniseries), and Spez was clever.
The "pretty nice" gag wasn't really all that funny, and I wish they hadn't edited the flick, this ep was shorter than the norm, but the riffing was overall decent. I originally felt the spacing/timing was better this season, but I don't know, it's not that radically different and the references were really packed in there (The Crypt Keeper, Terminator, The Shining, and Rear Window, all wind up in one sequence). Not much else to say, it was, um, pretty nice?
Best Riffs: "Finally our permanently shocked facial expressions pay off" - Crow | "Spider-Man me mom" - Crow | "Dammit nurse, this is a Pepsi. It doesn’t have the unique healing properties of Coke Classic." - Crow | "Featuring Drew Barryless as Debbie" - Servo | "Mom, I saw dad in heaven! He said you pushed him off a cliff!" - Crow
Best Host Segments: The opening with experiments / Gyps made a scary/funny Grimace
Amazing Colossal Grade: 3.5 out of 5
Special Guest: Justin Roiland as the Gizmonic Institute Emergency Announcer
What I said in 2018: Mostly responding to complaints, I wrote... "Movie was fine, the riffing was fine. I didn't have a problem with either. Solid episode"
We have a cold open in this episode, as an unseen intruder causes havoc at Gizmonic Institute (the identity of this mysterious person will be revealed in the 4th episode). Once again, the opening skit and experiments were a laugh, Patton's a top-drawer comedic actor, a real asset these past seasons (btw Jonah's wife, Deanna Rooney, is the bonehead who assists Max with his supposit-stories experiment).
Beyond that, yeah it's fine. The movie is full of bros, bullbutter, lava, and getting people on "horns", oh... and robots vs. monsters. The riffing, of course, zeroes in on this, the FX... or the lack thereof (when a character asks, “What happened down here?” and the response... "Whatever it is, don’t show us"), and especially the stupid clichés that act as our protagonists.
I don't like that it's getting even busier in the theater, Tom's flying isn't fun or novel here, it's just tired, and now we have M. Waverly entering with the payload and popping off a riff.
Best Riffs: "The whole world's about to find out about Project: Armada!" - "Featuring Herman Menderchuck!" - Hadley/Jonah | "It killed all our lab chimps so that means you guys are next, have fun" - Jonah | "Oh geez, that's weird, I wasn't sitting in a puddle before." - Jonah | "Oh, Baltimore has never looked better." - Crow | "He blew up Heaven!" - Crow
Best Host Segments: The experiment again - though the nonsensical song lyrics recall "Hideous Control" from Pod People, and that put a smile on my face.
Amazing Colossal Grade: 3 out of 5
New Recurring Character: Deanna Rooney as Dr. Donna St. Phibes (she made her first appearance during the 30th Anniversary tour)
What I said in 2018: Nothing specific to the episode, only that so far these were all mid-range episodes, no real knock-outs yet
And not a real knockout watching again. The movie was riffable, and they threw a lot out there, and while some of it sticks (the sea-alien bonding with Claire), most were pretty standard. There are pop references a plenty, and the characters are infinitely teasable (they notice Ryan Stiles, a young Dr. Phil a young Al Bundy), there's also a running gag (now streaming on...), which resulted in smiles and chuckles, but few belly laughs.
The exceptions are noted below, and I cracked up over the line about climate change ruining golf. Another funny was Claire giving the bots the stink eye (and they stare right back at her).
The experiment exchange was a high point. I dug those Max and Kinga dolls, and the whole urinal cake thing on the SOL was beautifully acted and funny. In the final skit, Dr. Phibes was likable.
Of note: I do wonder why the shows are getting shorter and shorter by the week? (This one runs 78-minutes, 44 seconds).
Best Riffs: "Gah, I think I just blinded myself with science" - Crow | “You’re not gonna “Shape of Water” with it, are ya?” - Crow | "She’s like if God didn’t finish creating Michelle Pfieffer." - Crow | "Well at least he died doing what he loved, yelling at fish" - Jonah
Best Host Segments: Experiment exchange
Amazing Colossal Grade: 2.5 out of 5, my ratings are slowly dropping... dropping...
1204 - The Day Time Ended
Special Guests: Ivan Askwith as Bonesy, J. Elvis Weinstein as Dr. Laurence Erhardt
What I said in 2018: "Though it kind of tailed off at the end, this was another decent experiment. The movie was fine, if only for tiny elf alien and Jenny, who inspired some hilarious quips."
"Ah, my eyes, it's too zesty!" - Max, after getting an eyeful of experiment (Spray-On Mustard Gas) - so after that funny start we get to the movie, which to this point, is my favorite of the season. Just a perfect bad little gem, with characters and such (noted above) that made it enjoyable all on its own.
As with the last episode, we get a dumb pun (it's suddenly Svengoolie in here), and a few clever art quips (in #1203 it was neo-Dadaist Robert Rauschenberg, this time it's 'brutalism' and Dali). References include the expected Star Wars, Close Encounters, and Buck Rogers stuff, as well as the Great Gazoo, Evil Cambot, and the Brady Bunch. With the music/band related quips a highlight.
The episode ebbs and flows... there are spots where the laughter dries up, then all of a sudden, "Ba-Boom!" they hit me, rapid-fire, one funny after the other.
Host segments? The ‘Concepts’ song is a classic, not only the best tune from seasons 11 & 12, but one of the finest from the entire series. And the surprise guest was a joy -- seeing Josh made me stupidly happy.
Best Riffs: "That window is like catnip to this family" - Jonah | “Don’t talk to the Lovecraftian obelisk, dear!” - Servo | "Your doll?" - "Yeah, Salvadore Dolly" - Beth/Crow as Jenny | "Grant - it's Steven..." - "and he's *gasp* acting!" - Anna/Crow | "Grab the Tilda Swinton bust, I'll push the Brutalist credenza" - Crow | "The beings here are made of ice cream and you can eat their heads!" - Gypsy as Jenny
Best Host Segments: Concepts, and a visit from Dr. Erhardt
Amazing Colossal Grade: 3.5 out of 5 - I enjoy the riffing and movie more with each viewing
Best Riffs: "Gah, I think I just blinded myself with science" - Crow | “You’re not gonna “Shape of Water” with it, are ya?” - Crow | "She’s like if God didn’t finish creating Michelle Pfieffer." - Crow | "Well at least he died doing what he loved, yelling at fish" - Jonah
Best Host Segments: Experiment exchange
Amazing Colossal Grade: 2.5 out of 5, my ratings are slowly dropping... dropping...
Special Guests: Ivan Askwith as Bonesy, J. Elvis Weinstein as Dr. Laurence Erhardt
What I said in 2018: "Though it kind of tailed off at the end, this was another decent experiment. The movie was fine, if only for tiny elf alien and Jenny, who inspired some hilarious quips."
"Ah, my eyes, it's too zesty!" - Max, after getting an eyeful of experiment (Spray-On Mustard Gas) - so after that funny start we get to the movie, which to this point, is my favorite of the season. Just a perfect bad little gem, with characters and such (noted above) that made it enjoyable all on its own.
As with the last episode, we get a dumb pun (it's suddenly Svengoolie in here), and a few clever art quips (in #1203 it was neo-Dadaist Robert Rauschenberg, this time it's 'brutalism' and Dali). References include the expected Star Wars, Close Encounters, and Buck Rogers stuff, as well as the Great Gazoo, Evil Cambot, and the Brady Bunch. With the music/band related quips a highlight.
The episode ebbs and flows... there are spots where the laughter dries up, then all of a sudden, "Ba-Boom!" they hit me, rapid-fire, one funny after the other.
Host segments? The ‘Concepts’ song is a classic, not only the best tune from seasons 11 & 12, but one of the finest from the entire series. And the surprise guest was a joy -- seeing Josh made me stupidly happy.
Best Riffs: "That window is like catnip to this family" - Jonah | “Don’t talk to the Lovecraftian obelisk, dear!” - Servo | "Your doll?" - "Yeah, Salvadore Dolly" - Beth/Crow as Jenny | "Grant - it's Steven..." - "and he's *gasp* acting!" - Anna/Crow | "Grab the Tilda Swinton bust, I'll push the Brutalist credenza" - Crow | "The beings here are made of ice cream and you can eat their heads!" - Gypsy as Jenny
Best Host Segments: Concepts, and a visit from Dr. Erhardt
Amazing Colossal Grade: 3.5 out of 5 - I enjoy the riffing and movie more with each viewing
Special Guests: The singing voice of Joel Robinson (by Joel Hodgson) is heard
What I said in 2018: "The first dud of the season. Not many laughs in this one for me."
And that initial opinion still stands, I thought the movie was a good choice, but the riffing, it's almost like the gauntlet has finally worn them out... throwing a low blow fat joke, mocking Margaux Hemingway's lisp (which isn't a major faux pas, they've teased voices in the past - Werewolf, Buz in Girl in Gold Boots, etc). And at the least the "Hi, I’m a gun. I’ll see you in the third act." was clever (google "Chekhov's gun").
I'm repeating myself but I dislike how busy it's become in the theater - Tom's flying of course, but bots enter the theater willy-nilly - three bots arrive to sing a song (so awful), Growler keeps popping in, M. Waverly and a killer fish stop by... it's flat out annoying and unfunny and felt like filler.
Note: Oddly, during its initial streaming - at the end when Gypsy picks up the payload - her mouth was moving but there was no sound. I had to put on subtitles to see what she said. The DVD release fixed that.
Best Riffs: "That guy makes a terrible kite" - Jonah | "Now I have to fight a helicopter?" - "Oh my God, it's being flown by piranhas!" - Crow & Servo | "5 seconds, a piranha man riding record!" - Crow
Best Host Segments: M'eh, the time traveling oven and alchemy glue were fine for a smile. Tom's blade wielding octopus costume was cute
Amazing Colossal Grade: 2 out of 5 - flat quipping and host segs make this my least favorite episode of the modern era.
Special Guests: J. Elvis Weinstein - Dr. Laurence Erhardt & Kiog - Joel Hodgson as Joel Robinson (voice only)
What I said in 2018: "The finale gets the show back on point. Especially the first half - Lots of big laughs here. The response to the line about the seven Siamese sisters… “Very difficult delivery.” had me in stitches. Also liked the sibling quips. (Blonde enters the scene, Ator asks... “Hey um, you looking for a brother?”) But there are still some goodies in the final reel. I like the line about the female warrior having to do everything Ator does, but backward and in high heels… this was something said about Ginger Rogers, and I'm a Ginger Rogers fan."
So yeah, that sums it up well. The Gauntlet ends on a high note, with its best feature - a movie that takes us back to a classic episode (Cave Dwellers) and beloved character (Ator) - and with its spider lovin' baddie and a brother/sister betrothal ("Our sick twisted fantasy come true!" - Crow), it's about as close to MST-Heaven as you can get.
My favorite style of riffing is one that really engages the goofiness of a movie, it's not (always) in attack mode, but is having fun with the fun. I think some non-MSTies have the idea that MST is mean-spirited, or full of insults - and while there are examples of that (they really go after Arch Hall Jr. in the hilarious Eegah for example) and yes, there are woeful or nasty movies that are asking for it... conversely, there are many experiments that are upbeat and silly. Ator is one of those.
The sloppiness? As with the last episode, there's a lost riff, only this time it wasn't fixed for the DVD. At the 0:22:35 mark, Jonah says "That was fun, you guys wanna crash that bris?" - you can't hear it, but if you put on captioning, you can read it.
Best Riffs: “Very hard to ignore that man outside being killed by an elephant.” - Jonah | "Woah, this baby parties!" - Jonah (baby has white powder on it) | "I feel like I just binge-watched paint dry" - Jonah | "Oh, this is before they had endoscopes and the doctor would just send in really tiny barbarians with swords." - Servo | And the scene where Roon makes her first appearance offers one big laugh after another.
Best Host Segments: The Mads hoisted on their own petard, the song during the end credits
Amazing Colossal Grade: I'm giving a 4 out of 5 because I had such a good time with it.
So that wraps up this marathon. All told, the Gauntlet was an average season, though not a without worthwhile experiments (especially Ator and The Day Time Ended), I felt it was a step backward from 11.
My grade scale for these seasons? 5 is a masterpiece, 4 is very good (or, if you tent your fingers... "excellent"), 3 is good, 2.5 is a shoulder shrug "yeah that's fine, but not much lit a fire under me", 2 and under are different levels of hell.
2021 Rankings for Season 12:
4.0 - Ator, the Fighting Eagle
3.5 - Mac and Me, The Day Time Ended
3.0 - Atlantic Rim
2.5 - Lords of the Deep
2.0 - Killer Fish
Best Riffs: “Very hard to ignore that man outside being killed by an elephant.” - Jonah | "Woah, this baby parties!" - Jonah (baby has white powder on it) | "I feel like I just binge-watched paint dry" - Jonah | "Oh, this is before they had endoscopes and the doctor would just send in really tiny barbarians with swords." - Servo | And the scene where Roon makes her first appearance offers one big laugh after another.
Best Host Segments: The Mads hoisted on their own petard, the song during the end credits
Amazing Colossal Grade: I'm giving a 4 out of 5 because I had such a good time with it.
So that wraps up this marathon. All told, the Gauntlet was an average season, though not a without worthwhile experiments (especially Ator and The Day Time Ended), I felt it was a step backward from 11.
My grade scale for these seasons? 5 is a masterpiece, 4 is very good (or, if you tent your fingers... "excellent"), 3 is good, 2.5 is a shoulder shrug "yeah that's fine, but not much lit a fire under me", 2 and under are different levels of hell.
2021 Rankings for Season 12:
4.0 - Ator, the Fighting Eagle
3.5 - Mac and Me, The Day Time Ended
3.0 - Atlantic Rim
2.5 - Lords of the Deep
2.0 - Killer Fish
