1306 - Demon Squad
Premiere Date: Friday, June 24, 2022, 5:00 PM PST
Host: Joel Robinson
Special Guests: Dr. Erhardt
Writers: Yvonne Freese, Tammy Golden, Storm Dicostanzo, Howie Smith, Mary Christen, Devon Coleman, Matt Conant, Len Webb, Emily Marsh, Howie Smith, Paul Sabourin
SPOILER ALERT - if you haven't seen the experiment, you should probably not venture forth.
Let's begin at the beginning, as that's the best part of the episode: As seen in Mordrid, Kinga sent Erhardt on a mission through time to retrieve a previous host... what got me laughing was that Dr. Erhardt didn't just grab Joel, he dragged the whole dang SOL back with him. After this, Joel and Larry do some catching up, but when Mr. Robinson makes comment on Erhardt's voice... holy cripes, that brief exchange had me in stitches. The bonus of hearing J. Elvis slip into that "shrill, nagging tone" of his, made it all the sweeter.
Yup, the nostalgia was in full force, Joel's still the father figure, and he's in his version of the SOL with Hexfield - you even hear "pizza" as they enter the theater. (No Magic Voice, however.)
The riffing? It's not bad, there's cute material here, but man, they were lobbing a lot of softballs in this one. The back half is funnier than the front, especially when they react or add to the dialogue (the dinner date scene, Tom's Starlord line) - and halfway through Joel adjusts Servo's voice back to its original settings, and -with all respect to Conor, who's been great- Josh is one of the kings, the man can deliver a quip like no other, so hearing him was a jolt of joy. Kelsey works as well with the twin masters of the past as she does Emily and Conor - like when she takes the handoff from Josh's “Purple Wall”, with her “Raspberry Doorway”; so, the chemistry is there. And Joel? Well, Joel is Joel, you know him, you love him. He's Joel!
The movie? Imagine a less effective John Constantine as Sam Spade, battling supernatural forces who don't present much of a threat. Honestly, this is more like the kind of no-budget thing Rifftrax would cover, but I'll give the filmmakers points for ambition - the Frankendemon head looks good, and the picture does move from place to place, more than a lot of cheapies, which often stick to a limited set.
Host segments were fine, there was an old-school vibe to them (the sitcom bit recalls "My White Goddess" of season 2 fame). Synthia joins Kinga at the opening, and they're a funny pair, Max pops in briefly to show off an experiment, that an old pro like Joel is wise to. Pearl introduces herself and comes off uncomfortably needy, making Joel long for movie-sign. The personalities here are what sell these sketches.
Livestream: After-show Q&A with Joel, J. Elvis, Emily, and special guests: Demon Squad screenwriter/actor Erin Lilley Smith and director Thomas Smith. Broken into 2 sections, part 1 focuses on the episode, where they talk about the return of Joel and Josh, how they decide who hosts what - Emily throws in her perspective on the film, and more. The second part zeroes in on the movie, and what went into its making. It's a calm, professional and informative conversation, and the Smith's seem like nice people who put their hearts into the production.
Favorite Riffs: "Could you hurry, it kind of hurts" - Joel as Nick lights flame from fingers | "She lives with her mom" - "And her boyfriend, Nosferatu" - Nick/Servo | "Because Nick don't do math" - Joel | "Pennywise, the middle school years" - Crow | "Bed Bath and Begone" - Crow | “My one weakness, a firm but gentle push” - Servo | “Jesus Nick" - ♫ "Superstar"♫ - Lilah/Joel | "Wilhelm!" - Crow | "Wow, Guillermo del Toro's garage sale" - Servo | "I tied up your hands, how are you talking?" - Servo | "I'll just slide myself out" - Joel as Lilah | "Rosebud" - Crow
Favorite Host Segment: The opening, Joel and Larry are big-time hilarious
Amazing Colossal Grade: 3 - It's a step back from the string of pearls we've received since Atlantis. I'd describe the riffing as pleasant, but not epic. Still special for the return of J & J.
