Special Guests:Dr. St. Phibes and Mega-Synthia join in the fun. Livestream guests: Jonah Ray, Hampton Yount, Deanna Rooney, Matt Oswalt, and Rebecca Hanson
Writers: Jonah Ray, Ross Bryant, Matthew Conant, Felicia Day, Ryon Day, Rebecca Hanson, Molly Lewis, Opus Moreschi, Matt Oswalt, Hampton Yount, Dana Querciloi
For all the crying about how bad this movie was, and Jonah's boiling hatred for it... Munchie didn't live down to my lowered expectations. It's dark but not Coleman Francis levels of dark n terrible, more Santa Conquers the Martians stupid and Gamera(s) dark. So no, I wasn't feeling their pain, and the flick was well suited for riffing, inspiring quips about munch-wipes, and schoolkid's reports on workplace ethics. There's also a full monty Shakespeare anecdote, some Flanders speak for a Flanders look-a-like... heck, my list of favorite riffs is loaded with goodies.
But if the flick was causing you harm? They've got you covered, by throwing in reference laced insults (Tom's "gone in 60 seconds" quip) and unleashing their trauma on the title creature.
While not the home run Atlantis was, it's stronger than Robot Wars, and the Crow's, man they are killing it, first Kelsey with the tennis ball short, now Hampton, who delivers the episode's funniest, and cleverest lines.
On the downside, the host segments are not a barrel of laughs, and were all over the place; primarily used to salt the season with plot threads... like, M Waverly and Growler hired as Boneheads, Em and Jonah hatching their scheme and exposing the Mads major weakness, and Pearl throwing in a cryptic comment. The coming payoffs may very well be grand, but the set-up, not so much. Saying that - it was nice to see Dr. St. Phibes again.
Livestream notes: Emily and her bots open the show with a bit about pesky critters, and close it with Crow's corpse (the more amusing of the two, it's funny how Emily has bonded with the duo instantly, while Servo's still getting there). There are new commercials (Synthia mimicking Pearl is always a hoot), and a Q&A that sees Matt McGinnis and Hampton at home, with Jonah, Matt Oswalt, Deanna, and Rebecca gathered together at the studio(?) You get stories of dark birthday parties and Hampton's dislike of Dom Deluise. They also elaborate on their Munchie pain (though, like Joel, I don't get the bellyaching)
Favorite Riffs:"Munchie, a quirky Sundance movie about Munchausen syndrome" - Jonah | "And the winner is" - "La La Land, oh, not again!" - award presenter/GPC | "Boy, there's never a radioactive spider to bite you when you really need it" - Crow | "A crucifix, the ultimate Easter egg" - Crow | "Self wedgie-ing pants, for the nerd on the go" - Crow | "Mama Mia, the pizza she a glow like a the virgin Mary" - Crow as chef | "... hammer, nails, I come prepared" - "Pontious Pilate sends his regards" - Munchie/Jonah | "This is like a Kidz Bop version of Eastern Promises" - Crow | "It's comforting to see Munchie in a body bag" - Jonah | "Hey was that us?" - Crow, after a kid in movie riffs on a talent show
Favorite Host Segment: The Phibes segment? Deanna Rooney is likable in the role, and the bit ties in with the movie. It was also neat seeing the 3 Pearls together, though honestly, the only real laughter I got out of these was from the second livestream skit on the simulator.
Amazing Colossal Grade:3.5
Special Event: A Tribute to Hobgoblins + Short: Court Case
Premiere Date: Friday, May 13, 2022, 5:00 PM PST
Special Guests: Rebecca Hanson, Bill Corbett, Mary Jo Pehl, and Hobgoblins creature designer Ken Hall
"I'm Pearl Forrester and I'm going to ruin your evening", funny... instead she sends Emily and her bots a pretty good short, that's not too short and allows the riffers time to properly engage the thing. It's titled Court Case, and there's little information on it - made in the 70s ('78 according to TMDB), with a run time of 12 min. It's an assembly line film, produced by Penn to show how tennis balls are made. The riffing? Once they build up a head of steam it's a goodie - the Irish in me loved Kelsey's accent, and her "Tell uncle Pauly I got the money, yeaowl!" as a ball gets squeezed was a hoot (heck, Kelsey's Crow voices several winners, from Muppet eyes to rubber cement lung and mechanical hands). Emily scores with her maxi pad observation, and in a cute ode to Father Joel, she tries to shield her bots from a risqué moment. Weeks back Em hosted the best experiment, and now the best short... to date (we'll see how that plays out).
After the short we hook up with our Mad hosts (where Synthia is scratching fleas) before we're sent over to Jonah... wait, Jonah again, I was hoping for Emily since she did the short, but maybe Jonah is going to do all of these events? Ah well, we get skits about Club Scum and such, they're okay, but it's the Mads bookends that brought the most smiles to my face (Rebecca trying to mirror MJs movements, lol)
For the aftershow, Joel calls out sick (get well soon), which is unfortunate as it would have been great to see him connect and ask questions of personable Kenneth J. Hall, who created the creatures in the movie (he explains that there wasn't the money to do a lot of work on the puppets, nor did he do the puppeteering, so that what we saw was a lot of "doll waving", which earns a laugh). He also speaks to his other projects, while Mary Jo and Bill share tales of MST, and the people they riffed on - and in conversations about re-riffs, Rebecca speaks to Eegah! and lets slip that they'll be redoing a classic short this season. This was a much more laid-back Q&A than what we saw the previous night. Calm and reminiscent and equally as enjoyable.
And so, closes the grand opening, now it's time to rest, before returning on May 27th for a brand-new experiment.
May was "Pesky Critters" month at the Gizmoplex - an added treat on the vault pick episodes (the 6 pictured in the middle) were special wraparound intros and outros hosted by Synthia. Called "Sythnia's Selects", these bumpers featured special guests and a mid-episode piece (known as GizmoBlips) where we catch the satellite/simulator crews unaware.
Rebecca's hilarious, and I like the changing text under the names. Jonah talking Ozu on Gamera, and the leprechaun blip during King Dinosaur were both a kick.
Premiere Date: Friday, April 28, 2022, 5:00 PM PST (soft launch - May 8 official launch)
Host: Emily Connor
Special Guests:Jonah Heston / GPC2 makes her first onscreen appearance - April 28 Livestream Q&A: Matt McGinnis, Emily Marsh, Conor McGiffin, Kelsey Ann Brady, Joel Hodgson | May 8 Q&A: Yvonne Freese joins Joel, Emily, Conor & Kelsey (and briefly Joel)
Writers: Tim Ryder, Sara Benincasa, Ross Bryant, Mary Christen, Devon Coleman, Michael Druker, Yvonne Freese, Tammy Golden, Emily Marsh, Hallie Haglund, Paul Sabourin
They're new! But not really, they've been around. And even during Kickstarter appearances you saw these folks had a natural connection, that was only honed during the tour. But for the show proper, Emily, as Connor, makes her debut as host, trapped in Kinga's new "Simulator of Love" with new versions of the Bots, who already know the score (Crow instructs E.C. on button pushing). Ems instantly likable, quick (she has an invention at the ready) and adds a physicality to her hosting skills - I got a kick over her panic at movie sign, it's very theatrical but funny. And her deadpan delivery of Jim Carrey's "Somebody stop me" was just one of several pitch-perfect moments in the theater.
Conor McGiffin's her Servo, he slips comfortably into the role; and proves to be a steady presence and smooth voiced riffer. I also enjoyed his take on the theme song (with added backing, nice). Crow's done by Kelsey Ann Brady, she has a rather cartoonish voice (not an insult, I'm an animation fan), and that might take some time getting used to, but she made me laugh and her spirited vocal energy reminded me of RiffTrax's Janet Varney. Yvonne Freese is heard as GPC (1 & 2)
The jokes? They were freaking hilarious. I love riffing where the references are clever, and the crew are really in sync with the film, and notice the details, like when Patrick Wayne enters a scene with his shirt unbuttoned, and Conor sings a little Tom Jones ("It's not unusual..."). They tackle the sexism, play with the pearls and tease the eyes (bug-eyed islanders on Syrene's regular sized peepers, "How can she even see?") Also... "charcuterie", lmao, knowing when to use a funny sounding word can make all the difference in a riff. This trio is already a well-oiled machine, even with Kelsey joining the studio group late in the game (she did tour with them), the blend works.
GPC2 makes her on-screen debut
Host segs? While there was a lot of deserved buzz over the song "Mothercrabber", and Max's reaction ("We got to get me to the studio, I'm spitting heat!"), the one that got me laughing most was the game show. Kelsey's vocal inflections and line delivery, coupled to Emily's reactions, were priceless. The Jonah/Emily meet-up was cool, the remaining skits were fair, but with moments (Ems beard helmet). Note, the Mads experiment involves a plant with chattering teeth, which echoes Joel's first ever experiment (KTMA), the Man-eating Plant.
The look? With Max and Kinga, I like how their base spins, so you get a sweeping view of their surroundings in the window behind them, you see the Gizmoplex, the Simulator and Emily's ride as it takes off. On the negative, there was excessive movement in the final host seg, with constant tilts and zooms (what is this, Firefly?) I needed some Dramamine with that bit.
The movie was a good fit, providing several pearls to poke fun of (the lamb, the cardinal points, the father/daughter relationship) and cast with actors like Sig Haig and George Nader. Along with John Ashley and Patrick Wayne, who are apparently playing the same person, lol. Though it's a bummer by the end with all that death and destruction and greed, it was easier to sit through than Robot Wars, and was on the receiving end of stronger riff-work.
April 28th Livestream Q&A introduces us to our new Crow, and we get some insights on Kelsey's approach and thoughts on her bot. Joel checks out early, but the trio (with Matt) share some funny stories (Emily mispronouncing WHOM on tour), and are just a fun crew, fun to spend time with.
Oh, and I prefer how the commercials were aired throughout the episode here, rather than lumped together at the middle.
Update May 8- The screener: Picture and audio-wise, the Mads and Emily no longer look so red in the face - Joel's voice has been added to Ardy (and they change his response to Bonesy from "Maybe later buddy", to "Oh, Bonesy, don't go there") - the little video glitches were repaired (none of the freezing and stuttering of the original livestream) - With there being no intermission on these screeners, they need to figure a better way to transition from one bit to the next at mid-point (perhaps just the old spinning moon with music?) Here, Servo shouts, "Crow you're a madman!" and it cuts off abruptly to a black screen, when we return, there's Em with Jonah... I can live with it, but it's jarring.
Livestream Q&A - Same group, but with Yvonne joining in - she and Emily share memories of the writer's room, Kelsey was asked about voicing and puppeteering Crow (though initially Conor was spotlighted, like he was going to answer the question, Haha!) and we learn that she worked for Disney. Conor talks Tom and all the practice he put in, and Emily addresses her character's last name (and others they considered). Again, these folks are funny and informative and my favorite aftershow guests so far. (Plus, no tech issues, so that helped).
"They stuck their little Japanese flags all over me" - Emily
Favorite Riffs: "Not Margaret Keane's best work" - Servo on guy with huge eyes | "Weekend at Bernie's 3, Havana nights" - Emily | "Say, it turns out you can save money on a script by not mic'ing any of the actors, hu?" - Crow | "Uh, Eddie, that's the bidet" - Servo as Ed sits in bath | "It's delayed Beatlemania!" - Crow | "He's wearing half a cape because he's a humble superhero" - Emily | "Do that what's expected of you!" - "This guys obviously never had a teenager" - Nereus to Syrene/Servo | "Hard to argue with your dad when he's in his power clam" - Crow as Syrene | "Nereus buddy, you never going to win this staring contest" - Servo | "Marty Feldman's got terrible aim" - Crow | "My precious" - Crow | "Wanna feel old, this is the Nirvana baby now" - Emily
Favorite Host Segment:Game show parody, "Milk & Honey"
Amazing Colossal Grade:4.25 - I laughed steady and it was even better on a second viewing. This is not only the best of the season to date, but also arguably funnier than anything in season 12 (or at least the equal of Ator)
Premiere Date: Friday, April 1, 2022, 5:00 PM PST (soft launch - May 7 official launch)
Host: Jonah Heston
Special Guests:April 1st Livestream hosts: Matt McGinnis, Gabe Castro & Josh Warner - intro and after-show discussion: Matt, Joel, Ivan & Lesley | May 7th after show: Barbara Crampton w the Matts, Joel & Jonah | In show: 1st appearance of Baron as Dr. Kabahl and Emily Marsh as Emily Connor
Writers:Jonah Ray, Harold Buchholz, Sara Benincasa, Ricky Carmona, Storm Dicostanzo, Billy Lopez, Matt Oswalt, Mary Jo Pehl, Paul Sabourin, Hampton Yount
Soft Launch Review:To start, the in-studio intro was fun, with an off-the-cuff, live TV feel to it (and a glimpse of the band, The Farid Baron Combo). I prefer this over skit-based bits, as there's a clear separation between the Livestream material and the episode proper.
The experiment opens with Max reading an issue of Battlepug (funny, because that comic's creator, Mike Norton, was involved with the art and design of the Gizmoplex). I like the set-up for bringing Emily on board, and Baron was great as Dr. Kabahl (the mysterious financier from the future), much humor was derived from him being a serene, confident knower of all things. In addition, the overall look on the moon -visuals, lighting, etc- was an improvement.
Emily arrives!
The SOL host segs as a whole worked better this episode, though some ran a little long and rambled (it's almost like we've gone back to season 1 or 2). I appreciate that they cut out the fat in the middle (no kitchen sketch) ... though I don't like breaking into the host seg to present ads. Finish the host seg, then go to the commercials. Despite that nitpick, I think the flow of the Livestream was smoother.
In the theater? I didn't find this as rib-tickling as Santo, while the humor's cute in spots (Crow's excitement over seeing his papa) it mostly gave me smiles and chuckles rather than guffaws. Plus, the fan pandering callbacks, and the return to end credits commentary, didn't land in a big way (Jonah's made-up trivia about the inventor of kitty litter was the exception, maybe because I'm a cat fan, but that got a "ha!" out of me). Edit: A viewer said that they added new riffs on the official release version, especially during the end credits. The original Livestream is gone so I can't check and confirm that, however, it did sound a bit fuller, and funnier in that section.
I did like the thermos gag, that quick Pee-Wee Herman laugh, and the John Wayne quips. I noticed too, that the guys frequently went to the movies for their riffs, Thelma and Louise, John Wick, Barb and Star, Annie Get Your Gun, Hannibal Lecter, "Not the bees!"
It probably doesn't help that the flick's a drag, with one of those loathsome sexist creeps as its hero. I didn't have much fun with this picture.
Final thoughts: There's an April Fool's joke near the start (all hail white dot), and at the end, we do see Emily - Love how she was introduced (as a chatty technician, there to install Kinga's latest doohickey) and I hope to see her riffing away next ep.
Joel's intro and the closing conversation clarify the aim of the soft launch and give us some insight into their goals, and the show's identity.
Update May 7- Official launch: No new introduction in this Livestream, but white dot stops by to say "hello, again" and then we are told the projector broke and was being repaired. Soon, Matt assures us that this is like a ride at Disney (lol, Matt is so going get sued (j/k) and it'll be ready to roll shortly.
I checked out both the screener and original Livestream to compare - and while they pull in closer on the Mads segments in the screener (which cuts off the top of Kabahl's helmet), they pull back on the Emily sequence? Also, the first Mads segment is lighter in tone on the screener version.
The special aftershow guest was 'Robot Wars' own Barbara Crampton, who was a little out of synch, but it was still neat to have her join in. With her were Matt and Matt (McGinnis & Oswalt, whose audio, unfortunately, failed or was choppy), and Jonah, and Joel (looking very relaxed).
All told it was a bumpy night; delayed start, tech issues caused a few pregnant pauses in the Q&A. The screen froze and slowed during the film at one point.
Transmission commences in... The original pre-show countdown saw characters pulled on a tether, by either Crow or Servo. BTW, this technique is called -as Joel noted- Papermation.
Favorite Riffs:"I've been on this thing for weeks, Annie" - "I've got 2 whole pictures and some dirt" - Leda (talking about her investigation)/Crow | "You know Drake, sir" - "Not Biblically" - Pritchard/Jonah | "Wa-Lee's having more fun than a 16-year-old at a cat house" - "You know how teens love cats" - Pritchard/Crow | "Jokes on you Wa-Lee, I keep an extra white guy in my bag!" - Jonah as Annie | "I'm going to rock down to, Electric Avenue" - Servo as robot | "Oh I'm going to throw up from my bottom" - Jonah
Favorite Host Segment:Max and Kinga meet Dr. Kabahl (1990s Crystal Vista & The flight attendant bits were good too)
Amazing Colossal Grade:2.5 - The skits were solid, but the riffing was fair at best.
Special Event: A Tribute to Future War + Short: Let's Make a Meal in 20 Minutes
Premiere Date: Thursday, May 12, 2022, 5:00 PM PST
Special Guests:Jonah, Emily, Kelsey, Yvonne, and Conor
The second Livestream for "events week" is the delayed tribute to Future War, with Let's Make a Meal in 20 Minutes, which stars the daughter from A Date with Your Family. This is a very short short (not sure if they edited this as they did with the previous one, it seems intact, and Simmel-Meservey made a few quickies like this; see Let's Make a Sandwich, lol, yes that's a real short). This is another covered by Jonah and crew, and there are some cute to be heard (Hampton's line about Georgia O'Keefe, and Sally tackling an usher, Jonah's quick "yum?" and Baron's panicked reaction when Sally notices the time). However, with its scant runtime there no time for our riffers to get into the flow, it's more like, rush in, empty your quiver and before you know it... done. It's a tasty meal, but not very filling.
The event was originally scheduled to be part of "Dystopian Futures" month in April (with 6 curated classic episodes, under the heading "Vault Picks") - as with the Manos tribute, we get new host segments from Pearl n' Synthia (with cameo from Dr. Kabahl, yay), and Jonah and his bots, who discuss the 90s, dystopias, and sponsorship (in reference to the Droppy sketch - I got a laugh out of Crow's line, "I sprinkle plenty")
I've not watched the experiment in quite a while, so I was happy to revisit it, it's a funny one.
The aftershow Q&A was a madhouse, marked by audio issues, but eventually, we hear a letter read by Tom Servo, the first of the new era. Topics included tour activities, plaids, impressions (Yvonne kills with her Emily, and the bit closes with a gang doing their Joels, all at the same time). Special for me, I had a question featured, I asked "If you were involved in a Future War, what action hero would you want at your side?" (and I love the answers, Emily apparently really likes Chuck Norris as this is the second times she's name dropped him, Conor went with Charlize Theron from Atomic Blonde, Jonah selected Emily Blunt from Live, Die, Repeat, Kelsey wantsUma Thurman from Kill Bill, and Matt took Bruce Campbell. Yvonne didn't chime in, but for mine, I'd go with Milla, Alice from Resident Evil.)
Jotting down a few thoughts about the MST shorts, Behind the Scenes at the Supermarket and A Busy Day at the County Fair, which were made for the Migizi fundraiser, and shown during Joel's second annual puppet camp (which was a mixed bag - Joel gushing over Wayne White (for good reason) was a highlight, because it was funny to see him geek out over something he has a real passion for (and I agree, Randy rocks!) The grim Jack-O-Lantern song was another laugh, but it was the 2 shorts that brought me to the show, as it paired Joel Hodgson (Robinson) with original Servo Josh Weinstein and Sci-Fi era Crow, Bill Corbett)
I forgot there were two versions of Supermarket, done by a different trio of riffers (Migizi 2020 & Turkey Day 2020), so I gave both a listen to refresh my memory. My opinion? Team Emily's take was okay, but Joel, Josh and Bill's was a little sweeter. The Pete Davidson line, for example, is funnier than the Tony the Tiger riff for the same scene, and Bill teasing the way the narrator pronounces the word "vegetables", with Josh coming back to that by adding "and the extra syllables removed", was cute. Emily does score with a cutting, dark line, as Johnny helps with the boxes ("Dad, how is this going to help us find my sister?"), plus she got in a Beatles riff... "All the lonely food, where does it all come from... Eleanor Rigby, the Beatles, thank you", so that's another plus.
However, it was A Busy Day at the County Fair (Migizi, with no re-riff), that I'd crown the king of the night. It was a real crackup, with big money cockfighting, snowflakes, Hugh Heffer, and a kid working out his father issues, as just a few of the riff-skewed perspectives that made this a winner.
And all told, how wonderful was it to have Bill's Crow riffing with a Josh's Servo?
Premiere Date: Friday, March 4, 2022, 5:00 PM PST (soft launch - May 6 official launch)
Host: Jonah Heston
Special Guests:March 4th Livestream - Mary Jo Pehl, Joel Hodgson, Matt McGinnis, Josh Warner, Lesley Kinzel, Tim Ryder & Rebecca Hanson, Ivan Askwith (voice during Q&A), Cheryl & Mike at the end - May 6th Livestream: Joel, Jonah, Hampton, Rebecca, Felicia
Writers: Tim Ryder, Harold Buchholz, Mary Christen, Devon Coleman, Yvonne Freese, Tammy Golden, Emily Marsh, Matt Oswalt, Howie Michael Smith - Consulting writer: Elliot Kalan (all eps)
Soft launch review - And so it begins, a new chapter in the life of MST3K, with a new home... several new homes to be exact, with the Gizmoplex proper set to open its doors to the public in May.
After plugging the laptop into the TV, I waited with bated breath, then Joel came on the screen making with the introduction, aaand... white dot? Technical difficulties right out the gate (not unexpected), but hey we had some laughs in the forums about that.
After about 20 minutes the experiment begins and the first thing I notice is that this pandemic era episode has a rather flat n' cheapish greenscreen look to it, not so slick and busy as the Netflix years, it's like the cowtown puppet show for the digital age. Practical sets would be preferred, but this is what we have, and I can live with it.
First impressions - the host segments are still a weakness (on rewatches I've come around on the host segs) the riffing was steady and the chemistry in the theater was at peak form. GPC doesn't drop off a payload but did deliver a killer Watchmen riff, Servo doesn't fly willy-nilly, riff delivery had a nice rhythm, and wasn't overstuffed - all told this was more akin to classic MST.
As with the first Santo ep (Samson vs. the Vampire Women), you get good quipping, coupled to an enjoyable, cheesy flick that does a lot of the heavy lifting and works with the riffers (like the guys noting how Santo is just sitting back and watching this horror play out).
At the halfway point, we get an intermission: Mary Jo as Pearl joins Synthia for ads, while Joel, Matt McGinnis, and Josh Warner as Santo, have a cooking n' soda segment, which is goofy (Mountain Don't, lol), but runs long and kills the momentum. I was itching to get back to the episode.
The Livestream included a Q&A with stories about the challenges of getting the show up and running, talk about the new door sequence, and a sneak peek at the soon to arrive virtual theater.
UPDATE: April 11th - I gave Santo 2.0 a listen & look through, and it's much improved - sound levels between movie and riffing are better, as is the synching. And did they tweak the color in the Mads segments, the lighting on faces and such appear warmer to my eye?
Still no end credits or stinger, but I laughed even harder with this viewing, there's a lot of sharp material at the start (the doctor pretending to be blind; the Heathers reference), which continues in the hilarious visit to the past. The riffing stays strong through the final act ("Usually I'm not a veal guy, but..." - Jonah. Plus, the 'Partridge family ruffles' line was a funny I missed hearing on my first watch).
While I appreciate that they want to make the live events special for us, I was more tuned in and better able to enjoy the experiment without the wraparounds and intermission.
UPDATE: May 6th - Official launch version: The bugs have been worked out, audio is perfection, visuals are sharper, and we are brought closer to the actors in the host segments (so I've updated my screengrabs). We now have credits and a stinger (Santo and pals are beset upon by thugs). The Gizmoplex takes another step towards completion. The ticket booth was revealed, banners for May's vault picks were added, to go along with the standees... the lobby looks smart! (BTW, am I the last to notice that the carpet in the screening bunkers come from The Shining? lol)
The Livestream opens with Joel, with a model, giving the Gizmoplex tour, and closes with a brand new aftershow Q&A. Ads are now spread across the episode, the mid-episode kitchen sketch from the soft launch was removed, but there's a 4+ minute intermission with papermations.
"That is the coolest cremation furnace I've ever seen" - Jonah
Favorite Riffs:"He's like a Hershey's Kiss in a suit" - Jonah | "Okay just smash buttons until something happens" - Servo | "I have veartego" - Crow | "Look at that, she's a two-prong outlet" - Crow | 'If you brought marshmallows we can make s'mores out of our doors" - Jonah | "We interrupt Mexican Odd Couple for this important bulletin" - Servo | "Most of wrestling is just different types of hugs" - Crow | "We didn't touch your reffoosh" - Jonah | "Is the hubcap dating the second unit director?" - Jonah | And the quips with the kid at bedtime were a hoot
Favorite Host Segment:Mean Jonah and the bots as complimentary wrestlers - (I also laughed at how Frank-like Max was (gullibly ordering what the SOL is selling in the QVSanto skit)
Amazing Colossal Grade:3.5 for the episode on its own; new Livestream version was scaled down and was a smoother watch (though the Q&A dragged on, with the backer roll call at the end)
Special Event: A Tribute to Manos + Short: Pipeline to the Clouds
Premiere Date: Friday, March 18, 2022, 5:00 PM PST (soft launch - May 11 official launch)
Special Guests:Jackey Neyman-Jones, with Matt, Joel, Mary Jo, Rebecca, White Dot, and Jonah and the Bots
During the countdown to transmission, we were treated to a delightful paper cut-out pre-show, featuring all our favorites (including Dr. F and Frank) gadding about the moon to space jazz - there were ads, a link to the Torgo pizza recipe, and a giant Tom Servo hand that pushed cut-out Joel into a crater. (This material was removed in the rebroadcast)
Pearl and Synthia host the evening, Pearl explains her evil scheme (the short of the month club) then introduces nu-MSTs first one-reeler *, Pipeline to the Clouds, which is like Chinatown without the incest (funny that a Chinatown riff is heard in Manos, not Pipeline). Jonah, Baron, and Hampton's work on the piece runs hot and cold - Tom's Count von Count, for example, became annoying right quick, and the Tex Avery-esque reactions to the ladies made me wince - on the other hand, Crow's "All dead", Servo's line about cloud babies who urinate life-giving water, and Jonah's little citizen and citizen juice riffs, were rib-ticklers. Also, as a western film fan, "the rare Spaghetti Industrial" riffwas right up my alley. For social commentary, the trio level a few clever and cutting topical slams, one directed atNestlé, the other, a sarcastic bon mot on humankind's selfless nature.
After the short, white dot makes a cameo appearance (ha), and then it's off to the land of Manos, which was the episode, sans the Kickstarter-style watch party. MJ & Rebecca do show up during the breaks to set up the commercials, and Jonah and the Bots put on a skit for good and evil month (the theme of March's 'Vault Picks' - featuring Human Duplicators, She-Creature, Hercules Against the Moon Men, Teenagers from Outer Space, Outlaw of Gor and Zombie Nightmare). Other original host segs? Jonah helps the bots work through their Manos trauma, the gang assemble their monster hunter teams, and later attempt some backward masking... all of these were, okay, but combined with MJ and Rebecca's routines, well, it's a bit much, a bit cluttered, and I found myself zoning out in spots.
I watched at the Kingadome, and I like the look of it - I started in zoom-out mode for the intros, just to drink it all in, then zoomed in once it got going. It gives a feeling of being in a theater which creates a nice, fun atmosphere.
Overall, a decent, if exhausting, 3-hours spent - classic episode, new short, opening night for a new theater, chatting with friends over a slice of Torgo's pizza... topped off with Jackey Neyman-Jones joining Matt, Joel, and Mary Jo for a post-experiment Q&A, where I was regaled with tales of MST and Manos and the fruits of that perfect marriage.
Hard to believe that I've been running this site for 20 years! And what a fun ride it's been. MJs started off as a lark, a single page of reviews jotted on free space provided by WebTV. Later -when I noticed old MST3K sites disappearing- I thought I should do my part to keep the fires burning for this amazing show. So I expanded the reviews to give each episode its own page.
After 2 years I moved to Geocities and gave the place a complete makeover - with trivia, quotes, riff explanations, awards (grades), and more.
The following is a trip down memory lane.
* March 2002 Mighty Jack's is born and open to public viewing on WebTV. The first write-ups were just a paragraph long, with no episode images - the only pictures were provided by WebTV (I remember a TV with static). The background was a starfield. Eventually, I added the title screencap from the Mighty Jack episode to act as a banner.
The first-ever review was likely The Brain That Wouldn't Die. And you know what? That original paragraph remains in the review to this day. I added notes, but never expanded or dug deeper in analyzing the riffing. I probably should do that, but there's a charm in knowing that something from the original MJs survives. So it's slight but sweet. (and if you're longing for a fuller breakdown of the movie and quips, David's written a stellar piece at his Blog).
* In 2004 I change the banner to the TV with slideshow images - around that time I decided to expand the site and moved to Geocities. I thought I had a permanent home until they stopped website hosting on October 26, 2009
* From Nov 2009 to August 2014 Yahoo hosted the site, free for a spell, then they started charging. I stayed until a price increase. Here's how that page looked in 2011.
* sometime around Oct 2010 I changed the banner to the current one with Glenn Manning. Funny that Glenn has become the blog's spokesperson rather than a character from Mighty Jack - it's an inconsistency, but I'm okay with that.
Mighty Jack was my first forum name, I liked the sound of it, and at least on that forum (from the sci-fi channel), the episode was not well-loved. So I adopted it, kept it when I started the website. And sure, logically the blog should be renamed something amazing or colossal, but I started as MJ and I'm sticking with MJ.
* Aug 9, 2014, I make the move to Google Blogger and then retire. Briefly adding to the KTMA page on May 24, 2018 - go away again, not to return until May 2021 to do massive updates.
Here are a few images from the past.
The Cheese-O-Rama clickable banner, circa 2006 (I was not a master banner maker, but I did my best)
A couple of episode page headers that amused me, circa 2007, 2008.
Remember the old Giant Spider's page? It had a little Volkswagon next to the title logo, and the Packers color scheme. There was a small Packers pennant Easter egg (if you clicked on it, you'd hear a sound clip of the guys saying "PACKERS! WOO HOO!"). Other Easter Eggs included "Time for go to bed" when you clicked on Tors head. And Clay saying "I'm a naughty, naughty boy!" when you pressed the small clipboard image on the "This Island Earth" page.
My first MST was either The Amazing Colossal Man or The Movie: This Island Earth, the first review I mentioned up top. My final MST3K episode was The Human Duplicators.And what a bittersweet moment, it was a great way to end the journey, but, it was the end, there would never be another MST episode to discover (or so I thought).
After that write up I figured I was done - aside from some dibs and dabs - book reviews, lists, and such, that was the end of it.
Then in 2006, this happened...
It began with several humorous commentary tracks Mike did for Legend films starting in 2004, which blossomed into Rifftrax. Then came the Film Crew and Cinematic Titanic in 2007. In 2015 the Mads reunited and went on tour, and eventually, there came a new era of MST3K... Riffing was thriving and MJs was busy as a bee again.
Over the decade's new websites sprung to life, and were so thorough with the trivia and annotations, that they made MJs obsolete in many ways. But it's still here, somehow, someway, Mighty Jack's survived several moves, and a years-long retirement, and hung in there long enough to celebrate a 20th anniversary. Who'd a thunk it?
And to all the readers, and all the friends I made on the forums, thank you - for joining me on the journey - thank you, for the contributions you made, and thank you, for celebrating this with me. You're the best, and very much appreciated.
20 Most Read MST3K Reviews since 2014
1. Jack Frost 1.441
2. Final Sacrifice - 1.428
3. Violent Years 1.409
4. Invasion of the Neptune Men 1.345
5. Quest of the Delta Knights 1.330
6. Werewolf 1.305
7. The Pumaman 1.297
8. Zombie Nightmare 1.272
10. Space Mutiny 1.267
11. Overdrawn at the Memory Bank 1.250
12. The Screaming Skull 1.249
13. Creeping Terror 1.248
14. Code Name: Diamondhead 1.229
15. Pod People 1.219
16. Incredibly Strange Creatures 1.217
17. Time Chasers 1.207
18. The Thing That Couldn't Die 1.197
19. Girl in Gold Boots 1.195
20. The Touch of Satan 1.194
What about Manos? It's at 998, Mitchell? 874, Hobgoblins? 1.139, which is just behind I Accuse My Parents 1.191, The She-Creature 1.167, and Track of the Moon Beast, Mighty Jack & Cave Dwellers, all tied with 1.164 at this posting.
* The scientist offers up a bunch of "maybe" explanations, and Tom adds "Maybe I’m amazed at the way I really need you?"
* During Retilicus' rampage, the guys sing a series of songs from the film "A Hard Day's Night" as crowds of people run through the streets - "It’s been a hard day’s Reptilicus", and "Can’t buy me Reptilicus, everybody tells me so, can’t buy me Reptilicus, no no no … no!"
* Then Servo does Yakov Smirnoff, "In Denmark, the Beatles chase you."
* And finally, Jonah observes, "People used to run through the streets screaming a long time before the Beatles, you know, and this is what it used to look like."
1102 - Cry Wilderness
* "Where's Paul?" - "Paul is dead, check the album cover" - Mr. Douglas/Jonah at start of film (the album is "Abbey Road", the clues were everywhere, this conspiracy theory even found its way into a Batman comic in 1970)
1103 - The Time Travelers I didn't hear one
1104 - Avalanche None that I heard
1105 - The Beast of Hollow Mountain None
1106 - Starcrash * "I read the news again today, oh boy!" - Servo, as ship crashes, shortly after Stella and Cowboy-Bot leap from craft.
1107 - The Land That Time Forgot * There's a callback to a quip from Gamera vs. Zigra (season 3), “We all die in a Yellow Submarine” (from MJ & Torgo)
1108 - The Loves of Hercules * "So when does Paul McCartney come in?" - Crow as the SoL crew watch an episode of Wings during opening
1109 - Yongary Alice Cooper, Devo, Ramones, Simon and Garfunkel... all my favorites show up, except the Beatles
1110 - Wizards of the Lost Kingdom * "The Outlaw George Harrison" - Crow, as a man (who looks like George) and wife are attacked by bandits - scene echoes the opening of The Outlaw Josey Wales
1111 - Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II * When our heroes sneak into a prison, Servo sings "She came in through the dungeon window"
* "My parents wanted me to ask you if you could turn down your Ravi Shankar music?" - Crow as Tyor to Freyja as he searchers for a sword
* A Hard Day's Night is name dropped by Max in the final host segment
1112 - Carnival Magic * "Rainn Wilson is Sgt Mark David Chapman" - Crow, on Cop who chases a driving Alex (course this is not a happy reference, as MDC was John Lennon's murderer)
1113 - The Christmas That Almost Wasn't * "Money can't buy me love" - Jonah as Prune, after the lawyer Whipple accuses him of being a tightwad and he rejects the notion
1114 - At the Earth's Core * "All we are saying, is give peace a chance" after Doug punches the sly one, and the others look on. They reprise the tune after the slaves resume walking.
1201 - Mac and Me None
1202 - Atlantic Rim * "We all live in a partly yellow submarine" - J&TB as a partly yellow sub descends into the deep, at the 5:47 mark
1203 - Lords of the Deep * "Told you we shouldn't have let Ringo drive" - Jonah with a British accent, during a scene where we see an abandoned yellow sub
* Jonah grabs a sitar and the gang sings an Eastern flavored blob song, that at one point mirrors Harrison's "Within You Without You"
1204 - The Day Time Ended While there were several funny music and band related quips, the Beatles were not among them
1205 - Killer Fish * As identically dressed men walk through a scene, Jonah quips "Sure we're ready boss, but is the world ready for our Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Bee Gees cover band, I mean what are even doing here, come on!?"
* As a couple of characters run through an airport terminal, Tom sings, "Can't Buy Me Love"
1206 - Ator, The Fighting Eagle * Jonah sings, "Turn off your mind relax and float downstream", after a Witch drugs Ator
Behind the Scenes at the Supermarket: Turkey Day 2020 Version
"All the lonely food, where does it all come from... Eleanor Rigby, the Beatles, thank you" - Emily
1301 - Santo in the Treasure of Dracula * "Menudo does Abby Road" - Crow as heroes walk towards a cave
1302 - Robot Wars * "Paul is dead?" - Servo as Wa-Lee
* "Anyway, here's Wonderwall" - GPC, this is actually an Oasis riff, but the songs title was inspired by George Harrison's solo album Wonderwall Music.
* "Ian Flounder's James Pond in "Live and Let Dive" - Servo (Paul did the song for the movie, Live and Let Die)
1304 - Munchie * During the invention exchange, about environmentally friendly rock equipment, Crow says, "No more rain forests gently weeping because a guitarist had to work out his aggression on stage" (a tip of the hat to Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps")
* "Woke up, got out of bed, I soon wished that I was dead" - Jonah as kid
* "Munchie in the sky with diamonds" - Jonah, as flying jeep soars through the Heavens
1305 - Doctor Mordrid * None that I heard
1306 - Demon Squad * None that I heard
1307 - Gamera vs Jiger * "We're all working on the yellow submarines..." - all - sang during a scene where a crew tinker on small yellow subs
* During a host seg the cast sing, "We all live on the Satellite of Love"
* “Peace and love, no photos” – Servo doing Ringo as kids on bike ride up to a yellow sub
1308 - The Batwoman * "Kelp, I need somebody" - "I get by with a little kelp from my friends" - Servo puns on as Batwoman swims under the sea, much to the dismay of Emily and Crow
1309 - The Million Eyes of Su-Maru * "It's just some band called the Quarrymen, pay them no mind" - Crow, during club scene
1310 - The Shape of Things to Come * None
1311 - The Mask 3D * "Number nine, number nine" said during the first freaky mask 3D sequence
* "Baby I can drive my car" - Crow as doctor
1312 - The Bubble * None
1313 - The Christmas Dragon
* Crow "So this is Christmas!" - Servo - "And what have you done", said during movie sign
* "Simply having a wonderful Christmas time" - Emily & the bots, singing this Macca holiday song whenever disaster strikes
I'm starting up a new page for Mike, Kevin, and Bill's Riffrax feature releases, beginning with 2021. I'm not watching everything, and I won't review them all. Just the high points, with a brief overview of the bangers and busts for each season.
2021
Dangerous Men
Release date: November 12, 2021
Viewers should know going in how unpleasant this movie is - it's scuzzy, rapey, violent... it's also ineptly and hilariously edited, scripted, and acted. Lead characters come and go, scenes start and end abruptly, there's a butt knife, even the music is stupidly funny - and the one to blame for it all goes by the unlikely name of John Rad (make note of that, because he's barely credited). The riffing is devilishly snarky and delightfully facetious, they give it just what it deserves.
Copper Mountain
Release date: November 19, 2021
While the guys have fun teasing Jim Carrey, it's the music, and a running gag on one band in particular that earns the biggest laughs. To call Mountain a movie is a stretch, it's more an hour-long commercial -slash- variety show, with music and a comedy act.
Dancin' - It's On!
Release date: December 23, 2021 "it's like if Dawsons Creek had head trauma" - Bill MK&B saved their best of the year, for last. This clunky dance musical from the director of Space Mutiny, features one of the martial artists from Santa's Summer House, Gary Daniels; so that's a beautiful combination right there. However, Daniels is an acting ace compared to the mannequin who plays Danny - phew, he was a hoot all on his own, even without the riffing, which is very steady.
I've always enjoyed the musical moments in MST eps, and it's been a highlight with Rifftrax (High School Musical, Crossroads, and Bridget and Mary Jo's Teen-Ager series), there's just something delightfully silly about people breaking out in dance from out of the blue - and the characters (grumpy bald guy), forced melodrama, bad dishwashing (just a few plates at a time) and the "try being a lesbian" song make it all the more delightful.
"You did it" - "You entertained some morons" - Pops/Mike
Oh, and I love the Peanuts inspired poster by artist Adam Koford
2021 in review:In addition to those I highlighted above, I enjoyed The Minion, Mirror, Mirror, and Frozen Scream.
Gumbi, Invaders from Mars, Plankton, Atomic Eden, and Savage were fine, but I wasn't overly thrilled with Hobgoblins Live, Fungicide, Father Frost, Money Plane, or Max Havoc.
Baby Ghost, Double Dragon and Maximum Revenge were busts. Universal Solider 2 I've been unable to finish.
2022
Fugitive Rage
Release date: January 14, 2022
"'The Little Bitch in Prison' was the name of my failed children's book" - Mike
Rifftrax starts off the new year with an idiotic movie that'll have you thinking, "The hell? What was the point of any of this?" That it doesn't make a lick of sense is to MK&B benefit. Clumsy dialogue, lapses in logic, and an actress whose go-to reaction is the eye roll - add it all up and it equals laughs aplenty.
MSTies will get a kick out of seeing Katherine Victor (Batwoman) and Ross Hagan... though Ross is a complete dirtbag, and not all that fun. And yes, the movie can be angering (I dislike seeing women punched in the face, time and time again) - the Trax drifts in spots, there are points where the quips aren't as sharp - though thankfully it rights itself for the big finish. So, while not quite a comedy masterpiece, it's still a keeper.
Also recommended: Pair it up with another recent release, Beginning Responsibility: Taking Care of Things - a very funny short about a very irresponsible kid.
A Dangerous Man
Release date: April 29, 2022
"And see if that body can start for the Mariners tonight" - Mike
Steven Seagal is a walking riff, with his slurred 'tough guy' delivery of the stupidest dialogue you'll ever hear, coupled to some slappy, edit-enhanced martial arts ("You know a movie fight probably shouldn't need 700 individual shots" - Kevin), and you can't miss with this, even on Mike, Bill and Kevin's worse day, they couldn't miss with this. Words can't do justice to how douchy and dumb the flick is, and what a self-aggrandizing, objectifying pig Seagal comes off as, I mean, the lone memory of his ex is a nude scene... he doesn't think about how smart or funny or talented she was, just that she was great to leer at.
The riffing is killer, the trio grabs hold of every rotten thing and unleashes verbal hell upon it, just as it deserves. And while Seagal is the largest and easiest target, they also tease Seattle, teal flashbacks, and the cigar dipshit.
Good:The Retrievers (violent, tonally off its nut - riff-wise, while not steady enough to be considered a 'banger', there's a lot of energy here and several big laughs - "If you shined a black light in this room, it would explode instantly" - Kevin - and, as a girl blows on her birthday cake, "I wish that mercenary soldiers wouldn't ruin my big day... oh come on!" - Mike. Plus, Bill unveils a killer new slogan for Golden Coral)
Rapid Assault (another from Fred Olen Ray -Fugitive Rage- features an Italian scooter helmet and an underwater lair that calls to mind the ship interiors in Space Mutiny) -I also liked, Jurassic Shark, and The Return of Swamp Thing (live)
Fair: Cannibal World, Robot Monster, Split Second, Universal Solider 3, Mikey, Winterbeast, Amityville: The Evil Escapes (a 2022 release of a 2021 live show), and Cats (though Bill's, "Aaah, bring back the Hays Code!" was one of the finest riffs of the season)
Busts: Day of the Assassins, Project Eliminator, The Monster's Christmas
2023
Good: Bog, Destination Inner Space, Nightwish,RoboCop: The TV Show, Samson and Delilah, and Apex Predators(biggest laugh... "Mrs. Kitner made a few changes after Alex got eaten" - Kevin -then- "Okay, that's a big syringe" - Bill)
Fair: Rad (live), Ironheart, Gangster World, In the Line of Duty 2: The Super Cops, The X from Outer Space (though the laser chicken stuff was a hoot), Demon Island
Busts: None
While I didn't find a classic in 2023, there were several highs, that offered laughs and cheesiness aplenty.
2024
I've purchased a few, The Brain from Planet Arous, The Little Mermaid (got a kick out of Bill's, "Rembrandt's masterpiece, the fancy baby"), The Demons of Ludlow (with funny quips like, "Welcome back to America's favorite show 'Carol Kane takes a Nap'" - Kevin - and the Peter Dinklage line's a classic) - as well as the shorts collection Grimtrax, and continuing to buy each chapter of the Captain Marvel serial as they are released (I've enjoyed them quite a bit)
Episode 1: The Failed Film Festival
Dumb Industries Chris Gersbeck, the man behind The Mads Livestreams, brings us a brand new show from another MST3Ks alumnus, the incomparable Mary Jo Pehl. Premiering on Twitch, Aug 24th, 2021, and hosted by her pal from Austin, Robert Faires, the first episode is a retrospective of projects she's worked on over the years - from an early sketch comedy troupe, "The Boneless Hamms", to a short titled "Lipstick" - from "RenFest", to Ruth Larson and her "Vuh-log", and finally, my favorite, the hilarious "America Obscurious" which should have been picked up by someone - it's centered around a bunch of found footage, which MJs character builds a false and funny history for. ("Dolls on turtles" was the tagline of the night).
MJ is joined by many faces familiar to MSTies... Trace, Gruber, Kevin, Bridget, you'll even spot some costumes by Beez. Wonderful opening episode, much fun, and frivolity, which highlights what an incredibly talented and clever woman Mary Jo Pehl is - even if networks and streaming sites have failed to appreciate that fact, we fans have always been in the know.
Episode 2: Mary Jo Reads From Her Junior High School Diary
Mary Jo Pehl was a teenage existentialist. MJ is joined by special guests who take turns reading her diary entries - pals like Beez, Howie Michael Smith, Martha Kelly, Devon Coleman, and Dave 'Gruber' Allen. The readings were dramatic, amusing, and conversational, with God, psychology, Roddy MacDowell, and the Vikings among the journal topics (etc, etc, etc). It was a charmer, a cute idea that worked out pretty well. At the end, there was a lecture on puns, a brief Q&A, and a giveaway... a lucky viewer won a wooden urn, handcrafted by Mary Jo's father (and our friend MST3K Temple drew a laugh out of that).
Note: Twitch is also hosting Movie Jo Night's, which didn't work out for me (buffering issues) so I can't comment on that, but be aware, it's another fun thing they are doing. For this show, there were a couple of technical difficulties, brief freezing, but overall, it came off nicely.
Episode 3: Ruth Larson Lives! For the third episode, we watch 7 "vepisodes" of Ruth Larson's "vah-log". The heart of this one runs about a half-hour, with another 40 mins of Q&A in total. We've seen some of these in the first MJP show, but they're still a kick, and it's a joy to hear the backstories and such in between. Oh, and I love Sandy Thomas's concerned/confused expression during the last episode (while holding a Joey Fatone doll), she cracked me up.
I enjoyed the back half as much as the vuh-log section, Mary Jo's a great conversationalist, sharp as a tack, and funny. Also, there was another giveaway, a MJP Show T-Shirt (and the previous shows winner sent in an unboxing video) - lastly, while I'm unable to attend them, the next Movie Jo Night will be a showing of "VelociPastor"
Episode 4: Mary Jo Cooks a Mystery Recipe So, the title says it all, MJ didn't know what she was cooking... Chris sent her envelopes with ingredients (like official Viking's wieners) and instructions, with a final reveal, hence the mystery. It's a cute idea and it has its funny moments (especially at the end when Mary Jo decides to send Chris some of it). This week's giveaway was a TV Guide where MJ was a clue in the crossword, and we get another unboxing from the previous winner.
Episode 5: To Tell the Truth This post-Christmas release was a bit too rough, there were technical difficulties and screw-ups, it wasn't all that interesting a topic (a take-off on the game show, in which they did only a single segment) and despite Bill Corbett being one of the panelists, only mildly funny. Chris thought it was super awesome, but I was not as impressed.
This month's giveaway was a pooping troll - a Christmas gift from MJs dad (BTW, Jim Gaffigan did a funny bit on these things in one of his stand-up specials) - The unboxing was cute, as was the reveal of her new product (transparent logo stickers that turn everything into merch), but all told, this was an awkward, fumbling presentation, and the show might benefit from being pre-recording rather than sticking with the live format.
Episode 6: Partridge Family Book Club The MJPS bounces back from last month's "m'eh", with one of their finest and funniest. In this, the first episode of 2022, Mary Jo and her pals discuss all things Partridge - the show, the music, and of course, the tie-in novels - and boy was it a blast, with the book quotes the highlight of the evening. My only complaints, Kay didn't get to say a lot, and the segment ended too soon. I was having such a good time, it was so upbeat and silly, that I was sorry to see it end. Also, I think it helped to pre-record the piece, it ran much smoother doing it that way. The giveaway? Mary Jo's copy of The Haunted Hall
As for my own personal Partridge history - while I never read the books, I do remember that Partridge Family/Brady Bunch hour on TV, and my family had several of their LPs, I Think I Love You was such a great tune, and when I eventually did my own music thing, it was one of the songs we covered.
Episode 7: Chris Gersbeck: The Reckoning
Chris's 6-month employee review, a month late - Mary Jo checks references, which means she calls on Dave Hill, Kevin Allison, Trace, and Frank to get the low down (think, celebrity roast). Hill speaks to Chris's darker, naughtier side, Kevin's all about hygiene and the absurdist qualities, Trace is succinct, Frank is detailed.
The known (cats) are discussed, and there are surprise reveals (one word, "Garfunkel"). After this, we are shown the job interview, which covers the same material. The final portion addresses whether Chris retains his job, before it closes with giveaways and announcements.
So, overall, it was funny, until it wasn't. Chris seems like a cool cat, and he can be amusing in spots, but as a comedic actor, doing a bit, not so much - his and MJs interview was pretty awkward (and the whole 'balls deep' thing was just, ugh, really dumb and juvenile). On the positive, many of the references, especially Frank and Kevin... that section carried the episode.
Episode 8: Ask MJ (Almost) Anything This month's episode sees Mary Jo fielding questions from fans and colleagues that cover a wide range of topics, like toilet paper, and ghosts. We also learn a lot about Ms. Pehl on a personal level, from her love of chocolate to her unreasonable pizza grudge, and that Trace just might be living in her attic. *
The show is (mostly) conversational than skit based, the vibe, freewheeling - at one point, MJ runs off to retrieve some art hanging in her kitchen, leaving us with an empty chair on one side, and Chris on the other, before a 'please stand by' message fills the screen - but that's all part of its charm.
BTW Chris redeems himself as a comedic actor, more at ease, his delivery and timing beg comparisons to Bill Murray... 's gardener (but I tease, no, seriously, his segment's a hoot). And as the show descends into a drunken free-for-all (Ha), polls are conducted (the next Movie Jo Night will be Heatwave with Ben Murphy) and we are shown a trio of clever and entertaining unboxing videos, I especially enjoyed the one with the Partridge Family book and the place of honor it was given.
* Postscript - if you haven't guessed, I'm being playful with this overview, she does talk about life as the daughter of a Mayor, as well as the forces that drove her to comedy.
Episode 9: Watch Vintage Ads With MJ A confluence of disasters forced a change of topic, which now sees Mary Jo and Chris riffing and discussing vintage commercials. These are done live, not pre-written, so it's not a riffing powerhouse, more just hanging out, and watching the weird. Of the ads, the Punk CD was a favorite, it was so, so wrong (from the music selected to the wig the upset punk is wearing) and that's what makes it so right. There is also a string of coffee commercials, where Folgers shames wives and saves marriages. And Robert Logia and Paul Stanley... 'nuff said. The show closes with the usual polls, giveaways (Lynda Barry's book "What It Is?"), and a couple of fun unboxing videos. So, there you go.
Episode 10: Game Show Night
It's another game show, show, and I was feeling this one more than the last. There were a lot of laughs and a lot of energy and accidental comedy (like when Chris corrects Mary Jo to point out that only 'cents' are on the line). Anyhoo, the game is "The One Dollar Pyramid" and it pits Jonah Ray and Deana Dolphin against Rebecca Hanson and Kevin Smith (no, not that Kevin Smith), and as previously noted, it was loads of fun.
In closing, l feel I have to unleash my inner nerd and cat fan by pointing out that one of the answers, "Orangy" was a big feline star back in the day, starring in such films as Breakfast at Tiffany's and This Island Earth, which MST3K (the Movie) covered.
Episode 11: Mary Jo Cooks Another Mystery Recipe
The Mary Jo Pehl Show without Mary Jo Pehl, who's off attending a family reunion. She filmed an intro that, mm, well... moving on. I skipped through this episode a lot, it's the lowlight of the series, lifted briefly by a short, pre-taped segment where Bridget Nelson Jones joins MJ to prepare another weird recipe. There's not much to it, though I got a smile watching these pals making each other laugh and having a good time.
Episode 12: Mary Jo Reads from Her New Book, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!
I want to quote Patton's Rommel line here, but in a nicer way, "Pehl you magnificent... uh, um, person, I read your book!" And it was a delight, it's warm, wise, and funny, I enjoyed it as much as Employee of the Month and Other Big Deals and like Chris said, she really brings you into this time and place, with this person (and her family). While I just read it and am familiar with the stories, it was still a fun night, with taped guest readings (I loved seeing Tim Kazurinski, he was hilarious on SNL, I've always felt he should have received more love for his time there).
And if the show inspires folks to pick up the book, all the better. It's a really good read. (Oh, and I too got a laugh out of the 0 she gave one of my favorite writer's books, Peter Straub (co-authored with Stephen King) The Black House).
Episode 13: The Company Retreat Chris and MJ celebrate their first year together with an awkward company retreat, which was quite funny and quite well played by the duo and their co-stars. Poor Chris, he's never going to get that $7.50, is he? And he has to apologize for being right (I mean, come on, you don't want people thinking they're playing for dollars when it's only cents!) To add to his indignity, they do an "address the person to your left" exercise (this bit was a total crack-up, BTW). And then there's his spa experience, which leaves Mary Jo breathless from laughter and needing time to collect herself. For her part, MJ excels at not guessing names.
The show opens with Chris's mohawk, a moment of sincerity from the two, and closes with a look at the year in review. There are unboxing videos and polls, and that's a wrap. Thanks, MJ and CG for a wonderfully charming, lo-fi season of comedy.
Season 2: Episode 1: Mary Jo and Chris Give You Advice Based on their opening discussion, and the first letter, they could have filmed the show at Chuck E Cheese and gone around giving unwanted advice to the children there 😉 instead MJ and Chris read viewer mail from the safety and quiet of their homes. The letters? Some folks ask for advice, some ask for opinions (like waiting in line for hours to see the Queen). It's actually a serious episode, with one big laugh at the end (I won't spoil it), it's also one of their longer shows.
Along with the closing videos and giveaways (they raffle off a book intended for Robert), the pre-show commercials were filled with goodies, like The Great Garloo, which was used as a riff in MSTs Fire Maidens ep.
Season 2: Episode 2: Halloween Special For the holiday, fans sent in scary stories for Chris and MJ to read. Mary Jo is easily freaked out, which was fun... these bits bookend the special; the middle section sees the duo watching and commenting on spooky vintage adds. The Little Baby's Ice Cream commercial disturbed (do they know there's another, more upsetting Baby's commercial out there, where the guy with the glassy eyed stare eats his own head?) And yay for showing that creepy 1973 PSA where Donald Pleasance gives terrifying voice to the "Dark and Lonely Waters".
BTW, love Chris' backdrop, when he moved you could see a dead body... ah, it's only Torgo sleeping, but yeah, that was pretty creepy too (just imagine having an unmoving Torgo laying the corner of your room? -shudder-)
Season 2: Episode 3: Game Show Night III: Password Laughs come early when the duo only receive two entries for a giveaway to the New York Show - afterwards Jackey Neyman-Jones, Alonso Duralde and Tom Winner join Chris and Mary Jo for a game of Password, which was a gas... the music and clap-track added to the fun, and after a round 1 blow out, a comeback made it close at the very end ("This is nuts" exclaims Chris, lol), MJs victory dance and song was cute, and Alonso's line "3D House of Password" is one of several funny moments from the show.
Following the game, we get to watch amusing unboxing videos from Lisa and Bonkers the cat, and Adrian. Good times
Season 2: Episode 4: Holiday Special First off, I need to get some MJP Show stickers, put them on bags of lint and give em away for Christmas. The show? The two watch Christmas ads, make comments and crack each other up - A few of the offerings include eggnog (unlike our hosts, I never liked it, yuk) - and that toy, Swing Wing looks like a whiplash lawsuit in the making - lastly, OMG, Little Miss No Name! I had an album by Hoi Polloi that had that doll on the cover, never knew what it was until today. After that they brought Matt in to talk about the clips.
Season 2: Episode 5: Mary Jo & Chris Read Viewer Mail MJ&C check in with past viewer advice askers (Colette, Christopher and Melissa), to find out whether the advice given helped or not. After that a new request for advice involving a crazy story about a phone thief, then letters addressed to the anal-retentive Linda are read, before talk turns to the Captain and Tennille, and apparently Chris lives in a pop culture free cave because he had no clue who they are (something talked about in their chit-chat & tidbits #2, which also includes an update on the phone situation). After this the usual after show doings... overall a relaxed, conversational episode.
Season 2: Episode 6: The Cult Robe Contest A cute and weird idea for a topic, as Mary Jo and Chris judge viewer designs for various cult robes for the show. After a creepy intro, Laundry Evangelist (I kid you not) Patric Richardson stops by to lend judging advice, he was a fun addition to the show, and the subject allows folks a chance to let their creative sides shine. All this and the debut of new episode art, I like the look of these so much I'll be using them here.
Season 2: Episode 7: Mary Jo & Chris Share Their Favorite Yelp Reviews & YouTube Comments While this quality was always present, the MJPS has shifted from sketches to something that's more a "hanging out" type of thing (that's even more pronounced with their tidbits pieces). So, there's a relaxed vibe, as the two pals discuss, contemplate, analyze and share, with amusement, what folks are posting in comment sections. MJs pimple popping offerings are both gross and funny (the outrage over trifles). And Chris sets up his Yelp section with his criterion, etc. (the "why" factor). BTW, Chris has an expressive reading voice, he should record a book on tape, or he could be this generations Ed Herlihy (the voice of Kraft Foods) -he says with a wink and a smile.
In closing, I've never written a Yelp review, and only posted a handful (positive or conversational comments) on the Tube, but the topic did make me ask myself why I write these blogs? Is it for attention, is it ego? No, I think I do this for myself. I look at these things like entertainment diaries, they help me remember. They also give me a voice (I was a very shy kid, who mostly shut up and disappeared; as an old dude, I'm making up for that. Ha!)
As for this episode itself, what else can I say other than, "I do like".
Season 2: Episode 8: Pictionary Belching and farting and gamesmanship... I admit I might be too old and doddering for Jackbox games, as the numbers come and go too fast, the rules and what's happening take me a while to suss out. Add in the pregnant pauses and such, and Jackbox might be more fun to play, than watch others play (I enjoyed Password and the One Dollar Pyramid more), but it was fine, it was okay, and I did like the art - Timmy K, and the one with the "Kitty!" stood out.
Season 2: Episode 9: Trader Joe’s Challenge "Mary Jo & Chris, both disciples of the cult of Trader Joe’s, decide to broaden their taste horizons by selecting weird new products from Trader Joe’s for each other, and then try them live on the show!" - Description at the Clubhouse.
So, I thought it might show them shopping, but nope, they just hang out and eat what the other put on a shopping list. I've used the word "relaxed" in recent write-ups, but it fits. This isn't a crazy, riff fueled riot, there's humor, but it's more a, 'chilling with friends, shooting the breeze' vibe, and it's a nice way to spend an hour - hearing their descriptions of the food, interacting with viewers, sometimes making "yuk" faces ("It tastes like gross water" - Chris), but often just enjoying the treats. BTW, I've never shopped at Joe's, but after this show, I'm going to have to check it out.
Season 2: Episode 10: Mary Jo & Chris Learn to Play Dungeons & Dragons Long delayed, much anticipated, in this episode Chris and a "less smart person" (MJ) receive a lesson on D&D - personally I still don't get the appeal of it, and that contributed to me kind of, not having much interest in the ep. Still, there are a couple of laughs, the filming is well done, and Antonio Curtis of Tower Games is a personable storyteller. In addition, character art by Carmen Cerra, and Chris tells a zucchini story.
Season 2: Episode 11: 2023 Shareholders Meeting
More sketch based this time out - it's show of reports, like producer reports, from Morbo and the like with their charts and stats. So yeah, telecommunications reports, front office reports, there are questions from shareholders (you, the viewers at home), and clips from the past season. I found the show a bit up and down, some of the timing was off, a little awkward. Now, there are laughs, Laurel's rebranding report, for example, was a highlight - very cute 'n' funny bit.
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