Season 13 - Special Event 13

Special Event: I Accuse My Parents Riff-A-Long + Short: Doing Things for Ourselves at School

Premiere Date: Friday, February 10, 2023, 5:00 PM PST

The final short of the year pairs Joel with Baron and Hampton - cool beans, I enjoyed hearing that vocal combo. "Doing Things" is another with backer written riffs, and while it's a slow stroll, it's steadier than the last fan-assisted piece. Rifftrax covered this one in 2019, but I like MST's version a little more. In particular, I got a kick out of the Wilson running gag, and Joel's, "Mr. Rogers makes it look so easy", as Steve struggles to remove his boots (Hodgson's shadowrama is also fun to keep an eye on; he's a true gesture professor). They both pull Peggy into their, uh, "riffery?" And both deliver the funny for the kid trying to open the paint jar (I'll give Trax the win here as I'm a Pixies fan), so there are goodies from both. 

Next, Yvonne, Tim (filling in for Connor), Kelsey, and Emily are introduced - Matt reads a letter from Joel, as Joel - then it's off we go to the tribute, which celebrates one of the all-time greats, I Accuse My Parents!

The cast sound in good spirits for the watch-a-long (the quacking painting tickled them) and there were some cute comments to be had (Jimmy having "resting gun face"). The chatter can be overwhelming in places (I tried to focus on EKT&Y, but sometimes the episode pulled me in), and they talk over the new sketches a bit, so I'll needed to watch it again without the crew. BTW, those host segs were... 

Pearl and Synthia with the set-up, Team Emily with the intro, where Crow confesses to being a street tough. Following that? Jonah's dating video with the bots helping out, Crow's take is primal, Tom (in 'stach) offers up something smoother and more romantic. Ideal family/art therapy is revisited, with Emily analyzing the bot's drawings (Tom updates his, while sticking with Hayley Mills and Gigantor). And finally, a love draft on the SOL (Crow keeps selecting antagonists, as he doesn't see the difference), thumbs up to Em for Batman & Catwoman. 

Aftershow Q&A? Conor writes in and asks if they ever accused their parents, and a fan asked who'd they'd accuse among the cast? Queries about hamburger sammiches and essays fill out the back matter.

I Accuse My Screengrabs

Fanart seen during the pre-show

Matt reads a letter from Joel

Pinky swear

Crow's ideal family (he's looking forward to the reunion)

February's lineup for Doomed Lovers Month

My rankings for season 13s shorts

The Fantastic 5

1. Cavalcade (Pearl & Dr. Erhardt)

2. Better Breakfasts USA! (Emily & Bots)

3. Court Case (Emily & Bots)

4. The Wonders of Reproduction (Emily & Bots)

5. Bicycle Visual Skills (Emily & Bots)

Rounding out 'The 10'

6. Lets Make a Meal in 20 Minutes (Jonah & Bots)

7. Bicycle Driver (Pearl, Synthia and Mega-Synthia)

8. Lets Keep Food Safe to Eat (Emily & Bots)

9. Mr. B Natural (Kinga & Max)

10. Balance Beam for Girls (Emily & Bots)

The Modest 3

11. Doing Things for Ourselves in School (Joel & Bots)

12. Pipeline to the Clouds (Jonah & Bots)

13. Sleep for Health (Joel & Bots)

< Previous * Next >

Synthia (and Pals) Selects 9: Doomed Lovers Month

The Girl in Lovers' Lane

Special Guest: Emily

Mega-Synthia reveals that she is a proponent of using nature's bottle opener (her teeth) and asks Emily why this is her favorite rom-com (it's actually "Never Been Kissed") and informs Mega that this is neither rom or com, which upsets M ("How dare you, no one checks my facts!"), plus murder and pool hall fights are her idea of a perfect first date. In the final segment, Mega concedes to Ems point that it wasn't so romantic, E says it needed more Drew Barrymore. 

First Segment Text:
Mega - "Not the sharpest tool on the moon"
Emily - "Puts the "antic" in romantic"
Mega - "Only allowed to have a sippy cup of tea"

GizmoBlip: The bots are mad at celestial bodies for meddling in the affairs of humans (after leaning the phrased, "Star crossed lovers" and taking it literally). Em attempts to correct them, but they rant on, even going after people with star in their name (Star Jones, Matthew Star)

Final Segment Text:
Mega - "Once totaled a car on Lovers Lane"

Emily - "Learning to thrive in unrelenting bleakness"

Mega - "Mug tree"

Hercules Unchained

Special Guest: Tom Servo (Conor)

Unchained, sure? But Tom has seen Hercules unplugged. Syn is concerned about the big cats and the harm they came too; Tom imagines a litterbox for a tiger. S then sings a song about Herc on a chain and being cold outside at night (as if he were a dog)

First Segment Text:
Syn - "It was much later allegator" 
Servo - "Hercules: Unchained Melody"
Syn - "Her best date nights are with the actual stone fruit"

GizmoBlip: Emily's all excited about this month of love, but Crow finds cupid's arrow terrifying - babies with arrows, how does it happen? Tom's not fond of baby gods 

Final Segment Text:
Syn - "Hercules: Snow Chains"

Servo - "A tiger of a different stripe"

Syn - "Has more funk than fun"

Girl in Gold Boots

Special Guest: Emily

Pearl has a new intro (she's going for 'friendly'?), refers to Em as the "Girl with brown hair" and asks her what it's like having no fashion sense. Emily defends herself but O Pearlo isn't interested. The second part continues this thread. 

First Segment Text:
Pearl - "The maroons have been encircled"
Emily - "Constantly profiled by the fashion police"
Pearl - "Once told Heidi Klum auf wiedersehen"

GizmoBlip: Hunks of the SOL calendar, which is filled with photos of non hunky things, like a ladder and the sun.

Final Segment Text:
Pearl - "Woman in green jacket"

Emily - "Human banana clip"

Pearl - "Doesn't joke about Zubas"

Tormented

Special Guest: GPC (Rebecca)

Mega-Syntha loves torment, and asks GPC about hers, which is more about being annoyed... by Crow. Mega shows no mercy when it comes to what she's do to the bot in GPCs place. Part 2 - M loves a revenge ghost, but gets irritated with GPCs lunchroom tales of woe (this time concerning Servo)

First Segment Text:
Mega - "She lost her coffee privileges" 
GPC - "Does this interview count?"
Mega - "R-E-S-P-E-C-Tea"

GizmoBlip: Tom and Crow practice kissing, by playing spin the bottle, only they've lost their bottle out the airlock. But it seems, once again, the jokes on Emily

Final Segment Text:
Mega - "Tom Servo killed me... with kindness"

GPC - "Just how big is the SOL cafeteria?"

Mega - "Tabling the table talk"

The Screaming Skull

Special Guest: Jonah

Why don't you have a crumbling mansion? Jonah blames the economy. The final bit sees Jonah still talking about the housing problem, which he caused by wasting his cash on brunch.

First Segment Text:
Syn - "Don't ask what she does with the fish"
Jonah - "A crumbling gothic MANsion"
Syn - "Sad and spooky is her beard and butter"

GizmoBlip: Jonah, Crow, GPC & Servo read the Misconnections section in Alternative Weekly... which are all SOL related. "Hello idiot", it's another prank.

Final Segment Text:
Syn - "Technically we're all screaming skulls"

Jonah - "Filling in the rest with terror"

Syn - "Has never been invited for brunch"

The Touch of Satan

Special Guest: Crow (Hampton)

Crow can't hear you, and it's all Pearl's fault (much to her delight). Her prank continues to the final segment.

First Segment Text:
Pearl - "All heat"
Crow - "Hear, hear?"
Pearl - "Aint she a stinker?"

GizmoBlip: The bots update Romeo and Juliet for a new generation, and because Jonah (their Romeo) is a method actor, they got him some real poison.

Final Segment Text:
Pearl - "Not today, Satan"

Crow - "Hear no evil"

Pearl - "No work and all play"

Screenshots

Index

Season 13 - Festival of Shorts & Special Event 12

Festival of Shorts + Let's Keep Food Safe to Eat & Mr. B Natural

Premiere Date: Friday, January 6, 2023, 5:00 PM PST

The 11th tribute of the season sees our host, Hampton's, Crow T. Robot (temporarily from France?) dressed to the nines as he presents a collection of classics, as well as a recent one. They are, A Case of Spring Fever, Circus on Ice, Snow Thrills, The Selling Wizard, and Pipeline to the Clouds.

The festival also features appearances from Tom and Jonah in a series of sketches that are, mm, alright, but not really laugh out loud funny. Among the group - Heston & Tom help come up with a name for the show, Servo all in gold, plays Crow, and Jonah as a talk show guest...

Crow and Tom introduce the new shorts during the livestream, Pearl for the standalone release - but who would ever complain about seeing more Emily, not me. Ems group take on a piece about keeping food safe (and really, even before the fuzzy mold is introduced it looked pretty gnarly). There's a lot of like here... Emily's line about pyramid schemes was a clever switcheroo on the narrator's question about Steve's dirty hands, as was the one about Cathy's missing fingers. Another laugh came from Kelsey's, "Now turn off the light switch and grab the door handle." 😄

Servo as Shirley Eaton in Goldfinger?

After this and a Madvertisement, Crow and Jonah return with an extra special announcement, footage was found from the time Max and Kinga were trapped in the theater at the end of season 12, where they were forced to watch Mr. B Natural. And It's fun to hear this duo do some riffing. Patton's comment on the name Patton, comparing Mr. B to Elf on the Shelf and the Gadget quip gave me big laughs. While "Check out that housecoat, what a babe!", and "What's NWA mean?" were a couple of knockouts from Felicia.

Though there are some noticeable dead zones, and I wouldn't rank it ahead of the original, there's still gold left to be mined from this short, and it's fun to compare all 4 versions - the 2 from MST3K, Rifftrax and the Mads (for example, near the end when Mr. B gives the OK sign, Kinga echoes Joel's "It stinks", on Rifftrax the line was, "Adequate!") 

Oh, and was it just me, or did Max sometimes sound like Gene from Bob's Burger's?

 

Special Event: Overdrawn at the Memory Bank Riff-A-Long + Short: Better Breakfasts USA!

Premiere Date: Friday, January 20, 2023, 5:00 PM PST

Better Breakfasts USA is proof that there's still value in showing a crappy print, as it gives the crew a chance to react and respond to blips and artifacts... such as the incursion of mini tornados found in this week's piece, which is about a classroom fieldtrip to a studio, where children learn about the grains found in breakfast food. In it, our Riffers act as educational helpmates, pointing out which grains are the most feared, and how cereals come flaked, puffed, mutilated... etc, etc. Emily points out the Kellogg's Maxi Wheats, while Tom assures us that Branson, MO is a tropical area (the proof is in the rice). All this and more, in one of the most hysterical bits of schooling you'll ever hope to receive, and one of the toppermost shorts offered up this season. 

After that stellar start, Rebecca, Baron, Hampton, Jonah join forces for the live cast watch along, which was rather subdued and not as diverting as past watch parties, like Hobgoblins (shown during the pledge drive). Of the four, Jonah's shouty, Hampton suffers through technical issues, though he does earn a laugh with the line, "Hold thy horses and cool thy jets". Rebecca's "Middle Fingal" quip was silly but funny. Baron, looking and sounding under the weather, is a champ, not only because it's a kick watching him break up over the riffs and sketches, but also for utterances of admiration (complimenting one bit for its "lyrical dexterity") and his amusing riff additions ("Less is More-occo", and "Brendan Fraser gives his all in this" (a nod to his role in The Whale).

There are a handful of new host segments and I like how they -at times- relate to the episode as something they lived through and riffed on, as in the introductory piece where Pearl and Synthia talk PBS, which leads to Crow discussing his immortal catch phrase, "You know you want me baby!" It lends the livestream a tribute like feel.

Later - Team Emily can't figure out what's beeping (Servo's line. "When have you ever known me to be a beeper..." is so clever, clever). After that there's talk about doppeling into an animal of choice (Hampton's dolphin stuff gives up the giggles) / Jonah and Emily have a serious discussion with the kids (Bots) about screen time / And a "You know you want me, baby!" tote bag is shown, as Pearl is called out for delays in sending out the swag, even Dr. Kabahl is impatiently waiting (course, this a biting meta-joke). 

There's a Q&A at the end, where doppeling, catch phrases, and living in a cinemas are among the subjects.

January's lineup for Tech Run Amok Month

< Previous * Next >

 

Synthia (and Pals) Selects 8: Tech Run Amok Month

Atomic Brain

Special Guest: Jonah

Synthia asks the age-old question, "what atomic body part would you prefer?" - Jonah wants a neck (to protect him from Crow's surprise judo chops), Syn selects heart, because atomic hearts can't be broken. Part 2: Syn reveals that Pearl often tells her that she needs a brain transplant, while Jonah now wants atomic eyes, after watching the movie. 

First Segment Text:
Syn - "Taught a fish to man"
Jonah - "Ring ring ring... banana jumpsuit"
Syn - "Atomic heartthrob"

GizmoBlip: Network names from team Emily

Final Segment Text:
Syn - "What a clone, hu?"

Jonah - "Atomic face rub"

Syn - "Needs 12 more pieces of Rick Flair"

Blood Waters of Dr. Z

Special Guest: Mega-Synthia

Pearl mixes metaphors (but she don't care) and asks Mega if she's ever had walking catfish and how was it prepared? No, but she did have a walking taco, which didn't walk, and this upsets her. Pearl tries, and fails a segue (don't dip corns chip into blood waters?) Later Pearl quips that rock weeds are the algae of love. Mega is still hung up on walking catfish 

First Segment Text:
Pearl - "Jorts made a comeback, why not Jarts?"
Mega - "Walking catfish, hidden dragon"
Pearl - "For whom the Taco Bell tolls"

GizmoBlip: Emily shares pictures of herself repairing bulkheads, and goes a little mad while sharing a picture story (but she doesn't miss Instagram, honest)

Final Segment Text:
Pearl - "Blood waters run deep"

Mega - "All her thoughts are final"

Pearl - "Goal disoriented"

The Amazing Transparent Man

Special Guest: Tom Servo (Baron)

Tom can see right through men, and very few are amazing, only Tom and women are amazing. Syn sez "simmer down bubble boy!" - in the final segment, Tom can now see through clones, which upsets Syn (nobody can see through me!)

First Segment Text:
Syn - "It's turtles and clouds all the way down"
Servo - "No longer transparent, still a gentleman"
Syn - "She's every woman"

GizmoBlip: Emily's bots are 50 times behind on their updates

Final Segment Text:
Syn - "The Amazing Opaque Woman"

Servo - "The Adequate Translucent Robot"

Syn - "Got a blank space where her mind should be"

Robot Holocaust

Special Guest: Crow T. Robot (Kelsey)

Mega-Synthia talks about another vacation ending after a bunch of villagers try to burn her up in an old mill? She asks if Crow is tired of robots, he is and lacks empathy for other robots who are not him. By the end, both Mega and Crow feel there were far too many humans in the movie for their liking, then Mega gets bogged down in sister talk.

First Segment Text:
Mega - "That wasn't in the brochure"
Crow - "Robotzzzzzz"
Mega - "The library is always open (and underfunded)

GizmoBlip: The bots prank Jonah, by acting like their batteries are low... Crow wants a robo-priest, to issue last bytes. 

Final Segment Text:
Mega - "That don't impress her much"

Crow - "No the humanity!"

Mega - "But should she say that again?"

First Spaceship on Venus

Special Guest: Tom Servo (Conor)
Pearl doesn't wear pearls, because she hates oysters... Tom wants to be on the first spaceship to land on Everest, or the ball at Epcot Center, or Uranus. At the close, Pearl sums up the movie, "It's like Wall-E, but sadder and more German." Servo continues his Uranus talk.

First Segment Text:
Pearl - "The oysters know what they did"
Servo - "First Mate aboard Jefferson Starship
Pearl - "Forever displeased"

GizmoBlip: Tom and Crow offer Jonah advice on repairs, GPC plays tech support but wont help until J apologizes for stealing her sweets.

Final Segment Text:
Pearl - "Rages against all machines"

Servo - "Got a machine head"

Pearl - "Has had it with Uranus"

War of the Colossal Beast

Special Guest: GPC
Mega-Synthia is thrilled with the colossal movie, and asks GPC why she (Mega) is her favorite colossal beast? Mega is flattered by the flattery. Part 2 - Mega found the movie very touching, GPC tries to consol her but misunderstands, Mega is glad because she's now colossus #1!

First Segment Text:
Mega - "Some assembly still required"
GPC - "Outer space's sweetheart"
Mega - "Is lovin' this"

GPC - "Sometimes the higher functions include flattery"

Mega - "Wow, she bought it"

GizmoBlip: More tech issues on the ship, Tom and Crow switch bodies, GPC thrives on chaos, Emily gives crushing hugs

Final Segment Text:
Mega - "Lost the battle, but lost the war"

GPC - "Gonna Pacify Correctly"

Mega - "Why does she need so many bowling pins?"

Screengrabs

Index

Season 13 - Episode 13

1313 - The Christmas Dragon

Premiere Date: Friday, December 16, 2022, 5:00 PM PST 

Host: Joel Robinson, Emily Connor and Jonah Heston

Special Guests: Friar Nolte

Writers: Jonah Ray, Nate Begel, Ross Bryant, Matt Conent, Yvonne Freese, Allie Goertz, Rebecca Hanson, Lesley Kinzel, Emily Marsh, Conor McGiffin, Matt Oswalt, Kirk Thatcher, J. Elvis Weinstein, Hampton Yount 

Triple Riffle? Yes, please. So where to begin, there's so much to talk about. The on-the-spot inventions set the tone (Emily's paperweight, lmao, this after Jonah and Joel's elaborate improvised pieces). 

Max's Friar Nolte was another highlight (I wonder what Mike will think of this, as Nolte has been his thing in the world of riffing).

And how about the concluding sketch? While the escape runs a bit long, I dug seeing Joel, Emily and Jonah rocking out, all while the bots cheer them on. Then there's the reveal of who's driving the Deep Hurting, and boy, Pearl laughing like a mad... er, Mad, was perfection, a memorable moment, like Major Kong whooping and hollering and waving his cowboy hat in Dr. Strangelove. In truth they should have ended with that, her face, the laughter and into the time bag.

As to the flick? I'm not into these old-world fantasy movies, with the swords and sorcery and long walks in the woods (those Deathstalker, Delta Knights, types) saying that, MST often turns them into comedy gold (the Ator eps), and this is no exception.

Sure (in my opinion) there are funnier experiments this season, but much like the Halloween episode, there's a tangible upbeat, event-like feel to the whole affair that was energizing. And I liked that they gave each group a section of the film to riff on, as it highlighted how different their personalities, interactions and riff-styles are. For example, Baron's given several lengthier quips, one about the quest ("and so they did come on again..."), another on tennis balls taped to a stick as a stand-in for the dragon - and these suited him, and his Servo quite wonderfully and distinctly. Another? Joel bringing up Carl Reiner was just what the elder statesman of the group would and should say (it's another perfect riff assignment).

While I think Team Emily shone the brightest of the three groups, it was the concluding piece, where the human hosts join forces in the theater, that was the knockout, laugh-wise. The scene where they take the romance out of riding a sleigh through the sky was hysterical. In addition, I liked the gift giving sequence, and Joel's bit about taxes (which caped off a running gag).

Joel makes a special announcement

The livestream makes the season finale all the more exciting - they fold in shots from the backer's premiere show, we see the cast interact with the fans, then Matt comes out for introductions and such; after that he and Joel riff on The Blob trailer, wow! And it was funny (the best riffs are the ones left unspoken, says Joel), double wow! And while there are no details, he announces that there are plans for a 14th season... TRIPLE WOW!

The audience's laughter added an extra jolt, I don't even remember Emily's "Your inflight movie, is Cats" from my morning's viewing (the regular version of the ep), but the reaction from the crowd ensures that I'll never forget it. I also received greater enjoyment out of Conor's gameshow line after a bell rings, and those are just two early examples, which makes me wish we could have an audience for every episode. At the very least this needs to be included as a download, or made available on disc.

The show concludes with another round of questions from the fans.

Favorite Riffs: "Uuh, watch the leprosy" - Emily as child hugs parents | "No penicillin, but they got hair jell" - Crow | "Oh please, who laughs at puppet shows?" - GPC | "You know she's just going to write about her in her burn scroll" - Servo | "Gruel Hub" - Joel (after knock on door) | "Fin really puts the oar in orphan" - Servo | "The Snyder Cut" - Joel, in slo-mo | "This must be the 'War on Christmas' Fox News is always going on about" - Crow | "Come on, let's give these kids something to talk to their therapists about" - Jonah as lovers love | "Huh, not getting much sympathy from the orphans for the 'mom not being here' thing" - Crow | "Come on dad, you're not even checking it once" - Jonah as Santa sleeps with list in hand | "Oh man guys look, they sleighed the dragon!" - Emily | "Well at least Quicksilver's here to save the day" - Joel | And Crow starting the old classic, "Hello" gag... but no other stooge shows up

Favorite Host Segment: Max as Friar Nick

Amazing Colossal Grade: 3.5 - In terms of my laughter, I'd rank this third among the Christmas episodes, behind Santa Claus and The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, but it has an all-around great vibe that's given a boost for the livestream. 

My Season 13 Rankings

1. Beyond Atlantis (Emily) 4.25-stars

2. Dr. Mordrid (Emily) 4

3. The Bubble (Joel) 4

4. Batwoman (Emily) 3.75

5. Munchie (Jonah) 3.5

6. The Christmas Dragon (Joel, Emily, Jonah) 3.5

7. Santo in the Treasure of Dracula (Jonah) 3.5

8. The Mask 3D (Jonah) 3ish

9. Demon Squad (Joel) 3

10. The Million Eyes of Sumuru (Jonah) 3

11. The Shape of Things to Come (Emily) 3

12. Gamera vs. Jiger (Jonah) 2.5

13. Robot Wars (Jonah) 2.5

Screengrabs

Festive Mads

Kabahl under the mistletoe

Jonah's impromptu B-52s wig for Tom

Friar Nolte arrives

Joel's got a collection of books from Bear Manor Media

A memorable MST moment, 3 Hosts in the theater

Joel can only remember the lyrics to Mike's theme 🤣

A gathering of bots

So where was Mega-Synthia? Outside on the moon

A couple of shots from the live show

                                      December's lineup for Winter / Wonderlands Month

< Previous * Next >

Season 13 - Holiday Week Part 2

Special Event: Santa Claus + Short: Bicycle Driver

Premiere Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2022, 5:00 PM PST

We get a special pairing with this one, as Pearl and the clones, Synthia and Mega-Synthia ride to glory on yet another bicycle safety short (bikes are very Christmassy it seems... though this is more a birthday movie) The short is surprisingly adult-ish, well, at least according to the ladies, who throw in a few naughty quips ("On your birthday, you get to T-bag every bike in the shop" - Synthia). There are the riff-staples: esoteric references, spotting celebrities (Pearl asking, "how's Elaine May doing?" to a guy who looks like Mike Nichols) and the observational ("That was the best take?" said after a bad line reading). While I was expecting fireworks from Mega, Yvonne took it down a notch from what we've seen in host segments and in her Selects bits - nevertheless, she voices some winners, like when a cop asks a bicyclist for his license, and she responds with, "My grandkids drew this and wrote pop pop on it, does that work?" 

Onward - Pearl and Synthia once again play host, then Jonah, Tom and Crow ponder the Santa Claus cinematic universe. In the second segment, the bots pelt Emily with Christmas questions both absurd and grim (is eggnog mostly eggs or nog? is Santa a vampire?) Third - Tom speaks of lesser-known demons, Birtchbark, Thornsnap and Crankshaft. Fourth? It's Joel, Joel-splaining gift giving to Jonah. Lastly, brand integration is what Christmas is all about, so says Pearl.

For the after show, it's an MST sing-along, with Paul and Storm, which was probably more entertaining for the audience there, than it was watching at home. But it was fine, though not as splendid as last night's offering.

Finally - Santa Claus is one of my top 5 favorites, and while I'm familiar with the quips and sketches, I was really into the spirit of the thing, maybe it was the happy vibe of the season and the event, but it was like discovering the episode anew, reenforcing what a true classic it is. 

Praise be to Craig!

Special Event: The Christmas That Almost Wasn't

Premiere Date: Thursday, October 15, 2022, 5:00 PM PST

No short this time out, though there are new skits. Pearl & Synthia the, uh, donkey return as hosts. Emily sets up the movie, and gets involved in a conversation about the "cantankerous millionaire name generator" (Crow's is Barnabas G. Colhart, Servo's, Gwendolyn Q. Pinchpers and Ems, to her dismay, is not as fun). Next, Jonah explains Mall Santa's, though the bots have their own ideas on that subject, and later with Em they bond over Kris Kringle, which takes an opposite turn (also, Crow has tricked Ms. Connor into paying him money, lol). Crow (Hampton) reads a letter from a teacher, who shows episodes to his students, which turns into a lecture from the bot on the importance of taking roll call. My favorite of the night sees Joel join Emily for a reading of a SOL Christmas story, which puts Tom & Crow to sleep (aww), and lastly Em and bots wish you a happy holiday, and then it's back to Pearl and a hyped-out Synthia, EEE-HAW!

The episode itself is a treat, though it is interesting to come to it after the previous two, and hear the rapid-fire riffing that was par for the course that year - it works, it's funny, but it was a different approach than what they were doing before, and after, with season 13.

The tribute closes with a Q&A from the backer's live show, where they discuss the challenges of writing on the season, and the difference between live shows and studio work. Baron speaks to puppeteering for the first time and playing Dr. Kabahl, and I like Kelsey's duck analogy for puppeteering. They also field a few questions from the audience.

It was another night of holiday cheer... though I did miss having a new short (they'll make up for this by serving up two during January's event).

Santa Claus Screencaps

Pearl and the Synthia's riff away

Mega joins in and gives a turn signal too

M. Waverly gives thanks to backers

Servo's demons, Birchbark...

Thornsnap

and Crankshaft?

Servo (Conor) reads a letter & shares art, it's Snackbot

Joel and Jonah exchanged presents

Sing-along

The Christmas That Almost Wasn't, Screencaps

Emily's cantankerous millionaire name

Storytime on the SOL

Synthia proves to be a bit much for Pearl

< Previous * Next >