# Any suggestions for a new fan of MST3K? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587 "2014-05-29T19:03:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/1 "2014-05-29T19:03:39Z")
When this show was on the air I never watched it because I couldn’t get past the skits they do before commercial break. But what I’ve recently discovered is, if you can get past the skits, those guys are actually pretty damn funny. Anyway, I watched The Pod People last night and it had me in stitches the whole way through. I’m thinking about watching “A Touch of Satan” next because the title itself seems so comical. Any suggestions are appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/2 "2014-05-29T19:07:02Z")
“Manos, The Hands of Fate” is one of the quintessential MST3K films. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/3 "2014-05-29T19:51:37Z")
“Mitchell” is one of my favorites. Pretty solid all the way though. I didn’t care for Manos, MST3K classic as it is, because the movie itself is just so bad. Long boring patches where there isn’t even anything funny to say beyond “wow, this is long and boring”. Still, a whole lot of people would call it a classic episode so that’s just my minority opinion. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/4 "2014-05-29T19:52:40Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > When this show was on the air I never watched it because I couldn’t get past the skits they do before commercial break. But what I’ve recently discovered is, if you can get past the skits, those guys are actually pretty damn funny. > > Anyway, I watched The Pod People last night and it had me in stitches the whole way through. > > I’m thinking about watching “A Touch of Satan” next because the title itself seems so comical. > > Any suggestions are appreciated. “ATouch of Satan” is one of my favorites, along with “Space Mutiny” and “Prince of Space” keep circulating the tapes ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/5 "2014-05-29T19:55:49Z")
Yeah, “Mitchell” is pretty good too. So is “Hercules Against the Moon Men” (“My backpack’s full of pecs…”) Also, don’t underestimate the shorts. Some of them are the best part of the show, IMO. (Not the skits–the old '50s school hygiene films and industrial films given the MST3K treatment). ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/6 "2014-05-29T20:00:10Z")
“Touch of Satan” is good because (IMO) it’s not that bad of a movie. Nice eye candy. I also liked “The Unearthly”. Also give Rifftrax’s shorts a look see. Hee-larious. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/7 "2014-05-29T20:04:33Z")
Mitchell is good. I also like Cave Dwellers. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/8 "2014-05-29T20:05:39Z")
I trust you have seen MST3K The Movie? _ **THIS ISLAND EARTH!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/9 "2014-05-29T20:08:29Z")
“Puma Man” is hilarious. I’d also recommend “The Final Sacrifice” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/10 "2014-05-29T20:19:30Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > “Mitchell” is one of my favorites. Pretty solid all the way though. Yep. This is the one that got me into MST3K. Strongly recommend it next. Otherwise the usual suspects for great episodes are: Space Mutiny The Final Sacrifice Puma Man Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (I personally _love_ this one) Manos Pod People Werewolf Prince of Space Santa Claus Conquers the Martians Santa Claus (not be confused with the above) I Accuse My Parents Time Chasers Those should keep you plenty busy. Also, just have a stroll through the MST3K shorts. The [Spring Fever](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2Hym_r409g&feature=kp) one is one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/11 "2014-05-29T20:21:46Z")
Actually, let me just point you [here](http://www.club-mst3k.com/episodes?sort=laughs). These are MST3K episodes sorted by “laughs.” Just work your way down them. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/12 "2014-05-29T20:22:05Z")
You could do worse than to work your way down this list: > **[Mystery Science Theater 3000 (TV Series 1988–1999) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094517/episodes)** **pulykamel** ’s list looks pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/13 "2014-05-29T20:27:25Z")
“The Sidehackers” is my absolute favorite. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/14 "2014-05-29T20:35:12Z")
I love _Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues_. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/15 "2014-05-29T20:42:43Z")
Santa Claus is my favorite episode. Also Pod People and Outlaw. “It Stinks!” \<---- Reference to Pod People. ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/16 "2014-05-29T20:50:15Z")
Touch of Satan is a great one. Final Sacrifice and Space Mutiny are great too. I also loved “Danger Death Ray” and “Future War” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/17 "2014-05-29T20:55:11Z")
I second Werewolf, Prince of Space, A Touch of Satan, Space Mutiny and Overdrawn at the Memory Bank. I’m a big fan of The Brain/Head That Wouldn’t Die and Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonder as well. I’ve used [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=319360) in the past to get an idea of which MST3Ks to watch. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/18 "2014-05-29T21:16:16Z")
All the Gamera and Godzilla movies. Operation Double 007 Samson vs. the Vampire Women The Girl in Lovers Lane ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/19 "2014-05-29T22:17:36Z")
Another vote _against_ **Manos** as a gateway MST3K episode. It’s the most overrated episode in the canon; it’s just not that funny, though as a specimen of train-wreck cinema, “Manos” itself is pretty hard to surpass. Someone recently found the master print and was going to [make a Blu-Ray of it](http://www.manosinhd.com/); I admit to being intrigued. **Touch of Satan** is a solid B-plus episode. There are better ones, but it’s an entirely satisfying effort. My suggestions to start with: Mitchell The Final Sacrifice Agent for H.A.R.M. I Accuse My Parents Teenagers from Outer Space And no knock against the OP —what you like is what you like — but the host segments are, to my mind, an essential part of the experience and helps to make the show what it is. I’m the first to admit they can be hit or miss, but the best of them — I’m thinking of [Owner of a Lonely Heart](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5OzF-ZT6QI), [Air on a Delta Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aathldHtnJA) and, most insane of all, the [Holo-Clown Emitter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtrPp-sDJ8k) —are as funny as anything in the movies. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587/20 "2014-05-29T22:41:57Z")
Not many which are bad, really. Well, Hamlet perhaps. But you should sample some Joel shows and some Mike shows and see which you like best. I do like Mutiny in Space, but also the Rocky Jones episodes, because I watched those as a kid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-suggestions-for-a-new-fan-of-mst3k/689587.md?page=2)