# Mystery Science Theater 3000 - What's the deal with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2004, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845 "2004-11-27T05:27:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/21 "2004-11-27T13:22:46Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > No offense to Mike fans, I just find him cocky and annoying… Joel was just more… subtle, and clever, IMHO only, of course! Preach it! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/22 "2004-11-27T13:28:16Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > The deal with MST3K is that it’s the greatest show in the history of television. Period. “Cannnnnn I geta wintesssss?!” The best episodes to try: Pod People “Trumpy! you can do stupid things!” Mitchell “Word on the street is that you’re a jerk!” Warrior of the Lost Universe “Megaweapon! Megaweapon!” Robot Holocaust “These are the saviors of the Earth!” The Day the Earth Froze “Sampo!” Space Mutiny “Chunk Macslab!” ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/23 "2004-11-27T13:41:47Z")
> [@PaulFitzroy](#): > > Here’s the question: did I watch the wrong episodes? > > The episodes I saw were 1, a film called “A Date with the Family,” about etiquitte for family dinners, and 2, something about “Housewives of the Future,” a ‘training video’ for girls teaching them to be housewives. These were not complete episodes, only short subject films that MST3K used to sometimes screen before the main feature, depending on whether the actual feature was long enough for the 2-hour program format. They can be insanely funny (“A Day at the Circus,” anyone?) but it seemed to me that they were a bit more hit-or-miss than the actual movies. Also, of course if you’re seeing them out of context then you’re not getting the little skits that the robots and mad scientists acted in between segments, which is essential for a proper appreciation of the show. Best Brains, the production company, only reserved the rights of the originally screened films for two years’ broadcast time, which is why some of the funniest episodes are not being distributed for DVD sale. But if you ever get an opportunity to watch any of the “Hercules” movies as treated by these guys, you might find it more your cup of tea. Or “Time of the Apes,” that’s another good one. Or…(repeat episode titles and quotes _ad infinitum_) > [@](#): > > I thought the movies were kind of funny, since they were so awful, but I absolutely could not stand the jerk-off guys in the “theater.” Everything they said sounded like it came from the mouth of that sardonic hipster guy in your photography class with the black-framed glasses and the tight-ass jeans. I don’t recall anyone else in Photo class who wore black-framed–_HEYYYY!_ Maybe it’s not the _show_ that’s at fault here; maybe it’s _you_ that’s the problem! Did you ever think of that, hah? _DID YOU?! __huff__ huff_ ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/24 "2004-11-27T14:31:10Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > “Cannnnnn I geta wintesssss?!” > > The best episodes to try: > > Pod People “Trumpy! you can do stupid things!” Og Almighty, _YES_! I couldn’t for the life of me remember what that one was called, _thank you_!! I just remembered that dorky alien’s name was Trumpy… and my lil’ bro and I have added lines from that into our normal everyday conversation… if we see birds, or hamsters, or heck, just a potato, you’re apt to hear one of us pondering: “Little potatoes. Hmm… little winged potatoes.” There’s a Hercules one I adore… had something to do with a sandstorm… “deep hurting”… a song about pants… and such classic lines as: “I want the Garfield cup.” “Twirl me!” “He’s cream filled!” Oh, Og, I have to buy these on DVD. _Now_. \*rummages for \*_Mr. Stasaeon’s \*\* credit card_ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/25 "2004-11-27T14:40:37Z")
The show is definitely one of those “you get it or you don’t” types. I’ve watched the show since about the second month is was on. I even got a satellite dish in 1997 in order to follow it to the Sci-Fi Channel. I have all the episodes (which I have just finished transferring to DVD-R). I even buy the Rhino versions. It’s one of the best shows to never air on a “real” network. Even though I’ve seen them all 2 or 3 times, I can still get a good laugh from them. Give it another try. DO NOT start with “Manos: The Hands of Fate” without proper training! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/26 "2004-11-27T14:46:28Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Give it another try. DO NOT start with “Manos: The Hands of Fate” without proper training! 😃 Ain’t that the truth. I’ve had years of proper training and I still find it hard to sit through that Experiment. Some good “Mike” movies to try: “Girl in Gold Boots” and “Overdrawn at the Memory Bank”. Then again, I don’t mind Mike. Or Joel. I like them both. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/27 "2004-11-27T14:50:37Z")
> [@Agrippina](#): > > Some good “Mike” movies to try: “Girl in Gold Boots” and “Overdrawn at the Memory Bank”. > > Then again, I don’t mind Mike. Or Joel. I like them both. One of the best quick scenes in “Girl…” is when the greasy guy suddenly appears in the diner. “Overdrawn…”: “My nuts?” ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/28 "2004-11-27T14:53:59Z")
The truth is… some MST3K episodes are utter comedy gold… and some of them just aren’t very good. That’s it. That’s the secret. Same as _Seinfeld_ episodes, really. Some are great. Some suck. The first one I ever saw was the Rhino video release of _Amazing Colossal Man_, and I laughed until my sides hurt. …but \*Manos, Hands Of Fate \* just wasn’t there, for me. …but \*The Creeping Terror \* was rolling on the floor funny. … but \*Quest Of The Delta Knights \* just wasn’t. …and I could go on like this all day. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/29 "2004-11-27T14:56:53Z")
My take on it is that it is that it probably would have been a lot of fun when I was in college to get a bunch of guys together and get drunk and watch it every weekend. But mostly it was just dull. I have seen one or maybe two that I liked. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/30 "2004-11-27T15:17:41Z")
> [@Anastasaeon](#): > > There’s a Hercules one I adore… had something to do with a sandstorm… “deep hurting”… a song about pants… and such classic lines as: > “I want the Garfield cup.” > “Twirl me!” > “He’s cream filled!” > > Oh, Og, I have to buy these on DVD. _Now_. \*rummages for \*_Mr. Stasaeon’s \*\* credit card_ “Deep hurting… DEEP HURTING!” and “Sand storm… SAND STORM!” were catch phrases around my house for years, if you can believe that! I’d love to see some of the older episodes again, but I prefer Joel to Mike, and I lost a good deal of interest when they switched from Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank to the old lady and the guy in the Planet of the Apes costume. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/31 "2004-11-27T15:24:34Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > “Deep hurting… DEEP HURTING!” and “Sand storm… SAND STORM!” were catch phrases around my house for years, if you can believe that! > > I’d love to see some of the older episodes again, but I prefer Joel to Mike, and I lost a good deal of interest when they switched from Dr. Forrester and TV’s Frank to the old lady and the guy in the Planet of the Apes costume. And they thought they wouldn’t survive the sand storm scene - I thought they did great for what they had to work with! The lame, half-assed puns they tossed out worked like a charm for me 😃 I’m about the same as you, I quit the scene shortly after Joel was no longer the lead humanoid. Much as I love Tom Servo … ehhh… it was a different dynamic, I guess. Ah, well, to each their own… now I need to hunt up the old episodes. Give my lil bro a call. Connect. Ask him about winged potatoes. Or just mysteriously make those squeaky noises the woman made when she ran her fingers across Herc’s chest. He’ll know exactly who is calling and what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/32 "2004-11-27T15:40:58Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > “Deep hurting… DEEP HURTING!” and “Sand storm… SAND STORM!” were catch phrases around my house for years, if you can believe that! “Rock climbing, Joel…ROCK CLIMBING!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/33 "2004-11-27T15:46:07Z")
“look at my crotch! look at my crotch! look look look at my crotch! looooooooooooooooooooooooooook at my crotch!” I love the cheerleading sequence! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/34 "2004-11-27T16:34:02Z")
And the most disturbing short, ever,… “Mr B. Natural” another fun short was the “Design for Dreaming” GM promo short \ i’m sure this is the “up” part of her manic mood swings \ “The Shick Electric Razor Car!” \ \ RRRRRRR!!!RRRRRRRRRRRR! \ “look, dead raccoon of tomorrow…” “Watch out, the bridge to the future’s out” and yes, don’t view Manos without the assistance of properly trained MSTies, too easy to hurt yourself ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/35 "2004-11-27T17:53:16Z")
Best. Show. Ever. I always felt Joel’s delivery was too… sleepy. Deathstalker, and the Warriors from Hell: “Who are you?” “Smelled your food.” “That was the LAST guy’s name!” ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/36 "2004-11-27T18:20:31Z")
**CandidGamera:** Nobody hardly _ever_ mentions _Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell_. It’s one of the greatest episodes ever. “Guess what _I’ve_ been doing?” ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/37 "2004-11-27T18:25:52Z")
Don’t miss the Gumby short, “Robot Rumpus.” _“That squares my breasts.” /Crow_ It’s right before “The Screaming Skull,” which is also hilarious: _“Can we help you movie lady? Do you need a push or something?” /Tom_ ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/38 "2004-11-27T18:29:46Z")
So the guys are sitting in the theater, watching the opening credits. The title card comes up, filling the entire screen: _Squirm_ Mike and the 'bots look at one another, shrug, say “OK” … and start squirming. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/39 "2004-11-27T18:30:26Z")
> [@Master Wang-Ka](#): > > … but \*Quest Of The Delta Knights \* just wasn’t. The best thing about _Quest Of The Delta Knights_ was that, during the same week – nay, the same **day** – that the SciFi Channel was first showing the MST3k “Quest Of The Delta Knights” episode, the SciFi Channel was also showing the _Quest Of The Delta Knights_ movie **un-MSTed!** Even _The Onion_ made fun of this fact once. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845/40 "2004-11-27T19:47:09Z")
The very first episode I ever watched was _Jack Frost_. Nothing else was on, I was bored, so I thought, what the hell, sat down, and started watching. And then proceeded to “laughing so hard my stomach hurt and I couldn’t breathe.” As a result, _Jack Frost_ will always hold a special place in the heart of this MSTie. One thing I’ve found is that the episodes are better the second time around. Occassionally, when they do a real stinker (like _Space Mutiny_), the movie itself is so horrid that it’s painful. But if you watch it again, you’re prepared, and can pay more attention to the riffs. I’m a Mike gal, but I like Joel too. They’re both very sexy, IMNSHO. My favorites: (in no particular order) _Jack Frost_ _Space Mutiny_ _Mitchell_ _Eegah_ _Touch of Satan_ _Puma Man_ _Riding With Death_ _Time Chasers_ _Overdrawn at the Memory Bank_ (See a very young, very attractive Raul Julia!) _Parts: the Clonus Horror_ _Girl in Gold Boots_ _Diabolik_ _Soultaker_ _Final Justice_ (If you thought Joe Don Baker got owned in _Mitchell_, wait’ll you see this one!) _The Final Sacrifice_ (“Rowsdower!”) _Boggy Creek II…and the Legend Continues…_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-science-theater-3000-whats-the-deal-with-it/276845.md?page=3)