There are an handful we often hold up as being the best…I’m looking for ones that you think are great, but aren’t usually on top five lists.
Personally, within these parameters, I’d offer up:
Escape 2000
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die
IMHO, the best episodes are based on movies whose core concept is so ridiculous that Mike/Joel and the bots could just stop talking and the movie would still be hilarious. Which often happens in Escape 2000.
Agent from H.A.R.M. gets short shrift but is actually pretty good, mostly due to the riffing rather than the film, which is a pretty tepid 60’s spy flick.
Alien from LA is probably my #1. Even characters in the movie made fun of Kathy Ireland’s voice. Wish Joel was still around when it came out, however…
Giant Spider Invasion. Especially awesome if you’re from Wisconsin.
I’m surprised I don’t often see this one on “best of” lists, because it’s really good – The Amazing Colossal Man. The movie is actually decent, the riffs are great, and the segment where Mike shows up as Glenn the Giant, standing on earth and chowing down on some plastic cows, is priceless.
My guess at the top Five (subject to change with my whims):
Santa Claus
Mitchell
Final Sacrifice
Space Mutiny
Diabolik
So, going beyond that, I’d say… Deathstalker. The Sword and the Dragon. Jack Frost. The Thing That Couldn’t Die. The Undead. Danger! Death Ray! Pod People. Cave Dwellers. Laserblast. Revenge of the Creature.
Every season has at least one standout episode. Season One was very uneven, but I defy you to not enjoy Robot Holocaust.
He TRIED to kill me with a fork lift!
The Joel years were great
Oh, and Operation Double 007.
Outlaw.
Teenage Strangler
The Girl in Lovers Lane (the fake theme music they sing still makes me laugh).
Attack of the the Eye Creatures. (Mostly because I liked the movie unMST’ed when I was a dopey kid).
Fire Maidens form Outer Space.
I think those are underrated ones but maybe they are universally popular and I am just unaware…
Two that Mr. Ko and I just watched that would qualify: **Girl’s Town ** ( with Paul Anka!) and The Horror at Party Beach, which had me falling out of my chair.
E-gah
Watch out for snakes!
I like Track of the Moon Beast. I love Johnny Longbow’s world-weary recitation of the ingredients in his stew. And I honestly, completely non-ironically enjoy the song “California Lady,” performed by The Band That Played California Lady.
I also rather liked The Del-Aires, the band that played several songs in Horror of Party Beach. They actually weren’t too bad.
Boggy Creek II: and the Legend Continues
Master Ninja
The Sidehackers
Two of my all-time favorites
I’ll always have a fondness for the very first one I ever saw:
Wild Rebels, a cheesy hippy outlaw gang movie shot in Florida.
“I’m in it for the kicks, man!”
Eegah! and Prince of Space are great. I don’t know if they make any lists. I also love High School Big Shot.
“We’ll beat him 'til he’s too wet to plow!”
Bloodlust! is a very funny episode and I actually really like the movie.
Is (Arizona) Werewolf one of those usually counted amongst the top? If not, it should be.
It’s probably not quite as guaranteed to show up in a top 5 or top 10 list as Manos or Mitchell or Space Mutiny, but it does regularly show up on Best of MST3K lists.
Seconded Prince of Space. That movie was made of pure insanity.