MST3K (104)

104 - Women of the Prehistoric Planet - The crystal-clear picture of the Rhino DVD was nice, but it didn't help make this episode funnier. Maybe the guys were running out of steam by the end of the season? Maybe I'm not in the proper mood for the humor in this episode? I don't know. I laughed hardly at all, which is always disappointing. About the only thing that got a chuckle out of me was the mush-mouthed Admiral.

I almost want to travel back in time and demand my money back from the producers of this movie. I was promised prehistoric women! There were none, unless you count an alien Eve. What's the deal?

What, did Joel run out of Gizmonic devices or something? First, 113 had the same device for both the Mads and Joel. Now, he comes up with toilet paper in a 2-liter bottle. C'mon, Joel. I know you've got more in you.

I can't say that I ever remember "Hi-Keeba" being said in the later episodes I've watched. I guess it'll be funnier now that I know the goofy scene that spawned it. We also get a Johnny Longtorso reference, which I do remember shows up as an invention exchange idea later on. An important episode for the future of the series, even if it wasn't too funny itself.

Why did I wait so long to watch this episode? Kevin Murphy explains in the ACEG (bizarrely, in the entry for 113, not 104):

Show 104… actually was the last show produced in the first season. See, near the beginning of the season, the Channel was unable to come up with a movie in time for us to shoot Show 104. So we skipped that show and went directly to Show 105 instead. So after we finished shooting 113, we returned to 104 and shot that show.

Even without this nugget of info, 104's placement in the season was clear due to a callback to a riff in 113 ("Thou shalt not ki…").

What I don't understand is my fellow MiSTies' fascination with putting 104 where it doesn't belong. It seems like every, single, episode guide, fan site, and even the Wikipedia article insists on listing season one in the incorrect order. Part of the reason may be, despite the above description, the ACEG also puts the episode in the wrong spot in the book. Another reason is probably that computers will sort 104 in the wrong spot for you by themselves. A little bit might be due to us sci-fi geek's fascination with numbers. At any rate, this has ensured that those of us unaware of this factoid accidentally watch 104 too early when doing their own marathons. Ah well.

Josh-as-Servo's last word: "three." Josh-as-Lar's last word: "Okay." Goodbye Josh Weinstein. I will admit, I'm really used to your voice in Servo's mouth now. I've nearly forgotten Kevin Murphy's soothing baritone. I know you wouldn't agree, but I think the scripted riffing, which reigned in your often ill-timed and not-really-humorous improv during the KTMA days, made Servo funnier. Sorry, J. Elvis. I never liked Dr. Laurence Erhardt. There's just plain no need to have two mad scientists. The tradition has always been the one rogue, nutty scientist with his dim sidekick. TV's Frank fits the bill (though he lacks a hunchback). Luckily, he also turned out to be hilarious. (5/10)

film d. Arthur C. Pierce (1966)
mst p. Jim Mallon (24 Feb 1990?)