MST3K (318)

318 - Star Force: Fugitive Alien II - (aka Sutâurufu: "Episode 3" + Sutâurufu: "Episode 4") Meh. Outside of the song medley, in which we get a professional, full-on reprise of the "Forklift" song, this episode didn't do too much for me. I did get one solid laugh from the movie riffing. Cap'n Joe: "One thing that Halkin didn't teach you is to fight as dirty as he does, which is the reason why you'd better take some Earthlings along." Joel: "Because we're basically scum."

There was also a world record for references lost on me during the host segments. I never like it when that happens, as it always feels like a waste of a segment if I'm scratching my head most of the time. From the bots' philosophical discussion of puppets, I was only familiar with around half of them. I've no idea who/what Topo Gigio, Kukla and DC Follies were/are and am only vaguely aware of what H.R. Pufnstuf and Señor Wences were. It was the same with the bots' ideas for combining evil people. Crow scored an over-my-head hatrick with his suggestions of Tom T. Hall + Roy Clark + Donna Fargo. Frank apparently likes the myseriously named Tom T. Hall, so that might mean he's good people.

We're also back to the non-invention invention exchanges. Foam noses and giant heads... not inventions. Joel does look appropriately goofy in his head, though. The following segment, however, was truly inventive. Servo's head exploding inside the theater -- after he ominously complains of not feeling well for a few minutes while the characters on screen also get sick -- was unexpected and very amusing. The host segment does borrow from 314's "Joel is Dead!" prologue, but it still works.

I do really enjoy the particular copy of this episode that I own. During this era, Comedy Central had Penn Jillette interrupt the end credits with his announcements about what show was next. Sometimes this would trample over a joke, as with 307's multiple false endings. Fans complained, as they should've. This episode contains his infamously condescending reply:

"You're at Comedy Central and you've been watching Mystery Science Theater 3000. You know, here at Comedy Central, we've been somewhat concerned lately about the little tempest brewing in the teapot of some of our "Love Theme"-loving viewers' heads. We're starting to get a little worried about you guys. Don't you realize we that have to tell our viewers what's going on on the network or they'll channel-surf their way straight to CNN and then what? Comedy Central will turn turtle and Mystery Science Theater will go down with the ship. Think about that. No more Fugitive Alien III. No more War of the Colossal Beast. No more Daddy-O. Here at Comedy Central we love our viewers, but in order to truly love someone, one must first learn to love one's self. So, coming up next, watch Pepsi's A-List, the half-hour of top, professional comedy hosted by the inimitable Richard Lewis. Keep it right here, true comedy lovers, at Comedy Central."

If you're curious, I got my copy from here.

"You like my fort? Made it out of refrigerator boxes." (6/10)

film d. Minoru Kanaya & Kiyosumi Kuzakawa (1978)
mst d. Jim Mallon (16 Nov 1991)