Well it was bound to happen, Shout Factory ran out of episodes. Almost. Rights issues has backed Shout Factory into a corner, as remaining episode titles had certain entanglements that prevented them from being released (as of Volume XXXIX). I'll spare you the legal mumbo jumbo, maybe I'll get into it at a later date, but Shout came up with the solution of if we can't have the entire episode, then maybe we can at least have the host segments! Host segment compilations aren't new, as Best Brains used to sell video tapes titled Tom Servo's All-Time Favorite Host Segments, which were rather popular among MSTies in the mid-90's. This one is just devoted to episodes that may never see the light of day on DVD.
Though that final statement needs an asterisk next to it. It's looking likely one day Quest of the Delta Knights will see a physical release, as it has already been released digitally. There is also a shot that Fire Maidens of Outer Space, The Deadly Bees, and The Space Children will see the light of day as well, while the others are more in the "When hell freezes over camp." So one day a good chunk of this set will be obsolete, but until then, enjoy!
Interestingly enough, this compilation doesn't include the episode Godzilla vs. Megalon. Technically this episode did see a DVD release, but it was infamously pulled due to Rhino Home Video (MST's then-home-media-distributor) failing to properly secure the rights to the movie, while Shout never released the episode at all. It feels like it should be included here, but is left out for whatever reason. There might have been an issue with footage of the movie being used in the Rex Dart: Eskimo Spy sketch, but that might be a grey area and I don't know whether or not that's fair use (the use of Godzilla in the opening credits seems to be unchallenged, so...).
I laughed often during the host segments, which introduce us to Tom Servo's new voice and TV's Frank, replacing the now MIA Dr. Erhardt. Frank in particular is quite hilarious here, as he plays the role of an awkward trainee at a fast food restaurant who doesn't quite know what he's doing. The biggest laugh of the episode is the very end in which the very first "Push the button, Frank" happens, and Frank can't quite figure it out. This bit actually is probably funnier now than it was then, since Frank wound up pushing that button many times in his career and seeing him learn it for the first time is quite a treat. On the Satellite, we're given one treasure of a host segment as Joel quizzes the Bots on things that are funny floating in space, meanwhile the salute to reporters segment is quite fun too. The big loser to single out is Mike's cameo as Valaria from Robot Holocaust, which starts nowhere and somehow gets lost along the way.
The best segment is the catchy Godzilla Genealogy Bop, which chronicles the thunder lizard’s family tree. The space madness sketch has some laughs, and there are a lot of cool drawings in the final sketch. The Invention Exchange is a simple delight, as Joel and the Mads invent new types of guitars that look really neat (Joel’s is mind controlled while the Mads’ are made of squeak toys). Probably the closest to a dud is the visit from Mothra, which is neat but never really takes off. Mike does the voice of the giant moth, but his turn as Gamera next season is much more memorable.
The host segments are a fair standard. They're all charming and there's not really a loser in the bunch. Mike has a wonderful guest spot as Glenn the Colossal Man and Crow and Servo get some wonderful pot shots at Joel during an exchange where they learn about tact ("And we know if you HAD breath mints you'd use them!"). The Invention Exchange offers a cute magic trick turning Kevin into a talking plant, while Joel turns a children's toy into a "Non-Permanent Tattoo" device.
The host segments are mostly forgettable, with top prize being the solid skit where Servo narrates a Snow Thrills parody. There’s an intentionally off-key song that doesn’t really rank among the series’ best, however that particular segment does include a fourth wall “wink-wink” where Servo questions the direction of the skit and Joel whispers to him that the movie is running short, so they need to pad the episode out. Lackluster segments include a Servo and Crow bicker session and Joel trying to use Crow as a ventriloquism puppet named Peanut (and if this episode weren’t from the early 90’s, I would have sworn the “puppet named Peanut” was a reference to comedian Jeff Dunham). The episode closes out with Peter Graves final speech being repeated over and over again, which is one of those gags which is funny at first, grows tiresome, then becomes funny again because of how long it goes on. Invention Exchange involved a hanging man’s noose Halloween costume and the Sony Sea-man.
There is a dark force invading the Satellite of Love...a dark specter named Timmy has taken the form of Crow and creeping around. Timmy initially acts like Crow's friend, but acts increasingly more hostile as the episode goes on: attacking Cambot, telling Crow the wrong things to say, and messing with the controls to everything in existence. The theater segments even get in on letting the story unfold as Timmy sneaks into the theater and sits in silence for most of the third theater segment, eventually attacking Tom Servo. All of this leads to a host segment that parodies Aliens where Joel fights Timmy ("Get away from him, you bitch!") and blasts him out the airlock. This is really one of the most enjoyable host segment arcs in the history of the show.
Also as a minor note of episode importance, the letter read at the end was written by a girl named Ashley, who compares Tom Servo to her brother. Ashley grew up to be a musician and was invited by Joel to participate in the Kickstarter that helped relaunch the series during the 2015 Turkey Day as well as the concluding Kickstarter live telethon.
The only host segment I’d say goes the full mile is the “They just didn’t care segment!” that closes out the episode, with a montage of visible flaws in the movie (“Take a look at this guy! Take a good long look!”). I mostly enjoyed the prop comedy of the third segment, however the Rip Taylor impressions make it feel loud and overly long. I also kind of enjoy Tom’s desire to make out, even if I felt it kind of dwindled. The rest of the host segments flounder. The Earl Holliman segment just doesn’t do it for me, and while Joel’s funny gag fax machine ends with a cute Three Stooges style gag, the Invention Exchange is a bit of a loser (though I do like the creativity of the Router Ouija Board).
The host segments are all delights, including the lovely song "When I Held Your Brain in My Arms" by the Observers. Other amusing Observer bits include the Observer's forcing Pearl and Bobo to fight while failing to make Mike and the Bots do the same and also their evolved food in pill form (which honestly tickles me to no end). Meanwhile, Crow acquires a time machine and uses it to woo Mike's ex-girlfriend Ginger Sssssssssssssssssnapop and the Terror, as played by Beez McKeever.
Pearl has shut off the Satellite of Love's protective systems so she, Bobo, and the sole surviving Observer can go camping, which leaves Mike and the Bots fending for themselves against alien infestation. These segments delight with their parodies of the Alien franchise, featuring Servo with a facehugger before going full space marine and climbing into the ducts to fight more creatures (before breaking down and crying), while Mike tries to deal with all the alien eggs by making a giant omelet. These segments are really fun and a genuine highlight of season 8's story arc.
The Bowler Hat Guy from the movie becomes a recurring gag during the end scenes, in which Jim Mallon wanders into the host segments with a Bowler Hat and interrupts them, tipping his hat as he walks by. What does he interrupt? Not a whole lot on the Satellite, which is mostly just random, goofy skits like Mike portraying the body movement of bees or Crow reading a sonnet to Hargrove's wife. At Castle Forrester, it's another story, as the Observers return to take our Observer with them to rebuild their society. I like the idea of this storyline, but I feel it's underdone. It's told with minimal screentime and mostly seems to be present so they can set up a silly song in the middle of the episode (which isn't particularly great, in my opinion). I thought the climactic mind battle between the observers was cute, but I can't help but feel there could be more done with this story and it became mostly a throwaway.
Highlighting the host segments is the intro segment, which dishes out "Previously on the Satellite of Love..." while Mike and the Bots play out a bunch of cliched soap operatics that would have happened if the show were a drama. It's probably one of the best host segments of the entire series.
Host segments are a mixed bag. They get stronger as the episode goes on, with an alien trying to take Servo’s nuke being the highlight of the episode for me, though Crow’s Jackie Coogan fashion show is pretty funny as well. Servo’s kissing booth is a middle of the road “I don’t really know what to make of this” segment, while the big clunker of the lot is Mike imitating the guy from the short.
Host segments are definite highlights, and they obviously lead off the episode gimmick of Pearl being in the theater. Pearl is unhappy with the pain that Mike is receiving from the movies and wants to witness what is wrong from the inside. Meanwhile Mike pals around with Bobo and Observer with some “guy talk” and gossip. Other segments prove to be just as good, with a song from an all Servo choir and a visit from Leonardo da Vinci (who hates Servo). My favorite segment is the intro, in which Crow breaks down and Mike and Servo are forced to use a “Loaner Crow.” Loaner Crow may be one of my all-time favorite characters on the show with what little screen time he has.
The DVD
Satillite Dishes was brought to us on Shout Factory's Volume XXXIX collection. Audio and video quality was uneven. Most of the footage looks fine, but It Conquered the World, Terror from the Year 5000, I Was a Teenage Werewolf, and The Deadly Bees look and sound fairly below par, with dim video and scratchy audio. Meanwhile Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster has tape hits abound.
There was a bonus feature on the disc, called Behind the Scream. This is an interview with Daniel Griffith, who creates the Ballyhoo documentaries for the MST DVD box sets. He talks about getting into documentaries by creating one on K. Gordon Murray, and attracting the attention of Shout Factory and creating these little documentaries for the DVD releases.
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