Rocketship X-M
The Side Hackers
Jungle Goddess
Catalina Caper
Rocket Attack U.S.A.
Ring of Terror
Wild Rebels
Lost Continent
The Hellcats
King Dinosaur
First Spaceship on Venus
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
Shorts
X Marks the Spot
Featured in DVD sets
One episode released as a single
Volume 1
Volume 3
Volume 9
Volume 10
Volume 11
20th Anniversary Edition
Volume XVIII
Volume XXIII
Volume XXVII
Volume XXXI: The Turkey Day Edition
The Singles Collection
Three episodes released on VHS
Two episodes are among the unreleased episodes
Josh Weinstein makes his leave of the series, but while his career outside of the show is nothing to sneeze at, the creative direction of the show finds itself on an incline. Kevin Murphy takes the role of Tom Servo, and he is the Servo upon which all Servos must be judged. The man is just magic with that character. Frank Conniff also joins the staff as Dr. Forrester's new minion TV's Frank, who would prove to have such dynamite chemistry with Trace Beaulieu that the duo would eventually tour as themselves in their later years. And with the induction of Kevin and Frank, the lucrative era of Mystery Science Theater begins. It's the era most think of when they think of the show, with Joel, Trace, and Kevin in the seats and Trace and Frank in Deep 13, and it would be the status quo until the big host change in season five.
Season two is a definite step up from previous seasons of the show, as the riffing is delivered with more gusto and the writing started to become sharper. It's a period where you can tell that they're learning, sometimes the hard way (such as "avoid riffing comedies"), but the show is taking form. I'd argue that Rocketship X-M still has a few growing pains holding it back, but by Side Hackers something starts to really click about the series and it's probably my choice for earliest indication that this show was something special. There are a few rough patches even after that episode, but the show always picks itself up.
Most would claim the best episode of this season is Godzilla vs. Megalon. I disagree, though the strong back-end of that episode puts it just outside my top three. Instead I give top marks to the following episode, Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, which I think it just more consistent. The Side Hackers is the only other episode I'd claim is tops, though there are other episodes in the season that make me laugh quite a bit. Wild Rebels is wildly fun, while Jungle Goddess, Rocket Attack U.S.A., and Lost Continent are all solid films around silly B-pictures. Episodes I'm less likely to recommend are led by Ring of Terror and Catalina Caper, both of which just aren't very funny. The rest of the episodes just fall in the average range.
When most think about the film selection during this season they think of the biker films, which takes up a small slice of the year. Side Hackers and Wild Rebels are at the very least watchable and somewhat entertaining, though Hellcats is majorly rough and probably the worst movie of the season. We get our first taste of the delicious Bert I. Gordon in his feature debut King Dinosaur, while Lost Continent is almost an unofficial sibling film. We also get two Godzilla films, which would be the only times MST would be able to mock the giant lizard before Toho put their foot down and said "NO!" Incidentally Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster would be the first time they'd license a movie from Film Ventures, who would supply all those movies in future seasons where the opening credits would be from another movie (Cave Dwellers, Pod People, ect.). They would supply movies for the show until season four's Being from Another Planet. The rest of the films prove to be fairly diverse, though Rocketship X-M and First Spaceship on Venus prove to be decent space travel pictures.
For many fans this season of Mystery Science Theater is the spiritual first season, claiming the first season as well as the KTMA episodes are too hard to watch. I don't follow that line of thought, but to each their own. I'm less likely to recommend newbies check out episodes from before this season though. Hell, I'd hesitate to recommend a few from here, because there's still some positive and negative experimenting going on. But experimentation is encouraged and it brought us the show we know and love today.
Top Three Episodes:
1. Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
2. The Side Hackers
3. Wild Rebels
Bottom Three Episodes:
1. Ring of Terror
2. Catalina Caper
3. The Hellcats
One episode released as a single
Volume 1
Volume 3
Volume 9
Volume 10
Volume 11
20th Anniversary Edition
Volume XVIII
Volume XXIII
Volume XXVII
Volume XXXI: The Turkey Day Edition
The Singles Collection
Three episodes released on VHS
Two episodes are among the unreleased episodes
Josh Weinstein makes his leave of the series, but while his career outside of the show is nothing to sneeze at, the creative direction of the show finds itself on an incline. Kevin Murphy takes the role of Tom Servo, and he is the Servo upon which all Servos must be judged. The man is just magic with that character. Frank Conniff also joins the staff as Dr. Forrester's new minion TV's Frank, who would prove to have such dynamite chemistry with Trace Beaulieu that the duo would eventually tour as themselves in their later years. And with the induction of Kevin and Frank, the lucrative era of Mystery Science Theater begins. It's the era most think of when they think of the show, with Joel, Trace, and Kevin in the seats and Trace and Frank in Deep 13, and it would be the status quo until the big host change in season five.
Season two is a definite step up from previous seasons of the show, as the riffing is delivered with more gusto and the writing started to become sharper. It's a period where you can tell that they're learning, sometimes the hard way (such as "avoid riffing comedies"), but the show is taking form. I'd argue that Rocketship X-M still has a few growing pains holding it back, but by Side Hackers something starts to really click about the series and it's probably my choice for earliest indication that this show was something special. There are a few rough patches even after that episode, but the show always picks itself up.
Most would claim the best episode of this season is Godzilla vs. Megalon. I disagree, though the strong back-end of that episode puts it just outside my top three. Instead I give top marks to the following episode, Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, which I think it just more consistent. The Side Hackers is the only other episode I'd claim is tops, though there are other episodes in the season that make me laugh quite a bit. Wild Rebels is wildly fun, while Jungle Goddess, Rocket Attack U.S.A., and Lost Continent are all solid films around silly B-pictures. Episodes I'm less likely to recommend are led by Ring of Terror and Catalina Caper, both of which just aren't very funny. The rest of the episodes just fall in the average range.
When most think about the film selection during this season they think of the biker films, which takes up a small slice of the year. Side Hackers and Wild Rebels are at the very least watchable and somewhat entertaining, though Hellcats is majorly rough and probably the worst movie of the season. We get our first taste of the delicious Bert I. Gordon in his feature debut King Dinosaur, while Lost Continent is almost an unofficial sibling film. We also get two Godzilla films, which would be the only times MST would be able to mock the giant lizard before Toho put their foot down and said "NO!" Incidentally Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster would be the first time they'd license a movie from Film Ventures, who would supply all those movies in future seasons where the opening credits would be from another movie (Cave Dwellers, Pod People, ect.). They would supply movies for the show until season four's Being from Another Planet. The rest of the films prove to be fairly diverse, though Rocketship X-M and First Spaceship on Venus prove to be decent space travel pictures.
For many fans this season of Mystery Science Theater is the spiritual first season, claiming the first season as well as the KTMA episodes are too hard to watch. I don't follow that line of thought, but to each their own. I'm less likely to recommend newbies check out episodes from before this season though. Hell, I'd hesitate to recommend a few from here, because there's still some positive and negative experimenting going on. But experimentation is encouraged and it brought us the show we know and love today.
Top Three Episodes:
1. Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
2. The Side Hackers
3. Wild Rebels
Bottom Three Episodes:
1. Ring of Terror
2. Catalina Caper
3. The Hellcats
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