MST3K Season 4

Episodes
Space Travelers
The Giant Gila Monster
City Limits
Teenagers from Outer Space
Being from Another Planet
Attack of the Giant Leeches
The Killer Shrews
Hercules Unchained
Indestructible Man
Hercules Against the Moon Men
The Magic Sword
Hercules and the Captive Women
Manhunt in Space
Tormented
The Beatniks
Fire Maidens of Outer Space
Crash of Moons
Attack of the The Eye Creatures
The Rebel Set
The Human Duplicators
Monster A-Go Go
The Day the Earth Froze
Bride of the Monster
"Manos" The Hands of Fate

Shorts

Featured in DVD sets
One episode released as a single
The Essentials
Volume 6
Volume 7
Volume 8
Volume 10.2
Volume 11
Volume 12
Volume XIV
Volume XVII
Volume XVIII
Volume XIX
Volume XXVI
25th Anniversary Edition
Volume XXIX
Volume XXXII
Volume XXXV
Volume XXXVI
Volume XXXVII
The Lost and Found Collection
One episode released on VHS
Two episodes are among the unreleased episodes

Hot off the heels off of what is considered the first great season of the series, we have another twenty-four episode order and a lot to live up to with the fourth season.  Early on it may feel like expectations are too high, as Space Travelers is the weakest season premiere of the series, while the episodes following it can zig-zag a bit between pretty good to fine or not-so-good.  As season four progresses it only gets stronger before getting into a streak of genuinely great episodes toward the end.  Season four is a good one to stick with, because it will reward.

The season also offers two of the most infamous bad movies to grace the series:  Monster A-Go Go and "Manos" The Hands of Fate.  Many a fan debate has been started over which film is worse, and they're both bad for different reasons.  For me, I'm team Manos, because my initial reaction to that movie was way stronger than that of Monster A-Go Go, which was a fairly mute reaction all things considered.

This season we are introduced to the Italian Hercules imports, two of which are even genuine Hercules films!  We get to see him nap, fight aliens, and run around in a sandstorm!  What more could you want?  We also see the last films the series will show from Film Ventures, so say goodbye to those poorly edited in credits played over clips from other movies, because after Being from Another Planet, they're gone.

Other than that, there isn't really a full category I'd throw most of these movies into.  They're pretty diverse, if I'm being honest.  We get some rough and ugly zero budget black and white films all the way to some decently budgeted but cheesy spectacle, including our very first Russo-Finnish production, which is always a treat in the theater.  We also get whatever the hell Attack of the The Eye Creatures and Manos are supposed to be.  Your guess is as good as mine.

We regress a bit in the shorts though, as the series seems to want to give serials another go.  They make it all of about two chapters into Undersea Kingdom before giving up, then they experiment even further by chopping up an episode of General Hospital and spreading it over three episodes.  I think most would prefer the educational shorts they had been doing, and will continue to do from now on.

My personal favorite episode is Fire Maidens of Outer Space this season, which is wildly hilarious and features a delightfully goofy movie.  The episode also features one of the great MST visitors in Timmy the Dark Crow, who gets a cool storyline in the host segments.  There are also some other genuine classics backing it up, including the popular fan favorite Manos.  The first episode that pops into my head when it comes to below average episodes is Killer Shrews, which is dry riffing on a dull movie.  Then there is fare like Space Travelers, which is just a film that isn't really giving them an opportunity nor do they feel all that game to work with.  The rest of the lackluster episodes just fall into the mediocre range, though the season as a whole is pretty good.

And that's the ultimate conclusion on season four:  pretty good.  I don't think the majority is as memorable as the previous season or several seasons that follow, but the best of these episodes stand tall among the series.  It's a rewarding season to wade through, even if it is a bit bottom heavy with its best work.

Top Five Episodes:
1.  Fire Maidens of Outer Space
2.  "Manos" The Hands of Fate
3.  Teenagers from Outer Space
4.  Bride of the Monster
5.  The Day the Earth Froze

Bottom Five Episodes:
1.  The Killer Shrews
2.  Space Travelers
3.  The Rebel Set
4.  Attack of the The Eye Creatures
5.  Being from Another Planet

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