I was watching “Spider Island” the other day and it suddenly hit me how good of a job Bill did in that episode. Crow’s riff deliveries were lively and sincere, and he was hilarious as flash-dancing Observer what with his animated pounding on the chair (complete with a little adjusting when he accidentally knocked it off-center). Thus, I was wondering what the community thought were great episodes for other cast members. Tell us what cast member excelled in what particular episode. It doesn’t have to be regulars, either. But show your work. Don’t just say, “Brad Keely was funny as the Cake N’ Shake dancer.” What about it took that episode/segment to another level of awesomeness?
I’m going to have to go with evil Mike in episode 611- LAST OF THE WILD HORSES. He’s a little TOO good at being evil. :-)
What would you pick?
And, reminder: Next week we will discuss Mike Nelson’s novel “Death Rat.” You have one more week to get it and read or re-read it. I will be in my office Tuesdays but not Thursdays and yes, this WILL be on the final.
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There are too many great moments to choose from (an excellent thread, by the way), but I’m going to go with Beez as Steffi the Babysitter. Beez IS Steffi the Babysitter, and she’s pretty scary. (I wouldn’t want to be Bobo!)
I’ll second Evil Mike.
As a postscript to my initial posting, I want to add that Beez should be commended for SUSTAINING her role as Steffi. She makes that episode in my opinion. Beez is obviously talented, though; for example, she nails the movements of the Terror from the Year 5000. She only briefly appears in that episode, but she’s perfect (as well as perfectly hilarious)!
I vote for everyone who was in the “Auntie McFrank’s Tangleberry Inn / So You Wanna Pet the Llama” host segment. If I had to pick a winner out of all of them, it would be a toss-up between Frank Conniff as Auntie McFrank and Mike Nelson as “Did you people bring matches for” Mikey…
Kevin as Bobo as the defense attorney in Agent From H.A.R.M. In my opinion, that was as good a comic performance as anything on TV. I thought the whole skit was at another level, even by MST standards.
From “Godzilla vs. Megalon”: Crow/Trace and Servo/Kevin in the popcorn sketch that spoofed those Orville Redenbacher commercials that had Orville & his grandson. Crow was “Orville” and Servo was the grandson and they traded some nasty barbs at each other. Servo: “So when are you going to die?”. Crow: “You’ll be eating a lot of cheese. Government cheese”. It breaks down with Servo yelling “I HATE YOU!! I HATE YOU!!!” along with Crow going into his “I AM THE GOD!! I AM THE GOD!!” rant. Classic!
Lets be honest folks. You’ll never get better performances that Joel and Servo reacting to (and performing with) Crow’s Patrick Swayze Christmas from Santa Clause Conquers the Martians.
Lets get a free coffin! The deadly beezs is great in that one too. Please tell us how Ms. Deadly is doing.
I’m a big fan of The Rip Taylor Trio.
Nominees are:
– Frank Conniff in If Chauffeurs Ruled The World.
– Mike Nelson as Michael Feinstein.
– Kevin Murphy as Tom Servo in Tibby, Oh Tibby.
– Joel Hodgson explaining Foley sound effects in Cave Dwellers.
– Mike Nelson as The Amazing Colossal Man.
– Trace Beaulieu being quite unpleasant to TV’s Frank with a melon baller during and after the Tupperware party in Catalina Caper.
– Kevin Murphy as Tom Servo explaining the “5000 piece Fightin’ Men and Monsters Set”.
I’d vote for Pearl hosting the pledge drive in Overdrawn at the Memory Bank, especially the ‘When Loving Lovers Love’ segment. Bill is great in that as well, but I really appreciate how well Pearl captures the dry, exciting monotone of a public television host.
Let’s watch, won’t we?
Mike as sometimes Jack Perkins and sometimes not-Jack Perkins but he is.
I’m nominating both Frank and Trace for their hilarious “Square Master” infomercial. Frank was just terrific for his physical demonstrations and Trace for his “pitch” perfect announcing. A true collaboration of wit.
Cabbage Patch Elvis is correct. The whole send up of Public Pearl was outstanding. When Elvis is right he is right.
I would have to say Bill as Leonardo Divinci in THE DELTA KNIGHTS…for some reason he just screams GOODFELLAS.
I gotta go with Bill Corbett as Crow satirizing the narration from “Blood Waters of Dr. Z” and insanely ranting about Mike’s cleaning utensils. As John Cleese would say, that was just spot on!
Sorry, I meant Eric Idle, but I suppose John Cleese works too.
A lot of Mike Nelson’s impersonations from the Joel era were excellently done. His turns as Morrissey, Jack Perkins, and Michael Feinstein all come to mind.
Joel himself, sad to say, wasn’t quite as good an actor, but still he had his moments. The best was probably his supervillainous turn in the Operation Double 007 episode. I especially love his “up” gesture with the candy cigar to signal the removal of his diabolical prop.
Let’s not leave out Gypsy, who does a pretty good impersonation of a corrupt Southern sheriff. “He wants me…to read ‘im his rights! Bwahahaha!”
I have to nominate Bridget for her turn as Nuveena in the host segments from 12 to the Moon. LOVE watching her dance around the SOL and sing. One of the few episodes I watch (although it really is a strong epi overall) because I like the host segments so much!
For a sustained role, I liked Bridget Jones-Nelson as Flavia
in Roman Times. (And if anyone doesn’t agree: [clapping hands]
“Guards, seize them!”
Until checking, I didn’t realize how many cameo
roles she had in the series. Found this list:
===============================================================
?Helen – Gamera vs. Zigra
?Amazon Mom – Hercules
?Nuveena – 12 to the Moon, San Francisco International
?Lisa Loeb – Racket Girls
?Bridget of Deep 12 – The Sword and the Dragon
?Shelly – The Beast of Yucca Flats
?Mr. B Natural – Turkey Day ’95 bumpers
?Carla (voice) – The Brute Man
?Adrienne Barbeau – The Thing That Couldn’t Die
?The Witch – The Undead
?Darlene – Parts: The Clonus Horror, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies
?Flavia – Prince of Space, The Horror of Party Beach, Devil Doll, Invasion of the Neptune Men, Space Mutiny
?Slicer the Nanite (voice) – Overdrawn at the Memory Bank
==============================================================
Hmmm, I think Kevin Murphy in “The Starfighters” deserves a nomination. Everyone is good in that one, but when Kevin is asked to step up for the Air Force Chorus sketch, he knocks it out of the park.
Kevin Murphy as Tom Servo singing “Creepy Girl” in episode 204, Cataling Caper. Kevin has done better musical performances, but he is utterly convincing as a lovelorn/desperate/horny Servo.
Beez McKeever as Steffi the baby sitter. My parents just left me home alone most of the time, so I never had a babysitter.
Mike Nelson as Toblerone in Escape 2000.
I really wanted to see him pop up on the Sci-Fi Channel episodes.
I’d have to say that Mike as Michael Feinstein is the big one. I’d really like to see him do some full-on sketch comedy sometime.
I’ll also mention all the great singing that Kevin did on the show. The multi-track work on Starfighters and Quest of the Delta Knights was pretty dang impressive, and his Johnny Mathis always cracks me up.
@26 – Yeah, even though Joel-era Mike seemed like just plain off-topic school-bullying when he took on a Celebrity That Bothered Him (yes, I know Jack Perkins was all over A&E in the 90’s, but what, did he run over Mike’s dog??), the Michael Feinstein bit was classic.
Probably because the host-seg was so well-integrated into the movie wrapup to begin with, and no amount of sickening gushiness can capture the real Feinstein.
I vote for Frank’s attempts at re-creating the Mike Douglas Show. He completely sells the beginning to “The Man in my Little Girl’s Life.” (Trace is also really good in a small role, but Frank’s facial expressions make the bit.)
FREE STYLE Andy Rooney.
I know Pearl isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I like Pearl. (Her character’s development between seasons seven and eight is quite remarkable, and as I have said elsewhere the interaction between Pearl, Bobo, and Brain Guy is superb.) At any rate, I LOVE when she tells Bobo and Brain Guy scary stories at the end of I Was a Teenage Werwolf. “And he DIED!” I just love that.
I am in COMPLETE agreement, by the way, with anyone who has mentioned Mike’s Michael Feinstein! “Boo, it says.”
Joel – His tense dramatics while trying to resuscitate Tom Servo in ‘Star Force: Fugitive Alien II’.
Mike – Yeah, I’ll have to go with ‘Evil Mike’ too.
Kevin – Him singing for all the Toms in the United Servo Academy Men’s Chorus skit in ‘Starfighters’
Trace – Any time he threatens to kill Frank.
Frank – The Nummy Muffin Cocal Butter song.
Mary Jo – As Pearl Forrester while prosecuting Mike in ‘Agent from H.A.R.M.’.
I’ll second Kevin [Bobo] as Mike’s defense attorney. I love how he discredits Brain Guy’s testimony by challenging his pie crust recipe.
I’ll have to go with Bill Corbett’s tour-de-force during Pearl’s love deprivation experiment both as Brain Guy (“I believe the experiment requires first SHOWING them love and then LATER with-holding it…”) and Crow (“LOVE! SWEET, HOT-PAD LOVE!”).
Bridget Jones-Nelson was also fantastic as Lisa Loeb, singing that odd, rambling song while running this way and that and pleading for acceptance. She also was a little TOO good at capturing the spritely ickiness of Mister B Natural (“That just makes me feel like a HAPPY KING!”).
Since Josh “J. Elvis” Weinstein has no love yet I’ve got to contribute “Robot Holocaust” as one of his strongest performances. The movie was an almost unbearable trope-fest for me but Josh’s lovable lecherous Servo made it tolerable.
And I’ll always have a fondness for his KTMA performance as Dr. Laurence Ehrhardt in the opening for K 12 “Fugitive Alien”.
Mike’s incredible range of acting was in full-force in “Time Chasers”. His brother Eddie? Shut up. And 80’s Mike? Dude…
I’m a skull. Raaaar.
Okay… Really? No mention yet of Mike as Torgo in all his appearances? C’mon people!
And I second his evil brother Eddie. Just plain scary.
And I just have to give credit to Kevin for playing Bobo. I’m not going to say anything particular, just the character in general.
I’ve always enjoyed the first two host segments in ‘Prince of Space’. The dog and bear bit and what appeared to me a difficult interplay as all four on the SOL were experiencing reality in different time periods.
I have to add another vote for Mary Jo and “Overdrawn at the Memory bank.” She hit the perfect tone with all of her parts. Another nod to her as Magic Voice in “The Atomic Brain”- her dialogue with the creepy voice-over-guy had me rolling on the floor.
Hmmm…
While Mike’s turn as EvilMirrorMike and as abusive brother Eddie were good, I’d also nominate Mike as Mike when, trying to pass along the show’s backstory, he obsesses over that guy who got him in trouble at that one job. (Can’t remember the episode.) He actually is a bit scary muttering to himself; good thing he didn’t have another baking soda bomb handy.
I’ll also agree about Bridget’s work as Flavia (wonderfully nasty snobbery), and I’ll throw in Crow as Gene Rayburn, especially when he gets surprisingly dramatic at the end of the sketch.
Here’s another way of looking at a bit that several people already mentioned — during Mike’s Michael Feinstein sketch, watch Trace and Frank! It’s really a win-win-win triple play.
And I second Mary Jo’s performance during “Public Pearl” — Yes, that was, of course, ‘Are You Being Served.’
Many I could pick from, but one of my favorites is Kevin for Tom Servo’s indignant rage at Crow’s act of plagiarism in The Wild Wild World of Batwoman. An honorable mention for Mike’s stern, stoic look and Max Von Sydow impression from “A Joke by Ingmar Bergman”.
#31: “Joel – His tense dramatics while trying to resuscitate Tom Servo in ‘Star Force: Fugitive Alien II’.”
Ooh, that’s a good one; I should have remembered that. I’ve been trying to think of other good Joel acting moments and remembered his stirring monologue at the end of Castle of Fu Manchu (“You haven’t won, sirs, you’ve lost!” ). And then there’s this single line from Space Travelers: “I’m already alone, aren’t I?”
I agree with #41- I don’t know HOW Trace and Frank got through the Michael Feinstein/Gamera sketch without completely losing it (since we know from the bloopers reels that it didn’t take much to break them up) so, yes, kudos to all three for their stellar work!
On that note, I’m a huge fan of Mary Jo and Pearl. My favorite scene of hers is her very first turn as Pearl when she enters Deep 13, walks right past Clay- arms outstretched for a hug- and hugs Frank instead. It totally set the tone for her character.
More nominees:
– Mary Jo as “Jan In The Pan” in the Brain That Wouldn’t Die. Really funny performance.
– Mike Nelson as Sori Andropoli in Rocket Attack USA
– Joel in the Soda Jerk sketch. When the ‘Bots keep calling him the “Stupid Jerk” and get him all upset his rant about them spoiling his fun is great stuff.
– Trace and Frank explaining Deep Hurting.
Don’t make me shoot you – CROOOOOW!
I know Mike as Michael Feinstein has been mentioned multiple times, but it is hands down my favorite Mike moment (even more than his Torgo which is also amazing). He is funny in other sketches but in this one he is the triple threat of comedian, piano player and singer! When I watch this I think not only is this hilarious, he’s just so talented (ha I just realized that sounded like a proud mom or something “He’s just so talented!” ).
I tried to think of a specific shining Trace/Frank moment because the two of them together was just always comedy gold, but I couldn’t even decide. It’s like trying to name your favorite song of all time, just impossible.
Frank’s rambling confession in The Dead Talk Back.
I killed that fat BARKEEEP!
shot :blush:
1. Forrester and Frank hawking Johnny Longtorso- they capture rampant capitalism in a hilarious sketch.
2. The whole cast during the SOL crew channeling The Grateful Dead in the dead talk back- as Crow plays his endless solo, the shots back and forth of the others in various states of boredom is subtle and funny and hell. I especially like when Mike chides Crow towards the end, and Crow blithely says “almost done, Mikey…” A gut-buster for me.
3. Two relatively short but spot on impressions by Mike: J.C. in “The Sidehackers” and Mikey in “Teenage Strangler”, just because they are brilliantly on target.
4. Ditto Trace’s Leo Gorcey from “The Unearthly”.
5. The catty conversation between Pearl and Flavia (forget which episode)- the insults and delivery make me laugh and squirm a little at the same time.
6. Finally, Kevin as the fey character from Hamlet at the end of that episode- his mannerisms, facial expressions and variety of emotional response to Pearl was an acting tour-de-force; and the capper is Observer saying, after Kevin’s character dies, “He made me look butch”.
“I’m done now…”