In the show’s “universe”, we’ve had Joel “Robinson” (shout out to Lost in Space/ Swiss Family Robinson) and Jonah Heston (shout out to Charlton Heston) as the experiments.
So my discussion is: If YOU were one of the experiments in the SOL, what would your character’s surname be and why?
Mine would be either Rathbone after Basil “Sherlock Holmes” Rathbone who got me hooked into the franchise, or Stewart after Patrick Stewart, one of my top favorite actors as well as my favorite Star Trek captain.
So, I would be S. Rathbone or S. Stewart.
Also, those posting answers to this question don’t have to use their first name if they’re not comfortable with that.
I think I’d go with Meacham, after Cal in “This Island Earth.”
Your pick?
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McLargeHuge
No question about it – Crenshaw
The “Old Man” part would be optional.
Rowsdower!
I’ll save us and save all the world!
I would go with the quotidian Murphy, for Ben Murphy. He was the epitome of the actors you saw in 1970s TV series and made-for-TV movies, and could be serious or goofy. An exciting choice? Nope, but I don’t think the experiments’ names were supposed to be wacky.
Presumably the shout out to Charlton Heston is meant to refer to The Omega Man, since Joel has cited it as the basis of the initial premise for the show. Imagine what it would have been like if Joel stuck with it being the lone survivor of the apocalypse screening movies. Would it ever have gone national?
Can’t think of an alternate surname for myself off the top of my head.
Sesom because Sesom is Moses spelled backward!
Batwoman. She’s a one-name character who’s strong and resourceful and runs her own organization, who plays a mean organ and isn’t afraid to look ridiculous. I’d be okay with being Grandma Batwoman.
Basehart. Oh damn, I have to come up with a good reason…
Charles Heuvelmans Sanderson after the writers/investigators of the unexplained Charles Fort ,Bernard Heuvelmans, and Ivan T. Sanderson.
Oh, I’ll stick with my obsessions–the name is Plum. Pete Plum.
Actually, almost anybody in Daddy-O.
The name is Chillas. Pete Chillas.
The name is Green. Pete Green.
Hey, on the right night, with a few Rolling Rocks in me, the name could even be Ryan. Pete Giles-Ryan. Want some?
Well my first name is Luke, so Luke Skywalker is FAAAAAAR too precise.
So I’d go with Luke Hamill.
Lembach, because I’d be staying for a while . . .
‘pile on’ Larry.
Zap Pipper.
I’d be the love child of Zap and Mike.
McDowell.
For my Clockwork frame of mind.
McDowall, if that’s all I can get my damn, dirty hands on!
Either one would work for me!
Inspired from those who brought inspiration to the show.
Reed Firesign Zappa
My name would be either Betty or Barney Hill, in honor of the first documented UFO abductees.
No, forget the Daddy-O stuff.
Sears Poncho. No question.
Jeremy Jodorowsky. from the surrealist director Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Eddie Beaulieu or Joseph Conniff :) Just to be meta.
Betty Anne Pehl. After Mary Jo of course.
Nelson. My character would be in Ape makeup all the time though because I would be a descendant of Mike Nelson’s simian-loving family.
I think I’d go with Cash Flagg-On-The-Moon.
“Hey! You got your Ray Dennis Steckler in my Coleman Francis!”
“You got your Coleman Francis in my Ray Dennis Steckler!”
Clampett after Looney Tunes director Bob Clampett.
So…. Brandon Clampett.
I was thinking of basing it on the creator of the show that started it all, in tribute, using Hodgson, but the meta’s already been explored, so here’s others:
Mark Chase – Tribute to my first favorite cast member of my all-time favorite show SNL (MST3K is my #2), Chevy Chase.
Mark Drucker – Tribute to my favorite artist in classic MAD (and a major influence), Mort Drucker. Wouldn’t hurt to have side gags about Mr. Drucker from Green Acres either (like Mike Nelson from Sea Hunt)
Then there’s always Mark Flintstone (my first favorite TV show), but the copyright issues would be too much for the show to have to manage. Nice ring to it, though.
ILMARINEN – The blacksmith who forged a Sampo in “The Day The Earth Froze”.
He’s a hands-on kinda guy and chicks dig hands-on kinda guys that can make things, fix things, and whip up a great meal at the end of the work day, too. Well, so i’m told anyway.
OK, because I basically grew up at the Johnson Space Center, and the SoL is run from Moon 13 now, I’d go for Steve Armstrong, in honor of Neil.
(Wow, that almost sounds like another Dave Ryder name!)
Hmmm…
My first thought was Solo. The problem is that “Ken Solo” makes me sound like somebody far too astonishingly cool to get trapped by mad scientists and forced to watch bad movies.
So, I think I’ll go with “Ken Tracy”. I’ll be the brother the rest of the Thunderbirds don’t mention. Or maybe “Ken Rutgers”, after the nearby university with a somewhat troubled football team.
Redford. Just sounds so nice and unassuming, like you’d want the SOL captive to be.
I’d be Bernie Winters, a reference to a TV show and movie that were precursors to MST, if not actual influences.
Bernie Tanaka was a character in Dynaman, at least in the 6 episodes of the Super Sentai show dubbed into a comedy ala “What’s Up Tiger Lilly?”
The last name references Johnathan Winters. He actually created improv didn’t he? An essential foundation to the very idea of riffing. So close, in fact, that in ‘Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma’s Hung You In the Closet and I’m Feelin’ So Sad”, his spirit comes down from heaven for the express purpose of riffing on the antics of his wife and son at a resort hotel throughout the film.
Any MSTie who hasn’t should seriously see that one. It doesn’t seem all that strange while you’re watching it, but does a number on your subconscious the next time you go to sleep.
I wouldn’t use any of my name. My character’s name would be an amalgam of the three male protagonists from one of my favorite sci-fi authors, Edgar Rice Burroughs: David (David Innes from the Pellucidar series); Carter (John Carter of Mars); Greystoke (Lord Greystoke, aka Tarzan). David Carter Greystoke.
Or: Chip Hitler.
Plus, the bots love Robert Redford, so you’d have that going for you.
Blast Hardcheese.
Everyone could put their faith in me.
On the other hand, a name like “Hardcheese” might be a bit…grating.
Ed Wood III
H McFly, probably. That, or Mr. H Natural (though I am definitively a man, so it loses a bit in translation).
I love the movie The Dark Crystal, and it would be funny to have the name Chamberlain, so the bots could always say “STOP YOUR WHIMPERING!”
*rimshot*
Ray, that’s a little…..cheesy…….
I think I would remind people of another lumbering oaf who wanders through a lifeless landscape. Javorsky.
Mine would be Michael J. Nelson :
– Michael after Mike Nelson of Sea Hunt fame.
– J. for Joel, as in Joel Nelson, the cowboy poet.
– Nelson after Ted “Hotchka” Nelson.
Ken Beardsley or Steve Harringway.
I would be John Luxury Yacht. But it would pronounced Throatwarbler Mangrove.
Feinman –
In the tradition of theoretical physicist Richard Feinman my character could solve discrepancies in quantum electrodynamics theory by day and play a mean set of bongos by night. Got an evil organization trying to upset the world balance with a dangerous stolen death ray? Feinman could whip out a mathematical construct for a death ray dampening field while explaining in incontrovertible terms why schemes of global conquest always end in oblivion and make you smile and laugh while doing it.
How about Chief McCloud?
(slightly loud, cheery Tom voice)
Chief ??!
(low, grizzled Crow voice)
McCloud??!
(always Trace Crow)
A name like that will get me through any experiment.
Why not, won’t you?
Thank you sirs.
Gotta be Rowsdower, for me.
I’d go with Johnson.
Terry Garland has a nice feel to it.
Terry, after the riff from “Magic Sword” and the delinquent gal in “Teenage Crime Wave” (I’d never touch me, I’m dirt!)
Garland, after my favorite MST actress Beverly Garland (also Judy Garland, as well as the black knight from Final Fantasy)
Since his name just popped up on TDIM, and it reminded me of how much I enjoy him in all the MSTied movies he’s in, I’m going with VeSota.
Or maybe Bartcow B. Dunn. I do love a good nap.
Not bad, but I would just stick with “Blowie the Dolphin”!
Lembach we love you so
We want you to know
That we’re gonna miss you
The minute you walk out that door
Please don’t go
Don’t go
Don’t go away
Please don’t go
Don’t go
Begging you to stay
Took forever to find the right lyrics, lot of songs named “Please Don’t Go” that aren’t KWS.