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Episode guide: 905- The Deadly Bees

Movie: (1967) A burned-out British pop star is sent to remote Seagull Island to rest her nerves, unaware that two rival bee keepers live there.

First shown: 5/9/98
Opening: Previously on the Satellite of Love…
Intro: The Observers are back…and they’re pissed
Host segment 1: Crow offers a sonnet to the cigarette hag in the movie
Host segment 2: Pearl, Bobo and Observer perform the “Please Stay” operetta
Host segment 3: Mike communicates like a bee
End: The Observers have it out and Brain Guy is victorious
Stinger: “The dog’s meat! Have you seen it?”
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (236 votes, average: 4.18 out of 5)

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• Well, SOMEthing had to follow the brilliance of last week, and it was going to pale by comparison, but I think this episode holds its own pretty well. The British movies are not always my favorites, but this one is just silly enough to hold my attention. The riffing is very good and there’s a nice little running story in the host segments. All in all, lots of fun.
• Paul’s observations about this episode are here.
References.
• This episode is not on DVD, and, according to Shout, may never be. And because of that, I’m going to leave in all the little Sci-Fi Channel details that were in my taped copy (which I have been removing for episodes officially released on DVD and not containing all that stuff). For example…
• This week’s door sequence sponsor: Head & Shoulders.
• I forget where, now, (maybe somebody can remind me) but I recall that Mike, in some public setting, named the “Previously…” sketch in the opening as a personal favorite. I like it lot too, particularly Crow’s use of the word “skel,” which I only ever heard on “NYPD Blue.”
• This ep marks the first time we have heard Magic Voice since episode 809- I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF. (It’s {deadly} Beez, natch.)
• And in this episode we get the return of the Observers (Mike and Paul), who are none too pleased to see what’s become of Brain Guy. Mary Jo is particularly funny in the intro sketch.
• Naughty riff: “Catherine? Oh, it’s you…”
• The VW logo is in the corner of the spaghetti ball bumper, the first time I recall Sci-Fi doing that. Later we get a second door sequence sponsor: also VW. I believe this is the first episode that had two in one show.
• Segment 1, featuring the sonnet to the cigarette hag, is a marvel. Quick, funny, well-written, everything works.
• I like the “Please Stay” operetta (which was written by Mike, by the way). My only problem is that piano is a little loud. I can’t quite make out some of the lyrics.
• This week’s annoying commercial: many many ads for Propecia, which make very non-specific promises to grow your hair back, and then makes some very specific and scary warnings about side-effects. (And by the way, between ads for Head & Shoulders and Propecia, what the heck is going on with MSTies’ hair?)
• Segment 3 is one of those “long walk to a kind of cute idea” segments, but it’s harmless.
• Of course that’s Jim as the bowler-hatted man, the first time he’s been on camera since he was an ape in Deep Ape early in season 8.
• And I’m not quite sure why the bowler-hatted man’s appearance in the movie puzzles M&tB so much. It’s only baffling if you haven’t been paying attention. He’s that guy from the beginning of the movie who was dispatched to look into whoever was sending threatening letters to the government. I assume his appearance at the end is a little jab at British bureaucracy: The whole thing is over and dealt with, and he finally arrives to look into things. Not hilarious, but not really baffling either.
• Behind the scenes: It was April 30, 1998, just before this episode debuted, that it was announced that Sci-Fi Channel was not picking up the “back nine,” (that’s TV industry lingo for the nine episodes the channel had an option to order, or not order, in addition to the 13 episodes it had already ordered, for season nine). Fans reacted glumly. Many saw the writing on the wall.
• Cast and Crew Roundup: Producer Max J. Rosenberg also worked on “The Incredible Melting Man.” In front of the camera, Michael Ripper was also in “Moon Zero Two.”
• CreditsWatch: Directed by Mike. Formerly an intern, Dan Breyer, becomes a grip and continues as one for the rest of the series. Intern Brian Bull worked this episode and then departed.
• Fave riff: “Objection! Stupid hat!” Honorable mention: “Frankly, to me, any bra is a Wonder Bra.”

159 Replies to “Episode guide: 905- The Deadly Bees”

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  1. Saint Rude says:

    The songs in this movie had me rolling on the floor (before he slept with someone else out on it).

    Hilariously awful.

       2 likes

  2. ck says:

    I was as perplexed as Mike and the bots at the bowler
    guy at the end. Partly short term movie memory loss ;-)
    about his earlier appearance, but also the goofy music
    that accompanied him.

       2 likes

  3. Colossus Prime says:

    For me this is hands down the greatest intro segment ever!

    “Don’t make me shoot you… CROOOOOOW!”

    The movie is really pretty dark and actually wouldn’t be that bad if the idea weren’t so ridiculous and paced so boringly. It is mind boggling how much of an inexcusable a-hole Hargrove is. They could’ve made him at least a little sympathetic. And Vicki, sweet Christmas, Vicki. Her shocked look seems like she stopped mid sneeze and just held that face.

    But the riffing is top notch. Fittingly there are a lot of really silly riffs delivered in a British-esque, soft spoken humor manner. I’m not sure how often they do this but I just seemed to notice it more. Like with:

    Vicki: Bathroom?
    Crow: Yes you put your business in there and then you pull the chain.

    For what it’s worth I enjoy the music from the Birds. The lyrics were absolutely atrocious, but the music was good.

    All subsequent host segments are really fun, especially Pearl and Bobo’s song to get Brain Guy to stay (“Or take my pAaaw”). Kevin as Bobo is possibly my favorite character in the entire run of MST3K. He’s just such a lovable simpleton.

    Fav riffs
    Crow: Sure they argue but the sex is great.

    Hargrove: It’s dangerous to involve yourself with matters you don’t understand.
    Mike: But then what would I ever do?

    Mike: Help, according to physicists we can’t fly.

    Judge: Mr. Hargrove, would you take the chair please?
    Tom: Sure but don’t you need it for the trial?

    And of course every joke about the dog’s meat will forever make me laugh.

       3 likes

  4. Emily says:

    Not my favorite by any means, but I’m rather fond of this episode, as I am of anything vaguely British. I made my mother watch it because she keeps bees and she’s a low-key MSTie, but unfortunately it left her cold—mostly because she has no love for the British. (In contrast, I thought she was going to have a stroke from laughing when I showed her “Werewolf.”)

    I looove the opening, and the host segments amuse me more than average. There’s nothing else really I can say about it, though I also count the “Objection! Stupid hat!” riff as among my favorites. This is more a “background noise” episode than a “sit down and watch” episode.

       1 likes

  5. Mela says:

    I could never get into this movie. Everyone was dark & miserable & depressed, and then the bees start killing everything (including the poor innocent dog trapped with these losers), and it’s like a movie version of the current Funky Winkerbean stories but with British accents. It had some good riffs (my favorite was “Every bra’s a WonderBra”), but the movie itself was too much for me to really get into it.

    That said, the “Previously…” host segment is easily one of the best from the entire series. It alone is worth getting this movie on DVD.

       1 likes

  6. I'm not a medium, I'm a petite says:

    I like this one better than Werewolf ( the newer films have a grating awfulness that I find hard to watch ). This one is right up my street. That being said, the riffing is no better than Werewolf. but the host segments… ah the host segments.

    Can we praise “Previously” enough ? I don’t think so, easily at the top of their corpus in quality of writing and production.

    And to top “Previously” we have “I am leaving with my buddies”. I can not speak, I can but bask in it’s glory. I’ll fold your sheets.

    The power of the chili dog to befuddle even the minds of the observers must always be respected.

    The bee dance was just plain silly ( there’s naught wrong with that ).

    Keep in mind that BowlerHat did not spend the entire movie travelling out to Seagull Island. It was well into the second half ( maybe even 4th Quarter ) when BowlerHat’s superior gets the call that there may BEE something going on at Seagull Island and sends him off to investigate.

    Do they poke too much fun at the English ? No. The English really are different from normal people and they need to be mocked.

    As per Sampo, the naughty Catherine riff is a favorite.

    That’s not a license plate, their telling us what hymns we’re going to sing.

    oooooo it’s the morning and he’s drinking.. mmmmmmmm

    There are several million reasons
    no there’s none that I can think of.

       2 likes

  7. Faruk Alatan says:

    Hey Everyone,

    For what it’s worth, I’d like to say a few words about the band that performs prior to Vicki in the beginning. They are the birds (no, not the Byrds.) The guitarist for the Birds is none other than Ron Wood (yes, *that* Ron Wood.)

    While the Birds are merely more than a footnote in musical history, they should be recognized for the following:
    The Birds served an injunction against the Byrds when the American group visited London in 1965, because the Birds had been performing under their name since 1963.

    Ron Wood and bassist Kim Gardner went on to form The Creation with some other musicians. The Creation are semi-obscure as well, but are fondly remembered for their seminal song “Making Time.” The guitar riff approximates the Kinks “You Really Got me” or The Who’s “I Can’t Explain,” while the guitarist Eddie Phillips uses a violin bow to play his guitar, long before anyone in Led Zeppelin might’ve thought of it.

    The Birds are featured on Rhino’s 2001 box set “Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From the British Empire and Beyond, 1964-1969.” It is really quite good.

    And, for a final piece of minutiae, the Birds didn’t come anywhere close to touring the U.S.A., as our kindly announcer in today’s movie suggests in his remarks.

    I was kind of disappointed that no one riffed on Ron Wood during the song. He’s right in the center of some shots.

    And to think, I got through this entire post without mentioning the Rolling Stones.

       7 likes

  8. DON3k says:

    Only three stars. The movie is almost not bad enough. It’s not great, or good, but not awful. Inept, but not terribly so. Also, the riffing really could have been better. I get some chuckles, but after last week, this episodes riffing falls flat. For me, this is one of those episodes that, while the host segments are not spectacular – with the exception of the opener, that is – they actually are more enjoyable than the entire film. I don’t know what I expect, but somehow I think the Brains would have been able to do more with a color Brit 60s film.

       0 likes

  9. Graboidz says:

    I love this episode!! “Werewolf” was really good, but this one hit me just right. The single line of “The dog’s meat, have you seen it?” is priceless (that’s why I bought the T-shirt here on Satellite News). Everything about this episode just clicks for me.

       2 likes

  10. Finnias Jones says:

    This episode is a grower for me. Every time I watch it, I appreciate it more. A goofy movie like Pumaman or Werewolf provides it’s own riffs. The stuffy British Deadly Bees (like Projected Man) requires more heavy lifting on the part of Mike & the Bots.

    Director Freddie Francis, a Hammer veteran, is better known for his work as a cinematographer (The Innocents, The Elephant Man, Dune, etc.). But this 1967 film for Amicus (“Friendly swear-words Productions”) is a real dud. It starts off colorfully enough in swingin’ London but once Vicki (Suzanna Leigh, another Hammer vet, found in the trashy Lust for A Vampire) arrives on Seagull Island things become grey and overcast. The cast are effective, the farm house set is impressive, but the mood of the whole film is relentlessly dour.

    But our crew remain chipper throughout, often commenting on how stuffy and depressed everyone seems (“Must be my Life-Haters Club”). Three stars from me. Some stand-out riffs:

    “They named every bee? This is going to take forever!”

    “Christopher Robin decided on a diabolical plan to kill Pooh.”

    “Ah, has the hate gone out of our marriage?”

    Random notes:
    • Manfred always reminds me of characters played by Python’s Terry Jones
    • What is up with Vicki’s stuffed dachshund/pinata?

       2 likes

  11. M "I'll Just Be Using Movement" Sipher says:

    Regarding the bowler guy… can you really blame people for not recognizing a single specific drab, baggy-faced old limey in this parade of pasty jowls and eye-bags?

    One thing that impresses in this episode’s movie is how utterly useless the heroine is. The extended “But why?” riffs are certainly spot-on… she just whines and stumbles her way through the plot, accomplishing basically nothing aside from running around in a bra… which was only helpful in one way, and it had nothing to do with the plot.

    Also, the incredible downturn of tone. The movie opens with “rock” music that, while not really good, is hardly terrible. Two songs right up front, rather upbeat really, even with Vicki’s sad song. And then we get to the island, and in sets the drab and hatefulness! A long slog through beige scenery and half-mumbled lines by dour old people.

    It was nice to see Observer and Observer again, though I half-expected Observer to get beat up again. That seemed to happen to him a bit much.

       1 likes

  12. Kenneth Morgan says:

    Add me to those singing the praises of the “Previously…” opening.

    As for the movie, Manfred’s true intentions are about as much of a surprise as Natalie’s fate in “Werewolf”: not at all. And killing the dog is just plain low.

    Do I remember correctly that Robert Bloch wrote the screenplay for this one? If so, it’s not exactly his best work.

       1 likes

  13. Shinola says:

    Back when we talked Phantom Planet, I mentioned that it began a long string of fantastic outings, and this is one near the top. I know Deadly Bees leaves some people lukewarm at best, but I instantly treasured it. In fact, one of my big MST disappointments is somehow losing the VHS tape on which I recorded this and The Space Children back-to-back. They’re two of my season nine favorites, and it chafes me that they haven’t seen a DVD release to date.

    Good stuff all around. I love how, even after Devil Doll and Projected Man, the guys can still draw water from the Brit-stereotype well. It doesn’t help that the characters are so poorly constructed that M&TB hardly have to lift a finger to get some great lines at their expense.

    A few years back, someone around here suggested the “Previously…” opening would have worked better as a cold open heading straight into the theme song when Magic Voice offers the segue, “And now, this week’s episode.” I tend to agree. It would have been a clever format-breaking gimmick, and I would like to have seen it done that way (not that it detracted at all from the episode).

       3 likes

  14. I actually like the Birds’ song, and it’s always cool to see a young pre-drug Ron Wood. But Vickie Robbins’ song is so typical of the Petula Clark bombast that was going on in the charts concurrently that it only makes me laugh every time I hear it, especially with the M&tB’s semi-muffled riffs (“I have to change his storm WINDOWS!!!!” cries Tom).

    Actually, the lampooning of the movie could coast on the whole concept that ANYONE would think that vacationing on a BEE FARM would be a GOOD IDEA.

    I love that M&tB actually picked up on an obscure actor: Michael Gwynn, the doctor, DID actually play Lord Melbury on Fawlty Towers. It just shows that these guys were big Fawlty fans. However, another actor, James Cossins (who plays the magistrate at the inquest), was ALSO on Fawlty Towers as Mr. Walt, the “not-a-wine-expert” who Mr. Fawlty proceeds to annoy, thinking he is a hotel inspector.

       1 likes

  15. Roman Martel says:

    For me the host segments are more memorable than the film itself, and that’s not a good sign. But honestly, “Previously…” has me on the floor each time I see it. Really great stuff.

    The movie is another example of being not quite bad enough to offer enough riffs. It’s also badly paced, so energy and timing are needed to really pull it off. And while there are great moments it really doesn’t add up to a good episode.

    I can only give it 2 stars.

    Check out my full review here:
    http://romansreviews.blogspot.com/2010/02/deadly-bees-mst3k-review.html

       0 likes

  16. Patrick says:

    Favorite line: “Skip the music, guys, and go strait to the heroin.”

       1 likes

  17. MiqelDotCom says:

    BEST OPENING EVER!

    For me this is a fairly watchable movie, and riffing is ok, all in all nothing too special, but i still like this one and find it to be rewatchable.

    The sketch on Observer’s de-evolution & love of chilli-dogs is pretty funny. Pearl’s ultra squeaky response is perfect and poor Bobo just wants to be loved, lol. Of the many brilliant musical numbers on MST3K I didn’t find Observer’s song to be that memorable, though as always it’s well executed musically. Crow’s obsession with “Just for Men’ hair coloring is amusing.

    The rock band in the film is the Birds (not the Byrds) one of them went on to play with the Rolling Stones. here’s the wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Birds_%28band%29

    The loong narrated flashback scene near the end is hilarious … like a Scooby-doo villan confessing.

    Note: At the end they riff about what’s the deal with the guy who walks on scene as the credits roll. I didn’t catch it on first viewing but it’s the police detective from the first part of the film, a lame attempt at humor showing the investigator arriving (with goofy music) as the action ends.

    The opening sequence gets 5 stars. The episode is maybe a 3.5

    Crow: “Eight Miles WRONG”

    Crow responding to an odd spiky tree: “Look they’re growing Bill the Cat.”

    “…. THE DOG’S MEAT, HAVE YOU SEEN IT? He’ll only take it from me”
    Crow: “Wow the filthiest conversation ever”

    Tom: ” I can’t believe all this blood came out of one turnip”

    Mike: “Take your kettle-drum and your screaming and get out of here”

       2 likes

  18. Tom says:

    You said that this was the first appearance of Magic Voice in the SciFi era. Didn’t she have a line in Season 8’s “I Was a Teenage Werewolf”?

    However I love this episode and think it highly underrated. My favorite riff, “Man, what a long song. This is gonna take forever!”

       2 likes

  19. silentseason says:

    A solid ep, although the cigarette hag and killing off the dog I found kind of depressing.

       0 likes

  20. Fingal Dopple says:

    Bill’s Crow always had one riff, to me, that always seemed to be a throwaway riff…but the way he would deliver it would kill me every time. In this ep…it’s his “What do you think, Bowtie?” riff towards the end. The inflection in his voice matches perfectly with the facial expression of the actor on-screen. I imagine Mr. Corbett was quite the thespian in his pre-MST days.

       1 likes

  21. Sampo says:

    Good catch, Tom (#18). Magic Voice item now fixed.

       2 likes

  22. Iggy Pop's Brother Steve Pop says:

    “The dog’s meat” riff is a classic, and I’m surprised no one’s mentioned the continuation/payoff riff on the shot of the boat: “Kathie Lee Gifford arrives to see the dog’s meat.” That one gets me every time.

    The movie kind of undermines itself as suspense/horror by being so brightly lit, with such saturated color. That was a peculiar characteristic of Amicus films. They also did the two Dalek films and “They Came from Beyond Space.” The latter needs a good riffing. As I understand, it’s in the public domain, so maybe Rifftrax could do it as a DVD release.

       2 likes

  23. Akcoll99 says:

    Sad for me to see this only get 3.5 stars from the voting public as this is one of my absolute favorite episodes. The host egemnets, the riffing, everything just works perfectly for me in this episode. Like others have said, the “Previously…” segment is brilliant, but for me the riffing hits the ground running and never lets up.

    Crow: “Christopher Robin decided on a diabolical plan to kill Pooh.”

    Crow: “They named every bee? This is going to take forever…”

    Mike: “That’s the Hee Haw font, how can it be deadly?”

    The dog’s meat segment cracks me up everytime, as does the part at the end when Vicki is trying to escape Manfred’s burning house and Hargrove and the bartender are trying to break in and help her.

    Mike (in Vicki’s voice): “Ow! Well, let me run around to the window and…Ow!”

    Bowler hat guy confused the heck out of me the first couple of times I saw this episode too. I had to go to IMDB and get the explanation for who he is there. It makes sense in retrospect, but he’s such a minor, forgotten character, I can’t blame M&TB for being confused too.

    I give this episode, um, 27 stars! :razz:

       2 likes

  24. Cabbage Patch Elvis says:

    This one is a solid 4-star effort for me. The opening sketch is one of the tightest and funniest bits ever did, as far as I’m concerned. As far as the movie, it sure is British. Sorta dull, sorta smug, sorta dull. But MUCH better than Projected Man. The Birds performance is definitely a high-point for me, and of course, the dog’s meat.

    I stumbled upon a copy of the Deadly Bees at Best Buy on dvd not long ago, and had a good laugh. The cover shows Vicki screaming and almost completely covered with bees. It was done up pretty well and looked really nasty. I wonder how many people bought a copy thinking they were in for some sort of honey-soaked gorefest only to discover the stuttering Monty Pythonesque killer… and the dog’s meat.

       3 likes

  25. Droppo says:

    The opening segment is in the Host Segment Hall of Fame. Without a doubt, the funniest of the Sci Fi era at the very least.

    The movie is solid. Nothing too memorable, but, I enjoy it. And I always enjoy an awful musical number.

       1 likes

  26. Finnias Jones says:

    More favorites:

    Crow: Why didn’t I marry a cigarette?

    Manfred introduces himself to Vicki
    Crow: You’ve heard of my Earth Band?

    Horse knocks over pail of water
    Mike: Yope, and this starts the Great Chicago Flood.

    Then as Vicki spies on Hargrove, Crow breaks the No Bad Puns Rule
    Crow: What a PANE (Mike chuckles sarcastically and Servo turns towards Crow, growling)
    Crow: Those windows should get the LEAD out (flustered, Mike threatens Crow)
    Mike: Stop that right now
    Crow: Don’t hit
    Mike: I’m warning you

       1 likes

  27. H says:

    I enjoy this one. The movie’s good, one of those movies that works for me but I don’t know why. The host segments are great as well. Of course, the opening is superb. I try to work skel into as many conversations as possible. And the icing on the cake is Beez’s credit as ‘Deadly’ Beez McKeever.

       2 likes

  28. Ator In Flight says:

    With all the puns I was waiting for a Bee Cup joke during Vicki’s Bra/Bee Fight scene.

       3 likes

  29. Its too bad MST3K never got to do the all time worst bee movie of all time, “The Swarm” with Michael Caine. I realize the film is almost 3 hours long, but they could have pruned it down to the best parts. The part where Caine is in a hospital with the kid hallucinating a giant bee is so blow-milk-out-your-nose funny I don’t see how they could have passed.

       1 likes

  30. Brandon says:

    I’m a Looney Tunes fanatic, so this riff appeals to me the most.

    *woman finds her dead dog*

    “I know who did this…”

    Mike: “Foghorn Leghorn did this.”

    Poor Barnyard Dawg.

       1 likes

  31. norgavue says:

    I like the first segment cause it had nothing to do with anything. The movie is funny on its own and the riffing works. The cigarette hag and the weird old guy who looks like he should be the villain but isn’t adds to the fun and mike and the bots take advantage of it. The side plot with the other observers is good and it ends in usual fashion. Favorite riff: I used to live next to the jeffersons.

       0 likes

  32. Colossus Prime says:

    Oh, forgot to mention my love for the Observers being changed into raving Packers fans from Wisconsin.

    PACKERS! WOOO!

       2 likes

  33. ghlbtsk says:

    I always loved Kevin’s mocking of that singularly British verbal tic: the repetition of “yes” under one’s breath at varying speeds. Also, regarding “Objection! Stupid hat!”, it’s Bill’s delivery that elevates it to one of my all-time favorite riffs.

    Whenever I’m feeling low, all my wife has to do is ask “The dog’s [insert random, usually non-dog-related item here], have you seen it?” and everything is all right with the world again. :razz:

       2 likes

  34. Jamie says:

    “Lets just skip the music and go straight to the heroine!!”
    “(sung) Eight miles long”
    “(Mike): Oh, that must be the guy to took me to a dance last night”
    “Old McWartface had a farm EI-EI-OH.”
    “I’ve got your knickers”

       1 likes

  35. touches no one's life, then leaves says:

    I don’t get the Catherine reference. Of course, I doubt that I (or anyone) gets every reference in every episode, but this one’s been referred to twice and it’s still early. Anyone? Thanks.

    >>>What is up with Vicki’s stuffed dachshund/pinata?

    It’s a nicknack that makes her feel more at home, I guess. Or maybe it’s a cutesy travel bag. :-)

    “Do you know anything about bees?”
    “No, nothing.”
    “So you stopped after A, did you?”

       2 likes

  36. Ang says:

    Am I the only one who actually kinda likes the songs in this one? ;-) I was confused about bowler hat guy too so I’m glad we got that cleared up. This one is very rewatchable and of course the dog’s meat riffs are classic. I need to get that shirt. :smile:

    “That’s not a sweater, it’s just smoke that’s clung to her.”

    “The horse is on the horse.”

       1 likes

  37. Jamie says:

    #36 I actually liked the rock number (eight miles long) nice and loud. I got into it. I wonder if that was an actual release there at the time by that particular band.

       0 likes

  38. Jamie says:

    #36: I actually liked the rock number (eight miles long) by those guys. It was nice and loud. I really got into it. I just wonder if that was an actual release over there at the time by that band.

       0 likes

  39. Akcoll99 says:

    “I don’t get the Catherine reference. Of course, I doubt that I (or anyone) gets every reference in every episode, but this one’s been referred to twice and it’s still early. Anyone? Thanks.”

    Catherine The Great of Russia was the subject of many rumors and much gossip in her day, including a famous one about her proclivity for…um…”enjoying the company” of her stable horses, since her many human lovers couldn’t satisfy her. False by all accounts, but it has stood the test of time to be the one thing most people know about poor Catherine. I even had a friend ask me the other day if it was true.

       4 likes

  40. Chris says:

    This one is up and down for me. There’s some truly classic riffs. And the host segments are great. But, the movie drags me down.

    I’ll echo the love for “Eight Miles Long” by the Birds. It’s stupid, lyrically. But, musically, it’s fun.

    Favorite Riff:
    “Take the chair.”
    “Don’t you need it for the trial?”

       0 likes

  41. Akcoll99 says:

    #37- There is a compilation CD of the Birds’ music, available on Amazon, called “The Collector’s Guide To Rare British Birds.” (Very Monty Python-esque) Sadly, the song performed in Deadly Bees, “That’s All I Need” apparently only existed on the dialogue track for the movie, and no other masters have been found, so the version on the CD (an unlisted bonus track) features the dialogue from the actors being spoken overtop of the song as its playing!

       2 likes

  42. Dark Grandma of Death says:

    “Crow, don’t make me shoot you…..CROOOOW!”

    (Colossus Prime, #3, you beat me to the quote!)

    I agree with everyone on the opening segment – best ever. Liked the chicken puppet showing up again, liked all the television drama cliches being used.

    Was the song Vicky Robinson sings in the studio supposed to be the one that catapulted her to fame? If so, then I’m quite happy that she almost gets killed not once but twice while recovering.

    An enjoyable if not fantastic episode, with decent riffing and fun host segments. But the thing that really makes this episode memorable, for me, is Jim Mallon as the Magritte guy, wandering through the SOL and Castle Forrester, tipping his hat as he goes, accompanied by that insipid music. Lovely stuff.

       3 likes

  43. I'm not a medium, I'm a petite says:

    OK time-out guys. Is it ‘Eight miles LONG’ or ‘Eight miles WRONG’ ? It’s been quoted both ways here, and I always thought they were saying ‘WRONG’.

       0 likes

  44. Dark Grandma of Death says:

    I’m pretty sure it’s “Eight miles WRONG.”

       1 likes

  45. creepygirl says:

    This one is not really a favorite of mine, but not bad. The movie itself looks really good but the pacing is sooooo slow. I must thank you all for pointing out the reason for BowlerHat Man. I watched this again last night and I was still befuddled by his presence.(I’ve been that way since 1998) The opening segment is wonderful and the riffing on this one strong. I too laugh at the thought of vacationing or resting on a desalete bee farm! I mean c’mon, even in season how much fun could it bee? I pull this one out once maybe every two to three years. I’ll see ya again in 2013 DEADLY BEES. ;-)

       4 likes

  46. Random Citizen Who Can Kick a Werewolf's Ass says:

    Because of the random bowler-hat-guy at the end of this week’s movie, I think that this week’s Weekend Discussion topic should be “Which movie had the worst/stupidest ending?” IMO, it would undoubtedly be the non-ending in “Monster A Go Go.”

       0 likes

  47. Jamie says:

    #40: Thank You. :-)

       0 likes

  48. Zeroninety says:

    Here’s something I didn’t pick up on till nearly ten years after I first saw the episode: Manfred does his whole “bumbling moron” act with Hargrove, “Oh, I’ve mislaid my Simmins book on beekeeping,” etc. So, supposedly, it should be a big shock that he has the beekeeping expertise to pull off his plan. BUT–Vicki discovers a book he’s written on beekeeping, published under his own name (!) with his picture on the cover (!!) So why is Hargrove going along with any of Manfred’s stupid act?

    Stupid, stupid, *stupid* movie!!

       5 likes

  49. rcfagnan says:

    For me, the most difficult episodes are the ones that are just DULL. And this is one of them. Not a bad episode, thanks to the excellent host segments, but not a fave.

       1 likes

  50. trickymutha says:

    I have always enjoyed this one- what are the chances- I mean *rival* beekeepers on Seagull Island? The British really know how to make a movie. Pop stars, cute little bar floosie, Star Fleet guy, Rugged face “the dog’e meat” woman, Crow’s sonnett, death by mis-adventure. Bowler dude at end. Classic stuff. A crowd favorite where I come from.

       4 likes

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