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Episode Guide: 416- Fire Maidens of Outer Space

Movie: (1956) Astronauts travel to a moon of Jupiter and discover a civilization populated almost entirely by women. Soon they’re battling a monster that has been terrorizing the settlement.

First shown: 11/26/92
Opening: During a posture check, Timmy the dark Crow appears — and attacks Cambot!
Invention exchange: The Mads have the big checkbook, while Joel demonstrates cheese sneaker
Host segment 1: Tom wants to discuss double entendres, but Timmy acts out
Host segment 2: Joel tries to explain the twin-screw controller, but Timmy interferes
Host segment 3: Joel defeats Timmy in a battle to the death
End: Joel, Crow and Tom discuss the lessons they’ve learned, Joel reads a letter, and Timmy’s in Deep 13
Stinger: It’s a secret passage miracle
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (199 votes, average: 4.45 out of 5)

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• What a great, great episode, featuring the truly inspired “dark Timmy” host segments. The Brains rarely gave us a complete story within the 15 minutes or so that the host segments run, and this is one of the funniest and most creative attempts. Witty and captivating all the way through. The riffing is, again, just what you would expect at this point in season four, when this team was firing on all cylinders. As for the movie, well…you know, in the theme song when they talk about “cheesy movies”? This is about as cheesy as it gets.
• I would really love to see this one on a future DVD collection.
References.
• This was the second of two new episodes shown on Thanksgiving Day, 1992.
• Of course, for the one or two people who don’t know, Timmy is the Crow they use in the theater, painted black to make a nicer silhouette. But are they using two black Crows in the theater when Timmy sneaks in? I can’t really see a difference in the silhouettes.
• Callbacks: Joel’s posture check during the opening is a callback to the “Posture Pals” short (shown in episode 320- The Unearthly). Crow is right, that is the same footage from “King Dinosaur.” Joel says “tenperature” in segment 2, a callback to “Fugitive Alien.” “I’m feeling REALLY good!” (Gamera vs Guiron). “Lawrence would you get back there…” (Catalina Caper).
• Last time I asked if “I prayed for a friend and he came” is from something. Commenters said it’s from a Frankenstein movie.
• I love Frank’s zoned out expression when they first cut to Deep 13.
• I guess with the holiday season approaching, “It’s a Wonderful Life” was on their minds — not only do they make references to it during the movie, but Frank and Dr. F approximate a scene from it during the giant checkbook bit.
• Dr. F is evil, so he pronounces “WimbleDON” incorrectly.
• Frank has a hilarious bit of business during the invention exchange: He needs to sign a giant check, so of course he needs a pen. He pats his pockets looking for a pen but can’t find one, then steps off camera and returns with a GIANT pen. Funny stuff.
• I wonder who art directed the costumes and set pieces in the blackout scenes after Timmy commandeers the twin-screw controller. The images are wonderfully surrealistic and also vaguely reminiscent of the Daffy Duck cartoon “Duck Amuck.”
• Tom still has the rotisserie in his head when comes back into the theater. Joel helps him out.
• Dopey movie moment: When they first encounter the girl being molested by the monster, the astronauts are at least 50 yards away and the girl is standing right next to the monster, but one of them calmly levels his revolver and shoots in their direction. He misses both of them, but either he thinks he’s a REEEEALLY good shot or he’s incredibly reckless. Or he’s in a cheesy movie. Sheesh.
• That’s Jef Maynard running Timmy (he’s in the credits). In those days he tended to be their go-to guy when they needed somebody else in the puppet trench; later it was Pat Brantseg.
• Servo applauds several times in the theater. How does he do that with inoperable arms? (I know, I know.)
• Timmy enters the theater between segments two and three. When they come back from commercial he can’t be seen, but then he slowly reappears and then starts to creep over to attack Tom. This is one of only 14 times someone or something other than Joel, Mike, Tom and Crow enters the theater.
• As Tom is attacked, Joel says “You didn’t tell us Tommy was in here…” He meant “Timmy.” They keep going.
• After Tom is attacked, Joel runs off left. Is that the only time he’s done that?
• Then-current reference: The then-controversial, now mostly forgotten book “Final Exit.”
• The fan letter read at the end of this episode was written by a woman who now uses the stage name Christmas Sagan, and is a member of the rock group Freezepop. Joel invited her to appear on the Thanksgiving marathon in 2015. She appeared again, and performed a cover of the MST3k theme song, during the live telethon in December of 2015.
• Cast and crew roundup: Art director Scott MacGregor also worked on “Moon Zero Two” and “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru.” In front of the camera, Anthony Dexter is also in “Twelve To The Moon” and “The Phantom Planet.”
• CreditsWatch: Host segments directed by Trace (the first of three eps in this season). Jim Mallon directed most of the first half of the season but in the second half directing duties are being spread around. “Ammendment” is still spelled wrong.
• Fave riff: “Thank you, that’s all.” Honorable mention: “Yeah, it’s Nancy Kulp night.”

97 Replies to “Episode Guide: 416- Fire Maidens of Outer Space”

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  1. Graboidz says:

    I believe the “I prayed for a friend and he came” line references “Bride of Frankenstein”, when the blind man is happy the “monster” has shown up to live with him. Great parody of the scene in “Young Frankenstein” with Gene Hackman playing the blind man (Of course he’s good in anything!)

       10 likes

  2. Kenneth Morgan says:

    I was really glad when, during one of the 500 playbacks of “Stranger in Paradise”, that Servo references the old classical music albums commercial (with British actor John Williams) from the 1970’s: “But did you know that the original theme is from the ‘Polyvetsian Dance No. 2’ by Borodin?”

    I can even remember that you could get those albums on 8-Tracks for $12.98.

       6 likes

  3. Bob says:

    Great episode all around; hilarious from start to finish. Here’s a bit of movie trivia about Firemaidens Of Outer Space.

    Why is it some of the WORST movies ever made get remade multiple times? The first movie with a story about Earth astronauts visiting another celestial body inhabited largely by women, some of them hostile toward men, was Catwomen Of The Moon (1953). Firemaidens Of Outer Space (1956), Queen Of Outer Space (1958), and Missile to the Moon (1959) are all basically remakes of Catwomen Of The Moon, which was so hilariously bad that even with a running time of only 58 minutes it still has padding!

    In answer to Sampo’s question about ‘is “I prayed for a friend and he came” from something?’ I believe this might be a reference to a scene from a classic Universal picture about the Frankenstein monster in which an old blind man takes the monster into his cottage and says something along those lines, weeping in his joy that he is finally not alone. It’s a terrific scene evoking much sympathy for the lonely old blind man and the persecuted “monster” who has finally found a friend in someone who cannot see his startling and frightful face.

       3 likes

  4. WampaX says:

    IS Frank’s last line in the episode, “Who are you? Who are you?” a reference to the The Exorcist ripoff Beyond the Door?

       1 likes

  5. Bob says:

    I think the occasional repeated use throughout the show’s history of the movie quote “Who are you?” shouted frantically is a reference to High Plains Drifter with Clint Eastwood.

       4 likes

  6. Bobo "BuckDat" Briggs says:

    Great memory of watching this for the first time on Turkey Day 92 with my baby brother at the time who is now 19 and having a kid soon.

    The thing I remember the most is how Timmy introduced my brain to the Crow “Illusion”. When Timmy first started appearing in the theater, I thought he was facing us, the audience, at times. And ever since, I can trick my brain into seeing it with Crow pretty much during any run of the show if I concentrate on him enough. That was always my theory as to why Crow’s “Net” was crooked for a time untill they had tweaked the Shadowrama to near perfection. I thought maybe it was to cut back on that illusion during theater segments. Could be wrong though but it definatly seems harder to see Crow facing “Us” while the Cooper is on crooked.

       1 likes

  7. Tony says:

    Seeing Timmy biting and headbutting Servo in the theater cracks me up every time.

       3 likes

  8. skenderberg says:

    Like everyone else here, I think the Timmy sequence is wonderful. The movie…not so much. Fire Maidens from Outer Space is abominably slow and empty, so much so that I have trouble watching it even with the MST3K treatment. I think it works better when a movie has actual, mockable substance to it.

       4 likes

  9. Brandon says:

    “Kill me! Kill meee! Oh, I say, Joel! Would you please kill me?”

    “I’m a teensy bit busy Tom, I’m getting to it!”

       8 likes

  10. Andrew says:

    I particularly love MST3K’s early seasons and “Fire Maidens” has always been one of my favorites. The entire premise of the movie — civilization of outer-space Atlantean babes dancing to Borodin — is the kind of goofy MST was made for.

    I like how Joel’s riff on “almighty bomb!” as he kow-tows to the rocketship sort of anticipates the bomb-worshiping people in the host segments of season 8. But for some reason, my favorite line is still the fire-maiden’s declaration “Hail to Hestia, queen of Atlantis” toward the end. A less enthusiastic hailing can hardly be imagined.

       2 likes

  11. WouldntYouLikeToKnow says:

    Classic MST. Great episode.

       1 likes

  12. Bookworm says:

    I always thought Tom’s “Kill me. Kiiill me.” was a callback to ‘Hercules and the Captive Women,’ with the gal Hercules saves from Proteus, though most think it’s a reference to ‘Alien.’ (Or was it ‘Aliens?’ I’ve never seen either of them.) Maybe ‘Aliens’ (or was it ‘Alien?’) swiped it from the Herc flick?

    Another dated reference: Courier winning a tennis match. Heck, it was pretty much dated when they first showed this episode! *grin*

       1 likes

  13. GizmonicTemp says:

    Bookworm, “Kill meeee” comes from a removed scene from the movie Alien in which Ripley discovers Tom Skerritt’s character encased in goo, pleading to her to “killll meeeee”, which she does.

    This episode ended a sort-of drought for me that started with show 411. GREAT episode!

       0 likes

  14. Rowsdower42 says:

    Great episode, terrible movie. I love Frank’s scream at the end from Being From Another Planet (405)

       2 likes

  15. Mark says:

    Not one of my favorites. Pretty good riffing, boring movie, and sub-par host segments.

    Yes, I’m probably the only MST fan who doesn’t find the Timmy host segment arc to be all that special. They really bring this episode down.

    It’s a solid episode when compared to the series as a whole, but it’s definitely below average in terms of the prime Joel years (2-5). To me this episode marks the end of the hit-and-miss part of season 4 (basically 401-416). After this one it was nothing but strong episodes through the end of the season, with no weaker episodes like 401, 403, 405, 409, 414, 416.

    Favorite line is Crow’s “on the left! on the left! dickweeeeed!”

       2 likes

  16. RCFagnan says:

    Astronauts go back to the ship and sit around for a while. Cut back to scientists and mannish women and they sit around for a while. Cut back to astronauts on the ship: THEY’RE STILL SITTING AROUND!

       7 likes

  17. Bob says:

    The bit about bomb worshipping is a movie reference to “Beneath The Planet of the Apes” wherein the mutant humans worship an unused nuclear missile. Like many references on MST3K it was used more than once, and in this case it was even used again many seasons later for a full host segment on the Sci-Fi Channel.

       2 likes

  18. happy says:

    • Is “I prayed for a friend and he came” from something? It sounds familiar. Twilight Zone, maybe?
    I think thats a line in Its a Wonderful Life too. A lot of the riffs and segement with Dr F were from that movie…

       0 likes

  19. Sitting Duck says:

    Mostly forgotten is right. :???: What was Final Exit about?

    Gotta love the cheap-arse special effect of the rocket ship landing (by simply running the shot of it launching backwards).

       0 likes

  20. RCFagnan says:

    Astronaut: It’s really something.
    Crow: I don’t know WHAT, but it’s something!

       0 likes

  21. Bookworm says:

    GizmonicTemp:

    Yeah, I know that now. But it still seems awfully close to that scene in the Herc film, too. Like I said, maybe ‘Alien’ swiped from there. *grin*

    My favorite exchange from the movie:

    Higgins: You know, ah…there could be humans on that planet.
    Blair: …You’re a scientist. It’s probable, but highly doubtful.

       3 likes

  22. adoptadog says:

    Sitting Duck, Final Exit was a book by Derek Humphry, who founded the Hemlock Society. The book’s subtitle was “The Practicalities of Self-Deliverance and Assisted Suicide for the Dying”…which I guess pretty much says it all.

    This is also the book Dr. F gives Frank in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, I think.

       0 likes

  23. Evan K. says:

    Final Exit was a how-to suicide / self-euthanasia book. Before the internet, that sort of thing was pretty shocking to people . . .

       0 likes

  24. GizmonicTemp says:

    Bookworm, wouldn’t that be a trip if “Alien” swiped a scene from an Mst3k-worthy Herc flick!

    Mark, I agree that Timmy was not that great. He was just too dark for my tastes, but the “Aliens” parody was a great payoff!

    Jupiter, America’s dairyland!

       3 likes

  25. Officer Kline says:

    What was the deal with the whole “On the left, Dickweek!” Did someone see something I didn’t? Why was it obviously not London?

       0 likes

  26. Sean74 says:

    Another great episode, in fact it’s a blueprint for what MST was made for. The Timmy arc during the entire show was a smart change of pace, to show that J&TB are not the only ones on the SOL at any given time. It’s next to impossible to take this movie seriously, between the stock footage stolen from “King Dinosaur” to the monster in the spandex following the astronauts (who do nothing but sit around!) I will admit that they do repeat certain jokes throughout the movie, but in this context it works.

    I also wonder why director/writer/producer Cy Roth doesn’t seem to have another movie to his credit? Then again, never mind….

       1 likes

  27. I liked that fact that, in the future, London will only have one airport, and it will be called “LONDON AIRPORT”. Was this film set in the future? There was a rocket ship, but the astronauts had revolvers.

    My theory regarding “who are you?” is that it’s from Lawrence of Arabia. There’s a bit where Lawrence ends up on a river bank, and on the distant far side a man on a motorbike yells “who are you?”; we never get an answer.

       2 likes

  28. Spector says:

    This one started well but then seems to go off the rails midway through. The host segments with the evil “Timmy” were fine, and I love the opening twenty minutes of this,as Joel and the ‘Bots get off some of the best riffs they’ve ever done…but then it just seems to run out of steam half way through and never fully recovers. An episode that could’ve been amongst the best in show history ends up being good…but not great.

    “Fire Maidens really grip the road”.

    “On the left…on the left! Dickweed!”

    “Allow me to knee you in the groin, Hal”.

       1 likes

  29. Dan in WI says:

    For me this episode was for a very long time the stuff of fables. As I mentioned last week I didn’t come from a household with cable or satellite TV. I’ve heard about this episode and its legendary host segment story arc but never actually saw it. Only in the past five years after I discovered Cheepnis did I finally see it. It was everything I hoped it would be.

    Here we are on episode 416 and I just noticed something. On the opening theme song when Joel is vacuuming, he is cleaning the old original window shade Hexfield Viewscreen.

    Where did that Posture Pals opening callback come from? I like Crow’s plan to marry into posture. I guess the purpose is to introduce Timmy in the way they did. You know he looks gray not black.

    I like the Mad’s invention. I guess it’s not really an invention. But it is still evil the way the manipulated the concept so that they and they alone profit from it. By the way, does anyone remember tennis star Jim Courier anymore?

    Joel’s invention is fun too. Anything with cheese is okay in my book.

    The double entendre host segment brings back memories. Some college friends and I had that exact same conversation completely independently of this sketch. The best we came up with was “check out the folding chairs on that one.”

    For the most part I tend to enjoy these Amazon Women on the Moon movies. But this one really is terribly slow and drab. Plus the sheer amount of filler is just obscene. Really, how else do you explain the secretary in the observatory scene? Hell this film would hold the record for meaningless padding until 2011’s Twilight Break Dawn Part 1.

    One thing that makes this movie unique is it is the only Amazon Women on the Moon genre movie I can think of where the moon is a Wisconsin’s Dairyland planet instead of the usual barren rocky desert type landscape.

    We have a Land of Dairy Queen callback to Cosmic Princess.

    The Timmy attacking Tom in the theater is the type of payoff to an outsider in the theater I was hoping for why Gypsy was in the theater a few weeks prior. This episode satisfies where they other was a let down.

    Favorite Riffs:
    Crow “I’m Ed Bradley and this is 60 minutes.” Joel “of padding”

    Control room stars at a speaker during communications. Tom “Let’s all watch it on the speaker.”

    Crow “Guys we are in for some deep padding.” [Is that anything like Deep Hurting?]

    Joel “Can we get a table closer to the plot?”

    Tom “I want you to stop touching yourself.” [Nice Real Genius reference.]

       1 likes

  30. briizilla says:

    A 5 star classic. I love how Crow freaks out when he recognizes the stock footage from King Dinosaur, it makes me laugh every time.

    The host segments are all top notch, the riffing is great and the movie is one of the most sexist pieces of cheese ever put on film.

       3 likes

  31. snowdog says:

    This is one of those rare eps where the brilliant host segments save the day, imo. The movie is brutally boring, approaching unwatchable, and it drags down the riffing a bit. I briefly thought Timmy was facing us as well. I guess I’m not used to seeing Crow on that side of the screen. I love how Frank sticks the giant pen in his mouth while he’s trying to figure out how to make out the giant check. Not easy!

       4 likes

  32. Sean says:

    Am I the only one who thinks Joel is kind of a lousy parent in this episode? He sides with a complete stranger over Crow, and he flat out ignores Tom when he tries to warn him about Timmy.

       3 likes

  33. Tom Carberry says:

    Did you get tired of the “theme music”? Well here’s a little story behind it. According to the Fire Maiden actress Jacqueline Curtis (Duenna, the naughty girl) they used the Polovtsian Dances (by Borodin) as queue music for blocking the dance scenes. The intention was to later dub an original score, but it just never happened. Could have been worse—at least we weren’t pummeled by Albert Glasser.

    Is this a bad American or British “Sci-Fi” movie? In keeping with the British B movie producer’s optimistic reasoning that casting an overseas lead will ensure a worldwide sale, here we have American actor Anthony Dexter as the leader of a group of astronauts sent into space to explore the thirteenth moon of Jupiter. The rest of the crew consists of British actors saddled with false American accents. Even so nothing can prepare you for the shock that the thirteenth moon of Jupiter looks exactly like a beautiful spot in the leafy English countryside–somewhere in Surrey perhaps (although Wisconsin comes to mind) being the most likely locale–with absolutely no attempt made to evoke an alien terrain. This kind of bottom-of-the-barrel garbage is unusual for British movies of the era. There is a whole strata of film making that did not seem to exist in Britain. There were no British equivalents of Ed Wood, Phil Tucker, Gerry Warren or Tom Graef: wannabee film makers with the sheer will to get movies made and shown despite the fact they had no money, no time and no talent. Their movies were undoubtedly abortions, but at least they got released. I suspect it was a cultural thing: that kind of maverick, ‘can do’ attitude was common in America but alien to Britain in the Fifties. It should come as no surprise to learn that Cy Roth, the writer/producer/director of Fire Maidens, was an American.

    Favorite lines:

    Cy Roth, maker of films and fine candies.
    Fire Maidens really grip the road [Remember the Uniroyal/Tigerpaw tire ads?]
    Oh, no, they’re bombing Levittown.
    Please remain seated until the movie grinds to a complete halt.
    May I take your gym bag?
    What is this a Bergman film?
    Sgt. Batguano, if that really is your name?
    Oh man, can we get our cover charge back? Yes, it’s Nancy Culp night.
    Guys, we’re in for some deep padding.
    [tossing aside their flight suits] Yeah, the maid will get those.
    Jupiter…America’s dairyland.
    How would you like it if we picked your apples?
    Oh, wait a minute, this is a Star Trek set…Spock…Spock.
    “If that old goat starts anything.” Go for the women, not the old goat.
    [Dance sequence—first of many] You know they should try dancing in time to the music.
    You know, I was just thinking Aphrodite must have lost her shape after a few hundred daughters.
    Can we get a table closer to the plot?
    There’s more action in the wallpaper.
    [of the Monster] It looks like Ric Ocasak in a union suit. It’s Grace Jones. I think he looks like Henry Silva.
    Tonight on music through the night, suite for a drunken Dad.
    This scene is bad even for this film.
    Patented 50’s scream.
    Cy Roth, shame on you.

    Final Thought: As Joel observed, the Fire Maidens dressed like cocktail waitresses at Caesar’s Palace. I give this one 4 out of 5 stars—bad movie, great treatment.

       4 likes

  34. Gary Bowden says:

    One of my favorite episodes..Dear SHOUT!: Could you please put this on a future box set? Think about it,won’t you??

       5 likes

  35. stef says:

    As funny as Timmy is, despite the fact that Joel & the bots have some great jokes, I think this is one of the WORST movies they ever did. It’s so sexist and there are so many scenes of nothing happening! “Castle of Fu-Manchu” is more watchable than this tripe.

       2 likes

  36. Fred Burroughs says:

    Dan (in WI), good call on this being a “Amazon Women on the Moon” genre. It’s actually hard to parody this movie, because it’s so lame and bland on its own. the dialogue, plot acting, effects, props, etc. are just a smidge above what you’d expect in a good high school play. It’s hard to keep up with watching such nothing , but it’s worth the slog as usual. This is one of the films that it’s just not necessary to pay attention to the details of the plot, because very little of the science or the logic makes sense. “You stay behind, we’ll go ahead…or we’ll go ahead and you stay behind” and meet when, for what reason? The girl is attacked: “No! We didn’t come here to get involved.” Then he shoots at the monster anyway…and the monster flees, though bullets are harmless to him. It’s not up “The the Eye Creatures” level of Not Caring, but it’s close.

    I love the Timmy story unfolding behind the scenes, esp. how Joel eventually welcomes Timmy as a stand-in while punishing Crow, even though he’s evil and stuff. Similar to when Tom’s evil pod-grown doppelganger shows up, and the two toms consult each other to answer the questions only Tom would know. Still, they could have done so much more with the Timmy character than the brief period where he becomes a threat…

       3 likes

  37. Stressfactor says:

    I liked this one and really thought the riffing was more inventive and more lively than the riffing on “Tormented”. The fact that it was a boring movie didn’t seem to really slow them down. I like how they reference “Castle of Fu Manchu” at the end as being among the worst the Mads have sent. Although throwing in “Mighty Jack” and “Fugitive Alien” doesn’t seem fair since stuff *happened* in those two movies they were just hard to follow the action. “Fu Manchu” and this one nothing *happens*. Heck even Process (?) — who is somewhat our ‘villain’ of the piece is killed quickly, kind of off-screen and without any conflict.

    Also, adding to the sexism count on this episode — the female romantic lead is named Hestia — in Greek mythology Hestia was the virginal goddess of the hearth. So… yeah… you might as well say ‘kitchen goddess’.

    I also noticed that the guys referenced several Broadway musicals in this one — Joel’s rendition of “A Secretary is not a Toy” comes from “How to Succeed in Business” and Crow’s line of “What Lola wants, Lola gets” comes from a song from “Damn Yankees” and there were another couple of tunes in there I’m sure I’ve heard in Broadway musicals but I can’t remember the musicals in question at the moment.

    I also like how the gang are quite intrigued by the short-skirted girls dancing… but then quickly get bored.

    My favorite lines though are still Crow’s “Keep left! On the left!! DICKWEED!”

       1 likes

  38. Alex says:

    This is a really creepy episode! It is a horrible movie, I agree, but a great, yet creepy, episode.

    Oh… and I think they use the regular Crow puppet in the theater when Timmy Enters. Notice how Theater Crow’s net is slightly bigger compared to regular Crow’s net, which is a bit smaller.

       0 likes

  39. dsman71 says:

    I remember this being the first of some really crappy movies climaxing with Manos..what a series of Poo that headed our way…I always get this vibe with this episode all the way to Manos, like some spiral heading toward the end of the season with some really bad films
    This was a great episode (owned by Lionsgate I think) with Timmy , a monster in a leotard , the music that doesnt even come close to matching the *action*
    I didnt realize the Its A wonderful nods until a few years ago when I watched it for the first time. I started to watch classics and havent looked back since
    Joels Hair
    Joels Knees
    Timmy the Alien
    It really IS a Wonderful Life
    well maybe not
    I need some of those therapy maidens from outer space

       4 likes

  40. Neptune Man says:

    The only thing I disliked about this movie was the soundtrack, I like Alexandr Borodin, but the music didn’t match the scenes. Also, the Beast with a Man’s Head reminded me of the existant-non existant Douglas from Monster a Go Go. Great references to Alien.

       2 likes

  41. Cheapskate Crow says:

    Crow: “I’m Ed Bradley, and this is 60 minutes.”
    Joel: “of padding.”

    That sums up the movie right there, it officially makes me ashamed to be from Los Alamos, although I’m quite sure the movie makers didn’t go anywhere near there. This episode isn’t as good as I remembered as the padding is quite painful, easily on the level of Sandstorm or Rock Climbing. Timmy scared me after host segment 2, where he just sits in the theater but doesn’t do anything for the entire segment. It was weird man! Loved the popcorn asteroids again, can’t remember how many movies had these. Also I am quite positive the “Kill me” line at the end comes from Aliens, as did the bitch line as well. Host segment 1 makes an interesting point where it’s not just blatant sexism with the secretary screen, but it’s badly executed blatant sexism. Which is worse? You be the judge.

    Other favorite riffs:
    “Cy just fainted and they didn’t know he was filming this.”
    “AAAAAAAHHHHH! It’s a spruce.”

    Naughty riff:
    “Attempting re-entry.”

    Apologies if this is a duplicate, my first post got eaten by the mean spider that roams the interwebs.

       2 likes

  42. Mitchell "Rowsdower" Beardsley says:

    Another top 5 episode of all time in my book. 2nd one in a row with Beatniks. This show is a classic. Hilarious commentary, unbelievably stupid movie (“what was the point of the poison wine!?”) and the Timmy skits/story. I love love love it!

    PLEASE SHOUT – WE NEED FIRE MAIDENS OF OUTER SPACE!!

       2 likes

  43. Big61al says:

    Please give this a proper release….my copy suffers from terminal freeze frame…don’t think I’ve ever seen the whole thing yet.

       0 likes

  44. Lisa says:

    Pretty good episode. Great host segments, strong start, but the movie just limps along half way through. Love the posture opening.

    Favorite riffs…
    I thought I would just marry into posture. :laugh:
    Jupiter…America’s Dairyland!
    There’s traffic in space.
    Am I that transparent?
    The conga line music as they leave the ship.
    The 4 dullards of the apocalypse.

       3 likes

  45. M "Keep Left! On The Left! DICKWEEEEED!" Sipher says:

    Now this is one of my all-time faves. The riffing mixes things up through the interminable dancing scenes, the naughtiness level is just at the right point (I love that Joel actually teaches Tom about double entendre’s rather than, as he would elsewhere, quickly change the subject), and yeah, Timmy is fun. Good mix of independent, movie-based sketches and a long-form story arc there. And of course, a bit of the old overplot of “let’s break Joel’s spirit”. Honestly, I’d call it a pretty good intro ep.

    British actors using fake American accents, huh? I always thought the astronauts sounded off in a way that wasn’t just bad acting.

       2 likes

  46. dsman71 says:

    I used to think that Kill Me segment came from Hecules & the Captive Women, but I watched Alien and the segment made more sense, I wonder if that scene from Hercules inspired Alien ?
    Nah
    I was looking at air dates and the Beatniks was the first in this series of baddies as Tormented first aired in September and Beatniks was in November. I really recall that horrible winding road of movies from here to Manos, although Crash of the Moons is nowhere near is bad as this. It was like a line of increasingly bad independent films (Larry Buchanan,Ed Wood,Monster A Go-Go Manos) although the Day the Earth Froze isnt a poor film, just weird if anything
    The music by Borodin ( mispelled Im sure) is so inappropriate for this movie.

       0 likes

  47. Ralph C. says:

    Five-star episode, to me. I loved it… it was better than “Cats”…. I can watch it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again…. and again and againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

    Fun stuff.

       1 likes

  48. Jbagels` says:

    It’s hard to put into words how awesome I thought this episode was when it first aired (and I still enjoy it very much). A black, evil crow that’s attacking the crew? This was by far the coolest connected host segments story they’d done at this point (even though I guess the competition was waffles and demon dogs) and the Alien parody only made it even more awesome. Great stuff.

       1 likes

  49. snowdog says:

    Let me add my voice to the growing chorus of folks asking for an official release from Shout! Shirley, this awful movie in the public domain by now.

       2 likes

  50. Jbagels` says:

    One other slightly dated reference is when the plane is landing in New York City and Joel says “oh that plane would be covered in grafitti” or something like that (a joke that the Simpsons also did about New York). This was right before the Guiliani clean up of the city. There’s very little graffiti in the city now.

       1 likes

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