Movie: (1990) Searching for his long-lost father, a teen runs afoul of a devil-worshiping cult, then teams up with a beer-guzzling drifter.
First shown: 7/25/98
Opening: With the power shut down, the bots go looting
Intro: Pearl decides to rule the world…one person at a time
Host segment 1: Servo’s song–a tribute to Canada–goes horribly wrong
Host segment 2: Everybody (but Mike) contracts Hockey Hair
Host segment 3: Mike comes down with a case of Grizzled Old Prospector Syndrome
End: The bots have formed a muffiny cult; Pearl has another victim
Stinger: “Rowsdower…?”
(360 votes, average: 4.68 out of 5)
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• This is one of the Sci-Fi era’s best. The riffing is rock solid, the movie is mindbogglingly dopey and most of the segments are good fun.
• This episode is included in Shout’s Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection: Vol. XVII.
• The Shout disk, by the way, has a fascinating interview with the guy who played Zap Rowsdower, in which he reveals that he had not seen this episode! I hope the Shout people gave him one!
• Mary Jo offers her thoughts on this episode here.
• That’s Peter Rudrud, in his only on-camera role, as Todd Gunderson
• Not a big fan of the opening or intro segments. Both ideas sort of peter out.
• Segment 1 became an instant classic. Hard on its heels came South Park’s “Blame Canada,” and there really was a (jokingly) anti-Canada vibe going on for a while there. I recall Canadian fans (who were getting episodes shipped to them by fans in the states, since the show never aired there) desperate for details of the song as discussions began online immediately after the show.
• Speaking of blaming Canada, M&tB found the phrase “Lemon Mine” amusing but it’s a thing, a Canadian thing.
• Segment 2 is another winner, a funny idea mined for just enough laughs, that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
• Crow and Tom still have hockey hair when they return to the theater.
• One of the things I love about this episode is the way the movie just keeps giving them stuff to work with. Just when you think they were running out of Rowsdower jokes, the grizzled old guy arrives. Oooh, it’s comedy gold, consarn it!
• Callback: “A worwilf!”
• Segment 3 extends the premise of segment 2 very nicely. Mike really seems to enjoy that beard.
• Another highlight of the episode: Tom sings the Rowsdower song during the credits, while Crow attempts to pitch “Final Sacrifice: The Series.” Clearly written by somebody who has suffered through meetings like this.
• I actually like the closing bit in the castle, especially Paul as willing — and hungry — thrall Carl. I especially like the way he very comfortably calls Pearl “my liege.”
• Cast and crew roundup: nobody.
• CreditsWatch: Directed by Kevin. Mary Jo returns to the writing room after her trip to the West Coast.
• Fave riff: “Dear Counselor Troi: I waited at Denny’s but you didn’t meet me!” Honorable mention: “I wonder if they have beer on the sun?”
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“My face is warm, but my shoulders are freezing!”
“The McCullochs are here!” – about the 6th viewing, I finally got that one. duh.
“Rowwwwwwwsssssdowwwwwrrrrrrrrrr!”
One of the titans. I slightly prefer Pumaman because that movie’s goofy, unrelieved incompetence lends a sense of fun to the proceedings (“when–you want–the flavor of bacon–“).
Was this movie meant seriously or not? Bruce Mitchell, when interviewed, implied that Tjardus Griedanus was simply trying to exploit a film student grant, make a film as cheaply as possible, sell it and run (read about halfway down this transcript: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=23288812152&topic=4991) None of the actors got paid and nobody ever saw Griedanus again. But there’s something about The Final Sacrifice that’s not like other take-the-money-and-run movies seen on MST3K. There’s no suffocating atmosphere of indifference like in Roger Corman’s movies. Everyone in Final Sacrifice seems to be trying so hard, especially the villain. Imagine that voice in a good movie!
The “Rowsdower” thing isn’t just endless repetition. There’s increasing variety to it, like a guitar riff that gets repeated a little differently every time. You can see how they got the idea because, in the campfire scene where Troy keeps asking, “Rowsdower?” all they boys can do is giggle uncontrollably at Troy’s plaintive tone. No wonder Mike and the ‘bots started mocking him until they’ve got Troy mumbling “Rowsdower” in his sleep, uttering it involuntarily when he’s being shot at, and sighing, “My Rowsdower’s come for me!”
They also keep coming up with fresh ways to mock Troy’s gawkiness. The stalker letters to “Counselor Troi” and “Agent Scully” are inspired and I still get a chuckle out of the unexpected, “This is like how I almost missed my Teens Encounter Christ bus!” All culminates in Troy’s staggering and escalating ineptitude in the final fight. “I dropped it! Which is the sharp side? &c.”
One amusing mistake in the riffing that oddly bothers me: they make it seem like Satoris has spontaneously caught fire after getting shot but it’s clear from the movie that Rowsdower got a hit on him with the torch just before being knocked down. You can hear the crackling sound of a fire and see smoke from Satoris before he gets shot.
Have to agree with many folks on the best riff: “Know him? He was delicious!”
In fact, every second the grizzled prospector is on screen is comedy gold.
Rowsdower is up there with the most baffling casting choices for a lead actor in a MST film. Right up there with Joe Don as Mitchell and the Time Chasers guy.
As usual, I don’t enjoy the Pearl segments…but, everything else in this episode is about as good as it gets.
A must-have, classic episode.
Loved this episode and the earlier posts have already caught a lot of the great parts. I did find the cult invasion of the kid’s home and the subsequent chase particularly hilarious. Also, the Wizard of Id references and really anytime the hooded guys were out there in the woods–they’re comedy gold.
#25: No, really, did they actually expect us to take that kid seriously? They try so hard to make him seem all tough and determined in the beginning… but… I think the only reason Troy wasn’t subject to quite the same treatment Danny got in The Girl in Lover’s Lane from the SOL crew was that his prospective “interest” was… Zap Rowsdower. Woof. Hngh. Sorry. Bile rose a little there.
MST3K essay assignment: compare and contrast the personalities and MST3K treatments of Joel-era nebbishes, e.g. Buzz (Mr. B Natural) and James Wilson (I Accuse My Parents), and Mike-era dweebs like Mikey (Teen-Age Strangler) and Troy.
My personal favorite of all time !!! The movie is unbelievably packed with great riffs from start to finish, with very few “clinkers” in the whole bunch !!!
One of the best scenes (for riffs, anyway) is the brief exchange that comes near the start of the movie, when “Aunt Betty” visits “Troy’s” room:
(knock at door)
Troy: Come in.
(Aunt enters room)
Crow: Mrs. Costanza !!
Aunt Betty: There……(sets down tray)…….What are you studying?
Troy: French Revolution.
Aunt Betty: (chuckling) Oh, that looks more like World War II …….
Mike: (mimicking Aunt’s voice) Oh, I’m a caution !!!!
Aunt Betty: Where did you get that? (points at photo of Troy’s father)
Troy: I found it in the attic.
Tom Servo: Leave me alone mom, I’m starting a software company!
Aunt Betty: Well, don’t work too late…….. (turns to leave)
Crow: I’ll lock you in, as usual!
Troy: (looking at picture of his father) What was he like?
Aunt Betty: Now Troy, we’ve talked about this before……..I don’t want you to cry about what is past.
Mike: (mimicking Aunt’s voice) No emotions, we’ve discussed that!
Troy: Is that why you locked-up his stuff in the attic? You didn’t want me to get upset?
Aunt Betty: You found that….
Tom Servo: !#&*!!!$*&!!!!
Aunt Betty: Troy, you had no business there!
Troy: My father IS my business!!
Tom Servo: (closeup of Aunt Betty) Al Lewis as Grandma….
Aunt Betty: Oh Troy, I’m sorry……….I only want you to forget him; carry on with your own life…..
Crow: (mockingly) Yeah, once you get one!!
Troy: (looking at photo) Am I like him?
Mike: (mimicking Aunt’s voice) No, he was masculine and likeable!!
Aunt Betty: Yes, you’re very much like him…….(turns and leaves)
Tom Servo: (mimicking Aunt) If I’m thinking of the right guy!
Crow: (as Troy) Man, now my room stinks of youth dew!!!
Tom Servo: (closeup on picture of Troy’s father) “M.V.P. , Super Bowl VIII, for Miami”
Yup, and if that weren’t good enough, we FINALLY have the whole thing, complete and uncut on dvd, to watch over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again………… :mrgreen:
This episode holds an extremely special place in my heart. It is my all-time favorite and I have watched it so many freaking times, I can recite every bit of dialogue from this episode, start to finish. Host segments, movie, riffing – yeah. The reason being that this was the first episode I saw as a teenager about a year and a half ago, and what made me re-discover the show (versus when I was 3 and it was on TV) and get me so hardcore into it. Ridiculous stuff.
Also special because it was the first episode me and my boyfriend (who is Canadian) saw together. Talking like Pipper is extremely common between us, as is the “He was DELICIOUS!” line. It’s a favorite amongst me and my friends, and we constantly enjoy screaming out lines about Rowsdower while chatting online. He basically is our Chuck Norris.
So yeah, dunno what to say other than that when Shout! announced the license to this, I screamed aloud in pure delight.
One of my favorite episodes, the stars were in alignment on this one, what a cheesefest.
“Can i drink him? no”
“Man, i’m 25, i hope i hit puberty soon.”
“Why’d they put a laserdisc in the refridgerator?”
“Well i dont go map findin-behindin.”
The part where the bullet richochets off the tree and Troy yells ‘Rowsdower!’ has me in stitches every time.
“No wonder dad lost all his money, he invested in lemon mines!”
“I wonder what coach Don Shula would do”
Dirty riff that Sampo missed: “I had a little trouble saddling up the Mrs.”
Yet another episode where they use the “It’s open!” riff. They used it in several episodes, and it never got old for me.
Probably my favorite season 9 episode.
I also like how at the end Crow comments that the movie wasn’t as bad as the usualy fare. One of the rare moments where one of the characters admits the movie they’re seeing isn’t totally bad. The Final Sacrifice isn’t really “bad”. It’s just hokey and kinda goofy.
Bruce J. Mitchell said in an interview that he’s seen clips of the episode, and what he saw was funny, so I don’t think he’d be too put off if he saw the entire episode.
I remember a long time ago, a MSTie (maybe from the Discussion Board?) mentioned that he had met Marina Sirtis, and told her of the “Deanna Troi” riff from this episode. She laughed and then mentioned that Michael Dorn, who plays Worf, is a fan of MST3K.
Mike tries to do the “People are dying to get in there” joke that he did during The Atomic Brain. However, this time Crow and Tom don’t let him finish.
Slight continuity mishap in Segment 3. Servo mentions that Mike’s prospector syndrome is caused by having an immunity to Hockey Hair. However, a few moments later Mike still asks, “I wonder how I got it.” Whoops!
“Turn left at the tree? That helps!”
“It’s an evil Porky Pig!”
“So, Mike when humans get shot in the butt they burst into flames? Can we try that on you? Turn around!”
3 1/2 Stars. When I was dubbing my old Final Sacrifice DVD from VHS I filled out the rest of the dics with my favorite Kids In the Hall segments. I’ll kind of miss those when I watch it, now.
Pardonnez-moi…
Great ep, but it’s somewhere in the bottom portion of my top ten. Fave riff (tie) “It’s a cult. They worship Blue Oysters.” “Know him? He was delicious!”
You know, I had completely forgotten that at the beginning of the movie, Tom emulates Troy singing a rather steamy love song to Larry Czonka. Disturbing.
#54 monoceros4: You know, that might be a fun weekend discussion. I mean, there’s been ineffectual and loathsome “hero” discussions… but have we really taken a penetr- no… a probi- dammit, no…
Have we really studied the pusses of MST3K experiments in full? Have we really investigated the wimps and whiners that are supposed to be principle characters we’re supposed to cheer for, and the SOL’s reactions to them? What is it that makes some simply out to be weedy nerds in the riffing, and the others, well, to be blunt, homosexuals? (And before anyone says it’s a difference in host, I hasten to point to Mr. B’s “boy” Buzz. Hoo boy. Doesn’t help that at the end of the short, he didn’t even get the girl he was afraid of in the beginning.)
Man, there’s a lot. Seems to be more in Mike-era, admittedly, but that might just be those episodes being fresher in my mind. Perhaps we should assemble a proper list of weenies and measure them up.
WAIT I MEAN-
“My Rowsdower’s come for me!”
Oh, man, what can I say that hasn’t been said already? Possibly my favorite, and one of the shows that got me hooked.
Some observations:
-This is a great movie to use when “introducing” the show to people. Not only is the riffing spot-on, but the movie isn’t painful to watch. Despite being goofy, it has a followable plot, defined characters, and even a plot twist (Gasp! Rowsdower once belonged to the cult!)
-Watch closely: There’s a scene early on in the movie where Rowsdower’s truck is driving down the road, and you can see his mirror fall off on the right side of his car. I think it’s right before he and Troy meet.
-MST3K: What other show would send two teenage girls (my sister and I) to look up Larry Csonka in order to find out who he was? The great thing about the Brains’ writing and performance was that even though we hadn’t heard of him, the Csonka references still cracked us up. Now THAT’S good.
-I went to college with a girl who was interviewed in a Tjardus Greidanus documentary. Yeah, I know I have connections.
-Bruce J. Mitchell seems like a really cool guy, judging from an interview I read from him a few years back (I think it’s linked above)
-Since the bad guy’s name is “Satoris,” I wonder why they didn’t go for any Faulkner jokes.
-But that’s really my only (extremely minor) complaint. This is probably my favorite episode – easily 5 stars.
“Beth…plus…Jason….”
“I think the movie’s going really well.”
“I dunno, I’m just happy!”
“Of course, that clock is set to Miami time.”
“Oh I WILL get this painted on the side of my van someday!”
“My Hawkwind album cover will help!”
“We will, we will, Rowsdower!”
“Death would be too merciful for you, ZAP ROWSDOWER!” (Not a riff, but just as good!)
The school activities riffs amazed me, that they could think of so many. “Mock UN”, “Teens Encounter Christ”, etc.
I partly agree that the show got more ill-tempered when Mike took over and especially during the Sci-Fi episodes but Joel could get pretty vicious too. He and the ‘bots plainly thought Jimmy Wilson was a pathetic little snot (“there’s ‘stupid’–really big!”). Same with Michael in Manos. Those two wimps really were vile and cowardly, though. Troy’s just sort of a useless geek who needs a lot of bailing out, so I suppose the insults are a bit less warranted. (Entirely warranted for Pumaman, though.)
A solid episode for me. I really liked it the first couple times I saw it, but this time the first scenes with Troy researching his father seemed to go on for ever. But once the cultists attack the house the riffing really kicks into high gear.
I give it four Rowsdowers out of five.
Click my name for a full review.
A classic episode, 5 stars.
Personally I find the ‘video poker’ music really annoying, but it does stick in your head forever. The only other MST film music close to that category is the Bart Fargo theme from Danger: Death Ray.
Have never been to Canada and now, after this, am not sure I want to.
Oh, and #51Monoceros, try out the Rifftrax of Dragon Wars for a Satoris-voiced villain. Oh wait, you said GOOD movie….
#67: Well, I think that I Accuse My Parents wanted us to feel sorry and pity Jimmy Wilson’s horrible life. Which… they kind of failed to give us much reason to, since most of the really bad stuff was a combination of bad luck, his love interest FORGETTING TO MENTION SHE’S DATING A MOBSTER HELLO BIG RED WARNING FLAG, and Jimmy’s on amazing stupidity.
Troy, however, apparently we’re supposed to think he’s a hero, fighting known “impossible” odds. The problem here is more the actor chosen than the script and what the character’s actions. Give us a kid who looks less like he gets winded combing his hair and needs protection from the third-grade girls…
They’re pretty different types of dork, so I can see the treatments being pretty different.
I like both the looting opening and Pearl’s scheme. Conquering the world one person at a time is such a funny, Dr. Forrester-esque idea and I’m a sucker for whenever they have the bots and the mads interact. I just watched the first couple of minutes of this streaming on netflix and was struck by how bright and shiny Tom Servo is in the Castle F segment after watching my washed-out VHS of this for so many years.
Favorite riff: “I love trash– OW!”
7 years later.
I always thought the guy who played Todd Gunderson was related to Mike. Is it just me or does he look and sound like him?
( I just tumbled to this bit of internal movie logic ( sorry if I’m stating the obvious ):
The City of Troy ( where the Trojans lived ) was considered to be entirely mythical. Heinrich Schliemann believed otherwise and set out to find it. He discovered the Lost City of Troy in the 1870s.
So Old Man Macgregor ( not unlike like Schliemann ) is also looking for a ‘mythical’ Lost City, so of course he names his sone…. Troy.
“Servo mentions that Mike’s prospector syndrome is caused by having an immunity to Hockey Hair.”
I think he said it’s ASSOCIATED with an immunity to Hockey Hair. That means Mike is more LIKELY to it, but it doesn’t per se explain how he in fact got it.
“Slight continuity mishap in Segment 3. Servo mentions that Mike’s prospector syndrome is caused by having an immunity to Hockey Hair. However, a few moments later Mike still asks, “I wonder how I got it.” Whoops!”
It’s associated with an immunity to hockey hair, not caused by. Like when you’ve had chicken pox you become immune to it but susceptible to shingles. I do love that whole bit though where Mike admits to kissing a surly truck driver but his idea isn’t further explored.
Bah, beat out by a minute… sort of :)
Too bad that the “Mrs. Constanza!” riff didn’t lead to actual Mrs. Costanza lines:
dialogue: “Yes, you’re very much like him.”
potential riff: “You could be a big star!”
(from Seinfeld: “The Contest”)
“And then they shoved a bottle brush down my throat!” :lol:
5 stars. This episode is a perfect synchronization of movie, riffing and host segments.
Favorite riffs:
“If you find a package store get me some Yukon Jack.”
“This is the kind of clown that puts a $1.87 worth of gas in his truck.” (Accurate for the time, sadly, very inaccurate today)
“A treasury of Sergio Aragones sketches.”
There’s also Crow’s lame attempt at a ‘naughty’ riff, regarding Deep Woods Off bug spray.
my favortie riff say what you want about the old man, he makes a good load of wash. They said that after wondering why rosdauwer has clean pants on. I always laugh when crow say why are they tired they like 5 yards.
Another episode that I consider to be one of the series’ finest. I’m not sure why we keep needing the same qualifier for these classic episodes: “One of the Sci-Fi era’s best.” Can’t we finally admit (besides fanatical Joel, Frank, or Trace partisans) that the Sci-Fi era really was kind of awesome? In just the last few weeks we’ve touched on Werewolf, Hobgoblins, and now Final Sacrifice. These episodes are some of the sharpest, most biting, and polished of the entire series. Just because they exist outside of the show’s mythical “golden age” doesn’t mean they aren’t excellent.
Rant aside, this is one of those episodes where the riffing and the host segments leave you breathless from laughter. I agree that, even without knowing who Larry Csonka actually is, you can’t help but get a kick out of every riff invoking his name.
One complaint: The Larry Czonka riffs get REALLY old. Okay, we GET it. He looks like a football player that no one under the age of 30 would know. Thank you. It gets even more obscure when they add bits like “Of course it’s set to Miami time.”
The great thing about this movie is how simultaneously hacknyed and ludicrous EVERY single character is, from Troy (Why is he dressed like Billy Batson?) to the uber-cliched villain to even Troy’s fluttery aunt (If I’m not mistaken, the only female even glimpsed in the entire film).
The movie seems to positively revel in its backwoods Canadian-ness. EVERY character is deeply unattractive and looks like he reeks of Brut (Except Troy). EVERY vehicle looks like it was bought third-hand from an auto wreckers. The plot hinges on an endless string of ludicrous coincidences and The Lost City (which, like all lost cities, is apparently a fifteen-minute drive from town) looks like a toothpick model. It feels like something made by a very talented fourteen year old with a camcorder.
#80 Wampa Joe: Agreed and in full. My friend once mentioned how epically awesome the ending to season 8 is, but I realized a little while back that season 9 is just amazing. Sure, the Sci-Fi years were a bit different, but as a person who got into the show after its airing and therefore jumped around the seasons, I find them just as enjoyable as the rest of the run.
I think people are being too hard on the movie. It’s no worse than a Dan Brown novel, and at least it’s original (whereas he borrows ideas from other books). When you factor in the budget, and that no one apparently got paid for being in it, well, it’s not bad at all. Well, okay, it still is pretty bad.
Anyway, good riffing, so-so segments. Hockey hair one was funny, the rest not so much.
The best part I thought was the credits. That was brilliant. And I gotta say, almost seemed like Rifftrax more than MST3K, with him almost getting out of their show personas.
One of my top ten favorite MST3K episodes – Zap Actionsdower!
The film has no budget, a silly story, but the actors did a good job with what they had.
I enjoy it much more than the remake that came out a couple years ago – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull…
#82 – Don’t forget Shelley (or is it Sherry), the woman in the photo on Rowsdower’s dashboard!
Funniest riffing of any of the Canadian movies featured on MST3K. I’ve been to Alberta too. Nice place. Cult free now. :mrgreen:
“Nobody leaves the World Wrestling Federation!”
“Now, gimme your lunch money.”
Those two always get me, even when I know they are coming. Plus, “glad I don’t have any friends cause then I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
4 stars.
This one is a classic. Sure Troy is the kind of kid who looks for old maps in attics but he’s sincere and sort of likeable. This praise from the owner of dozens of National Geographic maps… Tom’s Canada song is unforgettable and hilarious. I do understand why Quebec wants to be separate from a country with a cult led by Garth Vader. I’d better get back to my X-Men comics (Wolverine is Canadian!).
You got mud on your face
You big disgrace
Stuffin’ those sandwiches into your face
(Singin’) We will, we will Rowsdower! SING IT!
Now, I know this movie didn’t have any kind of a budget. It was apparently made for $1500 (actual dollars, not Canadian,) and the bizarrely-named director was a film student at the Southern Alberta Institute of technology. Incidentally, ‘kipedia says that star Christian Malcolm (Troy) was a a fellow student of the director. He was in COLLEGE when this movie was made? Was he a kid genius? Did they dub over his voice with someone else’s? I can’t find any information about his age.
But it’s just not good. They didn’t even make a half-hearted attempt at any compelling visuals or production design. In this EPIC FANTASTICAL THRILLER about lost civilizations and evil cults, the settings we get amount to: Alberta suburbs, Alberta rural gas station, Alberta wilderness, and of course Alberta wilderness garbage house. The EVIL ANCIENT MAGICAL IDOL that gives the villain his power (the power to do what, exactly? Huff sulfur hexafluoride?) is a cheap, papier-mache skull that wouldn’t pass muster as a middle-school art project attached to a rusty pole. What a phenomenal backdrop for your movie’s STUNNING CLIMAX! I don’t know whether the movie would have been any better with half-assed sets and costumes, but the no-assed approach didn’t work well at all.
Other than that, I love, love, LOVE this episode. Everything comes together very well. I laughed hard at the Red Green references; we used to get that on our PBS station.
Incidentally, I like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. And the Star Wars prequels. And the Matrix sequels. And the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. And Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I get the feeling that this makes me incredibly weird on the Internet, and I’m okay with that.
You know, maybe this movie would have been better if, in addition to a camera, Mr. Greidanus’s school had supplied him with a trip to British Columbia.
“I understand everything up to the word ‘a.'”
As a Canadian MSTie (who first became interested in the concept of the show through reading MSTings), I do have to admit I was a little leery about seeing this episode when I first had the opportunity to… but once I did get around to it, I enjoyed it. The jabs at Canada in the riffing do seem a nice blend of “obvious” slams and ones that show some deeper awareness of “north of the border,” and of course the movie itself is ridiculous good fun too.
(And given where my comment drops in, I’ll take a risk and say that I can sympathize a good deal with “This Guy’s” aside in #90…)
#85: “I enjoy it much more than the remake that came out a couple years ago – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”
Be fair: Shia LeBoeuf would have made a great Troy MacGreggor. He’d probably look more credible on a ten-speed than a motorcycle, anyway.
I always felt this episode was slightly over-rated. In my top 50, for sure, but not top 10 material. For me, there are to many re-thread jokes and, even though I love WB cartoons, the Yosemite Sam riffs started to get on my nerves; couldn’t they have made one, just one, riff on a Jim Henson Muppet character?; like the constant Rowsdower jokes. I don’t even find the name all that funny. And shouldn’t we, the audience, be laughing at the movie, not M&TB’s? The laughing at the movies bit seems to happen much more during Mike’s era. I can understand them doing it, at times, in character, during the show, especially the WTF moments. But, the laughter here seems to be coming from the writers themselves and breaks the code of comedy a little, about never laughing at your own joke.
That came off kind of negative. I do like this episode, especially The Canada Song. And it is one of the Sci-Fi era’s best episodes. I give it three stars! ;-)
Kind of odd how, after Troy found the map, the Cult came by THE VERY NEXT DAY. They’ve been looking for the map for seven years and they FINALLY get the bright idea of checking the house of the guy who made it just as his son is finding it? If they’d shown up like 36 hours earlier, before Troy found the map, they’d have had no better lead than before. Talk about dumb luck…
@#81: Too many Larry Csonka riffs? It’s actually fairly brief, quite funny as it leads to all kinds of Miami Dolphins jokes, and is no more obscure than the many Gene Krupa references from older days. How many people under 80 know who that guy is, lol?
@#11: If all you can claim you took from this episode was 200 “Rowsdower” jokes while pining for “earlier” episodes(like the coma-inducing “Crawling Eye” included in the latest set?), that’s a shame. I would say the clear consensus is “Final Sacrifice” is an all-time great ep, period.
I’ll also agree with Wampa Joe and Katana about the Sci-Fi era. In fact, I’ll go ahead and say I think they generally blow away the early episodes. There, I said it and I don’t give a crap about the one or two posters who must go out of their way to trash Sci-Fi eps while at the same time claiming old shows are amazing, unparalleled comedic gold. Give it a rest; a great episode is a great episode, period.
It’s starting again! There’s no one era, of the show, that’s better then the era. It’s one show growing and progressing over time. I think any episode starting from season 2, can be someones favorite episode. Hell, even some season 1 episodes aren’t all half bad.
“That’s better then the OTHER era!” Oops! :oops:
Still, out of all the S8-10 episodes, the one episode that really cements Bill Corbett’s Crow as the “tagalong little brother” of the Mike-era riffers–Corbett, not the character.
Bill already couldn’t movie-riff to save his life, as we usually see him take one joke motif Mike & Kevin were running with, and run it six times longer than it stopped being funny.
You just get the sense of “Hey, guys, are we doing Canadian jokes now? Can I do one too, can I, huh?…Uh, ‘I hope they don’t take my CELINE DION collection!’–Was that a Canadian joke, was that picking on ’em, huh?” :roll: