Movie: (1965) An alien takes over scientist’s human duplicating machine, hoping to infiltrate the government. But a top agent is on the case.

First shown: 12/26/92
Opening: The bots have suggestions for ways they could be improved.
Invention exchange: The Mads have the a case of the sillies, Joel demonstrates the beanie chopper, the Mads have invented the William Conrad fridge alert
Host segment 1: Joel has assigned the bots a craft project: to make spaceships made from household items
Host segment 2: Tom Servo duplicates himself–many times over!
Host segment 3: A grumpy Hugh Beaumont revisits on the Hexfield
End: Crow and Tom come out as robots, meanwhile, in Deep 13, William Conrad shows up
Stinger: Duplicates cracking up as they choke each other
(166 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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• I said last week that this was the beginning of a stretch of good to very good episodes. but I forgot about this speed bump on the road to those goodies. The movie is strange but dull and talky, and the riffing, while okay, isn’t up to the level we’ve had in the last couple shows, and will have going forward. There’s some pretty good host segments, though! (By the way, a lot of commenters disagreed with me the last time around, so I may be completely offbase on this one.)
• This episode has not yet been included on a commercial DVD.
• I’m sure “the sillies” bit is an approximation of many moments on the set. I wonder how much of the laughter we see is genuine.
• In a “Simpsons” episode called “Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy,” which came out two years after this episode, Homer says: “Maybe I could have been something more than I am. Like a travel agent to a great scientist, or the inventor of a hilarious refrigerator alarm.” Can that be anything but a reference to this invention exchange?” (Note: a commenter said I’m wrong.)
• Callbacks: “Calling Scott Tracy…” (one of the SuperMarionation movies they did at KTMA), “I’m a grimaldi warrior!” (Viking Women), o/` S-A-N-T-A…o/` (Santa Claus Conquers the Martians”), “Knew your father, I did!” (Mr. B Natural), “To think like the hu-man!” (Robot Monster), “And a good friend” (Rocketship XM).
• Firesign Theatre reference: “Everything You Know is Wrong!”
• The movie makes the same comment at the same time one of the riffers does, and Crow calls it “riffback.” I’m sure that came from writing room experiences. It’s one of those little things that helps the show feel improvised.
• Movie comment: Um, casting people? Why exactly did you think Adelaide from “Guys and Dolls” would be good female lead? I keep expecting her to break into “Take Back Your Mink” any minute.
• Trace built that SOL model shown in segment one; it spent a lot of time sitting in a corner of the studio. To my knowledge he has not, as of this date, put lighter fluid on it and burned it in the driveway.
• I love segment 2. It may be one of my top ten segments. How did they control them all? However they did it, they really created a sense of each one moving independently. (A commenter explains below.)
• Then-current reference: “Oh did you see Madonna’s book?” A reference to the singer’s once-scandalous nudie book “Sex.”
• Hugh: “…resembling a human.” Joel: “See David Geffen.” Ouch!
• Segment 3 is Mike’s second visit as Hugh; and of course that’s Kevin as William Conrad.
• Cast and crew roundup: Producer/director Hugo Grimaldi was the producer of “First Spaceship on Venus” and the editor of “Hercules and the Captive Women” and “The Phantom Planet.” Producer/screenwriter Arthur C. Pierce had the same titles for “Women of the Prehistoric Planet.” Cinematographer Monroe Askins also worked on “Viking Women and the Sea Serpent.” Editor Donald Wolfe also worked in “The Phantom Planet.” Special effects guy Roger George also worked on “The Amazing Transparent Man.” Makeup guy Bob Mark also worked on “Radar Men from the Moon.” Art director Paul Sylos also worked on “Women of the Prehistoric Planet.”
In front of the camera, George Nader was also in “Robot Monster” and “The Million Eyes of Su-Muru.” Dolores Faith was also in “The Phantom Planet.” Hugh Beaumont was also in “Lost Continent and “The Mole People.” Richard Arlen was also in “The Crawling Hand. Walter Maslow was also in “SST: Death Flight, Lori Lyons was also in “The Phantom Planet.” Richard Kiel also appears in “The Phantom Planet” and, of course, “Eegah!”
• CreditsWatch: Host segments directed by Kevin Murphy.
• Fave riff: “The boys did what? They duplicated Lumpy???” Honorable mention: “Phil Harris and Bubbles Rothermere back there, for those of you playing along at home.”