Mystery Science Theater The Return (Season 11)

[javakoala]

THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASN'T: Santa Claus hires a pro-bono lawyer because his kid-hating landlord is threatening to evict him from his North Pole workshop before he can make all the toys, thereby making Christmas almost not. Not a fun movie or a good episode, which is made even more unfortunate by the fact that it's going to be compared against the two classic Christmas MST3K episodes. Riffing is OK but a bit labored: they had a running "adult baby" joke about the barrister but it seemed completely arbitrary. One of the bottom three episodes of the season, with only one left to go.

Agreed.

I think I almost would have had more fun watching this movie without them. They pile the riffs on top of each other and hope something sticks. On a movie this bad, you pretty much need a unified effort to create riffs that build on each other, not fire off like a shotgun and hope for the best.

Damn kids!!

[Rev. Powell]

AT THE EARTH'S CORE: Doug McClure and Peter Cushing ride their Iron Mole to the earth's core, where they find prehistoric monsters, humanoid slavers, and primitive English-speaking tribes. The movie is OK, colorful and almost psychedelic with its underground fungi forests, although it makes little sense. McClure is an uninspiring action hero, poor aging Cushing is silly as comic relief, and Caroline Munro shows up as eye candy. What makes this episode memorable are the host segments, particularly the wild cliffhanger wedding finale with unexpected guests. In fact, although not the best riffing or movie, I think the ending makes this my favorite episode of the season. Having finally seen them all I'd rank them:

1114 AT THE EARTH'S CORE
1112 CARNIVAL MAGIC
1106 STARCRASH
1102 CRY WILDERNESS
1101 REPTILICUS
1108 THE LOVES OF HERCULES
1111 WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM 2
1110 WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM
1104 AVALANCHE
1103 TIME TRAVELERS
1109 YONGARY
1113 THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASN'T
1107 THE LAND THE TIME FORGOT
1105 THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN

I have a feeling that AVALANCHE and CRY WILDERNESS are going to improve on a second viewing.

Season 11 was good enough that I want Season 12, which means it was a success for me, even though the best episodes were only average for the series' run and the worst were among some of the worst ever. I suspect they will be renewed and will come back stronger. This new crew did better than the Season 1 crew and about on par with the first half of Season 8.

[Sitting Duck]

I too have finished the new season and have ranked them in order of preference. Mine is somewhat different from yours, though.

Starcrash
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom 2
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom 1
At the Earth's Core
The Land That Time Forgot
The Time Travellers
The Beast of Hollow Mountain
The Loves of Hercules
Reptilicus
The Christmas That Almost Wasn't
Avalanche
Yongary
Cry Wilderness
Carnival Magic

My comparatively high ranking for Beast of Hollow Mountain is partially due to how I have a soft spot in my heart for weird Westerns. Even if it's plainly a conventional Western with the weird element sloppily tacked on to the end. As for my ranking Carnival Magic dead last, I find it had too much in common with my least favorite genre of film seen on MST3K, Sordid Crime. Now I don't hate all Sordid Crime episodes (the earnestness of I Accuse My Parents and the Seventies camp of Mitchell make them more palatable). But by and large, I find such films to be about greasy, loathsome people being greasy and loathsome. Mark Hamill as a singing interstellar carnie was a hoot, though.

[Rev. Powell]

Renewed for Season 12! I believe they can/should take a big step forward, just like Season 2 or Season 1 or the second half of Season 8 over the first half.

http://youtu.be/Hpm9nHqXoaw

[Rev. Powell]

Since I only guessed 2 of the titles correctly last year, I'm recycling most of my episode guesses this time.

EP 1201: BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS
EP 1202: BLACULA
EP 1203: BREAKIN' 2 IS ELECTRIC BOOGALOO
EP 1204: EMPIRE OF THE ANTS
EP 1205: THE FOOD OF THE GODS
EP 1206: FROGS
EP 1207: THE GARBAGE PAIL KIDS MOVIE
EP 1208: KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS
EP 1209: SWAMP THING
EP 1210:  MESSAGE FROM SPACE
EP 1211: ZONE TROOPERS
EP 1212: KILLER FISH

[TYTD Reviews]

Considering I only have the christmas special and the finale itself left to watch (I know im a total sinner on this front but It'll be the first time im able to watch a new MST christmas special actually AT christmas) I'll pop my rankings here from best to worst:

1102 CRY WILDERNESS
1101 REPTILICUS
1112 CARNIVAL MAGIC
1110 WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM
1103 TIME TRAVELERS
1111 WIZARDS OF THE LOST KINGDOM 2
1106 STARCRASH
1109 YONGARY
1107 THE LAND THE TIME FORGOT
1104 AVALANCHE
1105 THE BEAST OF HOLLOW MOUNTAIN
1108 THE LOVES OF HERCULES

Not yet watched:
1114 AT THE EARTH'S CORE
1113 THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASN'T

Overall it was a really great little season; the jokes were on form I loved Jonah as the host and the music was totally awesome to boot! the only things that bothered me really particularly were that the mads took a little bit of time to settle into there roles for me (They start out a bit too robotic but settle in around about the 2/3rds way point) and that the celebrity cameos were a bit forced in places (I was not a fan of "Our love is on wings") other than that I properly enjoyed this :) a real nice treat for the year and Im glad I backed it on Kickstarter when I had the chance as being a Brit there isnt really a lot I can do to support the show short of importing the DVDs at $40-50 a pop  ...

Personally I'd love them to do something like "Creature from the Haunted sea", "Three Wishes for Cinderella", "1996's Alien Species (Not the troma version)" and "The Dragon Lives again" if they ever got the chance...though that last one might need to be edited slightly due to easily choppable nudity...

[WingedSerpent]

I still want to them do something like Wizards or Fire and Ice or some other fully animated film.

[Rev. Powell]

I still want to them do something like Wizards or Fire and Ice or some other fully animated film.

I agree. That TITANIC movie would be my pick. Also think they could do one of the THUNDERBIRDS movies.

[Sitting Duck]

I still want to them do something like Wizards or Fire and Ice or some other fully animated film.

During a Q&A following the sneak peak at Reptilicus for Kickstarter backers, Joel stated that he's not inclined to feature animated films. Part of it is because you don't get any  of the spontaneity that can occur in a live action film (particularly with facial expressions), which make for a good source of riffing material.

Stuff I'd like to see in Season 12 include the 1991 live action Guyver movie with Mark Hamill and Jimmie Walker in supporting roles. It could be paired with that Netflix Original Death Note movie, what with both being manga/anime properties with the setting transferred from Japan to the States. Also Arena.

[Rev. Powell]

I still want to them do something like Wizards or Fire and Ice or some other fully animated film.

During a Q&A following the sneak peak at Reptilicus for Kickstarter backers, Joel stated that he's not inclined to feature animated films. Part of it is because you don't get any  of the spontaneity that can occur in a live action film (particularly with facial expressions), which make for a good source of riffing material.

Stuff I'd like to see in Season 12 include the 1991 live action Guyver movie with Mark Hamill and Jimmie Walker in supporting roles. It could be paired with that Netflix Original Death Note movie, what with both being manga/anime properties with the setting transferred from Japan to the States. Also Arena.

Interesting note on animated movies but I think they should do it once as an experiment (a la CATALINA CAPER or HAMLET, two other genres which are hard to riff).

I doubt Netflix would allow any of their original movies to get the MST3K treatment while the show's playing Netflix.

[WingedSerpent]

I still want to them do something like Wizards or Fire and Ice or some other fully animated film.

During a Q&A following the sneak peak at Reptilicus for Kickstarter backers, Joel stated that he's not inclined to feature animated films. Part of it is because you don't get any  of the spontaneity that can occur in a live action film (particularly with facial expressions), which make for a good source of riffing material.

Stuff I'd like to see in Season 12 include the 1991 live action Guyver movie with Mark Hamill and Jimmie Walker in supporting roles. It could be paired with that Netflix Original Death Note movie, what with both being manga/anime properties with the setting transferred from Japan to the States. Also Arena.

Interesting note on animated movies but I think they should do it once as an experiment (a la CATALINA CAPER or HAMLET, two other genres which are hard to riff).

I doubt Netflix would allow any of their original movies to get the MST3K treatment while the show's playing Netflix.

I'd pay good money to see MST3K: Uncensored: The crew riffs Heavy Metal

[Sitting Duck]

Stuff I'd like to see in Season 12 include the 1991 live action Guyver movie with Mark Hamill and Jimmie Walker in supporting roles. It could be paired with that Netflix Original Death Note movie, what with both being manga/anime properties with the setting transferred from Japan to the States.

I doubt Netflix would allow any of their original movies to get the MST3K treatment while the show's playing Netflix.

Actually I meant something along the lines of cross-promoting. And riffing Netflix Original content is hardly beyond the pale, as they let them do a riff of Stranger Things.

[Rev. Powell]

Stuff I'd like to see in Season 12 include the 1991 live action Guyver movie with Mark Hamill and Jimmie Walker in supporting roles. It could be paired with that Netflix Original Death Note movie, what with both being manga/anime properties with the setting transferred from Japan to the States.

I doubt Netflix would allow any of their original movies to get the MST3K treatment while the show's playing Netflix.

Actually I meant something along the lines of cross-promoting. And riffing Netflix Original content is hardly beyond the pale, as they let them do a riff of Stranger Things.

Oh yeah, they could cross-promote. I thought you were saying the new DEATH NOTE should get the MST3K treatment because it was MANOS-level bad.