KTMA vs. Season 1

[Mr. Atari]

I'm sure we've done this before, but it's been awhile.

Which do you prefer?

KTMA had sparser riffing, but the films weren't as slow. They were formative episodes, but very unpolished and often sloppy. There's a certain charm, but also an unsettling strangeness to the season.

Season 1 looked a lot more like the MST we all know and love, but those similarities also make the differences more glaring (i.e. Josh instead of Kevin, etc). The films were a very different selection than the KTMAs; often older, grainier, black & white fare.

You may prefer certain eps in one season to another, but if you had to pick an overall season, which would it be?


I vote KTMA, largely for the Phantom Rule. Although the first few eps are really weak (and done much better in season 3), from Phase IV onward, I really like the movies. I'd watch Superdome, SST, Hangar 18, The Last Chase, Cosmic Princess, and Su-Maru long before I'd watch Mad Monster, The Slime People, The Corpse Vanishes, or Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy.

For slightly better show quality and riffing, you sacrifice substantially better films.

Am I in the minority here?

[Chuck]

I went for Season 1.

The idea was still taking shape, but they had it in a better working form for Season 1.

[Tealeaf]

I voted KTMA. Yes, it was more unpolished, and slower in general. But there is something to be said to able to see the genesis. And to me, the more polished the show became, the less charm it did have. I've recently watched some of the Sci-fi era shows. They are funny and entertaining, but the whole feel that this is being done by a bunch of twenty somethings in someone's garage is lost.

[Ratso]

I love both seasons, but I find the KTMA's to be more relaxing and fun.

They're great to watch late at night too.

[mightyjack]

Shesh, this isn't even close. I watch this show to laugh at jokes, not to view a movie.

[Jason Voorhees]

Here comes the tiebreaker

Season 1

[travis]

I prefer season 1 (But not by much). It has the important advantage of being pre-written. The movie choices don't make much difference IMO, but even in season 1 they miss a lot of great riff-oportunities (I'm not a big fan of Josh either).

I really wish they had re-done SST DEATHFLIGHT!!

[Shep]

I'm not voting because I haven't seen enough of Season 1, but from what I have seen I tend to prefer KTMA.

[vanhagar3000]

I like both seasons. I'm sorry, but those who say they only laugh once or twice, or don't think it's at all funny are snobs and pretentious. It's a fun concept for a show, a midnight movies mixed with comedians giving commentary in a sci-fi type enviroment. I would have watched ten seasons if they were all in the style of KTMA improv.

The seasons themselves almost breakdown into halfs. The first half of KTMA was a little slow at times, and were good for some chuckles. The second half of KTMA were as funny (and sometimes even more so) than some slower Sci-Fi episodes. I have a feeling those episodes were when they started previewing some of the movies as opposed to seeing them for the first time during riffing.

The first season can be slipt in two. The first few episodes were slow dreary movies, that didn't make for the best riffing by such an inexperienced crew. Only those who had that masocistic love for slow dreary movies like Robot vs. Aztec Mummy could enjoy them it seems (I'm one of them). Then around the Crawling Hand and Robot Monster things got cheesy and the films were easier to watch, and the riffing got better for everyone.

Anyway, I say, Season One, just because the riff count was up, and we always had three people in the theater.

Really I find both seasons hilarious, and I feel they sometimes have more charm than a more "lol" funny Sci-Fi episode.

[mightyjack]

Were snobs and pretentious hu? That's kind of a narrow generalization. I just happen not to laugh as much at the KTMA jokes - if you want to say I have a different sense of humor than yours, that's fine. But I take umbrage at the snob label.

I watch about 1 or 2 a year, if that. While there ar good quips, I don't find them non stop funny as I do later seasons. 10 seasons of KTMA and I WOULD NOT have been a fan.

[kernunrex]

I threw a vote towards KTMA, though they're really close in my eyes. KTMA has a local charm that's lost after the move to a national channel. If you take the consecutive K21 and 101, K21 is much funnier. However, season one has funnier episodes down the line that none of the KTMAs can touch (Robot Holocaust, I'm looking at you).

Plus, I like the KTMA movie selection much better. Me, I watch for movies and the comedy both.

[Mechanical Torgo]

This is extremely tough for me for more than one reason. First, I liked Josh's performance in both seasons. Secondly, both seasons had some host segments that were identical to each other (Servo talking to the blender, for example). Lastly, Joel was great during these seasons.

However, I voted for KTMA because the movies were better. Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy was just too painfull to ignore.

[CBG]

Season One.
KTMA are charming, but too self-conscious.
HUGE gaps in the ti-ming...tim-ing...t-tim-ing!
Charming yes...but frustrating at times.

[vanhagar3000]

mightyjack said:

Were snobs and pretentious hu? That's kind of a narrow generalization. I just happen not to laugh as much at the KTMA jokes - if you want to say I have a different sense of humor than yours, that's fine. But I take umbrage at the snob label.

I should have said "snobbish" not much of a change, but it isn't a label.

[Hugh Beaumont]

I haven't seen much of KTMA, but I have a hard time getting through the episodes. They're charming, but the riffs are too sparse. I also cannot stand Josh Weinstein (please don't kill me), so both KTMA and season one are weaker, in my opinion. Season one is more enjoyable to watch in general.