Um, how's this for fast paced?
I actually started this review the day after I posted the previous two, but didn't finish it until today. Eh, it'll get done when it gets done!
I've decided to break my rule that kept me from watching any episodes out of order. I just kept having show cravings at times when I didn't have time to think about reviewing, such as the common Mystie pastime of falling asleep to episodes at bedtime. And I was getting tired of watching the limited number of eps that I've already reviewed. I'm still waiting to watch the stuff I've never seen (509, 814, The Movie in German, and the rough cuts), but freeing myself up should help me keep loving the show.
413 - Manhunt in Space with General Hospital Part 1
Good times are to be had in this episode! Pretty much all around this one is quite good.
I liked the short a lot. I'm not real clear on what's going on with the plot line, but that's hardly important, right? I'd love to have an LP of the music from this show. It's the kind of cheesy stuff I go for. But as far as I can tell, nothing like that has ever been released. So, doesn't the candy-striper that works the desk look like Joan Crawford? Yet, the guys didn't mention it. My favorite riff:
Crow: Here comes Nurseferatu . . .
A memorable moment . . .
Near the beginning of the feature, Casa 7 is on Rocky's screen (looking suspiciously like Prah looks later on) . . .
Tom: Look, it's the MST3K logo!
Joel (whispering): You're not supposed to know about that . . .
I swear I've seen that old Professor Newton guy somewhere before. And I mean outside of MST3K. But I looked over his entire filmography on IMDb and nothing rang a bell. I'm sure he was a kookie doc/prof in whatever it is I'm thinking of. Oh well, it was probably just Crash of the Moons or the other Rocky Jones "movie" I have (Menace from Outer Space).
I love the General Hospital parody sketch when Joel unplugs Cambot. That was fun. It's good to see Cambot getting into the mix and getting into trouble!
The stuff about the overuse of the modifier
space is good, too. It reminds me of going to Cracker Barrel where everything is "country this" or "country that". Are "country vegetables" all that different from city vegetables? And then there's country fried steak. Now, Cracker Barrel may not be responsible for this one, but it's always bugged me that so many people got totally confused by chicken-fried steak that it had to be renamed. Come on, it's really very simple. First, steak usually refers to beef, and no one ever refers to a cut of chicken as a steak. Beefsteak, yes. Chickensteak, never. Second, "chicken-fried" simply means breaded and fried in a manner similar to a popular preparation for chicken. Not complex, people. Okay, all done.
So, they go through this whole show and there's no mention of Blynken or Nod . . . Not even when Winky is singing his little lullaby! I couldn't believe it. Was it deemed too obvious? I'd say it'd've been worth it, though. Maybe they're waiting for Crash of the Moons.
The other thing I thought they should have done with the lullaby was to start singing, "and the Lord said, 'laugh, children, laugh.'" But I guess the brains got more caught up on "I Sing Whenever I Sing" than they did on the other
great tune from Giant Gila Monster.
But speaking of Winky's lullaby (still), his little space banjo-lele is made from a model of their own ship! Did they think it would
help the viewer suspend disbelief to see just how
small the cheap model was? This reminds me of Project Moonbase when the general uses the movie's own models as briefing materials. A tip for movie-makers: never try to get your miniatures to do double duty.
Mike is superb as Winky the wannabe ladies' man. Seems like it's been a while since we saw a Hexfield visitor. In fact it has. Winky is the first visitor since 406.
Thanks Ward E!So, Bobby says that cold light should not be used indiscriminately because "the gamma rays could be fatal to those who use it." But nothing ever comes of this! Usually a line like that is a device called
foreboding, but the filmmakers apparently don't have the sense to make use of all the contrivances they've contrived! And with Winky just sitting there in the cockpit with the cold light on for, like, hours, I'd have shouted to Winky, "You'll die a horrible death within a month or two! That's a heck of a sacrifice just to defeat some petty thieves, Winky!"
I love the part where Winky says, "We'd rather ride the rocket sir!" And it reminds me of a line that's in the preview for Astronaut Farmer. His wife says, "I always believe you'll launch the rocket," to which my wife and I add, ". . . but you never do . . . but it's okay, it happens to lots of guys . . ."
When Bobby asks to come on the mission, Rocky says he wishes he could say no, but that he can't. Well,
why the heck not?I know that Rocky Jones was a very expensive TV show to make at the time, but how expensive would it have been to give the rocket's hatch a wheel that actually
moved? Come on!
A couple more favorite riffs:
Space guy: It's like a million to one shot that we'll ever be seen.
Crow: Oh, they're on Comedy Central.
(Another meta-riff to go with the one about the logo!)
A fight is going on and there's a reclining couch in the shot . . .
Crow: Geez, I was just talking to my analyst and things got
weird!
All done here! Wish volume 11 was already out 'cause I'm about to watch Tormented!