What are some good episodes to get kids started on appreciating MST3K and making fun of bad movies in general?
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I’ve watched Gamera with my own kids and they loved it! It’s kid friendly, and with Joel hosting, it’s pretty clean. Also goes for Gamera vs. Gaos and Gamera vs. Zigra.
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Prince of Space! Equal parts silly equal parts fun
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Mac & Me or Cry Wilderness. They’re the only ones my kids have gotten into.
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Hmmm… not sure if its status as a holiday episode would be limiting, given that we’re not in December, but maybe Santa Claus Conquers the Martians would be ideal?
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The netflix ones worked well with my then stepkids. They could get more of the references.
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You’re weapons are useless! (Against kids)!
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I just watched Cry Wilderness, actually! I feel like I want to start them on Joel or Mike. I feel like starting them on the older stuff would allow them to appreciate the newer stuff better.
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I agree link. Start them with a classic episode. MST3K the Movie is also a good place to start. A few curse words aside, it’s a great starter episode.
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I dunno the mew-tant might be scary
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Quest of the Delta Knights is a fairly colorful, eventful, and appealing movie that might work for such purposes.
Because you’re looking for an intro episode, the whole “Pearl steps into the experiment” thing might be a little confusing, what with how we’re switching between Pearl and Mike in the episode, but if you don’t think that would be an impediment, go for it!
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Well, I have a very dodgy memory and there could certainly be a lot of risqué riffs that I don’t remember (I’ve never considered kid-friendliness), but aren’t the majority of Joel-era episodes pretty tame?
There are some exceptions of course. “Mitchell” immediately comes to mind.
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Joel’s delivery is always subtle enough that his dirty jokes are probably easily glossed over.
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I second Quest of the Delta Knights. In addition, Village of the Giants, perhaps? That one’s kid-friendlier, what with lil’ Ron Howard in it. I got hooked on The Magic Sword, which is another adventury one.
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Bonus points for The Magic Sword. I have that one on DVD!
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Seconded.
Depending on the ages of who you’re screening these for, it might be a good idea to review the Russo-Finnish titles. There are a few risque jokes here and there (the “Here Comes the Circus” short attached to The Day the Earth Froze has its fair share), but on the whole, it’s difficult to be bored with those movies!
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I totally agree, Prince of Space is actually a pretty fun movie! If you think your kiddos can sit through a black and white.
Another maybe good one could be Eegah? That was the first one I watched as a kid. It can be a little slow though. Generally I think any movies with goofy or colorful monsters would capture a kid’s attention 
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My 10-year-old is a big fan of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin comedy; I’m not worried about him getting bored with black & white film.
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I’d never really thought about it before, but a very large part of the MST3K catalog is based on source material that was either created for kids/with kids in mind or from an era that seems tame by today’s standards.
Even many of the shorts are educational or Saturday matinee serials.
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My daughter has been staunchly opposed to MST3k - I think because the movies watched aren’t great. But she overheard and was sucked in by The Day Time Ended.
Specifically the dark riffs featuring Jenny as an evil genius
*“Then you have failed my test mother”
*“Come sweet death”
*“Man’s time is done ALL HAIL THE NEW FLESH”
It’s a fantastic episode overall.
Plus “Concepts”!
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