I have no problem saying three things about the KTMA episodes.
Riffing is a skill. When you practice you get better, but you’ve got to start somewhere.
The best way (in my opinion) to watch the KTMA episodes is to think of them like a USA Up All Night feature. A cheesy movie is shown, and you have a host watching it with you. It keeps you company, but the additional value here is that the host is in the theater with you. Any humor is purely a bonus. Don’t watch those episodes thinking about what MST3k is now. Think of them in terms of their era, where a movie presentation was more about the movie (and commercials), and you’ll see the magic a bit easier.
I think there’s definite worth in them, especially if you want to see a bit of how the creative process comes up with something and then keeps refining it until it becomes polished. And that’s not just the visual look of the shows, but also the writing process. It’s clear that the show is largely improvised at this point in the theater and that plays into J Elvis’ strengths, but I do think that as time went on, they could have gotten better at that. While I think there’s a usefulness and different energy in an improvised riff (I’ve done them on stage for years), I think if you’re going to not have it actually be live, it should be 100% scripted like it eventually became.
one of only two MSTed movies (so far, I think we have another one this season) that takes place in my city.
Good or bad, it is the starting blocks for what was to come.
You could almost say they are… History Science Theater…
They are slow on the riffs but there are some great gems the last chase is my favorite. The episode riffing improves towards the end of the season.
KTMA is definitely worth a watch. I wish that they would finally give these episodes the proper rerelease they deserve, but I also wonder if it’s being held back by missing master tapes (I feel like K03 can’t be the only one they’re missing).
They start to find a pretty good grove around K06 to K09. The riffs definitely flow better and are more punchy. Some episodes even border on being great, like Phase IV or The Legend of Dinosaurs. Plus, it’s kind of fun to see how the show handles cast changes from episode to episode. K17 - Time of the Apes is the only episode of the entire series to not feature a host. So, if you’re a big fan of just the bots, that would definitely be one to check out. I also think that for as weak as K05 - Gamera is, Joel still makes a good effort as a solo riffer and the episode definitely has some highlights.
Honestly, I found that movie rather fascinating (if a bit difficult to follow in the cut they used). I’d watch it unriffed just to try to figure out what’s going on in the midst of all the pieces.
I agree with much that’s been said about viewing them as historical artifacts. I have checked out most of them - giving some multiple viewings - and it’s not the MST3K I’d come to know, but it’s in there.
I’m also of an age that grew up on stuff like the Gamera movies or The Black Scorpion and Legend of Dinosaurs as what you’d find on the TV late at night. And I just plain dig Phase IV and find Humanoid Woman interesting.
I don’t opt for a KTMA experiment often, but sometimes I do enjoy one.
The KTMAs are worth watching once and a while. Besides the obvious reasons, that era has its own peculiar “feel” to it that’s enjoyable. Still, I admit that when I watch one, I look forward to the later, more familiar episodes. But the better ones hold up well.
Props to @JakeGittes on recommending The Last Chase (1981). I tried it on impulse and the riffing and movie gelled as one. The Beatles levity near the beginning had me grinning. Watching this I’m able to sense why the show was picked up. The soul of Mystery Science is there and the punchlines actually reel you in. The references fit the movie and hit in a timely pace. They’d refine this moving forward though the trappings and spark are there.
KTMA is my favorite season. It’s rough and raw and the comedy is honest and unrefined. The movies are diverse and interesting and many of them would never get to be on the show under any other circumstances.
Josh is brilliantly funny riffing off the top of his head, clearly better suited to that type of comedy than either Joel or Trace. Many of the skits re-mounted in the national show work better in their original form in the KTMAs.
I’m always amused by people who say they can’t make it through the KTMA shows. I see them say that and then watch one where they play recording of people who loved the show back then, as it was. Clearly, there was something to love about the show in its original form and it’s still there for people to enjoy if they can just remember what it is and what it’s not.
The KTMA season is a no-budget local TV show and a fantastic one at that.
Watch it.
The KTMA episodes were done without any licensing from the rights holders. It is highly unlikely that very many of them could get a legitimate release outside something on the low-down like Joeel releasing K01 and K02. Even that is questionable if the owners of Stingray and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons got wind of it.
@Darth_Prefect For those desiring to watch them, is there any particular order you’d suggest? Thanks.
I think in broadcast order is best as you get to see the evolution in each step. Buckle up for some tough slogs though!
What Ron said. Besides, when I was little, Stingray was my Jam.
Yes. Definitely broadcast order. You really see things come together and they create and learn the art of riffing.
And you can tell that this wasn’t the main job of some of them. Trace left a few times so they froze Crow and made him a Christmas tree. I think Josh might have done Crow’s voice once when Trace wasn’t there. The Mads don’t show up until part way through, except in the credits.
This is fascinating. I’m beholden to each of you on explaining what KTMA was.