I’m curious what’s your list?
If you haven’t seen them all yet, what about the ones you have seen?
What did you like about the Netflix era? What did you dislike? What are you hoping carries over to the next season?
The best was that there’s 20 years more material for riffs to work in.
I don’t have a worst. I do find it funny that the current hosts grew up with the show, in the “oh God, time, stop hurtling forward at this horrifying rate” kind of way.
I’ve been thinking about doing a bracketed poll to get a voted-on consensus of “best” eps in each season (and each run.)
I haven’t because I’m not sure how easy it is to stuff the ballot box with these polls, and also because the second a capital-C CLASSIC episode loses out, there’ll be a riot down on Broad Street.
I shouldn’t do that to the forums.
Or should I?
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Hm… I don’t think I have any least favorite MST3K episodes from the Netflix era. I think all of them are good!
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I definitely felt that while Season 11 felt at times like it was figuring out it’s footing with the new cast and set, etc, Season 12 really figured it all out and is just consistently funny and well-written. I really love The Gauntlet personally.
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From worst to best IMO:
Lords of the deep
Carnival Magic
Ator
The Loves of Hercules
The day time ended
Atlantic rim
Wizards of the lost kingdom 2
Mac & me
Killer fish
Avalanche
The time travelers
Wizards of the lost kingdom
The land time forgot
At the earth’s core
The Christmas that almost wasn’t
Star crash
Yongary
The beast of hollow Mountain
Cry Wilderness
Reptilicus
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I just watched at the Earth’s Core and enjoyed it immensely, it reminds me of the old Star Trek episodes.
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Atlantic Rim (the only one I have trouble slogging through)
Lords of the Deep
Killer Fish
Ator (maybe just because I’d seen the Rifftrax version first)
The Beast of Hollow Mountain
Yongary
The Loves of Hercules
The Land that Time Forgot
The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t
At the Earth’s Core
Starcrash
The Time Travelers
Reptilicus
Carnival Magic
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
Avalanche
Mac and Me
The Day Time Ended
Cry Wilderness
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
I know Wizards is an unpopular top pick, but for some reason I love it when MST3K takes on that kind of cheap unassuming fun fantasy.
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I still think they need to allow the movie more room to breath, even in season 12 they were wallpapering the pictures with riffs - maybe not as much as Matthew & Ian do at Rifftrax Presents, but still, it’s noticeable when I go from a Netflix to a CC era episode (as I did when I went from Mac and Me, to Starforce (season 3)
Lets see, my Top 10, based on my laughter, would be…
- Carnival Magic
- Avalanche
- The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t
- Cry Wilderness
- The Loves of Hercules
- Ator, the Fighting Eagle
- Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
- Yongary
- The Time Travelers
- Mac and Me
After that…
Solid Experiments
Atlantic Rim, The Day Time Ended, Reptilicus, The Beast of Hollow Mountain, Starcrash, The Land That Time Forgot
Weaker Experiments
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II, At The Earth’s Core, Lords of the Deep
Least Favorite
Killer Fish
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My ranking from worst to best. The first three are the only ones I don’t really care to rewatch unless I’m desperate.
Atlantic Rim
Carnival Magic
Mac and Me
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II
Yongary
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
At the Earth’s Core
Cry Wilderness
Lords of the Deep
The Land That Time Forgot
Reptilicus
Ator
The Loves of Hercules
Killer Fish
Starcrash
The Beast of Hollow Mountain
The Day Time Ended
Time Travelers
The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t
Avalanche
What I liked about the seasons is that they existed. 
What I hope changes in the new season is that the skit structure is looser and more casual. In the Netflix seasons they seemed to follow very regular beats. I like the gentle chaos of the later Joel seasons on Comedy Central in the host segments.
Oh, and please, no more movies that are deliberately cheap exploitation films. Only one in the above list, but that’s still one too many.
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Hmmm I wouldn’t say “worst” because it’s not that the episode isn’t well done. It’s just that The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t absolutely gives me the flaming creeps. And the recurring “widdle baby” riff just hammers home the creepiness.
Best though, for me, is definitely Avalanche. Just gut-bustingly funny riffs, plus two of my all-time favorite host segments: Kinga’s NPH duet, and the list of bad mashup movie monsters. My husband is more of a casual MST3K fan and I thought he was going to choke to death from laughing at that bit.
I fully expect, and want, someone to make every one of those titles into a real movie. Make it a SiFi marathon!
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I think the riffing in Atlantic Rim was fine but it’s one of the few MST3K episodes I find myself not really wanting to rewatch. Possibly because the characters themselves are so hate-able, but I just find myself turning away from that one.
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Exactly. There’s no problem with the riffing, I just detest the characters and the film’s overall vibe.
I can see why a lot of folks favor Carnival Magic, it’s like a psychotronic film (Girl In Gold Boots, Incredibly Strange Creatures, etc), only with not much of the psychotropic aspect. Basically everyone in the film seems to be playing their actual self. That’s what repels me about the film, but again, I understand why folks might like that.
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Atlantic Rim was alright, not my favorite, but alright. And I don’t have a problem with the movie itself, heck, I’d watch that before I’d watch Strange Creatures (a movie that gets on my last nerve). But yeah, the characters are all a bunch of unlikable twits, and not much fun to spend time with.
Carnival Magic on the other hand makes me laugh… a lot. And film wise, I think it’s a total crack up, a real trip - The overall package (movie + riffing) sends me to my happy place. (which is why I rank it #1)
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I decided to go with my Top 10 favorites…
- Carnival Magic
- Starcrash
- The Day Time Ended
- The Land That Time Forgot
- Yongary: Monster from the Deep
- Killer Fish
- Cry Wilderness
- Mac And Me
- Lords Of The Deep
- The Beast Of Hollow Mountain
There really have only been a couple that I wouldn’t reach for to rewatch - Atlantic Rim and At The Earth’s Core being two that come to mind.
I really enjoyed the Netflix years, especially once either they slowed down the riffing a bit or I adapted to the pace.
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I haven’t watched them enough to be able to rank them, but I remember Avalanche being really good, so I have a feeling you win.
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Was just thinking that. The cheesiness of it all has a big classic-Trek vibe to it.
Plus it gave us this ridiculously amazing moment:
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From worst to best :
Carnival Magic
Lords of the deep
Ator
The day time ended
Atlantic rim
The land time forgot
At the earth’s core
The Christmas that almost wasn’t
Wizards of the lost kingdom 2
Wizards of the lost kingdom
Killer fish
The beast of hollow Mountain
Avalanche
Mac & me
Reptilicus
The Loves of Hercules
Yongary
Cry Wilderness
Star crash
The time travelers
I should be nicer to PT Mindslap, but I didn’t like the talking/smoking ape. Cynical and shady.
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I probably could arrange a list if I thought about it, but for me I tend to think of the whole thing as great, and my favorite is when someone reminds me of something and it makes me laugh again. Like, I had a friend who just looooved I Accuse My Parents and watching it again, I just marveled how great it was.
For me, the new seasons have something amazing over the classic series: I really feel like a part of it. Back in the '90s, you could be a fan (or even a super-fan, whatever that is) but the whole crowdfund it, go to the premiere, meet the creators—that whole thing has been unparalleled in terms of the joy I’ve gotten out of the new seasons.
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Not to spend too much time on this, from favorite to least-favorite:
Cry Wilderness
Carnival Magic
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom 2
Mac & Me
Starcrash
Yongary
The Beast of Hollow Mountain
The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t
Lords of the Deep
Ator
Avalanche
The Day Time Ended
Atlantic Rim
The Time Travelers
Reptilicus
The Loves of Hercules
Killer Fish
The Land Time Forgot
At The Earth’s Core
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I thought Time Travelers was terrific.
the new cast really hit stride with that one.
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