Showcasing some of the biggest stinkers in cinema history, MST3K managed to make them downright hilarious with fast-paced riffing. Furthermore, the show’s intentional DIY style gave it an endearing outsider quality not seen in other TV productions at the time. Unlike other cult classic TV shows from that era, MST3K was anything but short-lived.
The original iteration ran for 10 seasons and 197, which can be daunting for new MSTies. Die-hard fans will insist that every episode is must-watch TV, but some are a better place to start than others. Whether they encapsulate the MST3K wit, or simply feature iconic moments, these episodes will make any casual viewer a life-long fan.
Santa Claus Conquers The Martians – Season 3 Episode 21
On Mystery Science Theater 3000, Joel and his robot pals were subjected to some weird flicks, but few as odd as Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. The totally earnest Christmas movie sees the ripe jolly old elf kidnapped by Martians who want to bring Christmas to Mars. It’s a rare MST3K movie worth watching, even without the humorous riffs.
For newcomers, season 3, episode 21, is a perfect jumping-on point. The jokes from Joel and the bots are top-notch, and the movie offers plenty of oddball laughs on its own. What’s more, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is the show’s first Christmas episode, a tradition MST3K would continue in each era of the show’s history.
Manos: The Hands Of Fate – Season 4 Episode 24
Manos: The Hands of Fate is the ultimate so-bad-it’s-bad movie from the ’60s, and the MST3K crew are the only ones who can make it palatable. The cult “horror” film features plenty of strange imagery and weird characters, but all its attempts at terror are merely fodder for riffing gold. Manos is inarguably a top 10 MST3K episode.
The Joel-era experiment features plenty of jokes that are referenced throughout the rest of the series, and even some of the characters from Manos make sporadic appearances. Any aspiring MSTie must watch season 4, episode 24, early on in their journey, because the classic episode shapes the trajectory of the show going forward.
I Accuse My Parents – Season 5 Episode 7
Juvenile delinquency films were a go-to for the folks at MST3K, and I Accuse My Parents was the best. The moralizing ’40s melodrama has plenty of hokey acting and ridiculous situations, and Joel, Tom, and Crow have a lot of riffing material to work with. It isn’t a boring slog like many other teen-run-amok movies featured on the show.
Airing right before the departure of original host, Joel Hodgson, I Accuse My Parents is MST3K clicking on all cylinders. The episode is the perfect marriage of the humor of the riffing melding with the humor of the movie itself, and the host segments are comedy gold as well. Newbies can’t miss season 5, episode 7.
Mitchell – Season 5 Episode 12
Even though Mitchell was Joel’s final episode, it’s still a must-see for new fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000. The sleazy ’70s Joe Don Baker flick taps the B-movie icon to play a crooked cop, and it’s an all-around unpleasant viewing experience. Thankfully, the languid police story is made hilarious by the acerbic wit of the MST3K gang.
Joel Hodgson returned to host a few episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 season 13.
The thing about season 5, episode 12, is that Mitchell is the perfect movie for Joel to bow out on. The riff style had clearly evolved from earlier seasons, and the host change came at the perfect time in the show’s development. The introduction of Mike Nelson is such an important moment that baby MSTies have to see it.
The Giant Spider Invasion – Season 8 Episode 10
The Giant Spider Invasion wasn’t the first huge insect movie featured on MST3K, but it is by far the best. Filmmaker Bill Rebane delivers the not-so-touching story of a bunch of rednecks being terrorized by interstellar spiders in rural Wisconsin. The episode is doubly funny because it hits so close to MST3K‘s home base in the Midwest.
Wisconsinite Mike Nelson takes a lot of pot-shots at his home state, and season 8, episode 10, perfectly sums up the show’s Midwestern humor. For anyone trying to get into MST3K, The Giant Spider Invasion is an entertainingly bad movie made even funnier by the riffing. Cheese is what the show does best, and the drive-in stinker is cheese personified.
Space Mutiny – Season 8 Episode 20
There’s nothing funnier than bad sci-fi, but Mike and the bots were subjected to the bottom of the barrel when they watched Space Mutiny. Aboard a spaceship, a meatheaded pilot must help stop an insurrection with very unclear motives. The sets are flimsy, the acting wooden, and the plot is nonexistent. That all adds up to a perfect MST3K episode.
Season 8, episode 20, has some of MST3K‘s best running gags, but the riffing really takes a backseat to the silliness of the movie itself. Space Mutiny might just be the best starting point for the uninitiated, because it’s the quintessential MST3K movie experience. Additionally, the host segments perfectly represent the personalities of Mike and the bots.
Werewolf – Season 9 Episode 4
By the ninth season, the writers at MST3K had reached the peak of their riffing powers, and episodes like Werewolf illustrate that point. Mike, Tom, and Crow watch as an ancient Native American artifact begins turning people into werewolves—it sounds exciting, but it really isn’t. Though the movie provides its own laughs, the riffing takes center stage.
Werewolf looks enough like a real movie to draw casual viewers in, but the riffing is absolutely needed to keep it engaging. It’s ideal for introductory fans because the referential humor is kept to a minimum, and the jokes derive more from the movie itself. MST3K was always great, but it was peaking during its penultimate original season.
Hobgoblins – Season 9 Episode 7
Some movies must be seen to be believed, and season 9, episode 7, Hobgoblins, is one of those movies. The Gremlins rip-off centers on a bunch of unlikable young adults who are attacked by mind-altering critters from a film vault. It’s one of the few flicks so baffling that Mike and the bots are often left speechless in the theater.
Most riffs on MST3K are light-hearted, but Hobgoblins drew clear disdain from the crew. Pearl Forrester’s experiment nearly succeeds, and the ’80s bomb almost causes the riffers to crack. While that might sound like misery, Hobgoblins is an excellent episode for new MSTies. There are several moments that could be called the funniest jokes in MST3K history.
The Final Sacrifice – Season 9 Episode 10
If it wasn’t for Mystery Science Theater 3000, many obscure films would have been entirely forgotten, much like The Final Sacrifice. A scrawny kid who’s obsessed with the ’70s Miami Dolphins teams up with a mulleted man to find a lost city before an evil cult does. The Canuxploitation “classic” was just begging to get riffed by MST3K.
Season 9, episode 10, is like no other movie in the MST3K catalog. It’s both boring and engrossing, and often begs the question: “Why did they make this?” Though that question can’t be answered, it’s a classic nonetheless. For those unfamiliar with MST3K, The Final Sacrifice is a balanced episode that offers nonstop laughs in and out of the theater.
Mac And Me – Season 12 Episode 1
MST3K ended its original run after season 10, but the show was brought back for two seasons on Netflix in 2017 and 2018. Season 12 opens with Mac and Me, the product placement-laden rip-off of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. With Jonah Ray in the middle seat, Season 12, episode 1, is undoubtedly the best episode of the Netflix era.
Typically, the reboot seasons aren’t a great place to start for MSTie newbies. However, the film is so weird that it has humor on its own, and the riffing is the strongest of the revival seasons. There’s no wrong way to watch Mystery Science Theater 3000, and any episode could be the one that makes somebody a fan forever.
- Release Date
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1988 – 1999-00-00
- Showrunner
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Joel Hodgson
- Directors
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Joel Hodgson
- Writers
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Joel Hodgson
