Mystery Science Theater 3000

10 Best Episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000

In the not-too-distant future Joel Robinson is held captive by Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank, forced to watch B-Grade movies on the Satellite of Love with the help of his robot friends: Cambot, Gypsy, Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 10, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S6E22

#15 - Angels' Revenge (Season 6 - Episode 22)

Movie Plot: Six secret agent women bust a drug ring. A blatant "Charlie's Angels" rip-off. On the SOL: The Mads turn the SOL crew into the cast of Renegade, so they can get higher ratings / The 'bots are very to-the-point on their opinion of Mike's Fonz impression / the bots test the shame-meter, which is broken by the Mads' level of shame. In Deep 13: The mads dress up as mediocre 1970s baseball pitchers / the Mads dress as Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King. Original film made in 1979.

The episode was rated 8.23 from 22 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S10E3

#14 - Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders (Season 10 - Episode 3)

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Movie Plot: An old man tells his grandson a story about the magician Merlin. Intro: The Crew pulls old-school college pranks. Segment One: Pearl makes Servo the SOL's supreme dictator, to see if that makes the experiment more evil. Segment Two: Servo and Crow review each other. Neither likes the other. Segment Three: Servo turns Mike into a baby. Segment Four: Mike shows off his Ernest Borgnine kids books. Segment Five: Pearl sends Bobo to the SOL to torture Mike and the 'bots. They send him back. Original film made in 1996.

The episode was rated 8.29 from 34 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S9E3

#13 - The Pumaman (Season 9 - Episode 3)

Movie Plot: A man discovers that he is an Aztec god-like creature that has the power of a Puma. Intro: Servo comes down with "Short Man's Disease." Segment One: Pearl is holding a fancy dress ball at the same time that Brain Guy is throwing a normal party. Servo gets into mingling for Pearl's ball. Segment Two: Mike enlists the help of Shelli the Nanite to give his hair the "dry look." Segment Three: The 'bots force Mike to dress as Cotamundi Man. Segment Four: Crow and Servo create a voodoo head of Roger Whittaker. Segment Five: Crow resigns, then accepts a lower pay to do the same job. In Castle Forrester, Brain Guy's party is more popular than Pearl's ball. Roger Whittaker stops by for a visit. Stinger: Puma Man is befuddled. Original film made in 1980.

The episode was rated 8.30 from 37 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S6E20

#12 - Danger!! Death Ray (Season 6 - Episode 20)

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Movie Plot: A secret agent is hired to find a kidnapped scientist and his latest invention: the death ray. On the SOL: Crow doesn't like his new contacts / Servo uses a death ray to destroy Crow / Crow has a line of sunglasses / Cambot cries over how bad the movie is. In Deep 13: Frank is Servo's talent agent, and gets him a gig endorsing sneakers / Frank gives Dr. Forrester an autographed picture of himself. Original film made in 1967.

The episode was rated 8.32 from 19 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S9E7

#11 - Hobgoblins (Season 9 - Episode 7)

Movie Plot: Goblins wreak havoc when they escape from a movie studio. Intro: The crew of the SOL keeps turning each other on. Segment One: The crew rough-houses on the couch Pearl sent them. Segment Two: Crow makes a film questioning the existence of women. Segment Three: Crow starts a hotline for people who have suffered trauma from watching this movie. Only Bobo calls in to talk about his love life. Segment Four: The crew uses cardboard cutouts to distract Pearl while they try to escape. Segment Five: Servo goes back in time to punish Rick Sloane for making this movie. In the Castle, Pearl lectures Mike and the 'bots on how she can no longer trust them with furniture. Original film made in 1988.

The episode was rated 8.32 from 41 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S10E8

#10 - Final Justice (Season 10 - Episode 8)

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Movie Plot: A Texas sheriff runs amok in Malta after a mobster who killed his partner. Intro: Servo ponders if the owner of a lonely heart is really better than the owner of a broken heart. Segment One: In Castle Forrester, Pearl, Brain Guy, and Bobo demonstrate how to put humor into the workplace. Segment Two: The crew tries to complain to Pearl about the repetition in the movie by making Mike trip multiple times. Segment Three: Goosio visits the SOL as a goodwill ambassador, but the 'bots kill it. Segment Four: Crow delivers a speech about Maltese men. Segment Five: Since Joel escaped after a Joe Don Baker movie, Mike assumes its his turn. He's really just sitting in the water heater. The 'bots comfort him. In Castle Forrester, Pearl and Bobo are demonstrating "funny dress-up day" to improve workplace morale. Pearl is dressed up in wacky colors, Bobo dresses as Joe Don Baker from the movie. Brain Guy appears in leather biker gear, but informs them that it isn't for dress-up. Original film made in 1985.

The episode was rated 8.35 from 31 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S8E22

#9 - Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (Season 8 - Episode 22)

Movie Plot: A man's mind gets sucked into a massive computer system. Intro: Crow creates a catch phrase for himself. Segment One: Pearl asks the 'bots to make a catch phrase for Mike. Pearl decides to make money by having her own PBS station, and hosting a pledge drive. Segment Two: The 'bots order a pet monkey over the internet. Segment Three: The bots' monkey does not like Mike. As an example of other Pearl-based programming, Pearl and Brain guy sing a duet. Segment Four: Servo is beat up by some rough Nanites. Segment Five: Bobo comes up to the SOL to help with the monkey, but ends up turning against Mike and the 'bots. Meanwhile, Pearl counts the money her pledge drive made. Original film made in 1983.

The episode was rated 8.38 from 32 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S8E13

#8 - Jack Frost (Season 8 - Episode 13)

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Movie Plot: A really weird Scandinavian movie about a woman whose ugly sister throws her out and she goes to Jack Frost for help to find her dream husband. On the SOL: Mike is the "Lord of the Dance" / Yakov Smirnoff comes to talk about the film / Earl Torgeson of Sanford, Maine visits and tries to explain the movie. On the Camping Planet: Pearl is still gone, and Bobo and Brain Guy argue over who is in charge / Brain Guy and Bobo grow closer / Mike, Bobo, Brain Guy, and Pearl debate what is the best ape movie ever made. Stinger: "Bring on my fiancΓ©!" Original film made in 1964.

The episode was rated 8.50 from 28 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S4E24

#7 - Manos: The Hands of Fate (Season 4 - Episode 24)

Movie Plot: A family on a long car trip end up lost and at the house of the evil "Master". Also riffed was: The second part of the Chevy training film "Hired!" Intro: Joel installs a program in the 'bots so that they think he is a genius. Segment One: Joel invents a machine to make unfunny comic strips funny by combining them. In Deep 13, The Mads invent a guillotine for chocolate bunnies. Segment Two: The crew go on a fake car trip, when redneck cop Gypsy pulls them over, they end up breaking down in tears about how bad the movie is. Frank calls to apologize for the movie. Segment Three The crew discusses what makes a monster so monstrous. Segment Four: Joel dresses up as "The Master" with Crow as tag-along Hellbeast. Dr. Forrester calls to apologize for the movie. Segment Five: Crow and Servo wrestle like the brides of Manos in the movie. In Deep 13, the Mads' pizza is delivered by Torgo. It takes a long time to get there. Original film made in 1966.

The episode was rated 8.56 from 52 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S5E12

#6 - Mitchell (Season 5 - Episode 12)

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Movie Plot: Mitchell is a cop who doesn't follow proper policy. He messes up everything in the movie yet manages to come out the hero. Intro: Joel shows the 'bots his toothpick Monticello model. They, of course, plot its destruction. Segment One: The 'bots have destroyed Monticello. In Deep 13, the Mads are being audited, so they have hired a temp to help get things organized. Frank enjoys yelling at the temp, a guy named Mike Nelson. Segment Two: Joel and the bots go on an Outward Bound trip to the heart of the ship. Gypsy, meanwhile overhears the Mads' plans to kill Mike, but mishears and thinks they plan to kill Joel. Segment Three: Gypsy tries to find a way to get Joel off the ship and save him from the Mads. Despite her concern, Joel doesn't want to go. Segment Four: Gypsy asks Mike for help in getting Joel off the ship. He gets the keys to the SOL controls from Frank and informs Gypsy that there is an escape pod hidden on the ship. Segment Five: Gypsy uses the ship's only escape pod to send Joel home. Original film made in 1975.

The episode was rated 8.62 from 39 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S8E16

#5 - Prince of Space (Season 8 - Episode 16)

Movie Plot: Only the hero Prince Of Space can save Japan from an evil alien attack. On the SOL: The SOL is sucked into a wormhole causing all sorts of things to happen, including Mike turning into a puppet and the entire crew ending up the woods of Minnesota / Mike marries Krankor, the villain of the movie. On the Widowmaker: While outside going to the bathroom, Bobo pulls the Widowmaker into a wormhole, taking the SOL with it / Pearl and Brain Guy land the Widowmaker in what seems to be ancient Rome. Original film made in 1959.

The episode was rated 8.64 from 25 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S8E21

#4 - Time Chasers (Season 8 - Episode 21)

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Movie Plot: a Vermont based film made in 1991 about a college professor who creates a time-traveling plane and sells it to an evil cooperation. He finds that the cooperation uses the plane as a weapon to destroy the future, and he has to go back in time several times to stop himself from selling his time machine in the first place. On the SOL: Crow goes back in time to the 1980s to talk Mike out of taking temp jobs, thus stopping him from getting the job in Deep 13 that got him trapped on the SOL / The 'bots are dismayed to find Mike replaced by Mike's alcoholic brother Eddie / Eddie tells the 'bots that Mike played in a band and died, prompting Crow to go back and undo his earlier mission. On the Widowmaker: Pearl has put Bobo and Brain Guy down for the night and invites Mike over for a chat / Pearl informs Mike that there is now an extra Crow roaming around 1985 Wisconsin. Original film made in 1994.

The episode was rated 8.70 from 33 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S10E1

#3 - Soultaker (Season 10 - Episode 1)

Movie Plot: The souls of 4 teenagers are being hunted by a soultaker. Intro: The 'bots have a wet t-shirt contest. They don't seem to grasp the point, and leave Mike confused. Commercial sign doesn't come on when it's supposed to, leaving Mike to have to push the button. Segment One: Cambot picks up some odd interference. Gypsy informs Mike that the ship is having serious malfunctions. Meanwhile, in Castle Forrester, Pearl, Bobo, and Brain Guy are playing Monopoly. They couldn't care less about the SOL. Segment Two: Gypsy, and other parts of the ship, are seriously malfunctioning. Mike takes charge, but only succeeds in breaking the Hexfield Viewscreen. Segment Three: The SOL, still malfunctioning, is caught in another ship's tractor beam. In Castle Forrester, a soultaker comes for Bobo's soul. It turns out to be TV's Frank, who became a soultaker when he realized that second banana heaven wasn't all that great. Segment Four: The person from the other ship boards the SOL. Original film made in 1990.

The episode was rated 8.74 from 34 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S9E10

#2 - The Final Sacrifice (Season 9 - Episode 10)

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Movie Plot: The story of a Canadian cult and a lost city. Intro: The bots loot the SOL during a power outage. Segment One: Pearl plans to take over the world one person at a time, starting with Todd Gunderson. Segment Two: Servo does a tribute to Canada. Segment Three: Everyone but Mike gets bad hockey hair Segment Four: As a result of being immune to Hockey Hair, Mike comes down with Grizzly Old Prospector Syndrome. Segment Five: The 'bots start a non-threatening, muffin based cult. Pearl's plan has moved onto victim #2. Stinger: Troy asks for Rowsdower. Original film made in 1990.

The episode was rated 8.74 from 42 votes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S8E20

#1 - Space Mutiny (Season 8 - Episode 20)

Movie Plot: A group of spaceship passengers rebel against the ship's captain. On the SOL: Mike gets a new set of encyclopedias to replace the old one that the 'bots kept complaining about / Servo and Crow crash the last of the SOL's escape pods / Servo installs a bit too much safety gear on the SOL / Crow shows off his new muscles. In Ancient Rome: Pearl, Bobo, and Brain Guy are in the dungeon. Brain Guy attempts to bring Mike down to help, but the Romans have taken away his brain, leaving him powerless / Bobo throws up a possible means of escape / Mike distracts Flavia while Brain Guy busts Bobo and Pearl out. Bobo then sets the city on fire. Original film made in 1988.

The episode was rated 8.80 from 50 votes.

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