Mystery Science Theater 3000

From 1988 until 1999, the fellas at Mystery Science Theater 3000 brought viewers a seemingly endless array of B-movies, cult flick, and just plain bad films. The premise was simple: a man–first series creator Joel Hodgson and later head writer Michael J. Nelson–was trapped on a space station by a mad scientist and forced to watch awful movies. If the scientist could find a movie so awful that it broke his subject’s will, then he would unleash it on the Earth in a bid to rule the planet. To keep his sanity, the man and his robot sidekicks (Cambot, Crow, Gypsy, and Tom Servo) would provide running commentary during the films, frequently poking fun at the bad acting, poor set design, or ludicrous plot holes.

Some of those being laughed at took it well (Adam West), while others were less than thrilled (Joe Don Baker). Innovative rocker Frank Zappa counted himself among MST3K’s legion of fans, and a show was even dedicated to him following his untimely death. But love it or hate it, there’s little denying that the show had a major impact. Over a decade after the last episodes aired, movies are still being laughed at courtesy of projects such as RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic (both of which include former members of the show). As long as bad movies are being made, someone will always be around to make fun of them.

If you’d like to experience the magic of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on DVD, I’ve included a list of every episode that ever aired on television (as well as their feature film). This should serve as an excellent starting point, allowing you to pick and choose the most potentially hilarious films of the bunch.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 0 (KTMA / KTMA-TV Minneapolis 1988-89)

  • K00 The Green Slime (1969, Color, Toei/MGM, Japan) This episode never aired, but was intended to show programming execs what the Mystery Science Theater 3000 show was all about.
  • K01 Invaders from the Deep (1981)
  • K02 Revenge of the Mysterons (Captain Scarlet vs. the Mysterons) (1980)
  • K03 Star Force: Fugitive Alien 2 (1978)
  • K04 Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)
  • K05 Gamera (1966)
  • K06 Gamera vs. Gaos (1967)
  • K07 Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)
  • K08 Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)
  • K09 Phase IV (1974)
  • K10 Cosmic Princess (1976)
  • K11 Humanoid Woman (1981)
  • K12 Fugitive Alien (1978)
  • K13 SST: Death Flight (1977)
  • K14 Mighty Jack (1968)
  • K15 Superdome (1981)
  • K16 City On Fire (1979)
  • K17 Time of the Apes (1974)
  • K18 The Million Eyes of Sumuru (1967)
  • K19 Hangar 18 (1980)
  • K20 The Last Chase (1981)
  • K21 Legend of the Dinosaurs (1977)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 1 (Comedy Channel 1989-90)

  • 101 The Crawling Eye (The Trollenberg Terror) (1958)
  • 102 The Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy (1959)
  • 103 Mad Monster (1942)
  • 104 Women of the Prehistoric Planet (1966)
  • 105 The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
  • 106 The Crawling Hand (1963)
  • 107 Robot Monster (1953)
  • 108 Slime People (1964)
  • 109 Project Moonbase (1953)
  • 110 Robot Holocaust (1987)
  • 111 Moon Zero Two (1969)
  • 112 Untamed Youth (1957)
  • 113 The Black Scorpion (1957)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 2 (Comedy Channel 1990-91)

  • 201 Rocketship X-M (1950)
  • 202 The Sidehackers (Five the Hard Way) (1969)
  • 203 Jungle Goddess (1948)
  • 204 Catalina Caper (1967)
  • 205 Rocket Attack U.S.A. (1961)
  • 206 Ring of Terror (1962)
  • 207 Wild Rebels (1967)
  • 208 Lost Continent (1951)
  • 209 The Hellcats (1968)
  • 210 King Dinosaur (1955)
  • 211 First Spaceship on Venus (1959)
  • 212 Godzilla vs Megalon (1973)
  • 213 Godzilla vs The Sea Monster (1966)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 3 (Comedy Central 1991-92)

  • 301 Cave Dwellers (The Blade Master) (1984)
  • 302 Gamera (1965)
  • 303 Pod People (1984)
  • 304 Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)
  • 305 Stranded in Space (The Stranger) (1973)
  • 306 Time of the Apes (1974)
  • 307 Daddy-O (1959)
  • 308 Gamera vs. Gaos (1967)
  • 309 The Amazing Colossal Man (1957)
  • 310 Fugitive Alien (1986)
  • 311 It Conquered the World (1956)
  • 312 Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)
  • 313 Earth vs. the Spider (1958)
  • 314 Mighty Jack (1968)
  • 315 Teenage Cave Man (1958)
  • 316 Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)
  • 317 Viking Women vs. the Sea Serpent (The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent) (1957)
  • 318 Star Force: Fugitive Alien II (1986)
  • 319 War of the Colossal Beast (1958)
  • 320 The Unearthly (1957)
  • 321 Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
  • 322 Master Ninja I (1978)
  • 323 The Castle of Fu Manchu (1968)
  • 324 Master Ninja II (1978)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 4 (Comedy Central 1992-93)

  • 401 Space Travelers (Marooned) (1969)
  • 402 The Giant Gila Monster (1959)
  • 403 City Limits (1985)
  • 404 Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)
  • 405 Being from Another Planet (Time Walker) (1982)
  • 406 Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)
  • 407 The Killer Shrews (1959)
  • 408 Hercules Unchained (1959).
  • 409 The Indestructible Man (1956)
  • 410 Hercules Against the Moon Men (1964)
  • 411 The Magic Sword (1962)
  • 412 Hercules and the Captive Women (1961)
  • 413 Manhunt in Space (1954)
  • 414 Tormented (1960)
  • 415 The Beatniks (1960)
  • 416 Fire Maidens from Outer Space (1956)
  • 417 Crash of the Moons (1954)
  • 418 Attack of the Eye Creatures (1965)
  • 419 The Rebel Set (1959)
  • 420 The Human Duplicators (1965)
  • 421 Monster A Go Go (1965)
  • 422 The Day The Earth Froze (Sampo) (1959)
  • 423 Bride of the Monster (1956)
  • 424 Manos: The Hands of Fate (1966)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 5 (Comedy Central 1993-94)

  • 501 Warrior of the Lost World (1985)
  • 502 Hercules (1957)
  • 503 Swamp Diamonds (1956)
  • 504 Secret Agent Super Dragon (New York chiama Superdrago) (1966)
  • 505 Magic Voyage of Sinbad (Sadko) (1952)
  • 506 Eegah (1962)
  • 507 I Accuse My Parents (1944)
  • 508 Operation Double 007 (OK Connery) (1967)
  • 509 The Girl in Lover’s Lane (1960)
  • 510 The Painted Hills (1951)
  • 511 The Gunslinger (1956)
  • 512 Mitchell (1975) – The last episode to feature Joel Hodgson.
  • 513 The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1959) – The first episode to feature Michael J. Nelson as the main character.
  • 514 Teenage Strangler (1968)
  • 515 The Wild World of Batwoman (1966)
  • 516 Alien from L.A. (1987)
  • 517 Beginning of the End (1957)
  • 518 The Atomic Brain (Monstrosity) (1963)
  • 519 Outlaw (Outlaw of Gor) (1989)
  • 520 Radar Secret Service (1950)
  • 521 Santa Claus (1959)
  • 522 Teen-Age Crime Wave (1955)
  • 523 Village of the Giants (1965)
  • 524 12 To The Moon (1960)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 6 (Comedy Central 1994-95)

  • 601 Girls Town (1959)
  • 602 Invasion USA (1953)
  • 603 The Dead Talk Back (1993)
  • 604 Zombie Nightmare (1986)
  • 605 Colossus and the Headhunter (1962)
  • 606 The Creeping Terror (1964)
  • 607 Bloodlust! (1959)
  • 608 Code Name: Diamond Head (1977)
  • 609 The Skydivers (1963)
  • 610 The Violent Years (1956)
  • 611 Last of the Wild Horses (1948)
  • 612 The Starfighters (1964)
  • 613 The Sinister Urge (1959)
  • 614 San Francisco International (1970)
  • 615 Kitten With A Whip (1964)
  • 616 Racket Girls (1955)
  • 617 The Sword and the Dragon (1956)
  • 618 High School Big Shot (1953)
  • 619 Red Zone Cuba (1966)
  • 620 Danger!! Death Ray (1967)
  • 621 The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
  • 622 Angels Revenge (Angels’ Brigade) (1979)
  • 623 The Amazing Transparent Man (1960)
  • 624 Samson vs. the Vampire Woman (1961) – The last episode to feature Frank Conniff.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 7 (Comedy Central 1995-96)

  • 701 Night of the Blood Beast (1958)
  • 702 The Brute Man (1946)
  • 703 Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell (Deathstalker III: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell) (1989)
  • 704 The Incredible Melting Man (1977)
  • 705 Escape 2000 (1981)
  • 706 Laserblast (1978) – Last episode with Trace Beaulieu

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE (1996) – M01 This Island Earth (1953)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 8 (Sci-Fi Channel 1996-97)

  • 801 Revenge of the Creature (1955)
  • 802 The Leech Woman (1960)
  • 803 The Mole People (1956)
  • 804 The Deadly Mantis (1957)
  • 805 The Thing That Couldn’t Die (1958)
  • 806 The Undead (1956)
  • 807 Terror from the Year 5000 (1958)
  • 808 The She-Creature (1956)
  • 809 I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
  • 810 The Giant Spider Invasion (1975)
  • 811 Parts: The Clonus Horror (1979)
  • 812 The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies (1964)
  • 813 Jack Frost (Morozko) (1966)
  • 814 Riding With Death (1976)
  • 815 Agent from H.A.R.M. (1966)
  • 816 Prince of Space (Yusei oji) (1956)
  • 817 The Horror of Party Beach (1964)
  • 818 Devil Doll (1963)
  • 819 Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961)
  • 820 Space Mutiny (1988)
  • 821 Time Chasers (Tangents) (1994)
  • 822 Overdrawn At The Memory Bank (1983)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 9 (Sci-Fi Channel 1997-98)

  • 901 The Projected Man (1966)
  • 902 The Phantom Planet (1961)
  • 903 Puma Man (The Pumaman) (1980)
  • 904 Werewolf (Arizona Werewolf) (1996)
  • 905 The Deadly Bees (1967)
  • 906 The Space Children (1958)
  • 907 Hobgoblins (1987)
  • 908 The Touch of Satan (1971)
  • 909 Gorgo (1960)
  • 910 The Final Sacrifice (1990)
  • 911 Devil Fish (1984)
  • 912 The Screaming Skull (1958)
  • 913 Quest of the Delta Knights (1993)

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – SEASON 10 (Sci-Fi Channel 1998-99)

  • 1001 Soultaker (1990)
  • 1002 The Girl in Gold Boots (1969)
  • 1003 Merlin’s Shop of Mystical Wonders (1995)
  • 1004 Future War (1995)
  • 1005 Blood Waters of Dr. Z (Zaat) (1972)
  • 1006 Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues (The Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, Part II) (1985)
  • 1007 Track of the Moon Beast (1976)
  • 1008 Final Justice (1984)
  • 1009 Hamlet (1960)
  • 1010 It Lives By Night (The Bat People) (1974)
  • 1011 Horrors of Spider Island (1960)
  • 1012 Squirm (1976)
  • 1013 Diabolik (Danger: Diabolik!) (1968)

This concludes our look at every episode that ever aired for Mystery Science Theater 3000. A longtime home for fans of awful films (intentional or otherwise), it’s always served as an inspiration for those of us here at Odd Films. Joel Hodgson, we salute you!

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2 thoughts on “Mystery Science Theater 3000

  1. Pingback: Midnight Movies

  2. I originally loved this series when on Comedy Central. Though some of the movies targeted did not really deserve disrespect, many did. I mean, one could always find the original versions of these films, anyway. It was like getting revenge for the years of watching terrible movies in TV syndication to find the gems. And as a mere cable show, I figured no harm was done. Right? Wrong! After time, I began to realize that all lower-budgeted genre films (even good ones) were starting to get an attitude of ridicule aimed at them–and that it was this show that was fostering it. Finally, the line got really crossed when they took on THIS ISLAND EARTH for the feature. Sure, TIS has risible elements, but so does CITIZEN KANE. Then when the SciFi channel started them out with attacking Jack Arnold, the hard core SF-film fan base had had enough. Really guys, it was fun while it was innocent, but to air a Comedy Central special with Penn Gillette smarming about what “genius” it supposedly was went beyond belief! Building your careers on the act of ridiculing the efforts of other filmmakers had hit its wall– deservedly so.

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