It’s hard to believe Mystery Science Theater 3000 has produced more episodes than many iconic dramas and sitcoms like All in the Family, Mary Tyler Moore or Mannix.
The third episode of its return marked its 200th episode with Time Travelers. Some scientists try to peek at the future through a portal. They get as far as 2071, where they see what seems to be “Game of Thrones, but only the Dothraki parts.” Some guy named Danny discovers he can go through the portal and look around. The other scientists follow suit and wind up getting trapped. They meet mutants, really ugly androids, and future humans who hope to get to another star system for a new life.
There’s a romance angle between Danny and a future gal who’s too eager to reproduce. It includes that notorious tanning booth scene from the trailer. Mostly, though, there’s disturbing android-building and a lot of talking. Any action between mutant and future people happens at the end, with a strange ending that may suggest the scientists and some of the future folk may be stuck in a time loop.
What is strange is that the ending is not in the MST3K ending, so Jonah and the bots don’t riff on this. Otherwise, they would have been stunned by the whole movie starting over and over. They could have recycled the “do you want to go faster” riff if given the chance.
As for the Invention Exchange, Kinga and Max finally come up with an evil invention that would make their equally evil parents proud. It’s called “After-Life Alert”, and it was actually taken from a riff from Cry Wilderness.
It’s also the first time Jonah meets someone from another spaceship. He talks to two “partying” scientists, and the guy on the right looks a little familiar.
RIFFS:
They look at a deserted part of the future.
“It looks almost prehistoric”
Or like Reno (Jonah probably wrote this)
The mutants try to attack Carol, one of the scientists
Blue Man Group is a little more creepier without their makeup.
Next time: A Roger Corman blizzard with famous actors.
