"It's an intriguing mix of genocide and modern dance!"
—Joel Robinson
Film watched: Fugitive Alien
This is the song written for the train chase,
This is the chase: Rocky and Ken,
He tried to kill me with a forklift! Ole!
This is the chase: Rocky and Ken,
He tried to kill me with a forklift! Ole!
This is one of the nine Sandy Frank Japanese films originally used for a KTMA episode that was riffed again a few years later on Comedy Central.
The Comedy Central episode introduced Mike Nelson's parody version of Jack Perkins, former host of the A&E network's show Biography. "Jack" would go on to be a recurring character, even hosting the framing segments of the short-lived "Mystery Science Theater Hour."
The Comedy Central episode is available in the Gizmoplex here
.
The KTMA Segments:
Segment 1- Dr. Forrester is away at a Mad Scientists' Convention in Las Vegas, so Dr. Erhardt is running the show alone. Joel sings the "Theme" of Fugitive Alien, which doesn't impress Servo.
Segment 2
- Joel wants to know where Crow is. He finds him all over the place, as Servo and Gypsy have taken him apart.
Segment 3
- Joel and Servo discuss how certain celebrities never seem to be seen together. Could Michael Jackson and Diana Ross be the same person?
Segment 4
- The crew holds a robot dance contest.
Segment 5
- Joel announces the official formation of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Fan Club. He and Servo give their thanks for all the fans' cards and "leathers".
The Comedy Central Segments:
Prologue- Joel thinks he's a Southern Wisconsin dairy farmer for some reason. He feeds Crow and Servo some chicken feed, but commercial sign is called before he can milk Gypsy.
Segment 1/Invention Exchange
- The Mads know how many medical drops people can require, so they helpfully combine all the available kinds into a single all-purpsose dispenser. Joel invented the Musical Chair, a lounging perch that doubles as a xylophone. A&E commentator Jack Perkins steps into Deep 13 to introduce the movie.
Segment 2
- Crow throws a funny hat party, during which he and the crew make fun of the Mads' hair. Perkins' insufferable commentary earns him some cattle prodding.
Segment 3
- Joel leads the 'Bots in play-acting Captain Joe and his crew from the movie. They really don't want to partake.
Segment 4
- Joel analyzes the film with the help of Syd Field's Three-Act Structure screenplay model. Needless to say, it's not a match at all (being several TV episodes chopped up and jammed together), but it doesn't keep Joel from inviting the 'Bots to predict the ending. Jack still can't shut up.
Segment 5
- Joel explains the new buttons on his jumpsuit, and the letter the SOL crew read prompts them to finally reveal what the Cool Thing from Lost Continent was: Mexican stoplight candy. The Mads have grown sick and tired of Perkins, so they genetically modify him, replacing his head with that of Vivian Vance.
The KTMA presentation of Fugitive Alien contains examples of the following tropes:
- Early-Installment Weirdness: Only Joel and Servo riff the movie, with Servo on Joel's right (where Crow would sit) instead of his usual spot on the left.
- Number of the Beast: Clay's hotel room is number 666.
The Comedy Central presentation of Fugitive Alien contains examples of the following tropes:
- Anti-Climax: That amazing, spine-tingling, mysterious "Cool Thing" that wowed the crew and The Mads episodes back... that thing that viewers guessed as various awesome things note ... is just some weird stoplight-shaped candy from Mexico (although, as candy goes, it's still pretty cool).
- Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs: One of Crow's riffs has him respond to the line, "I know who he is now!" Crow says, "He's my mother! He's my sister! He's my mother AND my sister!"
- Call-Forward: At one point, Tom starts excitedly comparing one of the scenes to a similar scene in the film Marooned. The season 4 premiere featured the SOL gang riffing that movie under its alternate title of Space Travelers.
- Discussed Trope: The classic Three-Act Structure is discussed in the final host segment, as Crow and Servo express puzzlement over the film's confusing editing.
- Mondegreen Gag: Joel & The Bots mishear in the first film "Barbara" (Joe's dying wife) as "whopper" and a loud exclamation in the second film as "Hey, corn!".
- Rambling Old Man Monologue: This episode marks the debut of Mike Nelson's Jack Perkins parody, babbling about nonexistent upcoming timeslots and guests. Perkins would become a recurring character for this reason.
- The Reveal: What was the "Cool Thing"? Mexican stoplight candy.
- Running Gag:
- "He tried to kill me with a forklift!"
- Crow and Servo acting like fanboys excitedly comparing the onscreen action to episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, Battlestar Galactica, and Doctor Who.
- Fugitive Alien is a Universe of Kens; don't forget that.
- Anytime someone says "Rocky," Crow quipping "Again?" in a squeaky voice.
- Every time Rita's name is mentioned: "Meter maid!"
- Rita's "Star Trek stuff" (her necklace, which looked like something out of Star Trek).
- Capt. Joe's weird cheeks and alcoholism.
- Joel & The Bots' puzzlement at the Valna Wolf Raider's weird wig-helmets.
- The Seysarian Colonel is a busboy or fast food employee.
- Jokes revolving around the Seysarian's bluish skin.
- The silly Kararru leader looking forward to having pudding... ending in him wanting something "crunchy, salty and sweet", instead.
- Comparing the Bacchus 3 crew's uniforms to the Vegas-era jumpsuits of Elvis Presley.
- Special Guest: Jack Perkins (a
pre-hosting tenure Mike in full makeup), host of A&E's Biography. The Mads are excited at first, but after a few minutes of his rambling they tie him up and start experimenting on him. - Waxing Lyrical: During the invention exchange:Frank: Well, when you're an on-the-go kind of a guy like myself, sometimes you need ear drops, sometimes you need eye drops, sometimes you need nose drops, sometimes you need throat drops. Sometimes when you touch, the honesty's too much—
Clayton: Oh, shut up, Frank! - With Lyrics: Turning the Theme Music Power-Up cue into the famous "Forklift" song. There's also a brief bit involving the lullaby-like tune that plays when Tammy gets all squishy over Ken.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, a-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha... YOU'RE STUCK HERE!"
