(Scene begins with a smartwatch screen and a finger as it taps the screen, and the 1994 American Gladiators plays as the scene cuts to a hand tapping an app on his phone as it opens a portal, and it cuts to James and the characters he’s played until it cut to his face and the credit of “James Faraci” is shown as it cuts to “The Last Of The Americans'” current iteration then slides away to different images of Paulo Fonseca, Brenda Fonseca, Rebecca Yaun, Nick Yaun and Doug Yaun and the characters they’ve played until it cut to their faces and the credits of “Paulo and Brenda Fonseca & Doug Yaun, Rebecca and Nick Yaun” is shown as it then slides away to different images of Andrew Beach Eric Kurtzke, Renee Miller and Olivia Horvath and the credits of “Andrew Beach, Eric Kurtzke, Renee Miller, Olivia Horvath” is shown as the 0:00-0:21 mark of the theme song plays. Everything becomes a swirl of Reds, Whites, and Blues as the credits “Produced by First Choice Productions" “Executive Producers: James Faraci, Paulo Fonseca, Brenda Fonseca, Rebecca Yaun, Nick Yaun, Eric Kurtzke, Renee Miller, Andrew Beach & Olivia Horvath” “Editing by Eric Kurtzke and James Faraci” “Written and Directed by James Faraci” are shown as the 0:21-0:26 mark of the theme song plays. We then see an image of James as he jumps through the portal and lands with half of his team on his right. The other half on his left is on a black background, and the title “THE LAST OF THE AMERICANS” is shown Lazer etched into Titanium as the last six seconds of the American Gladiators 1994 theme song plays. Cut to James in his office.)
TLOTA: I'm James Faraci The Last Of The Americans, and the views I'm about to express are that of my own and some of yours. In 1999, many people thought that once the MST3K episode "Diabolik" aired, that was the end of the line for the crew aboard the Sattelite of Love! (Cut to clips of MST3K "Diabolik" as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (V.O.): And to be perfectly honest, it ended on the right notes. Mike was going home after Pearl Forrester had done everything she could to torment them. He took Tom and Crow to his little neck of the woods and did what they were doing while on the Sattelite but now in their own home. While GYPC decided to make a few bucks on the Internet Boom then. (Cut to the current era of MST3K as James does a voiceover)
TLOTA (V.O.): Cut to 2010, Joel Hodgson had just reacquired the rights to MST3K ownership and decided to bring the show back. Working with "Shout Factory," who had kept the MST3K brand alive since obtaining the rights to distribute the episodes they could legally share on the home market and the burgeoning streaming service market began plans to revive the brand and by 2015 had successfully crowdfunded the series for a new season, found a new home with Netflix and had gotten a new line up in the cast including Jonah Ray to play Jonah Heston, Hampton Yount to be the third performer for Crow T. Robot, Baron Vaughn to be Tom Servo's third performer, Patton Oswald as TV's Max, son of TV's Frank and Felicia Day as Kinga Forrester along with returning bit player Mary Jo Pehl to stop by as Pearl Forrester and by 2017 The Sattelite Of Love had returned as Netflix aired the new MST3K series and I loved it. There was a mix of the old style of how to riff a movie and a newer style that allowed more funny moments in the host segments and on the riffs. But by 2019, after two successful seasons, Netflix gave the series the ax. However, Joel was unwilling to let go; he went back to crowdfunding and successfully created his own streaming service, "The Gizmoplex," to help Joel fund the following season after getting the ax from Netflix. This new season would bring Jonah back as well as bring in occasional road tour hostess Emily Marsh as Emily Connor, and Joel Hodgson came back for two whole episodes as Joel Robinson and a co-host of the final episode (For now) as the latest crowdfunding failed to meet its goal. And with the future of the series now in question, again, we can be sure of one thing: no one will be forgetting MST3K anytime soon, and with The Gizmoplex still running, we've got enough MST3K for a hundred dozen Turkey Day Marathons. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA: And for me, another Top Ten MST3K list, just in time for Thanksgiving. (Cut to the current MST3K episodes and classic episodes as James does a voiceover.)
TLOTA (V.O.) For this list, I am splitting it up into the following: Most will go to Jonah, as he has been doing the most; three of the episodes will go to Emily; the seven, five spots and She will be a part of the number one spot; and two classics that I discovered because of streaming and the Gizmoplex. (Cut to James physically)
TLOTA: With that little bit out of the way, let's get into the top ten Gizmoplex Era episodes of MST3K (so far). (Cut to a field as "Turkey In The Straw" plays in the foreground, and a camera looks around, James Pops up in Camo and starts shooting, and The camera drops. Cut to the inside of an oven where the camera symbolizes. James looks in before closing the door, and the words "Top 10 episodes of The Gizmoplex Era of Mystery Science Theater 3000" are shown. James closes the door, revealing the Number.) TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 10
(Cut to the MST3K "MUNCHIE" episode as James does a voiceover.)
10) "MUNCHIE"
TLOTA (V.O.): WHOLLY HELL! What did I just see?! When the Gizmoplex crew first saw the abomination known as "Munchie," the only other thing I could compare it to was some of the worst in the MST3K's past like "Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders," "Monster A Go-Go," and "The Castle Of Fu Manchu!" I'm not even joking; this was undoubtedly one of the more painful experiences of an episode. The jokes were fantastic when they made fun of the movie. But when you first see Munchie, remember when Steve Kidd and Uncle Roger had seen Alton Brown's "Sister" Marsha for the first time? That was similar to the events when Jonah and the bots saw Munchie. The reaction was not that different, resembling what had happened here. In fact, Kinga Forrester actress Felicia Day saw the movie, and the first time she saw the unholy entity that was Munchie, she was freaked out. If it was scary enough to scare the crap out of Felicia Day, it must have been therapeutic when for her as Kinga Forester to force Jonah and the Bots to watch the movie. If I had to force myself to continue, I would need a lot of psychiatric assistance. "Munchie," thank your lucky stars that I made my Top Ten Worst movies on MST3K at the start of this neverending winter in 2020!
(Cut to the inside of an oven as "Turkey In The Straw" plays in the foreground, wherein what the camera symbolizes and Olivia looks in, uses a Bulb Baster, and closes the door, revealing the Number.) TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 9
(Cut to the MST3K "Gamera vs Jiger" episode as James does a voiceover.)
9) Gamera vs Jiger
Gamera and MST3K go well together, like Chinese food and Jasmine Tea. This time, Jonah must take on the mega turtle that haunted Joel throughout his run. The jokes about the Expo flow plenty in this one. The riffs make the movie more enjoyable, and it was worth the wait for many MST3K fans to see Jiger get its darts attacking him. We also have these two English-speaking kids who must be translated into English! Gamera looks like he's seen better days. In addition, there are so many jokes about how inept most of the people are in this movie, making it even easier for riffing. Then we come to the end of the episode as Crow, Servo, Jonah, and GYPC doing an Irish/Boston wake for Jiger after watching this movie for what felt like a lifetime. Remember that an average MST3K episode is ninety minutes without the commercials. So, for this Gamera movie, being that long is a surprise. What else can be said except? (Singing): The movie was not crazy wrong, nothing left but to sing the song. Sing the song of Gam-er-a!
Number 8
Technically, this and the one at the number three spot are available on Netflix, but they're also on The Gizmoplex for a couple of bucks. Still, they're worthy of being on the list. This dollar store knock-off of ET, which had the most blatant McDonald's advertising subtlety, remains fodder for Paul Rudd fans; look it up for more context, but the fact they go hog wild with the McDonald's references at the right time makes a lot of the jokes about this movie feel so good, plus this started out the thirtieth anniversary for the series in a binge challenge called "The Gauntlet." And if this was how "The Gauntlet" started off, by the end, you'd feel like Rocky Balboa after going toe to toe with Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, Ivan Drago, Tommy Gunn, and Mason Dixon in a marathon Boxing fight. Talking from experience on this one. "Mac & Me," What was the connection to Paul Rudd?
This was Mexico's answer to the campy 1960s Batman movie, and the plot is paper thin. A Crime-fighting female luchador has to stop a crazed scientist from making gill men from spinal fluids from other luchadors. The jokes and riffs lend themselves to the obvious about the character of The Batwoman. Especially when Crow and Tom Servo play up certain things, including... (Show the clip of Emily in her dress as the saxophone from "Careless Whisper" plays. Cut to James physically; he looks adoring at Emily, and his right-hand slaps the taste out of his mouth.)
I have been training myself to remind myself of one undeniable truth. I will not get the girl, and all my dating apps have clarified that I have no chance. (James' smile quickly turns to a sad look of reality hitting him like nobody's business. Cut to the "The Batwoman" MST3K episode as James does a voiceover.)
This was Mike hitting his stride as a host of the series. After the short "The Selling Wizard," Mike and the bots face a murder mystery in which one character, Henry Krasker, is working on a device meant to contact those who have passed away and how it could help those who have been murdered. What makes this episode worth it is the characters in the movie and how Mike and the bots tear them to shreds. And I loved the character of Mattling, played by Kyle Stanton; he's one of those guys who you will see on the streets saying that his way of following God is the right way and by today's way of doing things would be going viral for his bible thumping, especially in the interrogation scene. (Show the MST3K clip of Mattling's interrogation scene from "The Dead Talk Back." Cut to the "The Dead Talk Back" MST3K episode as James does a voiceover.)
Emily Connor's second episode and this episode, which features a D-level knock-off of a specific Marvel character, Show how great she is and what she can do when she takes on the material head-on, not be afraid to make fun of it. I am OK with them doing that, especially when the movie takes place in Manhattan. Moreover, Jeffrey Combs's performance as the main character is a highlight of the film. The riffs are good, and they even sneak in a reference to "The Room" in the riffs. (Show clip of crow saying "Oh Hai Mark!" Cut to the "Doctor Mordrid" MST3K episode as James does a voiceover.)
Should you "Fugghetaboutit" regarding the movie and the riffs from Emily and The Bots? No, it's excellent, and you should see it, especially when you are talking about the coolness of Jeffrey Combs if he were to have put on the cape and the eye and had the name Marvel gave Benedict Cumberbatch.
This Joel classic was the first time I saw an episode on a streaming service. The jokes hit perfectly, especially the Civil Defense Quiz Bowl and the McCarthy hearings on Un-American activities. But that ending was just proper for how one would feel, especially at the end of the year. I have even timed all the jokes and comments in the ending so that I feel part of the episode. What also makes this episode noteworthy is, as I mentioned in my Top Ten Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank list, this was possibly The Mads' best victory over Joel and The Bots, however people rarely talked about this episode. However, since the introduction of The Gizmoplex, this episode has got better recognition. And it doesn't even upset me at all! (Cut to the ending of the MST3K Episode as it plays out, and Frank pushes the button and shuts the screen off.)
"Law & Order SVU" fans take note of the credits in the movie; that's right, Mariska's parents, Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield are in this one, and the performances have all the earmarks of what a "Hercules" movie of that caliber. One of the better moments outside of the riffs in the film was the introduction of M. Waverly. Especially when Crow and Tom Servo beat the circuits out of the poor bot! (Show clip of M. Waverly being beaten to a pulp off-screen as Crow and Servo say their humorous lines, including "C-3P OH I DON'T THINK SO BUSTER!" Cut to the ending of the movie/episode as James does a voiceover.)
Then, everyone gets the chance to sing the operatic ending of the movie. It is a fun episode, the riffs are hilariously entertaining, the movie lends itself to the cheesiness of the time it was made, and all things considered, if you haven't seen this episode, what are you waiting for. Nothing left to do but (Singing the same note as everyone else in the clip is doing.)
TLOTA (Voiceover):
Number 2
Watching this gave me "Castle of Fu Manchu" vibes; of course, the same people who made "Castle Of Fu Manchu" made this, which didn't help. The plot is about two CIA agents who wind up in Hong Kong. One of them is Frankie Avalon, and they are joined by a British Intelligence agent who finds this female who has plans to, that's right, eliminate the Y Chromosome and take over the world (Cut to James in the Super Mario Bros. Movie review as the Maw-Ray is about to eat him, Mario and Donkey Kong, and James says, "Of Course!" Cut to the "The Million Eyes of Sumuru" MST3K episode as James does a voiceover.)
However, unlike Joel and the bots when they took on "Fu Manchu," Jonah and the bots could survive it by getting ahead of everything and surviving the movie with their riffing abilities and sanity intact, but barely. "The Million Eyes Of Sumuru" Your predecessor, "Castle Of Fu Manchu," nearly broke the host and the bots; you almost came close but not close enough.
As of this post, this is the final episode; for now, what a way to go out. Not only did the three hosts riff on this "Lord Of The Rings-"esque Christmas movie, This was so awesome, as not only did Jonah, Emily, and the recently recaptured Joel Robinson, played by Joel Hodgson, share the hosting/riffing duties, but they also had the three of them team up at the end act but the three actually make good on their subtly hidden plan of escaping Kinga and The Gizmoplex. As for Kinga, she's left with a destroyed Gizmoplex and no one to force bad movies on except the bots. The film has that 2000 cheesy and outdated CGI that could've been in the "Lord Of The Rings" movie trilogy, but Peter Jackson nixed it, thankfully. But whatever this movie was, it might be better than that live-action "How To Train Your Dragon" movie when it comes out. I was also glad to see Joel and the new generation work well together. I wish Mike was there, but I understand why he isn't involved. One day, we'll see the ultimate riffing team up, but for now, I am glad to say that I have one Christmas wish for Joel to return and for him to work with his successors. Until more episodes come out, "The Christmas Dragon" is the number-one episode of the Gizmoplex era for now. ( Show ending of "The Christmas Dragon" MST3K episode. Cut to James physically)
Are there any other of the few episodes left from the current series that you liked? Then, let me know in the comment section below. As for the future of the Gizmoplex and MST3K, I'm hoping for more episodes, and before I forget, I want to say Happy 35th Anniversary to MST3K! (The MST3K Turkey Day Hymn) Now it's Turkey Day Marathon time. Next month, we will go through another Christmas Gift Guide/ Top Five Best of this year and the top ten best/well-known behind-the-scenes stories from The Last Of The Americans. Until December, I'm James Faraci, The Last Of The Americans, and that's my opinion.
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