S3 Ep. 13 - MST3K: The Christmas That Almost Wasn‘t

The boys crack open some cold ones to close out season 3. Chris shares his personal favorite pick of "The Constant" from the fourth season of Lost (available on Hulu). Chris does his best to make his case for this episode belonging in the Christmas TV canon, but has a hard time getting his cohosts on his side. Other topics discussed in this episode are few and far between as the boys spend a surprising amount of time focused on actually discussing the episode and show. However they make a few detours to debate the least Christmas time of the year, Jon getting ejected from a truck while trying to poach a deer, and other shows that tried and failed to copy the Lost formula.  Wikipedia entry for this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Constant. 

On the penultimate episode of the season, Jon shares his personal favorite pick, "Xmas Story" from the second season of Futurama (available on Hulu). Does the year 3000 still have the holiday spirit or is the future not as full as festivities as the hosts hope? Listen in to hear their thoughts!   Other topics discussed in this episode include: monstrous babies, The Matrix and its sequels, John Goodman, replacement voice actors, good movie concepts, the Purge, parrots vs. stink lizards, back country skiing, and fake laughing.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0584465/. 

The final week of Season 3 begins as the boys share their personal favorites. Brian kicks things off by having the hosts watch the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew review "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" (available on Netflix). Listen in to hear three guys watch a thing and makes jokes about one guy and two robots watching a thing and making jokes.  Other topics discussed in this episode include: prunes, James Bond, Christmas plans, Duluth, Italian Santa, Italian cinema, fun facts, and wooden toys vs. modern toys.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6101964/. 

The last pick of Significant Other Week goes to Chris's fiance who has the boys watch a Disney Channel favorite Phil of the Future. This second season episode, "Christmas Break", features some time traveling shenanigans, but is youthful humor enough to keep the hosts' attention? Listen in to find out! Other topics discussed in this episode include: sports betting, curling (like a lot of talk about curling), NBC sci-fi series La Brea, pitching shows, actor J.P. Manoux, cavemen, kissing, recasting Modern Family, and wikipedia game Five Clicks to Jesus.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0674193/. 

On today's episode, Jon's girlfriend asks the boys to watch an episode of the classic CW teen drama Gossip Girl. Will the teens reign supreme when it comes to celebrating the season? Or is the biggest lie of this episode making the viewer think it has anything to do with Christmas? Listen in to find out! Other topics discussed in this episode include: actress and Real Housewife Kyle Richards, Police Women, winter formal dance themes, casting decisions for the upcoming Super Mario animated film, blowing up triangles, and characters having either too much or too little to do. IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266847/. 

The tables turn slightly as a new week of the podcast kicks off! The hosts have their significant others pick which Christmas episodes to watch, starting with "Christmas" from the first season of the show Divorce (available to stream on HBOMAX) selected by Brian's wife. Come and see how a show with two lead actors each with three names navigates the tricky waters of celebrating the holidays while trying to hide a split. Other topics discussed in this episode include: Monday the 13th vs. Friday the 13th, determining the most sinful day of the week, Christmas fishing destinations, obnoxious Christmas gifts, anthrax, Upstate New York, wasting food, infidelity, and Brian correcting Chris for a change.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4695166/. 

Blind Pick Week concludes with an episode from the third season of Bones, "The Santa in the Slush" (available on Hulu). Will this long-running procedural turn out to be a lively holiday helper or a rotting Christmas corpse? Listen in to find out! Other topics discussed in this episode include: Rebel Wilson, personifying corporations, feeling puckish, diner sitting etiquette, skeletons, bad investigating skills, leaps of logic, Kevin Sorbo and Sbarro, and different kinds of stings.  IMDB for entry this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1143231/. 

Blind Pick week continues with Jon leading the discussion on "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" from the sixth season of The X-Files (available on Hulu). Is the truth out there? The boys try and get to the bottom of where this falls in the Christmas canon, leading to a rather contentious debate at the end of the episode. Listen in to find out where they land. Other topics discussed in this episode include: ghosts vs. goats, director Grant Heslov, George Clooney, CBS Sunday Night Movies, the year 1917, Ed Asner, Lily Tomlin, Jon's desire to be a hot ghost, pop psychology, 90's clothes, determining the best holiday to haunt, and Brian's bad Beyonce takes.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0751138/.   

Blind Pick Week begins with Brian having the boys watch "Santa on Ice" from the second season of the CBS sitcom Becker (available on PlutoTV, which is a surprisingly good streaming service). Chris starts a new segment called "Better Know a Becker," and then the hosts do their best to discuss this forgotten sitcom. Is it bursting with Christmas Spirit or is Becker too much of a grouch to spread any holiday cheer? Other topics discussed in this episode include: NFL commentary, 2001 theme songs, Ted Danson's career, eliminating characters, jokes that run too long, reworking this show for modern audiences, compressed buildings, hating on Cheers, and 2013 comedy film, We're the Millers.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0520630/

Kids Show Week comes to a close with Chris having the boys take a look at "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave" from the Saturday morning cartoon, Recess (available on Disney+). Will the hosts let their memories of this show cloud their judgements or does it stand well enough on its own to be deemed a classic? Listen in to find out! Other topics discussed in this episode include: cowboys, Dad woes, harnesses vs. leashes, Robert Goulet, home video spinoffs, cities Tv shows take place in, common childhood experiences, guest stars, getting more meaning out of Christmas, adult sports leagues, and pizza.  IMDB entry for this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684067/.