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in: Unreleased Episodes, Season K

MST3K K09 - Phase IV

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“ What's a puppet? ”
- Tom Servo


The Movie[]

Main article: Phase IV (film)

Synopsis[]

A group of research scientists in the Arizona desert discover an army of super-intelligent mutant ants. They must stop the ants before they can spread.

The Episode[]

Host Segments[]

Prologue: Lacking the $30,000 they need to continue experimenting on Joel, the Mads sell his (Joel's) car to raise some short-term cash. Joel reveals that he had $30,000 hidden inside it. The Mads, furious, retaliate by sending him "the ANT movie!"

Segment One: Joel instructs Servo and Crow on Isaac Asimov's robotic laws. The Bots don't like them, and make up some laws of their own. Servo: "Never hollow out a robot and make a fort out of him."

Segment Two: Joel & the Bots discuss the first thing they plan to do when they get back to Earth. (Crow: "I'm going to kill Sandy Frank." Servo: "Well, that's a given.") Joel wants to turn off his water, which he accidentally left running.

Segment Three: The crew of the SOL enjoy a game of "I Spy," which quickly and inexplicably degenerates into a performance of "Wipe Out." Since he's the only one with working arms, Joel takes the drum solo. Mercifully, movie sign intervenes.

Segment Four: Joel programs Crow and Gypsy to recite a new robotic law. It takes a really long time to say, and the credits roll long before they're done.[1]

Obscure References[]

  • "They must have ordered the plans from Mother Earth News."
Mother Earth News is a do-it-yourself magazine with a strong environmentalist bent, founded in 1970.
  • "It looks skinny; must be a Carpenter ant."
Karen Carpenter was a musician (best known for performing with her brother as the popular duo The Carpenters). She died in 1983 of health complications stemming from anorexia. Carpenter ants are a species of ant known for building their nests in wood.
  • "You know, ants can carry entire watermelons."
Refers to a scene in the classic Looney Tunes cartoon Ballot Box Bunny.
  • "It's EPCOT!" "All roads lead to EPCOT."
The observation outpost is compared to the symmetrical "Spaceship Earth" at EPCOT Theme Park within Walt Disney World resort.
  • "It looks like the Douglas home."
The nondescript rural house is riffed as resembling that of characters Oliver & Lisa Douglas in the TV sitcom Green Acres, followed by a rendition of the theme song.
  • "You're out of the dark, you're out of the woods..."
Dr. Hubbs and James shuffling through a wheat field is riffed by a pastiche of the song "Optimistic Voices" from the movie The Wizard of Oz.
  • "There's Jackie Gleason!"
A shot of the Moon is compared to the opening credits of classic sitcom The Honeymooners which featured a caricature of actor Jackie Gleason superimposed on an image of the Moon.
  • "...and Frau Blücher!"
Anxious horses are compared to a running gag in the movie Young Frankenstein, where horses (on or off screen) react violently just upon hearing the name of sinister character Frau Blücher.
  • "The babe!"
Character Kendra has long black hair and vaguely resembles character Sarah in the movie Labyrinth, who is referred to in song as "the babe", itself a callback to an exchange in the 1947 film The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.
  • "Kind of looks like an Escher print."
An ant moves around a copper coil, similar to the intricate and elaborate works of Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher.
  • "Mountain grown."
Displaced dirt is compared to coffee grounds. "Mountain Grown" has been a long running slogan of coffee company Folgers.
  • "When the ants are humming sweet and low." "I think they're humming equal."
Sweet'n Low and Equal are popular artificial sweeteners.
  • "Maybe Kreskin's one of the ants."
The ants' seeming intuition is explained as having the aid of the late mentalist The Amazing Kreskin.
  • "Hey little buddy!"
Dr. Hubbs and James' dialogue while laying in bunk beds is riffed as akin to numerous instances of characters Skipper and Gilligan talking while in bunked hammocks on the TV sitcom Gilligan's Island.
  • "One tin soldier rides away."
The morning after Dr. Hubbs' violent outburst is riffed by quoting the anti-war song One Tin Soldier.
  • "Kinda looks like Seaview, doesn't it?"
A panning shot of the control room is compared to the interior of fictitious submarine S.S.R.N. Seaview from the sci-fi TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
  • "I could see Linda Blair auditioning for this part." "I get the feeling she could twist her head around."
Linda Blair is an American actress best known for her portrayal of young Regan in the 1973 film The Exorcist.
  • "Uncle Fester-ed!"
Uncle Fester is an eccentric bald-headed member of The Addams Family.
  • "When you're out in the woods you can't beat OFF!"
This is the punchline to a bawdy joke that makes reference to the insect repellent brand Off!.
  • "There's ant A. And look! Aunt Bee!"
Aunt Bee was the maiden aunt of Sheriff Andy Taylor on the TV sitcom The Andy Griffith Show. She lived with Andy and helped raise his son Opie (played by Ron Howard).

Quotes[]

  • "I didn't know ants could drive." - Servo
  • "Somebody threw some doobs down there." - Joel
  • "When the log rolls over we will all..." - Servo

Notes[]

  • A theater clip from this episode was included on the MST3K Scrapbook tape.
  • This episode reveals that Joel used to own a Dodge (most likely a Dart Swinger, since Joel says "Not the Slant-6 Swinger!", as Dodge cars back in the late 50's up to early 70's had the Slant-6 engine).
  • This is the first episode that doesn't start with Joel or anyone on the SOL. Instead, the episode starts on Earth with the Mads, who then give Joel a call.
  • This is also the first episode to mention the possibility of starting a Fan Club, with Joel inviting people to call in and let him know what people think about the idea. It is officially announced 3 episodes later.
  • Gypsy addresses Joel as "Joel 'Asimov' Hodgson" not "Joel Robinson".
  • The 4th Robotic Law that Joel programs Crow and Gypsy to recite is a self-repeating loop, likely a prank. It is a pastiche of the episodic farewell of the TV series Candid Camera.
  • This was the first time a movie from one of the major Hollywood studios (in this case Paramount) was featured on an aired episode.
  • During this episode, a Pizza 'N' Pasta commercial featuring Trace Beaulieu and Josh Weinstein in character as the Mads was first aired.

References[]

  1. ↑ Satellite News


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