Lo and behold – another Mystery Science Theater 3000 box set! We are now up to volume 33 -eep! As with the last release, this one is well recommended, containing several classic episodes. None of the stinkers torpedoed this time around are bad. Agent for H.A.R.M. is the blandest of the bunch, but it’s watchable. The others are all great and will make fine additions to any MSTie’s collection.
My big complaint, and it’s been an ongoing one, is the lack of related extras. This time around virtually every extra is a Ballyhoo junk documentary. I could be wrong, but I would assume most of the MST3K set buyers are fans of the show, not the movies being riffed, so creating documentary material on the movies underlying the show instead of adding extras related to the show itself just seems to be wrong-headed. Do fans care about the producer behind Teenage Crime Wave?
So the set is recommended for the individual episodes, for the packaging and the mini-posters, but that’s it. Considering these will never be released on Blu-ray, this is the one and only release we’re likely to see, making each set a huge missed opportunity.
MST3K Volume XXXIII includes Agent For H.A.R.M., Daddy-O, Earth VS. The Spider and Teen-Age Crime Wave.
Full disc specs:
Agent For H.A.R.M.
Episode 815 – Mike Nelson vs. Pearl
Animated Disc Menu featuring the Trial of Mike Nelson
Extras:
Peter Mark RichmanL In H.A.R.M.’s Way
Not a bad little flick and not a particularly good one either. The trial of Mike Nelson has some good laughs in it though. The interview with the star of the film had one or two good laughs. He seems to be a good sport about the whole affair.
Daddy-O
Episode 307 – Joel Hodgson vs. Dr. Forrester
Preceeded by short film “Alphabet Antics”
Animated Disc Menu featuring Butter
Extras:
Beatnik Blues – Investigating Daddy-O!
MST Hour Wraps
A classic! A masterpiece! A perfectly formed episode! The episode starts off with a quick, nonsensical short about the alphabet and quickly moves into the meat. Daddy-O has some excellent riffing and the bits are some of the best of the series. Daddy-O includes the hysterical “Hike Your Pants Up! song by Joel and the Bots and the “Push the Button, Frank” repeating bit over the end credits. This episode makes the set a must have. My dislike of the historical extras are on record and they continue on this set. No interviews with cast and crew about the film, just a dry history of the film’s release. The MST Hour Wraps are enjoyably goofy – I didn’t catch these upon their initial release, so their inclusion is a nice touch.
Earth Vs. The Spider
Episode 313 – Joel Hodgson vs. Dr. Forrester
Preceeded by short film “Speech – Using Your Voice”
Animated Disc Menu featuring the Spider
Extras:
This Movie Has Legs: Looking Back At Earth Vs. The Spider
MST Hour Wraps
Theatrical Trailer
A good all around episode with a memorably bad short (be sure to use plenty of lip and tongue action!) followed by a barely watchable, well-riffed flick. Another boring historical doc and an extremely long theatrical trailer. Another inclusion of the MST Hour Wraps. This one had me laughing pretty hard.
Teen-Age Crime Wave
Episode 522 – Mike Nelson vs. Dr. Forrester
Animated Disc Menu featuring the Teenage Crime-Wave
Extras:
Film It Again, Sam: The Katzman Chroniciles
Tommy Cook: From Jungle Boy to Teenage Jungle
Theatrical Trailer
Another recommended episode. The episode is well riffed. The movie is actually decent for a change. The bits mostly involve Frank getting doused with Satan’s Jockstrap. I definitely can’t say the juvenile humor on display was wasted on me! The extras are all historical junk, completely unwatchable.
To order this DVD set check out Shout Factory’s website:
https://www.shoutfactory.com/film/film-crime/mst3k-volume-xxxiii