Line #8 Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S07E06Laserblast


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mst3k_laserblast.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Terrible name for a laser eye surgery, scares away the customers!]]
3
4	Film watched: ''Film/{{Laserblast}}''
5
6	''Laserblast'' was featured on [=MST3K=] in what would be the last episode of its final season on Creator/ComedyCentral (before moving to the [[Creator/{{Syfy}} Sci-Fi Channel]]). As such, the [=MST3K=] episode itself was something of a [[SeriesFauxnale series finale]] as the staff wasn't sure it would be saved from cancellation. It also marked the final episode with Trace Beaulieu, who portrayed both longtime nemesis Dr. Forrester and the voice of Crow T. Robot.
7
8	The episode is available in the Gizmoplex [[https://www.gizmoplex.com/mst3k/season:7/videos/mst3k-149-laserblast here]].
9
10	!!The Segments:
11	[[AC:Prologue]]
12	* Crow and Servo introduce the "[[Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome beyond thunderdome]]" zinger, and they've bound and gagged Mike to keep him from stopping them.
13
14	[[AC:Segment 1]]
15	* The power on the SOL suddenly goes out, just as Dr. Forrester calls the crew. While packing his things, the doc informs them that his funding has been cut, so he's shutting down his experiments and moving out of Deep 13 to live with Pearl so he can save his finances. He further disconnects the Umbilicus, expecting the Satellite of Love's orbit to decay and the ship to fall to its demise in Earth's atmosphere, and adds one more bad movie to pass the time before leaving his former test subjects to die. The 'Bots are able to activate the rocket thrusters and escape their decaying orbit, but they don't have any control mechanisms, leaving the SOL to drift off into deep space.
16
17	[[AC:Segment 2]]
18	* A pesky, imperfection-destroying MONAD satellite follows Crow onto the bridge. Mike and the 'Bots attempt to give MONAD a paradox to trick it into destroying itself, but when that doesn't really work, they mock MONAD to the point it cries before shooting it out the airlock.
19
20	[[AC:Segment 3]]
21	* The SOL enters a field of Starbabies, one of which grabs onto the ship and doesn't let go. This forces the 'Bots to perform a celestial diaper change, with Mike as Mission Control.
22
23	[[AC:Segment 4]]
24	* The SOL begins hurtling towars a black hole! Mike, portraying [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Captain Janeway]], steers the ship back on course. And then Mike gets ''[[Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival really]]'' [[Music/TinaTurner creepy]].
25
26	[[AC:Segment 5]]
27	* The SOL ends its journey at the edge of the universe, giving Mike and the 'Bots the ability to become pure energy, free to leave the SOL behind and explore the cosmos to their hearts' content. In what was once Deep 13, Dr. F finds himself undergoing a random ''[[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey 2001]]'' ending, aging into a bedridden old man, staring down a monolithic videotape of "The Worst Movie Ever Made", and finally being reborn as a star child. This delights Pearl, much to her son's chagrin.
28
29	!!The ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' presentation of ''Film/{{Laserblast}}'' contains examples of:
30	* AerithAndBob: "Good shooting, Xanthar!" "Thanks, Denise."
31	* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: Mike and the 'bots become pure energy after reaching the end of the universe.
32	* BoundAndGagged: Mike, by the Bots in the opening segment.
33	* CelebrityResemblance: One of the deputies looks a bit like a fatter version of Music/HankWilliamsJr. The MST crew do NOT let this go without comment, see RunningGag, below.
34	* ContinuityNod:
35	** When some guys start chasing Billy in a small airplane:
36	--->'''Mike:''' This is ''so'' Creator/ColemanFrancis right now.\
37	'''Crow:''' "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S06E19RedZoneCuba I'm Cherokee Jack!]]"\
38	'''Servo:''' "''Red Zone Cuba [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo III: The Destruction of Cherokee Jack]]''." [[note]]Also another reference to ''Film/MetalstormTheDestructionOfJaredSyn''.[[/note]]
39	** Also:
40	--->'''Servo:''' "[-[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S07E05Escape2000 LEAVE THE BRONX]]!-] [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S07E05Escape2000 You are ordered to]] [-[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S07E05Escape2000 LEAVE THE BRONX]]!-]"
41	** Pearl finds Frank's spare head, last seen in ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E12Mitchell Mitchell]]''.
42	** In the opening scene, as the guy is wandering around the desert with the laser cannon, Mike calls, "[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S05E06Eegah Rox-eee!]]"
43	** When Billy's driving his van: [[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S03E22MasterNinja "Hi, I'm Max Keller."]]
44	* DamnedByFaintPraise:
45	-->'''Gypsy:''' Don't worry! Mike can help us! He's kind of smart... and his arms work... and everything!
46	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Invoked by Crow as a RunningGag, comparing Billy's drab TheStoner teenage life with Mike's.
47	* EvilIsPetty: There's the stuff in the actual film, where Billy just uses the laser gun to murder his tormentors. There's also the stuff Mike and the Bots talk about when he finds it and learns what it does.
48	-->'''Mike:''' Yeah, I think you ''are'' gonna detail my van for $75!
49	* {{Expy}}: MONAD, a parody of ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries''' [[Recap/StarTrekS2E3TheChangeling NOMAD]].
50	** Even the perfection-obsessed MONAD acknowledges how easy it is to confuse it for NOMAD ([-[[RoboSpeak "I SHOULD DESTROY YOU FOR THAT. BUT. I'LL GIVE YOU A MULLIGAN ON THAT ONE."]]-]).
51	* FunWithAcronyms: [[TakeThat "Hey, Ford stands for Fix Or Repair Daily."]]
52	* ILied: After Forrester tells Mike and the 'Bots he's going to cut the SOL loose, sending them to their deaths:
53	-->'''Mike:''' You can't do that! We've done everything you've ever asked! We watched every bad movie you sent up here!\
54	'''Forrester:''' Sorry. Buh-bye.\
55	'''Crow:''' You said you'd let us get back to Earth!\
56	'''Forrester:''' Did ''I'' say that? Hmmm. Well, maybe I did. What do you want? [[CardCarryingVillain I'm evil!]]
57	* LadyLooksLikeADude: Pearl is dressed as a trucker, stating she's happy she never sold the "big rig". The [[WordOfGod Colossal Guide]] states that she resembles what cigarette companies call a [[TheLadEtte "virile female"]].&&Invoked
58	* LogicBomb: Subverted: Mike and the 'Bots try to disable MONAD with one of these but it doesn't work. So they [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim simply]] [[ThrownOutTheAirlock throw him out the airlock]], though not before taunting him over it until he cries.
59	* MissionControl: Mike takes on this role -- headset, coffee, cigarettes and all -- while walking the 'Bots through [[SeriousBusiness changing a spacebaby's diaper]].
60	** Mike's MissionControl role is a parody of Creator/EdHarris in ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}''.
61	* MondegreenGag: When Chuck's car explodes:
62	-->'''Chuck:''' Oh Jesus!\
63	'''Crow:''' That was Cochise's Charger?
64	** Some people hear Mike's line "Let’s pop amyls and watch [[Series/DaysOfOurLives Days]]" as "watch [[Film/DazedAndConfused Dazed]]."
65	* MundaneMadeAwesome: "I'm gonna drink the '''hell''' out of this Coke!"
66	* NerdyBully: "It's some parallel world where the spazzes bully the cool guys."
67	* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Suddenly the ''Satellite'' of Love is warp-capable.
68	* NoodleImplements: Okay, it's a giant diaper. It's for a giant starbaby. All perfectly reasonable. The noodliness is in where it came from:
69	--> '''Mike:''' It's a good thing I hung onto this.
70	* [[OhCrap Oh, Poopie!]]: Dr. F's last words as Pearl cuddles his star child reincarnation and looks forward to raising him through his second childhood.
71	%%* OralFixation
72	* ProductPlacement: The film features a lot of characters purchasing and drinking Coca-Cola, something that does not go unnoticed by Mike and the Bots.
73	-->'''Mike:''' Pepsi gave them big bucks to place Coke in this movie.
74	** DestroyTheProductPlacement: One infamous moment involves Billy using his laser cannon to blow up a billboard advertising "''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]''". Most likely a TakeThat from producer [[Creator/FullMoonFeatures Charles Band]], though for what reason is anyone's guess.
75	--->'''Mike:''' There's just a sign that says "Star Wars?"\
76	'''Servo:''' Reminding one of the ''movie'' [[Franchise/StarWars "Star Wars"]].
77	* RegionalRiff: The film uses a few bars of what sounds like an InjunCountry riff when Billy blows up Chuck's car after the party. Crow is confused:
78	-->'''Crow:''' That was Cochise's Charger?
79	* RunningGag:
80	** The heavyset sheriff looks like Music/HankWilliamsJr: "Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?"
81	*** From "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight", a [[RealSongThemeTune version of which]][[invoked]] was the theme for ''Monday Night Football'' for decades (and as of 2017, is again).
82	** References to Creator/LeonardMaltin's 2½-star review, culminating in the guys spending the credits comparing the score to other films in one of Maltin's books, coming to the conclusion that Maltin apparently considers ''Laserblast'' to be better than ''Film/HannahAndHerSisters'', ''Film/TaxiDriver'' and ''Film/BeingThere'' and as good as ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}'' and ''Film/SophiesChoice''.
83	*** The criticism Maltin got for the reviews went mainstream, and subsequent editions of his annual review books dropped the film's rating, though it has been brought back since then.
84	*** Incidentally, Maltin also gave 2½ stars to ''Film/TheIncrediblyStrangeCreatures'' and three full stars to ''Film/DevilDoll'', both past riffs.
85	** Jokes at Creator/EddieDeezen's expense, culminating in Mike and the 'Bots urging for Billy to kill Deezen's character, only to regret it when he finally does and Deezen is replaced by an even more annoying hippie.
86	** [[ThisLoserIsYou Jokes about Billy's unimpressive Seventies lifestyle and how familiar it must be for Mike.]]
87	** Servo does a riff based on the Charlie Daniels Band's "The South's Gonna Do It Again", and Mike tries to ask Servo just ''what'' the South is going to do again.
88	** Using Creator/JimCarrey's ''Film/TheMask'' catchphrases when Billy turns green-faced and evil.
89	** Whenever Billy's mother comes up, the crew has another character claim she's unusually heavy instead of unhealthily thin.
90	* SanitySlippage: Mike dressing as [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Capt. Janeway]]. Although s/he saves the S.O.L., s/he indulges herself with some "[[Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival Proud Mary]]" afterward, Music/TinaTurner-style.
91	* SeriesFauxnale: At this point, Creator/ComedyCentral had canceled their run and they weren't sure about their future so they set this up to be a Series Finale. Fortunately, [[Creator/{{Syfy}} The Sci-Fi Channel]] swept in and gave it three more seasons.
92	* ShoutOut:
93	** "Music/NeilDiamond: Hot August Nights."
94	** The final scenes with Dr. F are a parody of ''[[Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey 2001: A Space Odyssey]]''.
95	** ''Film/{{Road House\|1989}}'', which is Mike's standard of bad movies.
96	** ''Franchise/StarTrek'': [[Recap/StarTrekS2E3TheChangeling MONAD]], Mike & the 'Bots falling into Trek mode when they take control of the Satellite of Love, and Servo imitating Scotty when he saves the satellite from falling into the atmosphere.
97	** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': Mike shows up in one sketch dressed as Captain Janeway. Things somehow drift into him singing "[[Music/CreedenceClearwaterRevival Proud Mary]]" in the style of Music/TinaTurner.
98	--->'''Crow:''' "Tom... just back away slowly... very slowly... now RUN!!"
99	** A shot of a beach ball at a pool party leads to a joke about [[Series/ThePrisoner1967 Rover]].
100	** "Can't we just get [[Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome beyond Thunderdome]]?"[[note]]There's also its ''Film/BeyondRangoon'' variation.[[/note]]
101	*** InJoke: Best Brains had been using that line for years, and in the "finale", they wanted to somehow work it into the show.
102	** Shots of the possessed Billy sporting a green face naturally invite references to ''Film/TheMask''.
103	** Tom references Ivory Soap's slogan when mentioning his worry over potentially being "99 and 44/100%" pure energy.
104	*** It could also be a reference to Music/RonnieMilsap's song "Pure Love", given Tom spends the entire episode making shout-outs to other country music songs. (Of course, that song was itself also referencing Ivory Soap's slogan, so...)
105	* StockFootageFailure: InUniverse:
106	-->'''Mike:''' Oh no, his car turned into a sedan and crashed and exploded!
107	* StrawCritic: The episode ends on a takedown of renowned film critic Creator/LeonardMaltin, both vicious and tongue-in-cheek, combing through his ''Movie Guide'' and pointing out the various critically acclaimed films given a worse rating than the [[FourPointScale 2½ stars]] Maltin gave ''Laserblast''.
108	** Maltin was mocked again for his positive review of ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S08E06TheUndead The Undead]]'', which the show ''lacerated'' in Season 8. He was a good sport, though -- appearing AsHimself in Season 9's ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S09E09Gorgo Gorgo]]'' to help Pearl find a movie that would finally break the SOL's will.
109	* TakeThat: When Billy's van breaks down, Mike muses, "You know Ford, '''F'''ix '''O'''r '''R'''epair '''D'''aily."
110	* ThrownOutTheAirlock: Happens to MONAD.
111	* ViewerGenderConfusion: In-universe, Mike and the 'Bots seem unsure if Mike London is a man or a woman. They also compare him to Gertrude Stein, "Creator/MichaelCaine's puffy sister," and even call him "Mrs. Creator/JoeDonBaker."
112	-->'''Mike:''' ''[as Tony looks inquisitively at London]'' Are you a woman?\
113	'''Crow:''' ''[as London]'' Hmm, you're right, this data proves I'm a woman!
114	* WhereTheHellIsSpringfield: Invoked:
115	-->'''Mike:''' Uh, which Springfield? There's one in every state.
116	* WholesomeCrossDresser: Mike becomes [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Captain Janeway]]. While the 'Bots are initially disturbed, they find hir to be confident in command but yet still being feminine -- until s/he channels hir inner Music/TinaTurner.
117	----
118	->'''Pearl:''' Another chance to do it right! Isn't this wonderful, baby?\
119	'''Star Child Clayton:''' Oh, poopie.
120	----
121	->'''Van Hippie:''' [[TheStinger Faaaaar out!]]

Context Recap / MysteryScienceTheater3000S07E06Laserblast