Mystery Science Theater 3000: MITCHELL Rewatch

February 4, 2021 2:44 PM - Season 5, Episode 12

Re-rewatch! Mitchell is a dull, stupid, unlikable cop. I mean, the movie even says that. The movie seems to be making the point that, all the smart cops would naturally be on the take, so we need dumb ones, and Mitchell, he's just the dumb cop we need. Then it goes and shows us the implications of that by following Mitchell around, like it's trying to tell us, "don't look away, this is necessary!" You could get a really dim view of human nature watching Mitchell. It makes for fine riffing though! This is also Joel's last episode as host of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Previously and again.
posted by JHarris (7 comments total)

MST Club's show is tonight, Thursday, beginning at 7 PM Eastern time (that's 4 PM Pacific), at https://cytu.be/r/Metafilter_MST3KClub. The episode begins around 9/6 PM. It's a great episode this week!
posted by JHarris at 2:50 PM on February 4, 2021 [1 favorite]

My favorite episode! So funny!!!

I heard that Joe Don Baker is a bit sore about his two appearances on MST3K. Don’t know if that’s true or not.

(No, wait, maybe one of the Gamera episodes is my favorite.)
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 2:50 PM on February 4, 2021

My my my my Mitchell..
posted by rosary at 8:56 PM on February 4, 2021 [2 favorites]

My my my MY GOD!
posted by happyroach at 12:24 AM on February 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

Word on the street is that Mitchell is a jerk.
posted by Servo5678 at 12:30 AM on February 5, 2021

The movie seems to be making the point that, all the smart cops would naturally be on the take, so we need dumb ones, and Mitchell, he's just the dumb cop we need. Then it goes and shows us the implications of that by following Mitchell around, like it's trying to tell us, "don't look away, this is necessary!"

This is…some pretty deep meta-analysis. I always dismissed Mitchell as just "What if Rockford, but unfunny and absent any charisma," but I think you're onto something here.

Just promise me you won't apply the same methodology to Final Justice; I worry about the geopolitical ramifications. (And my appetite. ALL our appetites.)

MeFi MST Club: Overthinking Yesteryear's Failed Pilots.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 4:02 AM on February 5, 2021 [1 favorite]

What else is there to say about this one, other than to encourage people to see the uncut version on YouTube. One fascinating detail: Linda Evans writes "BASTARD" instead of "JERK" on the windshield. I've always assumed they filmed an alternate to use during television broadcasts (though was the word "Bastard" really that big a deal by the 1970's?).
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 3:48 PM on February 5, 2021 [1 favorite]