Mystery Science Theater 3000/Recap/S05/E13 The Brain That Wouldn't Die

Film watched: The Brain That Wouldn't Die

This episode is notable for being Mike Nelson's first turn as host.

Editors, please keep this article neutral on the Joel vs. Mike thing. We don't want this turning into a Flame War.

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment provides examples of:

• A Worldwide Punomenon: Kurt gets an arm yanked off (his good arm, no less), and the "arm" jokes fly thick and furious.

Mike: And ironically, he collapses into an armchair.

• But for Me It Was Tuesday: During the opening scene in the operating room.

Mike: Just a normal Tuesday for Cher.

• Hypocritical Humor: While describing his "dream-buster" during the invention exchange, Dr. Forrester begins to describe its technological properties before stopping himself saying, "Well, it would take a scientist to explain. Just watch."
• I Have My Ways: They have a field day with this one.

Dr. Cortner: I've got to find (Jan) a body. Kurt: How are you going to go about getting one? (Cortner turns and walks off, Kurt seizes his arm) Bill, how will you do it!? Cortner: There are ways. Servo: (Evil Laugh, with side of Large Ham) Cortner: (after shaking off Kurt's hand) There are ways. Mike: Lots of... ways, many... ways... Did I mention there are ways? (As Cortner is leaving the lab, he turns around and looks back briefly) Crow: Ways.

• My Name Is Not Durwood: Newcomer Mike is variously addressed as "Mr. Nielsen" (by Gypsy), "Mark" (Crow), "Mitch" (Dr. Forrester), and "Marv" (Forrester again).
  • Mike himself offends Crow by calling him "Tom" at one point.
• Plug N Play Friends: Subverted. Crow and Tom convince Mike to open up to them by sharing a particularly embarrassing episode from his childhood... and then they mock him mercilessly for it.
  • Also played straight-ish earlier, when Tom and Crow break down crying while watching Mike try (and fail miserably) to get control of the Satellite of Love, because they're afraid that Mike might leave them, too.
• Rearrange the Song: "Get...me...dooowwwn!"
• Running Gag: When Dr. Cortner's suddenly in a close-up shot filmed against a blank background that doesn't match the previous scene -- "Help me, I'm in another dimension!"

"Ooo, there's cocktails in this dimension..."

• Training from Hell: Tom and Crow apparently put Mike through a crash movie-riffing course in the period between Mitchell and the start of this episode, involving watching The Beast of Yucca Flats and Night of the Lepus.

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“I told you … you should have let me die. Hee hee hee!” —Jan "in the Pan" Compton