MST3K: Volume II
DVD (4-Disc Set)
Cast: Joel Hodgson, Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff, Jim Mallon
Distributor: Shout! Factory
Not Rated | 480 Minutes
Release Date: May 24, 2016

“Tolkien couldn’t follow this plot!”

In this re-release of the second volume of episodes from the cult comedy series Mystery Science Theater 3000, Joel Hodgson, Michael J. Nelson, Tom Servo (Kevin Murphy), and Crow T. Robot (Trace Beaulieu) endure unimaginable – but wildly entertaining – cinematic atrocities.

Originally released in 2003 by Rhino Entertainment, MST3K: Volume II fell out of print, allowing third-party sellers to raise prices to astronomical levels. Thankfully, Shout! Factory is here to save us from those price gouging fiends.

In this collection, you’ll find cave dwellers, pod people, vengeful angels, and junior rodeo daredevils. MST3K: Volume II features three episodes from the Comedy Central era, two with Joel Hodgson as host and one with Mike Nelson. There’s also Shorts Vol. 1, which includes seven shorts from the series. It’s a fun, wide-ranging mix of episodes spanning seasons three and six. Continue reading for detailed synopses of each episode!

Cave Dwellers

Original Air Date: June 1, 1991

Synopsis: Ator 2 – L’invincibile Orion (aka Ator 2: The Blade Master) is a 1984 Italian fantasy film by porn director Joe D’Amato. After Film Ventures International re-edited the film for television, it was titled Cave Dwellers. A shameless rip-off of Conan the Barbarian, Cave Dwellers is like a porn parody without the porn; swords and sorcery shenanigans with bad acting and a budget so low even Roger Corman would be impressed.

The Pod People

Original Air Date: June 15, 1991

Synopsis: A French-Spanish knockoff of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Juan Piquer Simón’s 1983 film, The Pod People, is the story of Tommy and his lovable alien playmate, Trumpy. It’s also the story of a meteor, space eggs, and a rock band. To paraphrase Dr. Forrester, the film has nothing to do with pods… it has nothing to do with people… it has everything to do with hurting. Pod People has to be one of the all-time great MST3K episodes, with so many memorable riffs and sketches, including the famous “It stinks!” bit.

Angels Revenge

Original Air Date: March 11, 1995

Synopsis: Directed by Greydon Clark (Joysticks, Satan’s Cheerleaders), Angels Revenge (also known as Angels’ Brigade and Seven from Heaven) is the story of seven women who fight the drug cartel after the brother of a Las Vegas singer (Susan Kiger) is found severely beaten. Angels Revenge is another classic MST3K episode with such memorable moments as Mike and the bots act out Chocolate Jones and the Temple of Funk, a blaxploitation film written by Crowe. Mike also impersonates The Fonz while the Mad Scientists dress up as Tug McGraw and Rollie Fingers. It’s an insane episode, honestly.

Shorts Vol. 1

Original Release Date: July, 1998 (VHS)

Synopsis: Shorts, Volume 1 is a direct re-release of the earlier VHS title. Hosted by Tom Servo, the seven shorts featured include:

The Home Economics Story: Kay wants to go to Iowa State College and major in home economics. Along with her best gal-pals, Kay learns all about the diverse career paths that a degree in Home Economics can offer.

Junior Rodeo Daredevils: When Billy Slater finds two kids pulling a prank on his horses, he enlists them to create a “Junior Rodeo.” From there it’s just a lot of children being tossed around by bulls and such. Good fun!

Body Care And Grooming: Did you realize that bathing and good personal hygiene are things to consider as a teenager? This helpful short will explain how body care and grooming can make you a hit with the opposite sex!

Cheating: From the episode The Wild World of Batwoman, a young boy learns an important lesson about cheating. He belongs in Hell.

A Date With Your Family: Family dinners can be pretty stressful, especially if your family is living in the 1950s. This short will prepare you for a pleasant (and formal) family dinner.

Why Study Industrial Arts?: After a fellow student disparages shop class, Joe and Coach school the youngster on the many ways the Industrial Arts improves our lives!

The Chicken of Tomorrow: Dedicated to the chickens who lost their lives in the great chicken war. Just kidding. This short, which is part of episode 702 (The Brute Man) is all about the “modern” advances in the poultry industry.

Volume II is one of the best MST3K releases in recent history, and a must-own for fans. All four episodes offer quality riffing, with Pod People standing out as one of this series’ best episodes. The DVD is now available at Amazon for $34.99.

Cover Art

Follow me on Twitter!