Mystery Science Theater 3000/Recap/S03/E21 Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

Film watched: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

This was the first Christmas Episode of the comedy series. It became a holiday staple on the Comedy Central cable channel in the years following its 1991 premiere, helping it become one of the series' most popular episodes and introduced the film to a new generation in the form of younger MS-Ties.

Some of the original cast of MST3K would later form Cinematic Titanic and took a second go at the film seventeen years later, this time the full length version.

The episode has examples of:
"Frank: Oh, Henry!"
 * An Asskicking Christmas / Crowning Music of Awesome / Lyrical Dissonance / Notable Original Music
 * "Open up your heart and let the Patrick Swayze Christmas in / We'll gather at the Road House with our next of kin..."
 * On a sidenote, someone played this song for Patrick Swayze during a radio show a few years after the episode aired. He loved it.
 * "Gift of the Magi" Plot: Dr. Forrester and Frank, with the inversion being that, since they're evil, they sold each other's stuff to pay for the presents.

"Joel: He stopped them short!"
 * Hollywood Giftwrap: Dr Forrester's invention exchange.
 * Incredibly Lame Pun: When the Martians shoot the elves.

"Tom Servo: When she thinks of the mass media, [[A Date With Rosie Palms she touches |undefined"
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: When Mrs. Claus gets excited over a news crew visiting the North Pole

"Tom: Hilarity, guys. Not since the pie fight scene in The Great Race!
 * Hilarity Ensues: Riffing the climactic "battle".

Crow: Not since the mudslide scene in McLintock!

Joel: Not since the wagon race scene in The Hallelujah Trail!

Crow: Not since the chess-playing scene in The Seventh Seal!

Tom: Not since the orgy scene in Calig...u...la."


 * My New Gift Is Lame: "Weaponized" by the Mads in their invention, the Wish Squisher, which turns great gifts into this trope.
 * Running Gag: Pia Zadora and her Golden Globe, beginning with "Will you buy me a Golden Globe?"
 * In the Cinematic Titanic version, Joel quips that they thought Pia Zadora being in this was pretty funny, but now he can't remember why.
 * Shout-Out: When Mrs. Claus gets excited about being on television, Tom sings "Ed Sullivaaaaaaan!".
 * Yank the Dog's Chain: Everything in Tom's stocking consists of items that, since his arms don't work (something addressed at multiple times), he can't possibly use.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"