Mystery Science Theater 3000/Recap/S05/E21 Santa Claus

Film watched: Santa Claus

In the words of Mystery Science Theater 3000 producers: "Just when we thought it couldn't get any more bizarre, it did." Its dramatic departure from established Santa Claus legend, combined with B-movie production standards and an awkward dub provide ample source for mockery. Mystery Science Theater 3000's send-up first aired on Christmas Eve 1993 as the second Christmas Episode (the first was Santa Claus Conquers the Martians). The devil Pitch became a recurring character for a while, played by Paul Chaplin.

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 presentation has examples of:

Action Santa: in the last host segment with Kevin Murphy as Santa Claus.

Santa: I'm here to eat candy canes and kick ass, and I'm all out of candy canes!

Biting the Hand Humor: Crow makes a wise-crack during the movie about how the Comedy Central competitions are a waste of time.
- Hypocritical Humor: MST3K had just run its Turkey Day Contest on Comedy Central.
Call Back: In one segement, Tom's head is replaced with a snow-globe... the same snow-globe he replaced it with in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
- And they make a quip about Gamera during the movie.
- "Why don't they look?"
Christmas Songs: Mike and the Bots start singing Jingle Bells, before immediately going to the typical variation:

"Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg..."

Getting Crap Past the Radar

Santa: (reading letter) Dear Santa Claus: Please bring me a little brother.
Crow: (as Santa) O-ho-ho-ho! Can do, can do!

"Gift of the Magi" Plot: Horribly subverted for TV's Frank; He buys a watchfob for Dr. Forrester and, unclear on the concept, shaves his head just for the heck of it. You'd expect Dr. Forrester to have sold his watch and get Frank a gift certificate to a hair salon, but instead he gives him a savings bond--in Forrester's name, no less--that will mature into $25...in thirty years. Poor Frank.
Homemade Sweater From Hell: Gypsy makes Mike a sweater with "JOIKE" on it. She explains that she started knitting it back before Joel's escape earlier that season. Mike seems to actually like it, though.
I'm Going to Disney World

Narrator: What are you going to do now Santa?
Tom: I'm going to Disney World!
Mike: All references to Disney World are the property of the Walt Disney Corporation.

Laughing Mad: Mike and the Bots' reaction the Laughing Nightmare Reindeer.
Let There Be Snow: This happens right at the end. In space.
Moral Dilemma: Underlined when Lupita is thinking of stealing a doll from a street vendor, looking between her mother and the vendor.

Mike (as Lupita): I'm at a moral crossroads, Mom.

My New Gift Is Lame: The gifts that Mike and the Bots give each other are pretty lame, but they genuinely love them anyway.
Notable Original Music: Whispering Christmas Warrior
- And let's not forget Political Correctness Gone Mad / Santa Clausmas ditty, Merry Christmas...if That's Okay: A Politically Correct Christmas Carol.
- Only, don't say Christmas because this is a song for holidays of ALL faiths.
- And don't call it a Carol because Carol is a woman's name and we want this song to be all-inclusive.
Shout-Out: Mike and Crow do a quick re-enactment of a Hogan's Heroes bit when the children of Germany are shown.
- And the rest...

Crow: It's a living!

Tom: |Santa is filmed on location with the men and women of Raul County, Florida.

Special Guest: Santa Claus and Pitch, at the end of the show.

Dr. Forester: Oh Frank, think of it. A full tilt battle between pure evil and Santa Claus in our own home!

Tastes Like Diabetes: The SOL crew identify Lupita as this.

Mike: She is aggressively cute.