MST3K: Time Chasers

MST3K: Time Chasers, also known as Mystery Science Theater 3000: Time Chasers, is an iconic 1997 film that fits comfortably within the realms of comedy, sci-fi, and cult classic genres. The film stars comedic talents like Kevin Murphy, Michael J. Nelson, and Mary Jo Pehl as they partake in an outlandish journey through time, offering their uniquely witty and satirical commentaries on a less admired cinematic endeavor.

The film unfolds aboard the illustrious Satellite of Love, where Mike Nelson alongside his robot companions, Tom Servo (voiced by Kevin Murphy) and Crow T. Robot (voiced by Trace Beaulieu) are forced to watch, and humorously mock, B-grade movies by their captors. The captors, Dr. Clayton Forrester and TV's Frank, are using these terrible films as part of an experiment to drive their captives to madness, as part of their plans of world domination.

The subject of their sarcastic critiques in Time Chasers is a 1994 film of the same name. Known for its low-budget production and profound lack of scientific accuracy, the original Time Chasers film follows the narrative of Nick, an amateur inventor who managed to turn a small airplane into a time machine. The story gets complex when an evil corporation, desiring to utilize this time machine for their own malicious affairs, seizes the invention, leading to a series of events that involve altering the past and future timeline.

The MST3K team, with their signature riff-style commentary, inject their humorous and mocking remarks into the viewing of the low-budget film, poking fun at its cringe-worthy dialogue, questionable acting and plot holes, and offering an innovatively amusing perspective on the subject. The comedic mockery combined with elbow-nudging commentary of the characters generate a unique blend of entertainment, providing a simultaneous viewing of two films - the original that's being lampooned and the MST3K production that's doing the lampooning.

The Tim Chasers episode further includes interspersed skits that happen within the Satellite of Love. Original host Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Mary Jo Pehl, as Pearl Forrester, consistently deliver a uniquely engaging storyline that meshes seamlessly with the overall theme of the episode. These skits serve as fun intermissions from the film-within-a-film and typically parody specific scenes or themes present within Time Chasers.

The film, directed by Kevin Murphy, is a testament to the phenomena that Mystery Science Theatre 3000 was during the 90s. Its uncanny art of presenting 'bad' cinema through the lens of humor and satire, while simultaneously delivering an entertaining host narrative, created a recipe for success that attracted a large and dedicated fanbase, and solidifying MST3K's cult status.

MST3K: Time Chasers serves as a delightful watch for anyone interested in a unique blend of witty satire and sci-fi thematics. Crafted with wit, wonder, and a whole lot of humor, the film provides commentary on the artistic merit of B-grade science fiction cinema, offering hearty laughs and an enjoyable narrative that will entrance just about any movie lover.

The film showcases MST3K's uncanny ability to turn cinematic drivel into utterly sublime comedy. Despite its foundation on the notoriously bad "Time Chasers", or perhaps because of it, the brilliantly comedic minds of Murphy, Nelson, and Pehl, alongside the rest of the talented MST3K team, ensure that the concoction they deliver is thoroughly entertaining, making MST3K: Time Chasers an unforgettable journey through the realms of time and comedy.