MST3K: Episode 507 - I Accuse My Parents

I'm watching all of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes in order. More about that here and here.

Episode 507: I Accuse My Parents

First aired: Comedy Central on 4 September 1993
Availability: iTunes, Amazon DVD, Rhino (Solo DVD/out of print)

Teach your children well...

Some people seem to like this episode a lot more than I do.

To me, it's an okay episode. Not bad, but not great.

Joel Hodgson, however, said once that this was one of his two favorite episodes (I'm not linking to that, because the Website containing that reference has been flagged as hosting malware).

Now, I do think the episode is okay. I don't run screaming or anything when I see it. But as for being a favorite, it just doesn't do it for me.

Negligent Dad, slutty friend, Jimmy, and lush Mom.

A kid stands before a judge accused of killing a man, and when offered the chance to make a statement, says "I accuse my parents," and the flashbacks start. Little Jimmy was raised by negligent parents who had better things to do that worry about some kid, so he falls in with the wrong crowd and ends up killing a gangster. The judge understands that Jimmy isn't to blame for what happened to him, but his parents are the reason for all his troubles, so he finds Jimmy not guilty and releases him back to the custody of those same negligent parents. The end.

No, I Accuse My Parents is not the feel-good movie of the summer.

The riffing is good, though. Just, to me, not enough to overcome the film.

Servo is naked.

Not that the film is bad. Okay, it's bad, but not nearly as bad as most of the films that got the MST3K treatment.

So, wha' happa'?

I dunno. It just didn't click for me.

Still, let's focus on the good.

Hmmm.

Okay, the Tom Servo is naked skit at the start.

Jimmy orders a hamburger with some nice french-fried potatoes.

Actually, I didn't care much for that. I don't know. Maybe it's the "Nude" color listed on the tube of paint that Crow used to give Servo a naked appearance. To me, it's along the same line as the "flesh" colored crayons. You see, there are people whose flesh isn't that color. And, there are plenty of people that, when nude, aren't that color.

Adhesive bandages are the same way. I've seen then labeled "flesh" or "nude" or such, and then, when someone who isn't my color puts one on, it doesn't mix quite as well.

Maybe it's no big deal. I just thought it highly inappropriate. I remember asking a teacher in elementary school about the whole "flesh" crayon thing, and her swapping out my "flesh" for a "pink" crayon.

There's a little something extra inside.

Maybe it's the missed opportunity. I can imagine a tube of nude paint on the Satellite of Love giving one of the Bots one color, but another Bot a different color. Would have made a good item for the Invention Exchange.

Now, if you ignore the whole "nude means Caucasian" thing, the Pinocchio theme of the skit is pretty good. But, that one little thing bothered me.

Hey, it's just a show. I should really just relax.

The cake with the dancer baked inside was ... well, that's Frank!

Again, not a bad episode. Just ... not one of my favorites.

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