MST3K Story: Servo starts writing a letter to his Uncle Wally, pausing once he realizes that he doesn’t have one. He continues writing anyway, flashing back to the day before when he convinced the Mads to send them all back to Earth. Crow, however, ruins the plan by insulting them, resulting in Superdome being sent in retaliation. Servo continues his letter-inspired reminiscences by flashing back to the pain experiment Joel performed on him and, later, to a heavily subjective view of Joel and the other Bots’ recent behavior. A “videotaped montage piece” runs as Servo thinks of the good times on board the Satellite of Love. He’s annoyed to learn there’s more movie and that the episode won’t end on his dramatic montage. Servo has so completely exhausted himself with talking about the movie that he’s in sick bay at the close. Joel and Crow take a look at some artwork sent in by fans as well as some letters and a photo of a fan with his cat, which the fan claims looks like Crow. He admits to seeing a similarity. After another pitch for the MST3000 Fan Club, Joel and Crow say good night.
Superdome Story: It’s Superbowl time in New Orleans and it’s the Cougars versus the Rangers. Cougars linebacker Dave Walecki and his wife are having marital difficulties. P.K. Jackson, a former player, is trying to fix the game for his backers in New York. Agent Chip Green is trying to save his job by signing Cougars quarterback Jim McCauley. Cougars general manager Mike Shelley is carrying on a romance with reporter Lainie Wylie, who followed him to New Orleans. Things start to heat up when a man from league security is killed. A stewardess who witnessed the murder also turns up dead and her death is blamed on Cougars player Scott Hennerson. During all this, Green is making no progress with McCauley and things are worsening for the Waleckis. P.K. Jackson tries to drug McCauley to keep him out of the game, but Green’s daughter Gail, who was trying to soften up McCauley, is drugged instead and nearly dies. The operative from New York turns out to be Lainie, who has used her connection to Shelley to gain access. The murders were part of the New York Syndicate’s attempt to fix the game. Lainie is eventually cornered, where she reveals all. Lainie’s last attempt on McCauley, wiring up the hot tub to electrocute him, is thwarted. Green quits his job, the Waleckis make up and the game is able to begin uninterrupted.
MST3K segments written by Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu, Josh Weinstein, Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy & Faye Burkholder
MST3K segments director unknown
Superdome written by Barry Oringer
from a story by Barry Oringer and Bill Svanoe
Superdome directed by Jerry Jameson
Superdome music by John CacavasMST3K Guest Cast: none
Superdome Cast: David Janssen (Mike Shelley), Edie Adams (Joyce), Clifton Davis (Jackson), Ken Howard (Walecki), Susan Howard (Nancy), Van Johnson (Green), Donna Mills (Wylie), Ed Nelson (Beldridge), Tom Selleck (McCauley), Bubba Smith (Moses), Dick Butkus (Hennerson), Michael Pataki (Tony), M. Emmet Walsh (Whitley), Robin Mattson (Gail)
LogBook entry by Philip R. Frey
Notes: In a rare occurrence, Joel does not appear in the opening segment, leaving Servo to call “Movie Sign”.
Tom Servo’s montage features clips from practically every previous episode of MST3K, including the missing episodes #K01 – #K03.
Until recently, every known fan tape of this episode was missing the final host segment as it was missing from the original from which all copies had originated. On October 18, 2004, however, it was announced that fans Lee Lovingood and Michael Slusher had acquired a copy of the long “lost” segment. It had been recorded by a Minnesotan whose daughter’s artwork was featured. He had recorded over the rest of the episode, but the much sought after footage was intact.
The tape that made the final host segment available did not include complete closing credits, leaving some details unclear.
Superdome, despite being a “football movie,” contains absolutely no footage of football being played.
David Janssen is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Kimble on the original 1963 television show The Fugitive. His career lasted for almost forty years and spanned over thirty films including Marooned (1969), MSTied in episode #401 – Space Travelers.
Edie Adams was married to Ernie Kovacs for seven years until his untimely death in 1962. She is probably best known for her work on Kovacs’ eponymous 1950s TV show and her many appearances on Broadway. She won a Tony in 1957 for her performance as Daisy Mae in “Li’l Abner”.
Clifton Davis is probably best known from his sitcom work as Clifton on That’s My Mama in the 70s and the Reverend Reuben Gregory on Amen in the 80s. Davis is, in fact, an ordained minister himself, having heard the call during a break in his acting career.
Despite a career that has lasted over thirty years, Ken Howard is still probably best known for his work on the TV show The White Shadow. He twice portrayed United States founding father and President Thomas Jefferson: in the 1972 musical 1776 and the 1976 film Independence.
Susan Howard (no relation to Ken) is best known for her years as Donna on the TV show Dallas. Her genre work includes appearances on The Fantastic Journey, Mission: Impossible and Star Trek, on which she portrayed the first female Klingon, Mara.
Van Johnson’s fifty-plus year career includes films such as Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), The Caine Mutiny (1954), Brigadoon (1954) and The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). Despite all his success, Johnson received only one major award nomination, an Emmy nomination for the 1976 TV miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man. He also appeared in the film MSTied in episode #614 – San Francisco International.
Donna Mills is best remembered for her portrayal of Abby Fairgate Cunningham Ewing Sumner on TV’s Knots Landing. She won three “Outstanding Villainess” Soap Opera Digest Awards for that role from 1986 to 1989.
Ed Nelson’s most significant role was that of Dr. Michael Rossi on TV’s Peyton Place. He also worked extensively in B-movies, as evidenced by his appearances in MSTied films used in episodes #315 – Teenage Caveman, #503 – Swamp Diamonds, #701 – Night of the Blood Beast and #814 – Riding With Death.
Jane Wyatt will forever be identified with her role as Margaret Anderson, Robert Young’s wife on the classic sitcom Father Knows Best. Genre fans, however, revere her as Amanda, the mother of Star Trek’s Mr. Spock, whom she portrayed on television and in film.
A few years after making Superdome, Tom Selleck was a highly sought after actor and was signed to an exclusive contract with CBS. That contract cost him the role of Indiana Jones in Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981). It did, however, lead to his most famous part, the title role in the TV series Magnum, P.I. Five Emmy and seven Golden Globe nominations led to only one win each, an Emmy in 1984 and a Golden Globe in 1985. His film career has proven to be spotty at best with highlights including Three Men And A Baby (1987) and Quigley Down Under (1990). A recurring role on the sitcom Friends also earned Selleck an Emmy nomination, in 2000.
Robin Mattson has been a staple of daytime soap operas for over twenty-five years. She has been a regular on Guiding Light (1976-1977), General Hospital (1980-1983), Ryan’s Hope (1984), Santa Barbara (1985-1993) and All My Children (1994-2000). Genre work includes appearances on The Incredible Hulk, The Six Million Dollar Man and the TV movie Captain America (1979).
Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus are both retired professional football players best known (as actors, anyway) for their many appearances in the Miller Lite Beer ads of the 80s. Smith also found fame with his work in the film Police Academy (1984) and its sequels, while Butkus has been featured in many TV series and a few films, including Johnny Dangerously (1984) and Any Given Sunday (1999).
Michael Pataki’s genre work includes the part of Captain Barbera in the TV Movie The Amazing Spider-Man (1977) and its sequels. He also appeared in the film MSTied in episode #202 – The Side Hackers.
M. Emmet Walsh’s career began in 1969, marked by a memorable appearance as a Sergeant in the Arlo Guthrie “epic” Alice’s Restaurant. Key appearances have included Little Big Man (1970), The Jerk (1979) and Blood Simple (1984). Genre work includes appearances on The Incredible Hulk, The X-Files and the 1990 TV movie / pilot The Flash.
Superdome director Jerry Jameson also directed the movie MSTied in episode #1010 – It Lives By Night.
Music by John Cacavas can also be heard in the films in episodes #K13 – SST – Death Flight and #K19 – Hangar 18.
Notable Riffs: “Did these guys fly in on SST Death Flight?”
“Women weaken the knees; it’s a well known fact.”
“Don’t you know if you go to a football team party, you’re bound to get drugged?”
Superdome original release date: 1978