Mystery Science Theater 3000/Season Five

Season Five
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Season Premiere	July 17, 1993
Season Finale	February 5, 1994
Episode Count	24
Notable Episodes	5x06 - Eegah! 5x12 - Mitchell
Previous Season Four	Next Season Six

Season Five of Mystery Science Theater 3000 premiered on July 17, 1993. This was Joel Hodgson's final season as host. Joel escaped from the Satellite of Love in Episode 12 - Mitchell after Gypsy forced him into an escape pod hidden inside a box of hamdingers. Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank sent a janitor they had hired to clean up the lab, Michael J. Nelson, into space as Joel's replacement. The show initially retained the invention exchange segments but soon abandoned them as they had primarily been the brain child of Joel Hodgson and were no longer needed. The invention exchange was a common bond between Joel and the evil scientists, who Joel was nice to. Mike's character was much more hostile towards his tormenters.

Comedy Central aired the Thanksgiving marathon for the third year in a row, this time without segments produced by Best Brains. The staff felt that the amount Comedy Central offered them to produce the segments was too low and decided not to participate. Instead, Comedy Central aired footage from a fan's Mystery Science Theater 3000 party held in honor of Michael J. Nelson's debut episode as host. Best Brains also debuted a new version of the show entitled "The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Hour" which condensed episodes into 60 minutes. This was done to give Comedy Central greater flexibility in scheduling and for future syndication. The show was once again nominated for three Cable ACE Awards and lost in every category.

Episodes

#	#	Title			Airdate
96	1	Warrior of the Lost World			July 24, 1993
97	2	Hercules			July 17, 1993
98	3	Swamp Diamonds			July 31, 1993
99	4	Secret Agent Super Dragon			August 7, 1993
100	5	Magic Voyage of Sinbad			August 14, 1993
101	6	Eegah!			August 28, 1993
102	7	I Accuse My Parents			September 4, 1993
103	8	Operation Double 007			September 11, 1993
104	9	Girl in Lover's Lane			September 18, 1993
105	10	The Painted Hills			September 26, 1993
106	11	Gunslinger			October 9, 1993
107	12	Mitchell			October 23, 1993
108	13	The Brain That Wouldn't Die			October 30, 1993
109	14	Teenage Strangler			November 7, 1993
110	15	The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman			November 13, 1993
111	16	Alien from L.A.			November 20, 1993
112	17	Beginning of the End			November 25, 1993
113	18	The Atomic Brain			December 4, 1993
114	19	Outlaw			December 11, 1993
115	20	Radar Secret Service			December 18, 1993
116	21	Santa Claus			December 24, 1993
117	22	Teenage Crime Wave			January 15, 1994
118	23	Village of the Giants			January 22, 1994
119	24	12 to the Moon			February 5, 1994