Watch Mystery Science Theater 3000: Santa Claus

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a cult classic TV show from the late 80s and early 90s that features a snarky trio of comedians who riff on B-movies. For the holiday season, the show turned its attention to a Christmas movie. The episode is called "Santa Claus" and it was released in 1993. The basic premise of the movie is that Santa Claus lives on a cloud in the sky with a bunch of strange, technologically advanced helpers. An evil demon called Pitch is trying to thwart Santa's Christmas deliveries and turn all children into little devils. Meanwhile, a little girl named Lupita prays to Santa for a doll and the power of the Lord sends an angel to help her. Throw in some musical numbers, a few plot holes, and some truly bizarre ideas about how the universe works, and you've got "Santa Claus."

The MST3K crew, consisting of Mike Nelson, Crow T. Robot, and Tom Servo, takes aim at the movie with their trademark snark and pop culture references. Trace Beaulieu, who also helped create the show, voices Crow and plays Dr. Clayton Forrester, the mad scientist who forces Mike to watch the bad movies as part of an experiment. Michael J. Nelson, who took over as the show's head writer and star after Joel Hodgson left, plays Mike and voices Servo. Jim Mallon is the third member of the crew, credited as director and executive producer.

The jokes come fast and furious, with the three riffing on everything from the terrible special effects to the creepy undertones of Santa's relationship with the children on his "naughty" list. They also make plenty of references to pop culture of the time, such as a recurring gag about the then-recent hit movie "Jurassic Park."

One of the highlights of the episode is a sketch that takes place during the movie, featuring Mike and the bots in the style of a 1950s educational film. In the sketch, they teach Lupita how to fight off Pitch by using self-defense moves and inspiring her with a speech about the power of believing in herself. It's a hilarious subversion of the typical "morals of the story" that were a staple of children's movies in the 50s and 60s.

Another standout moment is when Mike and the bots start singing their own Christmas carols during one of the musical numbers in the movie. The songs are absurd and often disturbing, with titles like "A Child Bride is A-Coming to Town" and "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (and Your Heart)." It's a perfect example of the show's irreverent, anything-goes sense of humor.

Overall, the "Santa Claus" episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 is a must-watch for fans of the show and anyone who loves to hate bad Christmas movies. The jokes are hilarious, the sketches are creative, and the movie itself is so bizarre that it's hard not to laugh at it even without the added commentary. If you're looking for something offbeat to watch this holiday season, give this classic episode a try.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: Santa Claus is a 1993 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 37 minutes.