Actual Surprise!

Every time the latest official collection of Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes on DVD starts shipping from Shout! Factory I start sort of expecting the titles for the set yet to come to be announced on Satellite News, and once again that expectation has paid off. Where the collection now shipping seemed surprise everyone by managing to include the Universal movie that led off the eighth season, this one includes another one with "The Mole People." (I suppose I might have been just a little more ecstatic to see "The Leech Woman" mentioned, but I can always hope it'll roll around in another set yet to be announced...) Then, just as the current set included one of the "James Bond ripoffs," the announcement includes another one of them with "Danger!! Death Ray" (perhaps the episode that most interested me of the four on first getting the news). To round things out, we're treated to the "dull surprise!" of "Alien From LA" (which I stretched the resemblance a bit to consider it an "Indiana Jones ripoff") and "The Magic Sword" too, at least including one "Joel episode" even if the balance of previous sets isn't quite there. All in all, it should be another collection to look forward to.