Mystery Science Theater 3000 Season 5 Episode 10 The Painted Hills

In season 5, episode 10 of Mystery Science Theater 3000, titled "The Painted Hills," our favorite wise-cracking robots and host are sent a film from the 1950s, an adventure drama set in the gold-mining era of the Wild West. The film focuses on a man named Jonathan Harvey, played by Lassie's owner Paul Kelly, who has come to a small mining town searching for a stranger named Lin Taylor. Jonathan is on a mission to fulfill his friend Lin's dying wish and deliver a cache of gold nuggets to Lin's orphaned son.

As Jonathan searches for Lin, he comes across clues and a suspect regarding Lin's mysterious death. The Painted Hills is a slow-moving film, full of intense close-ups of dog Lassie pondering her owner's demise, and various scenic views of the beautiful California wilderness that are entirely out of place. The film comes across as a long slog, with little to no action, and it mostly conveys its message through a voice-over narration that becomes grating after a while.

As with all episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000, the film is beautifully skewered by Joel and the robots, who use their wit and humor to deliver their own unique take on the film. The Painted Hills provides ample opportunity for the MST3K cast to showcase their comedic skills throughout the episode. Their jokes cover everything from the lack of any actual painted hills in the movie to Lassie's questionable acting skills and the perceived motivations of the various characters.

Despite the film's overall lack of action, the MST3K cast never slackens in their relentless assault, providing a constant stream of humor throughout the episode. The jokes come fast and furious, with the team skewering every awkward close-up, clunky line, and pointless plot development.

One standout moment in the episode sees Joel and the bots riffing on the film's unnecessarily long musical interludes. Another involves the film's constant focus on Lassie's facial expressions, which becomes a running joke throughout the episode. But perhaps the funniest moments come courtesy of the team's relentless mockery of Kelly's accent, which they compare to everything from a gunfighter to a cattle rustler.

Overall, season 5, episode 10 of MST3K is a solid entry in the show's canon, with plenty of laughs to be had. While the film itself may not be the most exciting or engaging fare, the MST3K team's irreverent humor and sharp eye for detail make for a well-crafted episode that keeps the laughs coming from start to finish. Fans of the show will find much to enjoy here, as will anyone in the mood for some good-natured ribbing of B-movie fare from days gone by.