RiffTrax Shorts Season 11 Episode 8 Family Teamwork

This episode of RiffTrax Shorts season 11, titled "Family Teamwork," features a series of educational short films focused on the importance of cooperation and working together as a family. The RiffTrax team--comprised of veteran Mystery Science Theater 3000 comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett--offers hilarious commentary throughout each film, poking fun at the outdated nature of the content and the often-patronizing tone of the narrators.

In each short, the RiffTrax team draws attention to the absurdities and contradictions in the advice being given. Whether it's a mother and daughter playing a game of "Name That Tune" while dusting the house, or a father and son competing in a cutthroat game of tetherball, the films present scenarios that are both out of touch and utterly relatable. The RiffTrax team's commentary accentuates these moments of humor, making for an entertaining viewing experience that will appeal to fans of both classic educational films and contemporary comedy.

One of the standout shorts in this episode is called "Teamwork Wins," and follows a group of siblings as they learn to work together to prepare dinner for their family. The film takes the form of a mock cooking show, complete with a host and contestants, and is full of helpful hints and demonstrations of kitchen techniques. However, as the RiffTrax team points out, the supposed "cooperation" in this scenario is rife with one-upmanship and passive aggression. The siblings bicker and squabble over who gets to do what task, and when one of them accidentally drops an egg on the floor, chaos ensues.

Another memorable short is "Learning to Skate," which follows a young boy as he takes his first steps on the ice. The film is meant to be a charming introduction to the sport of ice skating, but as with many of the shorts featured in this episode, the narrator's tone can come off as condescending and overly simplistic. The RiffTrax team has a field day poking fun at the way the narrator explains basic concepts like "balance" and "forward motion," and draws attention to the many falls and wipeouts that occur over the course of the short.

Overall, "Family Teamwork" is a delightful episode of RiffTrax Shorts that offers a fun and irreverent take on classic educational films. The RiffTrax team's commentary is full of witty quips and clever insights, and their ability to find humor in even the most mundane of scenarios makes for an entertaining and engaging viewing experience. Fans of RiffTrax, MST3K, and classic educational films will all find something to love in this hilarious and charming episode.