Mystery Science Theater 3000: 5 Overrated Episodes & 5 That Don't Get The Love They Deserve

By Katherine Koba /

2. The Magic Voyage Of Sinbad (Episode 505)

To be fair, this entry could be nearly any Russo-Finnish epic, but The Magic Voyage of Sinbad starts off ridiculous right in the title €“ the hero of the story is the not very Slavic "Sinbad" (name changed by importers lest a Russian-sounding title hurt ticket sales). The movie itself is family-friendly feel-good cheese where we learn that happiness doesn't come from wealth or power but from your home and loved ones, first of all, which makes it a sweeter pill to swallow than some other downer episodes. Because Sinbad is based on an opera based on a Russian folk epic, there is also some seriously trippy stuff that goes on. In the hands of a solid budget and a decent director (Aleksandr Ptushko was no small potatoes hack; he was on par with Walt Disney or Ray Harryhausen) it's actually a lot of fun and would be entertaining in its own right. That, plus some good riffs and some hilarious host segments, makes this episode one that's a lot of fun. Despite all of this, this episode often goes overlooked, which is a shame.