For me personally, it’s the Season 8 episode “Space Mutiny”, which was also the first MST3K episode that I ever watched.
That bit with Mike bonking his head on one of the many railings Servo placed in the Satellite of Love and tumbling all the way down it while yelling before splashing into water sent me into an absolute laughing fit. I laughed for a good 10 minutes at that, I kept replaying that scene. It was pure comedic gold.
“We put our faith in BLAST HARDCHEESE.”
Peck ManMuscle!
Time Chasers for me (and like OP, it’s partly because it was my first ever episode)
Lots of others though, not an easy choice!
Probably Puma Man, but it’s hard to pick just one.
The Touch of Satan always stuck with me.
Mitchell
or was it Mittens 🤔
Season 3 - “Gamera”
It’s got everything you could want. Inexplicably awful children, space travel, a giant rocket powered turtle. My partner and I have been randomly shouting “Capsule!” at each other for many, many years because of that movie, confusing a great many family members in the process. Absolutely wonderful episode.
I will also say it’s hard to choose. I suppose it really depends on my mood or feelings at the time. However that being said, Pod People is the most memorable to me, followed extremely closely by Cavé Dwellers.
Hard to choose, they are all great in their own way.
I guess “The Deadly Mantis” because of the “little man in the boat” joke that has changed meaning in adulthood from when I saw it as a child. Eegah and Manos do stand as cornerstones, but Mantis has that one line that is burned into my association with the show and holds a special memory.
Tough question! I see people have already mentioned Space Mutiny and Manos. So I’ll go with Werewolf.
They sleep nose to anus, like a coyote.
You mean Warwelf?
Space Mutiny is my favorite, but since OP already claimed it (now who will bring toys to the children!?) I’ll go with my close second, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank. It’s such trash and Raul Julia tears up every blessed scene he’s in. He only dabbles in dopples but his love for the cinemas is easy to reciprocate.
Final Sacrifice.
Rowthdowerrrr
“Knew 'em? He was delicious!”
“I wonder if there’s beer on the sun”
“I swallowed the knife…”
Help us, Saint Larry Csonka.