The A to F grade scale never seemed to work. Even when I explained that I was grading on a curve, there would be some fans who would see a C- and ask why I hated that particular episode. Lets be clear, aside from a few exceptions, the grades were simply a way to calculate different levels of great.
Apart from that, grades are tough to figure at times and even on a curve, a D grade feels bad to give - so instead I've created an awards system. and here's how they look:
Best In Show:
These are my favorites - Episodes that I can pop in any time, no matter my mood, and I'm guaranteed to split a seam from laughting so hard. The jokes are smart, so above the comedy norm that I can't help but be awed by the talent which spawned them.
Platinum:
A precious metal more valuable than gold. Episodes which receive this seal are strongly recommended and carry a high laugh factor. If you don't laugh at these episodes then you might be dead. ;)
Gold:
The gold standard is one I hope every episode will acheive. Gold is shiny, elite and very funny. While not the relentless humor juggernaut of the previous awards. Gold is great and you wont spoil your evening if you pop one of these in the DVD player.
Silver:
I'd like every episode to reach gold, but not everything can. Still, these precious ingots offer tons of fun. Sometimes a level of silver indicates an episode I have to be in the right mood for or that simply hits a few more dry spells than I'd prefer.
bronze:
Bronze is solid, strong, but not sparkling. There will be a few patchy areas and fewer huge laughs. Still; while Bronze doesn't put me on a riff roller-coaster, it will provide a fair share of memorable humorous highlights.
Tin-Foil and Sub-Par (It Stinks):
The definition of the word subpar is -Below, Excellence- Sadly; there are those episodes which don't enchant me. There are good quips to be had, but there is also an equal amount of those dead zones. These biohazards often collect dust, neglected on my bookshelf (the "It Stinks" tag is only a joke). "Tin-Foil" is a small step above Sub-Par, Stuff like "Mad Monster" received this because while the riff count is light, there are some real solid jokes that make it worth-while.
There are also a few specifics for each award: Movie Pain, which ranks Low, Medium or High - and Riffs/Skits which earn 6 different degrees of comments. Going from best to lowest, they are...
#1: "I laughed so hard I wet 'em" or "Perfect"
#2: "Hilarious" or "Side Splitting"
#3: Wildy Funny, Very Steady
#4: Solid, good humor
#5: Chuckle-Fest at best
#6: Induced mostly smiles
And there are a few variations or additions to these comments
Is your name Jack?
No, nor am I mighty. I named the site after the title of an MST episode. At the time I'd never seen that particular experiment but the title always grabbed me. It was such an odd name for a movie and since I'm an odd person I naturally was drawn to it.
Why should I care about your opinions?
Because I am Mighty and know all? Na, it's just a fun site about a fun show. This isn't an "I'm right, your wrong" type of thing so relax and accept or reject my opinions at will.
So why make an MST review?
Because I love the show. I love watching, talking, reading and writing about it as well.
How do you decide upon the grades?
I once watched a few episodes of the "Nanny" just to see what the attraction was, and I was horrified by what I saw. It was noisy, broad and as unfunny as anything I've ever witnessed (again, that's just MY opinion). MST at it's worse made me laugh more than this show. "Hellcats" earned a D+ in my review, but compared to the "Nanny" it gave up more laughs and would garner at least a " B" if I was using general sitcom quality as my standard of grading.
But I don't. I grade according to the high standards the gang at Best Brains set. So for me a "Hellcats" might leave the "Nanny" in the dust but it's the ugly step sister when compared to "Girlstown".