Mystery Science Theater 3000/Tear Jerker

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Tear Jerkers in Mystery Science Theater 3000 include:

  • Joel's departure in "Mitchell".
    • He later comes back and repairs the SOL, and delivers this hilarious, yet touching quote. "The years I spent on this satellite were the best damn years of my life, and I don't want you mugs to miss a minute of it." sniff . And this music video got this MSTinger misty-eyed.
  • An In-Universe example: after watching the film Danger Death Ray, Cambot (the show's silent robot/camera) begins tearing up (drops of water start coming down the screen) due to a scene in the film's climax where the hero ruthlessly guns down numerous machine gun mounted cameras.
  • More meta than anything else, but this remix which essentially combines at least one clip from EVERY incarnation of the theme song, as well clips from the movie and the aforementioned Joel returns episode, qualifies for some people. The video cropping that makes it look like Joel, Mike, and the bots all sitting together while watching part of the montage from the end of the little known Mystery Science Theater 3000 Scrapbook video gets some people each time, Soundtrack Dissonance aside.
  • The music from the ending credits of each episode is a surprisingly slow and sombre reprise of the opening credits. Anyone that bears the slightest hint of nostalgia for the show can't help but get teary-eyed, especially with the trademark guitar chord ending the piece.
  • Christmas episodes tend to have one or two (which also count as heartwarming). Santa Claus Conquers the Martians seems to have cornered the market.
    • Joel and the bots deliver a sketch where each gives a speech regarding an element of the holiday. Crow's essay questions the legitimacy of elf labor and suggest they unionize; Tom's starts off touching, but devolves into graphic violence at the thought of Santa being killed by the vacuum of space in a failed attempt to visit the SoL; Joel's speech is a dreary repast of office Christmas parties and their debauchery (Joel points out that "although this was Christmas, Jesus was nowhere to be seen"); finally, they get to Gypsy, who opens her mouth... to reveal a recreation of the Nativity scene as a music box version of "The First Noel" plays.
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