‘Mystery Science Theater’ episodes make their DVD debut this week

Those "Mystery Science Theater" wise guys make fun of 1950s and ’60s low-budget movies in their latest DVD set, which was released this week.

“Mystery Science Theater 3000: Vol. XXXIII” (Shout!/DVD, 1991-97, b/w and color, four discs, four episodes, featurettes, trailers; four mini-posters). Four more episodes from the snarky, wisecracking “MST3K” troupe, this time lambasting a monster movie, two troubled-teen flicks and a spy yarn.

The films are “Daddy-O” (1958, b/w), about a drag-racing delinquent that goes to work for a gangster and realizes the error of his ways; “Earth vs. the Spider” (1958), which rips off “Tarantula” with a giant spider that is thought to be dead being stored in the high school gym and revived when teens play rock music; “Teen-Age Crime Wave” (1955, b/w), which is just what the title suggests; and “Agent for H.A.R.M.” (1966), a busted TV pilot that inexplicably played in theaters, with the title character trying to stop a mad scientist’s killer fungus.

“Mama’s Family: Mama’s Favorites, Season 6” (StarVista/DVD, 1989-90, six episodes). These handpicked episodes — favorites of star Vicki Lawrence — are from the sitcom’s final season. Included are “Mama Fights Back,” with Mama becoming a radio celebrity; “Pinup Mama,” as a photo of her head is superimposed on bikini-clad young models; and “Bubba’s House Band,” in which Bubba (Allan Kayser) mistakenly books a female heavy-metal group for his country-loving clientele.

“Life on the Reef” (PBS/Blu-ray/DVD, 2014, three episodes). This is a beautifully photographed documentary exploration of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef with the first episode taking place during the tourist-heavy winter season, the second during the spring as divers look for coral spawn and the third during the summer with thousands of turtles emerging from the sand. The latter also looks at conservationists fighting against such threats as shipping accidents and oil spills.

“Frontline: Outbreak” (PBS/DVD, 2015). This hourlong “Frontline” episode attempts to answer the question of why it took so long for the world to respond to the largest Ebola outbreak on record when it hit West Africa. Filmmaker/journalist Dan Edge interviews victims who were involved at the outset as well as World Health Organization officials.

“Helix: Season 2” (Sony/Blu-ray/DVD, 2015, three discs, 13 episodes, deleted scenes, bloopers). In this sci-fi series (on the Syfy cable channel), scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are sent to the Arctic to investigate a deadly new virus. This season has the team leaving the base for a reportedly infected ship, which leads to an island where a cult is attempting to establish its own Utopia.

“Caillou Goes Back to School” (PBS Kids/DVD, 2001-05, 12 episodes, interactive game, printable coloring pages; book about riding the school bus). These episodes are from the Canadian animated series about adventures enjoyed by a young boy and his family, in particular his younger sister Rosie, while offering lessons for preschoolers.

Chris Hicks is the author of “Has Hollywood Lost Its Mind? A Parent’s Guide to Movie Ratings.” He also writes at www.hicksflicks.com and can be contacted at hicks@deseretnews.com.