Glad to see an MST3K community pop up over night (literally, I checked last night and there was nothing). I'm a Mike guy myself because I started watching as a kid during the Scifi era. Joel is awesome too, though!
Yeah, I went looking and found nothing, so thought I'd make a start on it :-)
I'm with you, I love Joel's episodes too, but Mike was first for me, and I will always like his just a bit more. Also, I quite like the story arks of the host segments across the season, when they're in ancient Rome, etc.
Ha, yeah she's great. It's funny, I never meant this as a serious question, it was just a reference to the great Flame Wars of the 90s, but everyone has gone with it anyway!
Joel had a better synergy with the bots and host segments.
Mike has the advantage of being around when the show started branching out into some of the more bizarre movies and thus has the most memorable episodes.
Jonah has a higher consistency overall, but is at his best tearing into demented children's films. (Cry Wilderness, Mac & Me, Munchie)
Emily has the fewest episodes but she's knocked it out of the park every time.
All in all, I see no need for host wars.
Now robot voice wars on the other hand..... Trace and Kevin.
There is a good reason why Joel chose Mike to first be his head writer, then to take over his show:
Mike is much funnier.
No disrespect to Joel, but Mike's riffs are faster, deeper, and more rapid.
I bought a "Team Mike" pair of socks on redbubble to prove it.
I am wearing them now.
The prosecution rests.
I'll throw a vote in for Joel, I liked the goofier feel of the show. I also don't think anyone else has captured the relationship dynamic with the bots as well as he did, some of my favorite bits in the show are Joel caught between being the parent and of the kids.
Yeah, I do love those moment - especially the "peep peep" scene. Definitely different dynamics with mike - it's more like they're all buddies, but sometimes the bots pick on him - which I also like :-)