No Shrews Is Good Shrews When It’s The “Killer Shrews”-Tonight!

Posted on May 27, 2023

Tonight on MeTV- an extended weekend is a good time to take a trip- but a bad time to head to a remote island that is currently over-run by voracious mutant creatures that are running out of food- and will consider you the main course! There’s a lot to lose from the “Killer Shrews”!

We remember this 1959 film mainly for its somewhat laughable special effects -and possibly the alcohol consumption - although what the principals are facing might give that some validity. Captain Thorne Sherman, along with his first mate Rook, has been assigned to head their small watercraft to that remote island, to bring supplies to a scientific outpost there. Leaving their boat anchored offshore, they use a rowboat to transport the supplies to the island itself-and are met by its only inhabitants-scientist Marlowe Craigis, his beautiful daughter Ann, research assistant Dr. Baines, Ann’s boozy supposed fiancé Jerry, and their servant, Mario.

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Thorne is surprised by the suggestion of a quick turnaround when Craigis tells him he and Rook should leave immediately and take Ann with him. This doesn’t seem like the soundest plan, since a hurricane is heading for the island, and leaving now is not a safe option! Thorne decides to stay overnight in the scientist’s compound, and sends his associate Rook back out to their boat to batten it down for weathering the storm.

Bluntly questioning why he is being pressured to leave, Thorne is told about the research being done at the compound by Craigis- he wants to find a way to genetically shrink humans(?!) in order to make the world’s food supply last longer! He has been experimenting with some small creatures with very short life spans, their minimal existence making it easier to trace his progress over multiple generations. He shows Thorne one of the smelly little creatures- and reveals that shrews must consume multiple times their weight in food every day to survive- and therein lies the problem Craigis has not revealed to Thorne.

That problem is- the genetically altered shrews, instead of shrinking, have mutated, and grown to enormous size! ( When the aim is to shrink the subject, this seems like a major miscalculation.) The super-sized shrews have escaped the compound due to the generally soused Jerry’s ineptitude- and have multiplied rapidly. Now the danger of becoming shrew chow makes the hurricane the least of the island inhabitants’ worries.

Things get even worse- when tragedy befalls Rook- and the shrews, having devoured any and all the small animal life on the island, have the compound under siege every night -in search of humans for their nocturnal feeding frenzies! We witness Jerry’s true character as a scheming coward, only worried about his own survival- while the shrews’ attacks become more frightening, with the crazed creatures willing to do anything to get at the people.

Craigis had hoped that, having no other food, the shrews would turn on themselves and devour each other- but the storms effect on the compound, weakening it, has made it even more vulnerable to the shrews being able to break in before that happens. Another unforeseen problem- due to consuming poison bait that the scientist had hoped would kill them off, the mutated shrews have adapted to the poison- and now their bite is lethal! ( Between that and the opposite of causing shrinkage, Craigis is batting a thousand…)

Thorne must try to protect the group from the threats of both the shrews and the devilish lowlife Jerry- with their only hope being to escape the terrifying onslaught of the hungry beasts!

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This film is indeed known for the somewhat laughable appearance of the shrews (played by disguised dogs and/or puppets) and for the fact that the cast is constantly downing martinis and other alcohol. We will inform you about the production and its cast (including “Dukes of Hazzard” star James Best and “Gunsmoke” notable Ken Curtis) and bring you a commercial very suitable to the imbibing in this film, as well as a song, and- since the movie is a little short- on this extended weekend, and our show has been extended, we’ll add a heaping assortment of Sven shtick from the past-including more visits with our friends from the casts of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise!!

“Killer Shrews” will eat into your holiday weekend time tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time. MeTV again invites you to join the many viewers who are live-Tweeting during the show on Twitter, using the hashtag #svengoolie . This morning, Chicago area fans know they can watch an appropriate second run of “The Thing with Two Heads” at 11 am on our man local station, CW26.

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If you are in the Chicago area, you can come see me in Crestwood, IL at the Friday night Windy City Thunderbolts game! I’ll be there for pictures and autographs, and-you will be able to bid on-line for the special Svengoolie jerseys that the players will be wearing. You’ll find information under our “appearances” tab here on the website or at www.wcthunderbolts.com !

Join us tonight for the mutant shrews! And- please take some time this Memorial Day weekend to remember all the brave military members who gave their lives in the service of our country.

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3171 Comments

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1MikeM 9 months ago
...and dat was da Killer Shrews...and dat's da name a dat tune.
Carl_N_Brown 9 months ago
Tomorrow's movie promises to be electrifying.
Carl_N_Brown Carl_N_Brown 9 months ago
As I recall MAN-MADE MONSTER starts off like the end of Robert Mitchum's THUNDER ROAD.
Katink Carl_N_Brown 9 months ago
Rubber soled shoes will be required, Carl?
Carl_N_Brown Katink 9 months ago
Couple of decades ago I did a temp job with a lighting company re doing the local jail. I learned a lot about electric safety on that gig. Saved me from a serious injury when I worked on a light foxture on the front porch.
abc123 9 months ago
Gonna spend some time tomorrow figuring out what is going on with my email. Did not get any email from either account for over a day and a half, and when I did get some this afternoon, no sven newsletter. I actually had to search the web for what will be on in June.
Katink abc123 9 months ago
Sending good vibes, abc!
daleuhlmann 9 months ago
No hurricanes (or "hurrikins"), drunks, or shrews tomorrow night, although we will again have weird or mad science in abundance!
VanGooliac daleuhlmann 9 months ago
I wouldn’t say no drunks.
Lon Chaney Jr. was known to hit the bottle pretty hard.
daleuhlmann VanGooliac 9 months ago
True, but not his character in the movie.
Carl_N_Brown Jack 9 months ago
Creighton Chaney did drink a lot of Mexican beer with lunch in THE CYCLOPS.
1MikeM Jack 9 months ago
Pepsi-Cola hits the spot!
daleuhlmann Carl_N_Brown 9 months ago
That he did!
Drang 9 months ago
No mermaids in sight. Nor migrating whales. Or electric carnies.
Sun is nice and warm, though...
VanGooliac Drang 9 months ago
Nice.
Never been to Seaside but I have been to Cannon Beach; it’s very scenic.
Katink Drang 9 months ago
What a beautiful sunset, Drang!
1MikeM Drang 9 months ago
...and the crowd gathered and prayed to Bongo, the god of good tv reception.
Cartoondave 9 months ago
I'm afraid I have to miss cartoons tomorrow and possibly Sven tomorrow night my tv and cable box all of sudden stopped working my brother tried every possible thing but no luck 👎 the only thing I can do is watch a DVD or Blu-ray and play my Atari flashback 8 why did this have to happen? 😭
Cartoondave Cartoondave 9 months ago
I also have thunder and lightning storms
Katink Cartoondave 9 months ago
Oh no, Dave!
Cartoondave Katink 9 months ago
I wish it wasn't true but it is
Cartoondave VanGooliac 9 months ago
(best Droopy voice) you know what? That makes me mad!
1MikeM Cartoondave 9 months ago
Sending good vibes, Dave!
CountCurt 9 months ago
I thought that someone would have posted some pictures of beautiful doughnuts with this being National Doughnut Day. I don’t indulge in them unless I am on a road trip or go to a fair. In Canada we have the Tim Horton’s Doughnut chain named after a famous hockey player. The chain is very connected with hockey with legends such as Wayne Gretzky doing TV ads for the chain.
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Is that a monster donut that I see?
1MikeM Jack 9 months ago
Excellent!
CountCurt 9 months ago
Shades of man eating plants from Konga’s conservatory. This pitcher plant comes from North Carolina. Will it be safe to plant in my Canadian garden? Lol
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Jack CountCurt 9 months ago
Sounds fun! I’ve always liked Malcolm McDowell, even when/if he’s [usually] a baddie.

A friend gave me an embroidered T-shirt for L'Anse aux Meadows. I haven’t been there myself, but have wanted to go since it was discovered. I have been to Eiríksstaðir in Iceland, and would also like to make it to Brattahlíð in Greenland.
CountCurt Jack 9 months ago


Malcolm as Pop Critch. He does a good job of rolling his r’s like the Newfoundlanders do.
Wow l’Anse Aux Meadows the Viking settlement.
Seems you are well suited to cooler vacations.
Jack CountCurt 9 months ago
Reportedly, a station other than MeTV will be showing it in the US this fall. I’ll have to check the schedule. Thanks!
CountCurt Jack 9 months ago
I am happy to hear it. It is a light hearted fun show. Mark Critch producer of the show is a comedian. He is on a another show called This Hour has 22 Minutes that makes fun of Cansdian current events and politics as well as US and International politics. My American friends get a kick out of it when they visit me.
Cartoondave 9 months ago
Happy Friday y'all what a week it's been I've heard of being busy but it was too busy and looking ahead to next week we have a 3 day online training meeting Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday 2 hours each day so I'm glad tomorrow is Sventurday and looking for fun with the man in the hat 🎩
VanGooliac Cartoondave 9 months ago
Happy Friday Dave 🍻
LmerFudd 9 months ago
Celebrating His 75th Birthday On Friday Is Actor - Jerry Mathers!
(June 2, 1948) Jerry Is Best Known For His Child Star Role As Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver, On The Television Sitcom Series "Leave It To Beaver" From 1957 - 1963.
Happy Birthday Jerry!
Cartoondave LmerFudd 9 months ago
Happy birthday Beav!
CountCurt Cartoondave 9 months ago
And we thought that he would never grow up
Klaatu 9 months ago
One of my favorite Far Side. In fact I have a T-Shirt with this imprinted. It says a lot in so many different ways😆
CountCurt Klaatu 9 months ago
It could have been Albert Einstein. I heard that he had trouble with basic arithmetic as a child.
A great cartoon!
VanGooliac CountCurt 9 months ago
It could also be a comment on the education system!
Aceman2 9 months ago
The Final Frontier

While filming "Star Trek", Leonard Nimoy would use his bicycle to cut in front of the commissary line. William Shatner responded by hiding the bike, and at one point put it in the same room as an angry dog.
TheKodakKid Aceman2 9 months ago
Nimoy did that because he required extra time in the makeup chair, before returning to shooting after lunch.
Aceman2 9 months ago
Kyle Aceman2 9 months ago
With 3 cats losing their winter coats right now, I sure feel that one!
CountCurt Aceman2 9 months ago
An example of making things worse and not better. Been there done that!
VanGooliac CountCurt 9 months ago
Jon knows all too well!
CountCurt VanGooliac 9 months ago
Love Garfield
NoPersonalChicks 9 months ago
Two crowning achievements 70 years ago. (SWIDT)
daDoctah NoPersonalChicks 9 months ago
Okay, I guess two big deals like that on the same day beats my three within a month (Apollo XI on July 20, Manson murders on August 9, and Woodstock starting August 15).
Great sharing of history. Lower on the page there is an article “Prince Charles In Coronation Mood” . Was he in the same mood for his actual coronation? Lol
Queen Elizabeth. Hillary on Mt. Everest. I remember those as big news stories when I was a preschooler.
CountCurt 9 months ago
It is too bad that Dr. Baine’s developed Killer Shrews. Generally the little guys are beneficial to our gardens gobbling up a lot of vermin that would attack our plants.
DrSerizawa CountCurt 9 months ago
The ones in the movie were beneficial by gobbling up Jerry.
CountCurt DrSerizawa 9 months ago
Something good that came out of something bad.
Klaatu 9 months ago
My Verbena plant is in full bloom, and I’m so happy because I can remove garlic from my windows. Look what I found: Verbena causes a vampire to become severely weak and feverish, often to the point of unconsciousness.
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Lynn CountCurt 9 months ago
I've never seen that! Lovely!
daleuhlmann Klaatu 9 months ago
That's true!
daleuhlmann Lynn 9 months ago
So do I!
CountCurt Klaatu 9 months ago
Sorry to correct you Klaatu but the flower that you have is a Lantana. It is the same plant family as Verbena. Here is a Verbena
MrsG 9 months ago
Happy Friday SvenToonFriends ~ hope everyone is feeling FREE , just a tad , in some good way ~ 💜 Love Yinz *_*
VanGooliac MrsG 9 months ago
Happy Friday MrsG! ❤️
Katink MrsG 9 months ago
Happy Friday to you, MrsG!💕
Aceman2 MrsG 9 months ago
Happy Friday MrsG!
daleuhlmann 9 months ago
clever spoof of news personality Dave Garroway's show.
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