In Friday’s episode of dimension-hopping serial Flash Gordon, a bizarre ritual involving dudes from Burning Man and a scorpion reveals all. Except to Ming, the bad guy who is supposed to rule dying planet Mongo like a tyrant but in fact acts like a prissy bureaucrat.
He and his “deviate” advisor Rankol are trying to figure out what will happen when they carry out yet another evil plan involving genocide or something. So they turn to these monks. And the monks yell something in a made-up language that sounds like “Senkell ecklebaum! Ecklebaum!” No wonder Ming is confused. But I’m not. The more this show is on the air, the more I love it for all the insane costumes and over-the-top cheesy splendor. There’s a kind of authentic, reckless abandon to Flash Gordon — a show with a pedigree that goes back to the 1930s — as it careens into lower and lower ratings. Catch it before it dies, and enjoy the gooftastic ride.
