The Daily Think

It’s a Saturday morning, and you’re waking up as a kid in America after playing the impossible to beat Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on SNES and you turn on Comedy Central to watch your favorite morning TV Show since cartoons have been replaced. The show features those 3 voices in a movie theater with a silhouette of them like they were in a movie theater watching some black and white or obscure film and making laugh out loud jokes as you wake up to face a day without school, ahhh those were the days!

Although the concept of talking during the movie is quite rude, the gang behind “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (or MST3K) showed us that it could be considered a form of high art. MST3K is a comedy television series that premiered on local television in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1988. Created by visionary comedian Joel Hodgson, the show follows a man named Joel Robinson (played by Hodgson) who is trapped on a spaceship called the Satellite of Love and forced to watch terrible B-movies by his evil captors. To cope with the boredom and despair, Joel builds a group of robots to keep him company and help him mock the movies.

A TEN-YEAR RUN OF SHEER COMEDIC GENIUS

Over the course of its original ten seasons, MST3K gained a cult following for its irreverent humor, clever writing, and love of all things cheesy and obscure. The show became known for its signature “riffing” style, in which Joel and his robot friends would make sarcastic comments and jokes while the movie played. The show went through several changes in cast, but the idea and concept had a great 10 season run from Comedy Central the Syfy Channel.

THE PUBLIC WANTS THEM BACK

In 2015, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to fund a new season of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” with a new cast and crew. The campaign was a huge success, raising over $6 million and setting a record for the highest-funded video or film project on Kickstarter at the time. The new season, featuring a new host named Jonah Heston and a new cast of robot companions, premiered on Netflix in 2017 and was well-received by fans and critics alike.

Since then, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” has continued to produce new episodes on Netflix, with two seasons currently available for streaming as of 2023. Currently they available through Gizmoplex featuring the aforementioned Jonah Heston, Patton Oswalt, and Felicia Day and is considered a part of the series as Season 13.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 – MST3K: THE GIZMOPLEX

THE ORIGINAL PLAYERS CLUB

Joel Hodgson pulled together a wonderful cast who you can continue to follow to this day in their various projects. The list of the primary cast members of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” from the beginning of the show to its end:

1. Joel Hodgson – Creator of the show and the original host (Seasons 1-5)
2. Trace Beaulieu – Dr. Clayton Forrester, Crow T. Robot (Seasons 1-7)
3. Josh Weinstein – Dr. Laurence Erhardt, Tom Servo (Seasons 1-5)
4. Jim Mallon – Gypsy, Executive Producer (Seasons 1-10)
5. Kevin Murphy – Tom Servo (Seasons 2-10), Professor Bobo, Observer
6. Frank Conniff – TV’s Frank (Seasons 4-7)
7. Michael J. Nelson – Mike Nelson, Second Host (Seasons 5-10)
8. Mary Jo Pehl – Pearl Forrester, Observer (Seasons 7-10)
9. Bill Corbett – Crow T. Robot (Seasons 8-10), Observer

Note: The show went through several changes in cast and crew over the years, and there were several guest actors who appeared in various episodes. However, the names above represent the primary cast members who appeared in most episodes of the show.

THE TOP 5 EPISODES

“Mystery Science Theater 3000” has produced over 200 episodes throughout its original run and revival seasons. It’s challenging to choose just five episodes as the top ones since the show’s humor and style have a lot of subjective appeal. However, based on the responses from critics, fans, and ratings, here are five of the most popular episodes of MST3K:

1. “Manos: The Hands of Fate” (Season 4, Episode 24): The movie “Manos: The Hands of Fate” is often considered one of the worst films ever made, and the MST3K version is perhaps the most famous and beloved episode in the series. Critics and fans alike praise the episode’s relentless humor and riffing, which transform a dreadful movie into a hilarious and unforgettable experience.
2. “Space Mutiny” (Season 8, Episode 20): “Space Mutiny” is another infamous B-movie that received the MST3K treatment. The episode’s jokes and skits, including the recurring gag of calling the movie’s main character “Big McLargeHuge,” have become fan favorites. The episode’s “names in the credits” bit has also become a famous running joke among MST3K fans.
3. “Mitchell” (Season 5, Episode 12): “Mitchell” is a 1975 action film starring Joe Don Baker, and the MST3K episode featuring the movie is often cited as one of the show’s best. Critics and fans praise the episode’s jokes and quips, which poke fun at the movie’s lead character and the film’s overall low quality.
4. “The Final Sacrifice” (Season 9, Episode 10): “The Final Sacrifice” is a low-budget Canadian film that follows a teenage boy and a drifter who team up to take down a cult. The MST3K episode features the show’s classic humor and riffing style, with critics and fans praising the episode’s memorable one-liners and sharp wit.
5. “Werewolf” (Season 9, Episode 4): “Werewolf” is a low-budget horror film that follows a man who transforms into a werewolf and goes on a killing spree. The MST3K episode featuring the movie is often cited as one of the show’s funniest, with critics and fans praising the episode’s sharp humor and the cast’s chemistry.
6. Honorable Mentions: “Time Chasers” (Season 8, Episode 20) – So good that the original creators of Time Chasers thought it was an honor to be featured on the show. “Merlins Shop of Mystical Wonders” (Season 10, Episode 3) – Another great joke every ten second episode, just wait to hear the “You’re Welcome.”

It’s worth noting that while these episodes are among the most popular and beloved by fans and critics alike, different people have different tastes and preferences. The MST3K experience is subjective, and many fans have their own favorite episodes based on personal tastes and interests.

SOME (SOMEWHAT) POWERHOUSE DIRECTORS BROUGHT DOWN BY THE BLADE OF MST3K

“Mystery Science Theater 3000” featured numerous directors throughout its 10 seasons. Here’s a list of the top five most featured directors:

1. Bert I. Gordon – Bert I. Gordon was an American film director known for his work in the science fiction and horror genres. He is the most featured director on MST3K, with 5 of his films riffed on the show, including “Earth vs. the Spider” and “The Amazing Colossal Man.”
2. Roger Corman – Roger Corman is an American film director known for his work in the horror, science fiction, and exploitation genres. Four of his films were riffed on MST3K, including “Attack of the Giant Leeches” and “The Undead.”
3. Edward D. Wood Jr. – Edward D. Wood Jr. was an American filmmaker known for his low-budget, cult films, including “Plan 9 from Outer Space” and “Bride of the Monster.” Three of his films were riffed on MST3K.
4. Jerry Warren – Jerry Warren was an American film director known for his work in the horror and science fiction genres. Three of his films were riffed on MST3K, including “The Incredible Petrified World” and “Teenage Zombies.”
5. Coleman Francis – Coleman Francis was an American filmmaker known for his work in the exploitation genre. He directed three films, all of which were riffed on MST3K, including “The Beast of Yucca Flats” and “Red Zone Cuba.”

WHAT DO WE DO NOW? ENTER THE RIFFTRAX

In 2006, the show’s creators launched a new project called “RiffTrax,” which allowed fans to download audio commentaries for popular movies and sync them up to watch along with the film. The RiffTrax commentaries featured many of the same performers and writers from MST3K and continued the show’s tradition of riffing on bad movies.

MST3K CULTURAL IMPACT

Since its inception, MST3K has been recognized as one of the most influential and innovative TV shows of all time. In 2007, Time magazine included the show on its list of the “100 Best TV Shows of All Time,” praising its “witty, trenchant humor” and “gleeful anarchy.” The show has also been credited with inspiring a generation of comedy writers and performers, including the creators of “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” and “The Daily Show.” A small list of comedians and writers who reference the influence of MST3K include Edgar Wright, Joel McHale, Rian Johnson, Joss Whedon, and Patton Oswalt.

Overall, MST3K and its spinoff RiffTrax have had a significant impact on the world of comedy and pop culture, and continue to be beloved by fans around the world. You can find their work all over the internet, and I warn you, once you find that one episode that makes you laugh out loud, you will be hooked and consume the 10+ season library of this show. It’s Saturday morning again and I need MST3K!