Backwards Comparability: Mystery Science Theater 3000

  As I live and breathe, I never expected there to be a brand-new Mystery Science Theater 3000 show, WITH the original cast. Yet, via Kickstarter, the world spoke, and helped fund the 12 episode season. This to me is incredible that so many people love MST3K enough to fund the show back to existence. 

 For those of you not familiarized with Mystery Science Theater 3000, the show is variety hour-style,show where a Mike Nelson, Crow T. Robot, and Tom Servo make fun of old movies; which they are forced to watch by a mad scientist, Dr. Foster. After the theatrical film, Dr. Foster is replaced by Pearl, and Brain Guy, formerly a sentient ape was her sidekick.  

   The executive producers Michael J. Nelson, and Joel Hodegson have worked together for years, and the two  have come to define what Mystery Science Theater 3000 is all about. It's a great time to be alive, and nostalgia is the new trend, but this time, I think we'll see a fairly intelligent take on the old method of satirical commentary. Tom Servo, Crow T. robot, Gypsy, and the rest of the gang are set to return, but no news if the likes of Pearl Foster will be returning for the continuation of these Netflix-based episodes. 

    For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Mystery Science Theater 3000, it's a science fiction show that follows the harrowing experiment of Dr. Foster, and his need to experiment on (formerly) Joel, by showing him the worst television movies ever created. They were so terrible that most of these films have gone out of print, and only exist in the form of mystery Science Thewter 3000. Ironically, this means that the show is helping to keep alive the very things it hates. Still, the humor comes from the commentary and pantomiming of Joel (later Mike Nelson) to keep the audience Laughing along at their hijinxs. 

   The show dates back to the early 90s, and was the brainchild of a show that started out on Minnesota public access, this getting picked up by the SyFy channel, back before when it was spelt Sci-Fi. This is where the snow too off,although it's first major network attempt at glory was on early Comedy Central. It's amazing what risks these networks would take twenty years ago, and today it's a disgrace what they play. This is where the likes of Netflix comes in, because the system is designed to allow for up-and-coming shows to make it, while still giving us the best of what television can offer, ironically something television has been struggling to do for years now. TV has finished it's golden age, and now live streaming is going to usher in a far more permanent way of watching shows. Sadly, this is bad for all ends of the spectrum, but with MST3K returning for several episodes; one can only hope that this may be more than just nostalgia, but a return to the older process that put comedy and substance before millennial jargon and wanton gimmicks.  The series got it's Kickstarter filled, and now is set to release at least eight episodes sometime this year.  Stay tuned for more information and updates.