Mystery Science Theater 3000: C/D, S/D.

Yeah, the passage of time inevitably demonstrates how much of a snapshot it all was. But a possible comparison point -- Monty Python was just as explicitly steeped in its own time and place, and TV culture, and won a wider audience beyond that which (AFAICT) continues to the present. That said it's all so much legacy now.

Some more backers-only news from Joel -- take this bit as you choose:

And in the meantime, the great news is the new shows are turning out really fine. It’s so interesting seeing Jonah, Baron and Hampton’s riff styles emerge, and remember: like some of you, Jonah, Baron and Hampton grew up watching Mystery Science Theater, and as you’ll soon see, movie riffing is in their DNA! It's also just amazing how great Felicia and Patton did as the next Mads. I’m just knocked out. They’re obviously both such talented pros, but they totally bring it to these new episodes.

Now, from what I can tell – and based on showing the pilot to a few close friends – it’s a slightly different tempo than the movie riffers of yore. To me, that makes sense. It’s simply a function of new people (both writers and performers) coming in contact with these films and the show format. And you know, even though it’s an updated version of MST3K, I really feel like the original spirit of the show is still there. Hope you think so too.

So yeah: when the new episodes come out, I hope you'll give your ears time to adjust to the “now sound” of MST 2017. I think you'll like what you hear!

No formal release date still.

Plus, Funko are making Crow and Tom Servo figures:

https://funko.com/blogs/news/londontoyfair17mst3k

Oh and having said this:

Will be seeing Trace and Frank again at SF Sketchfest in a couple of weeks.

This was in fact unsurprisingly a treat. (It was a week ago and the perfect antidote to a stupid day, obv.) The movie in question was a truly dire demi-film noir obscurity, Walk The Dark Street, starring pre-Rifleman Chuck Connors as a clenched-jaw Korean War vet psycho:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_the_Dark_Street

A perfect experience down to the horrible transfer. Written and directed by the guy who wrote Robot Monster, Wyott Ordung (no, really). Further MST3K connection out of nowhere: the guy who played the leering assistant in Racket Girls, "Joe," plays a store clerk at one point. If you have seventy minutes to kill, here's the film straight up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6LOyoHZy_c

Wow Joel sounds really uncomfortable with the result...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBAZFJnpcV4

tried watching this, it's pretty weak. he doesn't seem to have a funny bone in his body.

I have questions

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/2469/not-too-distant-future-dark-horse-reveals-partners

Though I see it's part of a broader effort:

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/?p=23877

The licensing program is helmed by Elie Dekel, of Dekel Brands. Strategic partners for licensing and merchandising on board thus far include:

· Dark Horse (serialized comics, graphic novels, coffee-table book and gift items)
· FUNKO (vinyl figures, and FUNKO-POP figures)
· Changes (t-shirts, tops, sweatshirts)
· Insight Editions (Ultimate Episode Guide, trivia books, journals)
· Great Eastern (buttons, patches, stickers, pins, gifts and novelties)
· Just Funky (gifts, beverage/barware, key chains, auto accessories, table-top gifts)
· Zen Monkey Studios (t-shirts, sweatshirts)

Most interested in an Ultimate Episode Guide -- I wonder if it's meant to be a collation of the original book plus the four seasons that followed (plus the forthcoming one, I guess).

Okay, the word just came down via a mailout from Joel:

The new season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 will premiere on Netflix on April 14, 2017.

:D

14 EPISODES DROPPING AT ONCE

god i hope this doesn't suck

predicting that we'll hate episode 1, think they improved by episode 4

This is all happening right before Kate and I go on our mid-April vacation so I'll watch the first episode, ponder at it, then come back after vacation and see what everyone's shouting about.

Oh and we have cast photo:

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cast.jpg

Should I be concerned the backdrop looks...flat?

Also, the neo-Mads in white? Huh.

xpost probably makes it easier to roll that pile of dough in the middle around

And a commenter noted that Gypsy is now hanging from the rafters.

jonah ray is annoying

I'm going into this suspicious. It's the only safe approach.

New mad look is cool IMO. Not into the fat-shaming above, sorry. Bracing myself for this to maybe suck horribly but hoping it's maybe kinda okay? Show has survived at least two initially-rough reboots and I guess it'd be good of me to give it at least a fair shake.

More than anything it's the lack of immediate continuity (all previous reboots as such only involved one major character change at a time, so I find claims equating them with this disengenuous) combined with the more...I can't say 'pro' feeling but as has been noted several times earlier in the thread, this isn't a homegrown off the radar effort bubbling up, but a whole bunch of well known quantities, not all of whom I'm fond of.

I agree with all that for sure, which is why I have my reservations and fears. In genral I think it's a bad idea to try to recapture old magic and get lightning to strike again, and in general there's just no way that MST can be *special* in 2017 the way it was twenty-five years ago. Buuuut it is at least possible that if the first ep really sucks that the fifth sucks a little less as the writers get comfortable with each other, see how stuff sounds/feels in the theater, maybe hit on the right voices/material for the cast... I dunno.

I mean, I'm all for trashing bad movies in whatever format, just make it entertaining and good.

i've seen some official Rifftrax feat. guest riffers and they were shockingly boring. like any comedy it's all about the delivery

New fully public update from Joel, worth a read:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mst3k/bringbackmst3k/posts/1817172

The big news is talking about the return of Gypsy, per the cast photo, and that she's actually played by a woman this time out, Rebecca Hanson, who sounds like she's also being increasingly involved in behind-the-scenes stuff as well. For a variety of reasons I approve of that, and Joel talking about how the character was originally planned/designed/approached/voiced is a pretty good owning up, I think.

The other chunk of news was talking about the backers-only screenings of the first new episode over the past couple of weeks, which apparently went down well. Here's the bit from Joel I was most interested in:

Actually, even some of the most hesitant backers who came to our screenings came up to all of us afterward, and told us that they think we got the tone of the show "just right," and that they're really pleased to see how well Jonah, Baron, Hampton, Felicia and Patton picked up the tradition and kept it going. If you're still worried about the new cast, I hope that will help you relax a bit and enjoy the last few weeks of waiting a little more.

It's nice to see him admit that there ARE hesitant backers, for whatever reasons we all have had. (I only chipped in a buck just so I could keep tabs on the news.) Not surprising he'd share positive news and all but this gives me a little more hope.

Anyway, whole bunch of original episodes coming to Netflix:

http://theshoutfactory.tumblr.com/post/158405283795/fan-favorite-classic-episodes-of-mystery-science

"Hey, ever since Dad got murdered, things have been great!"

Teaser Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ct0Z2bQndM

not much to go on but i for one hate the digitally-inserted stuff. i'm pretty down with the prop/miniature stuff though.

Yeah...huh.

Well, I guess in a WEIRD way, if the original series was supposed to be/reference cheap programming in the UHF/video era, maybe referencing cheap programming in the streaming/digital insert era is the only way to go. But I think I just retconned the whole thing.

Frankly I would have been happier with, you know, an actual version of the THEME SONG.

You should really just relax.

Astounding!

I had forgotten Felicia Day was involved with this?

What digital stuff? I saw some stop motion and chromakeyed or composited stuff but it didn't look like idk an Empire flooring commercial or the mucinex bee

I meant the composited stuff like the stuff on their monitors. Makes it look like a YouTube channel with a little bit of money and time behind it, not like MST (to me).

sweet they are going to riff Starcrash. i love that movie.

Yeah Starcrash is prime meat for sure.

The other movies in the trailer are apparently Reptilicus and The Time Travelers (1964).

I hope there's at least one post-ironic aughts or teens movie in the season, something for the millennials like me

Makes it look like a YouTube channel

but that's totally the cable access equivalent of the 21st century. Honestly I just hope the riffs are funny.

i saw reptilicus a few years ago, it's pretty amazing in its own right

I've also seen Reptilicus (in college) and was floored back then when I found out MST3K hadn't tackled it. Eager to see what they do with it

Watched Sidehackers for the first time in a long time last night. Still great to see how far the sport has come from its humble desert origins.

This had me rolling:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTKWAgiZs5M

My own FLESH I don't love better!

Mike was so fantastically great in the guest/one-off spots during the Joel years. And I could be wrong but I think that's Frank's only 'guest role' ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQR78U6zvGI

"...breakfast, actually."

Frank was also the voice of Winky (Mike)'s mom in Manhunt in Space.

Hahah that's right.

WTF kind of name is "Kinga" though