Mystery Science Theatre 3000 has returned to Netflix!
The show ran from 1988 all the way through to1999 before going off air, seemingly for good. Fortunately, a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2016 has brought the show back to our screens on Netflix. But why should you watch such a show that has been off air for almost twenty years?
The premise is simple, some time in the not too distant future (around about next Sunday-AD to be precise) a man named Joel was working for Gizmonic Institute, he was fairly un-intrusive and did a god job keeping the place clean, but earned the wrath of his bosses who decided to shoot him into space with designs on making him watch cheesy movies in order to find the worst one that they can then unleash upon the populace.
It’s a somewhat crazy story, but what it boils down to is Joel and his Robot friends (more on them later) watching some of the worst movies ever put to celluloid and then mocking them for all they’re worth. The resultant show is a strangely surreal blend of comedy and science fiction and whatever is being screened that episode. The only thing that prevented the show from tearing into a film was copyright issues, but even then, there was still the possibility for circumstances to change as the series grew in popularity.
While the show was a progenitor for the style of “riffing” on films, what sets MST3K apart from its successors (with the possible exception of Rifftrax, which is made up of several of the original cast members) is the use of science fiction elements to help sell the appeal. The majority of the action was set on the Satellite of Love, a space station orbiting the Earth and also populated by a group of robots built by Joel from components on the satellite to help keep him sane. Each robot (created from scraps, giving them a homemade look as well) had their distinct personality, and joined in making fun of the films as well as helping out with the presenter segments that book-ended the advert breaks.
The show was very popular, and often saw several episodes played back-to-back during Thanksgiving, with several episodes even helping to bring a level of cult status to the films that were torn into, with possibly the most well-known being the infamous Manos: The Hands of Fate, but practically every film that appeared on the show guaranteed some level of laughter.
Fortunately, the new series, which is out now on Netflix, manages to continue the derisive tone whilst updating things for the modern era, as well as bringing in new “Mads” (the antagonists forcing the presenter to watch these horrific films) who are linked thematically to the original cast. The new host, played by Jonah Ray, fits perfectly into the world that has been created, and Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt are fantastically over the top as the new evil overlords of the project.
The first episode also brings back the much-loved songs linked to some of the films, featuring a rap of the various mythological creatures around the world that will both enlighten the viewer and raise a chuckle, while the catchy theme tune is also back and updated for the new series.
It’s almost impossible to say whether or not MST3K is the show for you. But I urge you to give it a try. You might find a brand new show that you will love for a long time, or you might find another reason to hate terrible films.
Regardless, it’s important to keep sharing the URL!
Mystery Science Theatre 3000 is on Netflix now!
