So, for this weekend’s discussion thread, your assignment is to try to put into words, if you can, why you still care about a little cowtown puppet show that’s been canceled three times, most recently nearly a decade ago, that hasn’t been on TV for years, and will probably never be seen on TV again.
Though it’s been altered a little since I wrote this for my FAQ in the mid-90s, I’m still pleased with this.
So, after nearly 200 bad movies, ten years of production and fifteen years of television audiences joining the crew of the SOL for “movie sign!”, it’s fair to ask what it was that kept this show so beloved.
Well, Joel said something very profound about his show in an interview in 1990: “It’s about liberty, in a small, goofy way,” he said. And that is probably at the heart of it. It appeals to an innate human desire to unabashedly say what you think. And for young kids, that seems to be the principle draw: the whole notion of grown-ups in power being heckled and ridiculed for their obvious inadequacies is irresistible.
But there’s more going on here, or this would just be ‘Beavis & Butthead.’ More importantly, MST3K is a call to arms in a war most thinking people are waging every day: the battle against the mediocrity that floods our lives. MST3K is an object lesson, a demonstration that we don’t have to — and shouldn’t — passively accept the garbage we are spoon-fed on a daily basis. Indeed, the series places the ‘bots and their human companion on the front lines of that battle. It’s in this way that MST3K rises above mere heckling and becomes a compelling metaphor about fighting the good fight.
But beyond that, there is no mistaking the genius at work here. It shines so clearly that toddlers are instinctively drawn to it and senior citizens smile knowingly — even if neither gets the Courtney Love jokes. From Joel’s forehead-slappingly simple concept to its loopy yet graceful execution, the show has a cool elegance, an endearing off-kilter brilliance. It engenders an astonishing loyalty in its viewers — a loyalty that stems in part from the way it makes its viewers feel like they are “in on” a very special secret. It manages the near-impossible by being one of the most delightfully unpredictable programs on national TV, while also being one of the most re-assuringly formulaic. “The show,” as devotees simply call it, rewards knowledge and insight, punishes inattention and passivity. But most importantly, it always has been — and always will be — really, genuinely funny.
In the theater, the give-and-take rhythm between movie and commentary can be, at its best, dazzling and exhilarating; while the host segments often build to the kind of antic cartoon chaos (reminiscent of Monty Python or a Warner Brothers Looney Tune) that is a tonic for anyone who feels trapped in a dreary, workaday world. The overall result is an entertainment experience that leaves its viewer a little happier than when he or she found it.
Your thoughts?
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Why I love MST3K
Because it neve rfails to make me laugh.The robots,they are just like people.the series can be so goofy its almost absurd(And this is coming from an avid monty python fan)and other times it can be poignant,like the tribute episode to frank Zappa.Even the most evil,seedy creatures can have a heart of gold.Dr.F apologizing for manos,Pearl missing the kids,just a little.Joel’s paternalness gets meevery time,and mikes big brother i want to escape makes me laugh.The facts that the bots are so human they dont want mike to leave,because they will be alone,in space.And the movies!they almost make you wanna crymtheir so bad.But the Bots and Host take it all in stride.I have never seen an episode that didnt haveme rolling in the floor laughing.Another reason is the fact that my peepaw introduced to the show(Peepaw is southern for grandpa).so whenever i watch the show,i think of him.The host segments are very goofy,but can be very smart and witty.Mst3k is one of the few shows that I can put on at any time.in any mood,and still be able to watch.It has helped shape my persoanlity and humor,and i often fidningmyslef msting shows and such.Oneof my catchphrases is huzzah.I dot even recognize tha i say it,i just do.Mst3k is one of my fasvorite shows,because it blends childlike innocence,with wit,uttergoofieness,heartfelt love,and a general homey atmosphere that i have loved and loved.And this is coming from a 14 year old fan who adores the show and constantly recomends it.
that is why i love mst3k
I suppose that it’s easy, really: “Because it’s funny.” It’s witty, effortlessly blending classical references with pop-culture and sight gags, it’s fun, a series that treads that careful line between family entertainment and anarchic subversiveness in a way that adults and kids can watch it together and laugh at different things, and it’s inventive, a series that has an endless well of inspiration to draw from in the form of movies that aren’t simply bad, but astonishingly deranged and terrifyingly compelling in their ineptitude.
I loved it when it was on KTMA and I was in junior high, I loved it when I was taping Thanksgiving marathons at my sister’s apartment because my dad didn’t believe in cable, I loved it when I went over to friends’ apartments to watch and tape new episodes, and I loved it when I finally moved out and could watch the show on video (and later DVD.) I love the Mike era, the Joel era, the Legend era, the Film Crew, Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax. I’m always looking forward to more.
Why? Because it’s still funny.
Why do I love MST3k?
Because the show effortless combines high brow and low brow humor. Because it never talks down to the audience, or rely on fart jokes and stupidity to get a laugh. Because, despite the best efforts of the writers, they still managed to create lovable characters that we can relate with and sympathize with. And best of all, laugh along with. Because it can always manage to surprise with this or that obscure reference, and even after multiple viewings you can finally get that reference or that joke that completely missed you previously. Because they managed to unearth the goofy, the silly, the just plain weird. Because, in turn, they opened the door to even more silliness (I’m thinking especially of the vast world of Prelinger Archive and A/V Geeks shorts). Because even the worst episode is still 10 times better than any Adam Sandler or Will Ferrel movie. Because I can trace direct and indirect influence from MST3k to a number of other things that I like (Animaniacs, Freakazoid!, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, Homestar Runner, etc.)
I see it as the same kind of thing that the recent Jack Black movie “Be Kind Rewind” tried to capitalize on. Something that is home made by a couple real people in their spare time is more endearing and more real, especially when everything else on TV is so overproduced and unreal. Liam Lynch’s MTV show “Sifle and Olly” also had a lack of budget that left more room for talent and humanity, and they both subtly made fun of the “real world” of big-money media which always strove to attain the best graphics and the hippest new effects, but could never escape looking dated a few years later. Meanwhile, MST3K will never look dated because it was never straining to use the best technology of the day. That’s why MST
i think on a certain level Joel and Co. liked the movies they ripped. there are endearing qualities to most of them. sure they’re low-budget, low-talent productions but there is something liberating in that formula. they were often made on the fringes of the studios and as such the filmmakers were allowed to do their own thing. MST3K appeals to those who already liked these kinds of movies. those that sat around with their friends doing their own riffs on Friday Night’s Creature Feature or Saturday Night’s horror movie hosted by the Ghoul.
I’m a number 5!
Ten years after the last cancellation, I still have the privelage of introducing people to the show I love, and defending it from people like my room mate, who unfortunately is not one of the ‘right people.’ Yet he laughs at some of the host segments…
I second the general sentiment of the previous posts; what other program has been like this, both in the past and present? Where else can we see the other side of Hollywood’s movie machinery in a format that actually makes the films tolerable? In any given episode, you can get references to Greek theatre, 1950’s television, and even, (gasp!) a poopy joke or two. It all blends so seemlessly, from opening segment to the final “Hit the button!”
The world continues to go crazy and economically depressed, but as long as there is power for my VCR, I have a few tapes I can always slap in and just slip away into sheer lunacy for about 90 minutes.
I was 8 in ’88; kind of weird to think that in some strange way, MST3K was competing for airtime with He-Man, She-Ra, and the Thundercats…
Ack, looks like I’m a number 6- eh!
Well, the main reason I got into the show, and the main reason I keep watching it, is because I like watching bad movies and laughing at them myself, so me and MST3K are a match made in Heaven. Plus, it’s always fun hearing them make as many obtuse references as possible: statistically speaking, your favorite movie/show/band is going to be referenced at least once, unless it’s relatively new.
From my first glimpse of this wonderful vaudeville romp of a show I was hooked for life. Like the Marx Brothers at their best, the show is well written and beautifully performed. You can see the care put into the show in every episode. I love the DIY punk ethos of MST3K, a show that needs not sink to the lowest common denominator to entertain. And the show educates as well: esoterica mentioned when researched allow one to expand the mind as well as get the joke. I don’t know the origin of this quote but the show seems to reflect its message: “Always assume your audience is as smart as you are.” And we are the better for it.
This show has seen me through dark times, making me laugh when I was down. It’s been a companion while relationships have ended and time has unspooled. It remains a welcome constant, and becomes more funny as the years pass. I love MST3K. Thank you, Sampo and Erhardt for the gift of this site. Thank you for helping us celebrate this wonderful, shambolic, eternal journey of laughter through the galaxy.
I love it because there has never been anything like it on TV, and I doubt there ever will. I love what they had to go through to stay on the air, and the quality never faltered for a second. They were the best comedy TV writers ever, and even their acting and character development was beyond anything achieved by any other show. Most of all, it was like spending an hour and a half with your best friends.
1. It truly rewards multiple viewing.
2. It truly rewards intelligence, and it cared more about the integrity of the joke than whether you got it or not.
3. It was completely untouched by the culture of Hollywood. And as it was not produced in Los Angeles, New York, or Vancouver, BC, it had a truly unique perspective not seen anywhere else in popular American entertainment before or since.
4. It was produced by genuinely clever and interesting people with real personal and artistic integrity, and they cared more about making a great show than they did about making money.
5. It was genuinely funny, and it was never snarky or bitter or sexist or racist.
6. It had puppets.
i have to agre with number 11.anything with puppets is just awesoem
I second everything mentioned above. One aspect of the show that is more and more appealing as the years go by is that the creators did not rely on crude, scatological humor to riff on the movies. There are times when it would have been very easy to succumb to the temptation, but I’m glad that they never took that direction. So much television humor is vulgar these days, and it is refreshing to watch a program that can be side-splittingly fun while still being (relatively) clean. (When they did make a naughty joke, it was usually way over the heads of young children anyway.) That way, both the young and old can appreciate MST3K almost equally.
Simple. Three things are the basis for my entire sense of humor and much of my general outlook on life: The Adventures of Pete and Pete, Calvin and Hobbes, and Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Nobody likes to sit near me at movies because I never shut the hell up because I’m MSTing the whole time.
That’s why it matters. I still watch it because it makes me laugh.
I’ll keep mine short: i love MST3K because it’s like hanging out with old friends. You can never feel lonely with a MST3K episode on. :grin:
Also, i think it’s kinda funny.
This is going to go all over the map, so this is just some random point by point stuff.
–It’s truly unique. There’s an overwhelming amount of cookie-cutter entertainment out there. MST3K, however, is something else altogether – it’s an experience that you couldn’t/can’t get on any TV channel.
–I love bad movies. I’ve had a weird affection for them before I even found/heard of MST3K. While enjoying the best that film has to offer is one thing, it’s something else entirely to derive enjoyment from the unexpected, to get a big laugh where one doesn’t expect to find them. MST3K ties into my interests because the writers are also keen about finding enjoyment in the least likely of places.
Not only that, but the show allowed me to find such wonderfully bizarre films that I never would have encountered otherwise. Would I have found “The Beatniks,” “Jack Frost,” “Manos: The Hands of Fate,” “Laserblast,” “Alien From L.A.,” “The Robot Vs. the Aztec Mummy,” or many of the other MSTed films without the help of Best Brains? Probably not… and things would have been much worse off that way.
–The spontaneous atmosphere and low-budget. While most shows have too glossy of a sheen to them or a sense of too much overproduction, MST3K has a refreshing down-to-earth feel to it. With the many low-budget props and single-angle camera shots, we get to see a great deal of creativity alongside an easygoing atmosphere instead of a show that’s hampered by overproduction or egotism, the very things that could distance a show from the viewer.
If anything, the low-budget/low-tech aspects of the show pushes the MST3K team to focus their energy on being innovative and creativity. That certainly rings true with the writing AND the quirky artistic design. Creativity means a lot to me, so to see the MST3K gang transcend their low-budget/low-tech restrictions and present something ingenious is a thing of inspiration.
–Variety and something for everyone. As was mentioned earlier, I really appreciate that the theater segments don’t rely on ONE kind of joke – that is, entirely high-brow or entirely low-brow. The episodes neither become pretentious exercises in illustrating how erudite the writers are nor do they become gross opportunities to push the envelope as far as it can go.
Instead, by featuring a diversity of humor (bodily function jokes mixed in with sitcom references mixed in with obscure literary references mixed in with etc.), the show remains multifaceted and as such, it’s never boring, uninvolving, or unfunny.
Not only that, but the eclectic jokes allow for an eclectic fanbase to share the show. Wide-ranging humor means a lot to me, so I applaud the writers for incorporating a variety of riffs that can appeal to many different kinds of people. I’ve watched/shared MST3K with people from varying walks of life and we all had a lot of different things to take away from the episodes and talk about. It’s truly an accomplishment for a show to bring a variety of people together the way that MST3K does and I can’t say enough about it.
–Rewatchability. Some shows don’t hold up well under repeat viewings. MST3K, however, is a show that – for some reason or another – can keep me laughing even though I’ve heard the jokes many times over. As is the case with obvious examples such as “Mitchell” or “Space Mutiny,” there’s something about the jokes that holds up after repeat viewings. It’s great to know that I can turn to a show time and time again and still come away laughing like a fool.
–The lack of nastiness. While the MSTed movies sometimes feature nasty characters, monsters, and events, the humor never has a nasty or unpleasant feel to it. I’m not a fan of genuinely mean-spirited humor, so MST3K represents something of an antidote from TV shows that are based around uglier/nastier premises and situations.
–It’s a real pick-me-up. From time to time, I’ve had some fairly awful days. More often than not, the humor of the show is so potent that it can lift me out of my funk and put a smile back on my face. When circumstances are less than pleasant, the MST3K characters and jokes present a welcome release from difficult times and a chance to see the lighter side of things for awhile. That means a whole hell of a lot to me.
–It’s damn funny stuff. When you come right down to it, that’s all that needs to be said on the matter.
Thanks, MST3K, and happy 20th anniversary!
#11 hints upon what I think is the secret of its longevity (and what I fail to see most people noting) — it’s good natured.
That’s sometimes a trivial and undeserving comment made of a lot of things, but in the case of MST3K it’s why it appeals to a broad spectrum (and not, say, just the South Park crowd). While clearly the movies riffed are, for the by and large, deserving of huge amounts of scorn, you almost never get the sense from any of the participants that they are ridiculing the material because they are so far above it. Indeed, they make enough humble comments that seem to realize that they, too, can be the butt of jokes just as all art can be critiqued.
It has also been theorized (and I agree) that the material is evenly balanced across the political spectrum (the theory being that perhaps Mike’s conservatism held in check the more liberal elements). Whatever the reason, as someone who often finds themselves on the wrong side of Hollywood it’s nice to watch a show that takes equal shots at nearly everyone (and yet, still in a good natured way that’s extremely difficult for anyone to duplicate).
I started watching MST3K when I was in college and had no access to video rentals, on tapes a friend sent me. At that time, I was a fan of old horror and sci-fi movies, and they were very difficult to find in those days. Finally, MST allowed me to see movies I’d only read about for the first time.
I recall that when said friend first introduced me to the show, he said, “and they do the Rocky Horror thing, sit in front of the screen and make scripted jokes.” I was enough into the gay-friendly edge of goth/punk subculture to be OK with that, even if I never was a serious “Rocky” fan.
For me, MST is a postmodern approach to modern media. It requires a degree of media literacy that previous generations, not raised swimming in media as my generation was, could not have attained. Older or more conservative types will still sometimes say, “I can’t listen to the movie with all that talking.” I can, and I think everyone here can, and this is a development of a subtle shift in our perceptual abilities brought about by a changing environment. It is of a piece with the VH1 bubble comments, the concept of hearing “director’s commentary” on a DVD, or other multi-media experiences unique to our age.
My fellow Psychotronics fans sometimes regard me as a traitor for supporting a show that makes fun of our favorite movies. It is certainly true that the entire concept of the show is built around the notion that these movies are objectively “bad” (as ridiculous as the notion that something can be objectively “funny”). But, from a postmodern perspective, I can simultaneously accept that this premise is necessary to the furtherance of the story arc (yes, a puppet show does have one – sorry, Mike), and remain detached from believing it as a viewer. In short, that is how I riff on the show that riffs on my favorite movies. I love them both.
Once I was challenged by a fellow devotee as to how I could stand seeing an Ed Wood film in the company of an audience who was only there to laugh at it. My answer still stands today:
“Laughter is the first stage of acceptance.”
Shadowrama–the show manufactured a sense of companionship, and facilitated the creation of community around it.
People may get together to watch shows like “Lost” or “Battlestar Galactica,” but we watch these shows as individuals. Even when we were physically alone, we watched MST3k with others as a result of the show’s nature and design. When other people happened to be with us (and bought into the concept/design) then that sense of companionship spilled into the room making for one of the few truly great communal viewing experiences in our culture.
And it’s really freaking funny.
I’m with #14 (Jeff)…nobody wants to sit with me at movies, either, because I’m whispering a running commentary about the movie, or something the movie reminds me of – the MST3K crew was like sitting with my best friends and looking for things to joke about. And they could turn the simplest things into something hysterically funny…to this day, whenever my daughter (another big fan) and I watch movies, we watch the credits for “Gowns by…” and scream at the TV “GOWNS!!! THEY’RE GONNA HAVE GOWNS!!” (from Creature from the Black Lagoon, if I recall correctly…please correct me if I’m wrong; I can’t stand erroneous attributions)
Because of MST3K, I really WATCH old movies now; looking for something unusual, funny, quirky, lovable, or just weird. Come to think of it, that pretty much describes MST3K!
I’ll start with a disclaimer: when I first heard of this show, I thought it was the worst idea for a show that I’ve ever heard. Having seen many many epsiodes since then, I now think that it is the worst idea for a show that I’ve ever heard, except for “Cop Rock” or “The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer”.
Where the show is really brilliant is in the execution. Whereas most people would have taken this concept and made a real turkey out of it (with apologies to Ben Murphy), the gathered individuals known collectively as Best Brains brought wit, intelligence, accessibility, inclusiveness, and a wholesome lack of meanness. Besides which, they were very funny.
The show is thus amusing and entertaining without being nasty or obscene. That is not only heartwarming, it is also impressively creative.
I still watch and remember this show because it is so unique. The reality shows of today may be popular now (FYI I hate them all) but no one will remember Flavor of Love 10 years after it was canceled. You think people will remember American Idol even 5 years after its’ cancellation. No; because these shows are all the same. MST3K did not make Time Magazines top 100 shows of all time list because it was just like every other show. It made it because there is nothing else like it before or after. When ever I see a movie that I don’t like this show pops into my head immediately. I usually find myself riffing movies myself whether it be in my head or out loud. That’s why I still watch MST3K. It’s one of a kind.
Everyone has been so eloquent and has touched on many of the points that I would have offered.
I would like to add that personally I think that what won me over is that it just seemed that this was a group of folks that really enjoyed their craft and appreciated that others enjoyed the fruits of their efforts. They never took themselves too seriously, but they never took their fan base for granted.
The regular mixing of pop culture minutiae, intelligent repartee, general goofiness and lowbrow guffaws was refreshing and unpredictable. They remained consistently funny through all of the inevitable changes that a show goes through. That also explains why I for one continue to enjoy the offerings from The Film Crew, RiffTrax and Cinematic Titanic. Regardless of the format these are just a bunch of incredibly funny people.
Thanks to all the cast and crew of MST3K for the first 20 years and here’s looking forward to many more.
It’s a pretty grim world sometimes, and MST is the television equivalent of the perfect comfort food. It always makes me laugh, gives me a reassuring sense that everything will be fine. As others have pointed out, there’s no real malice or condescension in the humor, but rather a kind of affection for these movies. And MST has definitely given me a chance to see movies I never would have watched otherwise, and to seek out others (The Sadist, Spider Baby, Night Tide) that I’ve enjoyed.
Plus, I watch it for the kicks.
No other show in history has had the range of cultural reference that MST3K had. Reaching far and wide into the realms of pop culture, politics, radio, sports, art, theatre, and television, this “cowtown puppet show was a testament to the extent that the human mind can recall and associate images, concepts and ideas in a virtuosic array of comedic fantasy. This was done years before the internet was a household tool. It is proof that humans could obtain and wield an encyclopedic knowledge of their own reality without the aid of the instant gratification of cyberspace. Many shows and other artistic works had done so before, but never on such a scale and with such incomparable wit and whimsy as Mystery Science Theater 3000. In addition to this, there are many many other valuable aspects of the show. One of the stand out examples would definitely be that IT TEACHES US TO LOOK AT MOVIES WITH A CRITICAL EYE. While the technical criticisms of the movies are hilarious, they serve a double purpose of exposing exactly WHY a movie is bad from a film making view. Also, I appreciated the positive stance by the writers on issues such as feminism and racism. They showed us how far we have come as a culture by openly objecting to unfair treatment of people other than white men in older movies. The SOL crew also were and still are the absolute cutting edge of wit and humor. The jokes and references that I learned from MST3k were superbly original. In fact, many popular phrases and sayings were, if not from the show directly, definitely germinated (the gender neutral form of “disseminated”) widely from the shows underground popularity. That’s all I can think of right now, but I’m sure there are many other reasons why the show matters.
Let me start with a story … Somebody, just now, got me up stairs to watch Democracy NOW interview Dennis Kucinich, and I did watch a few seconds before realizing ‘Waiiit a minute! He’s not running for president for 8 years!’ and coincidently said ‘He doesn’t matter.’ and walked off. Not the case for Mystery Science Theater 3000. You don’t have to wait for anybody to step down or what not. Your show didn’t have strong opinions. Your show didn’t destroy Ohio (maybe Minneapolis). Your show is just plain funny, and that’s why yous matter. Really.
another thing i forgot to mention
It never realy did get dirty.Even their most risque riff was done in style,with joel reprimanding the bots.
Its just GENERAL GREAT SHOW,and this is coming from someone who is 14 and constantly attacked with “Modern things”when i can go home,and watch a show with riffs that i get,or if i dont get,i look up and enrich my mind with.Honestly how many people,other than us msties,know who coleman francis is.Or that there was actualy a movie with such a long title,that even its acronym is more than 5 letters long(TISCWDTSLABMUZ)Mst3k is sheer class and even people who dont like the show(Shockingly,there are some :shock: )
Will laugh.They blend goofyness with wittieness,with slapstick.its like they took the three stooges,added monty python,with a little bit of snl,with a dash of real life movie situations and there ya have it-a classy show with classy characters,Heres looking at you kid*Nods to the brains
I think what made the show consistently great, no matter how it changed over the years, was staying true to an underlying philosophy. It’s debatable just what that philosophy is, but I think it’s best summed up as:
‘Achieve love through controlled cynicism.’
While it’s true that fighting back against the tsunami of garbage that is pop culture is the basic element, it’s just as important that they never really tore the victims of their riffing to shreds (despite what Joe Don Baker and Sandy Frank might say otherwise). They showed that even the most horrid movies could become fun and worth watching if you just saw them in a different context, and that even something worthless could become worthwhile.
I mean, if they hadn’t done Manos, it wouldn’t be renowned as one of the worst movies ever made because the handfull of people that had seen it would either just not care, or have suppressed the memory. Once Joel and the ‘bots were done with it however, it became, well, beloved. In a backhanded sort of way.
Other shows that try the same thing, like the aforementioned B&B, usually do just end up throwing verbal feces at their targets like talking monkeys. And even when their comments should logically work, something just doesn’t click. And I really do believe that the intangible difference is the underlying love. Thus was our favorite satellite christened, that they might never forget, even if 10 consecutive viewings of Hobgoblins did smother a measurable fraction of said love.
May their lustre never dull, and their wires never cross.
Don’t need 200 words. 5 will do.
It still makes me laugh.
“Don’t need 200 words. 5 will do.
It still makes me laugh.”
I can do it in two.
“Supremely funny.”
Although ultimately, others have already hit numerous key elements: unique, original, sincere, charming, witty, clever, well-referenced in pop (and not-so-pop) culture, incredible rewatchability, the ability to express humor and pain/frustration simultaneously without stooping to crude insults (mostly, since those are still funny if played right), variety, an ability to commit to sheer absurdity and thereby pull it off beautifully, the great opening and closing themes, a sense that these poor lots trapped in space are very nearly members of your own family . . .
And, of course, the name alone is awesome: Mystery Science Theater 3000. Think about that for a moment – try to re-appreciate just how awesome that is. And with a name like Mystery Science Theater 3000, it has to be good.
MST3k: The Anti-Suck.
It was funny and still watchable after repeted viewings. I have watched a large number of episode only once, some of which were the original broadcast. I can just pop a dvd in and enjoy the jokes….
Even repeteted viewings can offer a new joke that I did not get the first time…..there still may be hundreds of riffs left that will make laugh.
I think it is “THE” best program on Television EVER!!
I like to add…Happy Birthday Mystery Science Theater 3000! :mrgreen:
Must have been a CC Section.
I love MST3K to death, but I have to defend B&B here: the joke with B&B is not that they were constantly spouting crude humor. The show was written so that the characters’ attitudes themselves were hilarious, not the actual things they said. To me, B&B will always be a commentary on crudeness and idiocy, not an indulgence in it. On MST3K or Rifftrax, whenever there is crude humor, it seems to be for that same reason. Unfortunately, catch-phrase-society seems to have tainted most people’s view of how terrific B&B was.
Why i love MST3k-
i am never alone or lonely as long as my “little friends” are here, in my heart, on my tv, and on my leg. also, without mst3k i would not be as funny as i am, riffing at will, random quotes to friends and family,
or able to see the funny/absurd of it all..
LONG LIVE MST3K! :lol:
Because life is often ****ty, and it takes away the pain.
For me it is the references, the cleverness, the (sometimes) edginess, the local MN feel, the Scifi host segments (while often ridiculed for having nothng to do with movie) that had a different set/different interaction (Mike & the bots in a forest/Mike on a planet with Bobo/Observer/Pearl or even the cheese factory), the odd short films and horrid movies (there was no monster?), the casts’ background, the chemistry of their characters, seeing them live, meeting them and seeing they’re real people. It’s all this and so much more. The right people get it.
It’s just plain cool,mostly because of when Joel was on the show(but Mike is cool too).
mst3k gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.its the best show ever on television.its a learning show.you watch an episode,laugh,watch more,then later when you watch the episodes you get all these little back jokes that made you laugh even harder.
mst3k is like the be all cure all medicine.It takes away pain and tears,even if in theory.it makes you laugh,even if you dont get the jokes.
in short-The best TV show ever to grace God’s green earth.
Smile.God loves you
While I can wholeheartedly agree with the above statements, there is one thing that I can say that makes this show matter: My base of knowledge has been vastly expanded because of the wide range of references the show gives. For example, I had never heard of Berlin Alexanderplatz before i heard it on Colossus and the Headhunters. I had always wondered what that meant until I found out it was a German miniseries that lasted 15 1/2 hours. There are many other things that I did not know until I found out about them on the ‘little cowtown puppet show.’ Some I appreciated, others were better off not knowing, but I and all of us are better off for the knowing. Happy Anniversary to one great show!
I loved this show from the first few moments I saw it. I knew I was watching something really special as soon as I finally got Comedy Central and was able to put it on. I thought, hey, these people are me. :mrgreen:
It’s cheered me up when life was crappy. It’s fun, and funny, clever, and it has heart. :grin:
Loved the chemistry between the characters (especially the Joel and Trace years). :cool:
Like others have said, it had a mix of humor and styles that could appeal to a lot of people. It made watching movies that were – less than stellar – fun to watch, and easier to take. :wink:
The schlock we’re force fed these days on TV and at the movies makes me sick. Any crass idiot with an attitude can get his/her own show these days and I really hate where our “culture” is going, and hate the fact that people are rewarded for being a–holes. :evil:
MST3K never felt mean-spirited to me, and I loved the family feel of it (though the later years were getting away from that a little).
It makes me laugh, it cheers me up, and knowing that this show exists, and the people who post on this board exist, gives me hope for our screwed up little world.
They were the stuff that dreams are made of.
Good night, and may God bless.
For the most part, the movies-however bad-were not made exploitatively. There was, to a degree, honest intention and a lack of self-aware irony that permeates today’s society. Perhaps it was forced upon the filmmakers by a somewhat repressive society, but at least they had to make the attempt. So when Joel/Mike and the ‘bots made fun of the movies, it was the kind of ribbing we could use on a friend whose shortcomings are obvious but endearing. Or the kind of joking that a friend could aim at our own imperfections that we could still laugh at. The world can be an ugly place and our mass media seems to revel in the very worst of it. While MST3K was at the forefront of the media-commenting-upon-media era that we are in, it lacks the hatefulness and embraces innocence. Turn on your TV right now and you are likely to see mean-spirited people debasing themselves and betraying others in order to win the prize in some reality show. Or Ann Coulter and her ilk calling people vermin for not sharing their political pespectives. Or sexual and violent acts being shoved in your face without a thought of their repercussions. MST3K is a show that I could watch with someone of any age, could have watched at any age, and still enjoy. Like The Onion, it points out flaws in a thoughtful and funny way.
MST3K could be seen as a metaphor for life itself: if your situation sucks, find the fun/irony/dark humor in it. Or, fun is where you make it. From that first morning ep with a nice cup of coffee to the droning black and white that sends me to sleep, I love this cow-town puppet show.
And reading these postings, listening to all of your words, is great, too- people who love this show as much as I do actually exist! Huzzah, and hi-keeba!
Thanks to you, one and all. We may have different political or religious beliefs, etc. but we are united by MST3K.
And we- are- somebody!
Because it had never been done before, and will never be done again.
Because now I can’t watch a TV show/movie that has an actor I’ve seen somewhere else more prominently, without going “(character), NOOOO!!”
That and the show was basically one of a kind.
Also, that and where else would you hear references to the Rolling Stones, Bullwinkle, and Dr. Smith from Lost in Space in the same episode (The Day the Earth Froze, still my favorite).
Hi Keebah!!!
Because it’s really neat and full of meat. And leaves nothing behind but the great smell of Brute! :)
For me, one word: God.
Yes, the show’s funny and sweet and all the other good things people have said above.
But in addition to all of its other targets, MST3K is one of the few shows out there to poke affectionate fun at God and religion. Not in the nasty, bitter way that one so often sees in humor these days, but in an intelligent and kind-hearted way, one which shows that the writers are poking fun at something that’s clearly important to them.
So many people have forgotten about God these days, so it was refreshing to have found some people who remember Him, and give Him and His followers some good-natured ribbing now and then.
I mean, Lutheran jokes. Where else in the world (apart from Garrison Kieller) do you find Lutheran jokes . . .?
The Comedic Alchemy of Transforming Sh#t into Gold!
Where else could you hear JFK ‘grasy knoll’ conspiracy jokes followed up by surrealist comments like “HELP ME! My Earlobes Won’t Stop Growing!” ??
Today TV is fairly diverse and most of us have access to a WEALTH of media & info by way of google, Youtube, etc. BUT back in the ‘Olden Days’ of 1989 there were not many choices and voluntary censorship kept many important but controversial topics off the airwaves …
Mystery Science Theater 3000 came in under the radar – they were an independent unit producing their material with no interference from the network or hollywood business types. and were able break all the boundaries as a unique mix of comedy, film critique, puppetry, social commentary, philosophical inquiry, toilet humor, transdisciplinary thinking, kitsch, dada, high art, and tripped-out stoner weirdness … making it an instant hit across a very broad demographic range,
it was possibly the first post-post-modernist show to gain mass appeal.
Matthew Redwine notes above:
No other show in history has had the range of cultural reference that MST3K had. Reaching far and wide into the realms of pop culture, politics, radio, sports, art, theatre, and television, this “cowtown puppet show was a testament to the extent that the human mind can recall and associate images, concepts and ideas in a virtuosic array of comedic fantasy. This was done years before the internet was a household tool. It is proof that humans could obtain and wield an encyclopedic knowledge of their own reality without the aid of the instant gratification of cyberspace.
AND – there was a sense of community, if you had friend who also “got it” and watched the show, it felt like you were in a special club of some sort. This came from the quirky obscure references, we felt like “Whoa, some really smart funny freaks got through and have a network show, hell yeah!”
Most TV was SO STERILE and DEAD and DUMB that MST3K was like nothing else at the time, a beacon of higer intelligence in the form of a space-puppet show. I also liked BAD sci-fi movies since the times of the 1970s ‘creature features’ on late at night and usually had running commentaries about the film in my mind.
When i saw MST3K the first time (around 1989-1990 in the first season on Comedy Central) I was blown away! They turned movie commentary into a true art form and the sketches were funny too .. soon I was watcing every time it was on and making VHS tapes for friends.
I empathized with the SOL crew, because sometimes I feel a bit like an alien trapped on Satellite earth with a bunch of mad scientists.
I’m a huge fan of Buckminster Fuller http://www.bfi.org (humanitarian, non-evil super-genius, inventor of the geodesic dome, dymaxion car, Fuller non-distorting map, Space-frame construction technique, etc) & I LOVED the crew at BB for using his geometry in the outer set of Gizmonic Institute and in the Geodesic ends of the SOL. That made it feel more like “home” to me. It was the only Geodesic dome other than epcot that i saw on TV with any regularity.
Now, many years later, IT STILL ROCKS! The jokes are still funny, the characters are still endearing (from Ernahrdt & Frank through to Observer & Bobo) and it has aged very well.
They had a perfect storm of witty, smart, crazy and well-read writers, a talented cast who truly loved the job, Kevin Murphy’s awesome singing voice and the multi-generational appeal of campy puppet robots.
Epilogue: 20 YEARS LATER –
We can safely say that MST3K gave birth to a new comedic/critical art form known as ‘movie riffing’, which will probably last many dacades into the future.
-with Rifftrax, CT and other ventures and dozens of youtube knockoffs it looks like the art of riffing is possibly still in it’s infancy.
Damn, I forgot to mention the best part, the glue that keeps me stuck to the show (and to my friends who are also fans): the incredible extent to which the show can be referenced. There are so many great quotes that can be applied to everyday events, and peppering our conversations with them solidifies our bond as a little cultural unit – a tribe of The Right People set against a vast sea of The Wrong People.
“Like The Onion, it points out flaws in a thoughtful and funny way.”
Both The Onion and MST3k are amazing, but let’s be honest here: The Onion is capable of some vicious, brutally cutting satire. It’s not always affable in the way that MST3k generally is, even if it is extraordinarily and brilliantly funny. And it’s often far darker, simply because it avoids no taboos and delves deep into any and all aspects of the greater society – lighthearted absurdity and grim dismay alike.
The reason I still care about my favorite cowtown puppet show is because I still find new jokes after watching an episode several time. It has help me get though some of the roughest times in my life just by helping to remember that I need a good laugh. It speaks to all of us in the middle of the country that Hollywood seems to forget exist. It was one of the most creative shows on T.V. and oh yeah. It had puppets. We love you Joel, Mike, Gypsy, Tom Servo and Croooooow!!!! :lol:
I love MST3K because I was able to grow up with the show. I found it on Sci-Fi when I was 12 and thought it was funny, even though I didn’t understand half the jokes. The more I read and studied and watched the more jokes I understood. Thirteen years later, it’s *still* funny.
Plus, I hate the mediocre. So much of what’s on tv is mediocre that this show is like giving the finger to all the Two & a Half Men out there. As terrible as some of the movies are, I still think they have more heart than a good portion of Michael Bay’s crap.