We've Got Movie Sign!!!
February 22, 2017 3:52 AM Subscribe
Netflix has announced a release date for the new MST3k. AVClub also did a cool interview with Joel and some of the new cast. (previous mst3k)
I do have questions, though. Like, is it going to be a "full season at once" release, or will they roll them out weekly (something I'd much prefer)?
Okay, that's actually my only question. I looked at the Wikipedia page for the show and the number of details they have about the revival is way more than I could have found otherwise.
posted by hippybear at 4:07 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Okay, that's actually my only question. I looked at the Wikipedia page for the show and the number of details they have about the revival is way more than I could have found otherwise.
posted by hippybear at 4:07 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Flophouse's Elliott Kalan will be head writer!
posted by andromache at 4:18 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
posted by andromache at 4:18 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it? I've tried a few times, but I just find it consistently unfunny, at a level where I fear losing a bunch of humour brain cells if I continue watching (heck, once I even went googling for recommended clips and the first thing I found was someone who seemed to think "set lasers to miss" was the best line ever, so I gave up). Did you have to be in the US and at a certain age when it was first broadcast to appreciate it? Or are drugs required?
posted by effbot at 4:19 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by effbot at 4:19 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it?
When it was first-run on television and I was watching it (and NYPD Blue) obsessively, my ritual was a large beer and a couple of tokes while settling in. But then, that is a pretty standard ritual for a lot of people watching any kind of television, I'd imagine.
I think either you have the genes that let you enjoy listen to witty people make fun of bad movies by making snarky comments that engage with the plot and actually help you somehow appreciate the movie more, or you don't. That kind of sarcastic interjection into the stream of media isn't something that everyone's brain or sense of humor processes the same, I don't think. I've sat down for MST3K watchings with probably a dozen different friends across the decades and maybe only 2 enjoyed it enough to want to do it again or sought it out on their own.
posted by hippybear at 4:26 AM on February 22, 2017 [16 favorites]
When it was first-run on television and I was watching it (and NYPD Blue) obsessively, my ritual was a large beer and a couple of tokes while settling in. But then, that is a pretty standard ritual for a lot of people watching any kind of television, I'd imagine.
I think either you have the genes that let you enjoy listen to witty people make fun of bad movies by making snarky comments that engage with the plot and actually help you somehow appreciate the movie more, or you don't. That kind of sarcastic interjection into the stream of media isn't something that everyone's brain or sense of humor processes the same, I don't think. I've sat down for MST3K watchings with probably a dozen different friends across the decades and maybe only 2 enjoyed it enough to want to do it again or sought it out on their own.
posted by hippybear at 4:26 AM on February 22, 2017 [16 favorites]
Well, MST3K is not a universally loved taste... like pineapple on pizza.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:27 AM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:27 AM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
Way to bury the lede! Fourteenth of April, in case anyone else was wondering.
posted by Dysk at 4:28 AM on February 22, 2017 [13 favorites]
posted by Dysk at 4:28 AM on February 22, 2017 [13 favorites]
Is there any kind of way to suggest films to them? Because Blood Freak really, really needs the MST3K treatment.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:34 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:34 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Is there any kind of way to suggest films to them? Because Blood Freak really, really needs the MST3K treatment.
Seconded. Also, from the Wikipedia entry linked above: "Live and practical special effects will be planned out by Adam Savage". Yes, that Adam Savage.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:36 AM on February 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
Seconded. Also, from the Wikipedia entry linked above: "Live and practical special effects will be planned out by Adam Savage". Yes, that Adam Savage.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:36 AM on February 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
effbot: You need an episode where the movie is entertainingly bad and the riffing sharp. A couple good entry points:
posted by SansPoint at 4:47 AM on February 22, 2017 [18 favorites]
- MST3k: The Movie (Shorter than a regular episode, and a higher quality movie to riff in This Island Earth)
- The Amazing Colossal Man (top-notch riffs, a movie that's at least watchable)
- Space Mutiny (rapid-fire riffs that never stop coming, and a movie so ridiculous you'll wonder how it ever got made)
posted by SansPoint at 4:47 AM on February 22, 2017 [18 favorites]
The most interesting takeaway from the AV Club panel interview from a production standpoint is that Crow & Tom Servo will be operated by puppeteers while the actors deliver the lines and control the mouths remotely.
posted by dr_dank at 4:49 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by dr_dank at 4:49 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Flophouse's Elliott Kalan will be head writer!
Jeremy "Scales" Fangbattle of the Hoggsbottom Three?
posted by drezdn at 4:50 AM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
Jeremy "Scales" Fangbattle of the Hoggsbottom Three?
posted by drezdn at 4:50 AM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
Way to bury the lede! Fourteenth of April, in case anyone else was wondering.
Huh. My wife is due April 11th. Guess what, tiny baby: you're going to learn about Joel vs. Mike from literally the first moment you draw breath.
posted by Mayor West at 4:51 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
Huh. My wife is due April 11th. Guess what, tiny baby: you're going to learn about Joel vs. Mike from literally the first moment you draw breath.
posted by Mayor West at 4:51 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
April 14th. So you get one day to watch MST3K before you have to pay your taxes (U.S.)
Interesting that the MST3K revival cast picture was released the same day as the Han Solo movie cast picture. Is it just me or do a couple people look like they'd be better in the OTHER photo? (I'm specifically looking at Woody Harrelson).
Yes, that Adam Savage.
As well as set design help from Pendleton "Adventure Time" Ward and Rebecca "Steven Universe" Sugar. And the long list of guest writers that start with Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland (will Rick & Morty make a guest appearance?), and end with Pat Rothfuss' beard.
I don't need all the movie titles in advance, but I really wish they'd reveal the lyrics of the new version of the theme song soon...
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:52 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Interesting that the MST3K revival cast picture was released the same day as the Han Solo movie cast picture. Is it just me or do a couple people look like they'd be better in the OTHER photo? (I'm specifically looking at Woody Harrelson).
Yes, that Adam Savage.
As well as set design help from Pendleton "Adventure Time" Ward and Rebecca "Steven Universe" Sugar. And the long list of guest writers that start with Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland (will Rick & Morty make a guest appearance?), and end with Pat Rothfuss' beard.
I don't need all the movie titles in advance, but I really wish they'd reveal the lyrics of the new version of the theme song soon...
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:52 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Space Mutiny
Yes, my personal favorite. This is always what I use to introduce people to MST3K.
posted by dhens at 5:01 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
Yes, my personal favorite. This is always what I use to introduce people to MST3K.
posted by dhens at 5:01 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
> Did you have to be in the US and at a certain age when it was first broadcast to appreciate it? Or are drugs required?
It's been a very long time since I've taken any nonprescription drugs stronger than aspirin, and I enjoy the old shows. But I'll readily concede that the hit-to-miss ratio has always been pretty bad. It's just that when we're on the same wavelength it's a pretty joyous experience.
This is a form of comedy that involves throwing everything at the audience with the expectation that nothing will work on everybody but there will always be something will work on somebody. if you're the sort of person who doesn't enjoy the experience of content flowing past you at a relatively low level of attention, mst3k is probably not for you.
posted by ardgedee at 5:05 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
It's been a very long time since I've taken any nonprescription drugs stronger than aspirin, and I enjoy the old shows. But I'll readily concede that the hit-to-miss ratio has always been pretty bad. It's just that when we're on the same wavelength it's a pretty joyous experience.
This is a form of comedy that involves throwing everything at the audience with the expectation that nothing will work on everybody but there will always be something will work on somebody. if you're the sort of person who doesn't enjoy the experience of content flowing past you at a relatively low level of attention, mst3k is probably not for you.
posted by ardgedee at 5:05 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
I feel like a good short such as Mister B Natural, The Truck Farmer, or Cheating is a good way to ease into MST3K without a two-hour commitment.
(But watch "I Accuse My Parents" soon, because it's the best.)
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:06 AM on February 22, 2017 [13 favorites]
(But watch "I Accuse My Parents" soon, because it's the best.)
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:06 AM on February 22, 2017 [13 favorites]
a good short
"A Date with Your Family" definitely qualifies, right out the gate. ("The Woody Allen story!")
posted by dhens at 5:10 AM on February 22, 2017 [9 favorites]
"A Date with Your Family" definitely qualifies, right out the gate. ("The Woody Allen story!")
posted by dhens at 5:10 AM on February 22, 2017 [9 favorites]
This is a form of comedy that involves throwing everything at the audience with the expectation that nothing will work on everybody but there will always be something will work on somebody
This is important- you don't have to get every joke, and probably won't. A lot of episodes had references that for example you basically have to be from Minneapolis in the 80s to get, but they take a second and then they're over and their next joke is on its way. I had a girlfriend who mostly liked the show but couldn't get over that aspect of it, but appreciated the pop up YouTube annotation versions.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:10 AM on February 22, 2017 [5 favorites]
This is important- you don't have to get every joke, and probably won't. A lot of episodes had references that for example you basically have to be from Minneapolis in the 80s to get, but they take a second and then they're over and their next joke is on its way. I had a girlfriend who mostly liked the show but couldn't get over that aspect of it, but appreciated the pop up YouTube annotation versions.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:10 AM on February 22, 2017 [5 favorites]
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it? I've tried a few times, but I just find it consistently unfunny...
Maybe it’s a regional/cultural thing. One thing I noticed about MST3K early on was that some of the jokes referenced Midwest US stuff. I grew up outside of Chicago, and picked up references to television shows that somebody on the coasts might not have appreciated. That said, the asides on later episodes became more generic.
On the other hand, it could be generational. Keep in mind that the last original shows were created in 1999, and most everybody associated with the show back then would be considered boomers.
posted by SteveInMaine at 5:13 AM on February 22, 2017
Maybe it’s a regional/cultural thing. One thing I noticed about MST3K early on was that some of the jokes referenced Midwest US stuff. I grew up outside of Chicago, and picked up references to television shows that somebody on the coasts might not have appreciated. That said, the asides on later episodes became more generic.
On the other hand, it could be generational. Keep in mind that the last original shows were created in 1999, and most everybody associated with the show back then would be considered boomers.
posted by SteveInMaine at 5:13 AM on February 22, 2017
What? BOOMERS!! No. That's the leading edge of Gen X.
posted by crush-onastick at 5:18 AM on February 22, 2017 [15 favorites]
posted by crush-onastick at 5:18 AM on February 22, 2017 [15 favorites]
Joel Hodgson just celebrated his 57th birthday (1960). If the Baby Boom lasted into the '60s, he, Mike Nelson (1964), Trace Beaulieu (1958), Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy and Frank Conniff (all 1956), Mary Jo Pehl and Bill Corbett (1960) and Bridget Jones Nelson (1964) are all 'Boomers'.
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:31 AM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:31 AM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
"We've installed the screen doors sir!"
"Hi Sean!"
posted by Nanukthedog at 5:35 AM on February 22, 2017
"Hi Sean!"
posted by Nanukthedog at 5:35 AM on February 22, 2017
I find MST to be drolly amusing but also instantly soporiphic. I probably would find it funny if I could stay awake longer than 15 minutes. (Old Fourth Doctor episodes have the exact same effect on me.)
My husband, on the other hand, will be all over this.
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:37 AM on February 22, 2017
My husband, on the other hand, will be all over this.
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:37 AM on February 22, 2017
Joel Hodgson just celebrated his 57th birthday (1960). If the Baby Boom lasted into the '60s, he, Mike Nelson (1964), Trace Beaulieu (1958), Jim Mallon, Kevin Murphy and Frank Conniff (all 1956), Mary Jo Pehl and Bill Corbett (1960) and Bridget Jones Nelson (1964) are all 'Boomers'.
From "The Rebel Set":
Tom: "You know, guys, if this was what being beat was all about I'd rather be a shallow, posed boomer. Like you."
Joel: "Hey!"
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 5:51 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
From "The Rebel Set":
Tom: "You know, guys, if this was what being beat was all about I'd rather be a shallow, posed boomer. Like you."
Joel: "Hey!"
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 5:51 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'm pretty sure that if you were born before Woodstock, you're not Gen X.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:57 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:57 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Flophouse's Elliott Kalan will be head writer!
And I'm just guessing here, but I'll bet that a lot of recruitment for the staff looked a lot like Elliott's- people making it very clear that they're eager to participate the moment that they heard about it.
posted by wotsac at 6:03 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
And I'm just guessing here, but I'll bet that a lot of recruitment for the staff looked a lot like Elliott's- people making it very clear that they're eager to participate the moment that they heard about it.
posted by wotsac at 6:03 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
April 14th. So you get one day to watch MST3K before you have to pay your taxes (U.S.)
Speak for yourself; I've had my federal and state refunds in hand for over two weeks already.
Doing it fast is one of the best defenses against the (scarily-common) tax fraud use of identity theft, and if you are expecting a refund, it puts the money back in your pocket that much faster.
posted by mystyk at 6:03 AM on February 22, 2017
Speak for yourself; I've had my federal and state refunds in hand for over two weeks already.
Doing it fast is one of the best defenses against the (scarily-common) tax fraud use of identity theft, and if you are expecting a refund, it puts the money back in your pocket that much faster.
posted by mystyk at 6:03 AM on February 22, 2017
*dances*
posted by Theta States at 6:17 AM on February 22, 2017
posted by Theta States at 6:17 AM on February 22, 2017
OK now someone needs to quickly tell me how to disable that Netflix feature where it makes you click OK to prove you aren't dead or asleep.
posted by Theta States at 6:18 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Theta States at 6:18 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Trumpy! You can do stupid things!
posted by FatherDagon at 6:25 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
posted by FatherDagon at 6:25 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
I really really hope this ends up being good.
posted by flatluigi at 6:26 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by flatluigi at 6:26 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
The episode to watch for newbies is Prince of Space.
posted by wittgenstein at 6:27 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by wittgenstein at 6:27 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
never watched when it was on CC...but for the last year It's my go to on weekend afternoons...some are funnier than other..some hilarious...done on the cheap...hope it keeps it's public access feel...
posted by judson at 7:05 AM on February 22, 2017
posted by judson at 7:05 AM on February 22, 2017
Faint of Butt: I'm pretty sure that if you were born before Woodstock, you're not Gen X.
Woodstock is dead-center of Gen X, which is generally described as born between the early 60s and the early 80s. My brother and I were on opposite sides of the decade divide, and we used to refer to the split as "Gen X: Atari" and "Gen X: Nintendo."
I would argue that, like all "generations," there's bleed, and MST3K is definitely Gen X, not Boomer, if for no other reason than that its demographic was mostly Gen-Xers.
posted by tzikeh at 7:12 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Woodstock is dead-center of Gen X, which is generally described as born between the early 60s and the early 80s. My brother and I were on opposite sides of the decade divide, and we used to refer to the split as "Gen X: Atari" and "Gen X: Nintendo."
I would argue that, like all "generations," there's bleed, and MST3K is definitely Gen X, not Boomer, if for no other reason than that its demographic was mostly Gen-Xers.
posted by tzikeh at 7:12 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I'm fairly certain Tom called Joel a "shallow post-Boomer." But the audio quality on a lot of the circulated tapes was pretty bad.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 7:16 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 7:16 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
This show made me who I am; a bitterly sarcastic middle-aged person who talks back to her television.
posted by emjaybee at 7:23 AM on February 22, 2017 [26 favorites]
posted by emjaybee at 7:23 AM on February 22, 2017 [26 favorites]
I would argue that, like all "generations," there's bleed, and MST3K is definitely Gen X, not Boomer, if for no other reason than that its demographic was mostly Gen-Xers.
The viewer demographic may have been Gen X (and I qualify as the tail end of that cohort) but the creative core behind the show were all Boomers. Look at the bulk of their go-to classic TV references: Green Acres, The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, Mr. Ed. Nearly all from that sweet spot of 1950s and early '60s pop culture that characterized my parents' generation, and absorbed by Gen X only through Nick at Nite reruns. Like punk and alternative rock, MST3K appealed to Gen-Xers, but is fundamentally a product of Boomers.
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:25 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
The viewer demographic may have been Gen X (and I qualify as the tail end of that cohort) but the creative core behind the show were all Boomers. Look at the bulk of their go-to classic TV references: Green Acres, The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, Mr. Ed. Nearly all from that sweet spot of 1950s and early '60s pop culture that characterized my parents' generation, and absorbed by Gen X only through Nick at Nite reruns. Like punk and alternative rock, MST3K appealed to Gen-Xers, but is fundamentally a product of Boomers.
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:25 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
a bitterly sarcastic middle-aged person who talks back to her television
Spouse-person is endlessly patient with my own...commentary
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 7:27 AM on February 22, 2017
Spouse-person is endlessly patient with my own...commentary
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 7:27 AM on February 22, 2017
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it? I've tried a few times,
I think a better way to proceed would be to ask yourself: “Do I find it funny when someone cracks jokes about a movie while I am watching it?” If the answer is “no” then move along. If the answer is “yes” ask yourself this: “Can I look past some of these comments if they fall flat?” If the answer is “no” move along. Lastly, if you don’t find the humour or absurdity in what is often labeled “B Movies” (personality rich but low commercially viable genre films or dated PSAs) then you should move along. I think of it as pretty polarising show at times.
Saying all that, here’s my take. While I like the show and am cautiously optimistic about the new show, I’m not one of those fans who seems to think that because MST3K is skewering the movie that it means that movie is nonredeemable and “bad” & should only be watched with MST riffing. The desire of MST3K fans back in the day to vote down films on the IMDB that were on the show (in order for them to be on the IMDb’s worst of list) or the desire for certain movies to be riffed on because they were so “cheap” or “bad” a movie always puzzled me. Likely because I don't think of movies or the show like that. My first exposure to the show was via a friend who tape-traded many of the episodes. He very generously shared the tapes with me once he learned of my love of genre films and films of a certain quality. However, he was often surprised how I related to the show. For me, if I liked a movie or was keen to watch a movie, Space Children or This Island Earth as actual examples, I’d just tune out the guys and enjoy the movie, irony free. There were also times where their love of a film helped me love the film, Mitchell as an example. But I’ve also avoided certain episodes because I liked the movie too much to have it edited down and to have people talk over it, like Danger: Diabolik.
If you still want to give MST3k a shot, try one of the shorts. Mr. B Natural or that milk delivery one (I forget the name of…) If they don’t work for you, walk away from this thing.
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:27 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
I think a better way to proceed would be to ask yourself: “Do I find it funny when someone cracks jokes about a movie while I am watching it?” If the answer is “no” then move along. If the answer is “yes” ask yourself this: “Can I look past some of these comments if they fall flat?” If the answer is “no” move along. Lastly, if you don’t find the humour or absurdity in what is often labeled “B Movies” (personality rich but low commercially viable genre films or dated PSAs) then you should move along. I think of it as pretty polarising show at times.
Saying all that, here’s my take. While I like the show and am cautiously optimistic about the new show, I’m not one of those fans who seems to think that because MST3K is skewering the movie that it means that movie is nonredeemable and “bad” & should only be watched with MST riffing. The desire of MST3K fans back in the day to vote down films on the IMDB that were on the show (in order for them to be on the IMDb’s worst of list) or the desire for certain movies to be riffed on because they were so “cheap” or “bad” a movie always puzzled me. Likely because I don't think of movies or the show like that. My first exposure to the show was via a friend who tape-traded many of the episodes. He very generously shared the tapes with me once he learned of my love of genre films and films of a certain quality. However, he was often surprised how I related to the show. For me, if I liked a movie or was keen to watch a movie, Space Children or This Island Earth as actual examples, I’d just tune out the guys and enjoy the movie, irony free. There were also times where their love of a film helped me love the film, Mitchell as an example. But I’ve also avoided certain episodes because I liked the movie too much to have it edited down and to have people talk over it, like Danger: Diabolik.
If you still want to give MST3k a shot, try one of the shorts. Mr. B Natural or that milk delivery one (I forget the name of…) If they don’t work for you, walk away from this thing.
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:27 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
I want to know who the guy behind Jonah and Baron is in the cast photo.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 7:28 AM on February 22, 2017
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 7:28 AM on February 22, 2017
Nearly all from that sweet spot of 1950s and early '60s pop culture that characterized my parents' generation, and absorbed by Gen X only through Nick at Nite reruns.
No, that stuff was also a staple of UHF channels and related cable stations like WTBS and WGN all afternoon when you got back from school. I was born in 1970 and would watch crap like that sometimes when Robotech/Star Blazers/Battle of the Planets weren't on. Watching it was as inevitable as Trek.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:45 AM on February 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
No, that stuff was also a staple of UHF channels and related cable stations like WTBS and WGN all afternoon when you got back from school. I was born in 1970 and would watch crap like that sometimes when Robotech/Star Blazers/Battle of the Planets weren't on. Watching it was as inevitable as Trek.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:45 AM on February 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
I think I should probably also add that, anyone wanting to dip their toe into the show, the show does change in tone when they switch hosts in the fifth season (easily my favorite season). If you don't like a Mike episode you might try a Joel episode. TV's Frank is always good though.
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:48 AM on February 22, 2017
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:48 AM on February 22, 2017
"I just want to show society what people born after 1960 think about things..." -- Douglas Coupland, about his book Generation X, which popularized the term.
Demographer William Strauss noted that in the book, Coupland applied the term to older members of the cohort born between 1961 and 1964, who were sometimes told by demographers that they were baby boomers, but who did not feel like boomers.
While there are no precisely agreed-upon dates for when this cohort starts or ends, demographers and researchers typically use the starting birth years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s and ending birth years ranging from the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally agreed that the term refers to the smaller demographic cohort sandwiched between the Baby boomers and the Millennials. On the other hand, however, Baby Boomers are often considered to be the group born approximately between the years 1946 and 1964. This includes people who are between 53 and 71 years old in 2017. (While there are, again, no precise dates for when the Millennial cohort is considered to start or end, demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years.)
Therefore, the small group born from 1961 to 1964 can be considered to be in a fuzzy definitional area. Perhaps ironically (and perhaps it is appropriate that it is ironic) this is the precise "group without a label" that the term Generation X was originally meant to apply to -- the exact age group of the main characters in Coupland's book. Decades later, they are *still* the 'group without a label', considered by some to be Baby Boomers and others to be Generation X, still lost in the indistinct and indefinite vacuum Coupland (born 1961) wrote his book to fill. But Coupland's term was taken from him and largely applied to those born after him; even in this very thread there are those who insist that he must be a Baby Boomer, a generation that many of his age group felt disconnected from and ignored by.
I hope this clears up the matter for all time so that it never need be debated on the internet again.
posted by kyrademon at 7:51 AM on February 22, 2017 [17 favorites]
Demographer William Strauss noted that in the book, Coupland applied the term to older members of the cohort born between 1961 and 1964, who were sometimes told by demographers that they were baby boomers, but who did not feel like boomers.
While there are no precisely agreed-upon dates for when this cohort starts or ends, demographers and researchers typically use the starting birth years ranging from the early-to-mid 1960s and ending birth years ranging from the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally agreed that the term refers to the smaller demographic cohort sandwiched between the Baby boomers and the Millennials. On the other hand, however, Baby Boomers are often considered to be the group born approximately between the years 1946 and 1964. This includes people who are between 53 and 71 years old in 2017. (While there are, again, no precise dates for when the Millennial cohort is considered to start or end, demographers and researchers typically use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years.)
Therefore, the small group born from 1961 to 1964 can be considered to be in a fuzzy definitional area. Perhaps ironically (and perhaps it is appropriate that it is ironic) this is the precise "group without a label" that the term Generation X was originally meant to apply to -- the exact age group of the main characters in Coupland's book. Decades later, they are *still* the 'group without a label', considered by some to be Baby Boomers and others to be Generation X, still lost in the indistinct and indefinite vacuum Coupland (born 1961) wrote his book to fill. But Coupland's term was taken from him and largely applied to those born after him; even in this very thread there are those who insist that he must be a Baby Boomer, a generation that many of his age group felt disconnected from and ignored by.
I hope this clears up the matter for all time so that it never need be debated on the internet again.
posted by kyrademon at 7:51 AM on February 22, 2017 [17 favorites]
A lot of us who watched it on KITN-TV are Gen-X, though the creators are Boomers.
Also, how come no one suggested "Gamera" as a starting point, or "Untamed Youth"?
posted by wenestvedt at 8:05 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Also, how come no one suggested "Gamera" as a starting point, or "Untamed Youth"?
posted by wenestvedt at 8:05 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
I regularly sing their Gamera song to my young son.
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:06 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by Ashwagandha at 8:06 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
One of my favorites is Jack Frost, though I'm not sure how it holds up as an introduction to MST3K.
posted by Twain Device at 8:12 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Twain Device at 8:12 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
No, that stuff was also a staple of UHF channels and related cable stations like WTBS and WGN all afternoon when you got back from school. I was born in 1970 and would watch crap like that sometimes when Robotech/Star Blazers/Battle of the Planets weren't on. Watching it was as inevitable as Trek.
I won't dispute that, but the fact remains that you were still getting them as second-hand pop culture. I was born in '77, and by that time the daytime syndicated reruns ecosystem had already moved on to solidly late '60s/early '70s fare like "Brady Bunch" and "Waltons" episodes, which I remember consuming in bulk. The older B&W '50s/'60s stuff tended to air in the wee hours of the morning, until cable channels like Nick at Nite and USA started repackaging them for prime time in the mid-'80s.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:25 AM on February 22, 2017
I won't dispute that, but the fact remains that you were still getting them as second-hand pop culture. I was born in '77, and by that time the daytime syndicated reruns ecosystem had already moved on to solidly late '60s/early '70s fare like "Brady Bunch" and "Waltons" episodes, which I remember consuming in bulk. The older B&W '50s/'60s stuff tended to air in the wee hours of the morning, until cable channels like Nick at Nite and USA started repackaging them for prime time in the mid-'80s.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:25 AM on February 22, 2017
By the way, TV's Frank is on Twitter and also on a daily radio show on Sirius with John Fugelsang.
Also he and Trace Beaulieu tour together and do live shows.
posted by emjaybee at 8:38 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Also he and Trace Beaulieu tour together and do live shows.
posted by emjaybee at 8:38 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it?
To me, part of the real love of it is grounded in a situation where you've got relatively few entertainment options. So, you're accustomed to only getting a few tv channels, with scanty content at off hours, and:
-it's midnight, and your options are a crappy movie, or infomercials, or... what's this? Oh MST3K is on! Awesome!
-you've got a cold, it's a rainy Sunday afternoon, and you just want to curl up on the couch, are you going to have to snooze while there's a golf game on? Hey, look, MST3K is on, perfect.
-you've got a friend over and the two of you want to just veg out and not talk, flipping channels, MST3k.
I still need to be in that frame of mind - an amiable chill-out, pay half attention to a crummy b-movie, frame of mind. Know that a lot of the jokes are gonna be meh, and occasionally one will be a bullseye.
Part of the goodness is the serendipity of finding this weird show, with a weird and smart sensibility, playing in what was otherwise a desert landscape of not-actually-entertaining-or-smart tv. It had a much higher rate of "tries" than most other shows of its time -- it tried a million things, and some of them stuck. It was part of the birth of weird comedy that later became more mainstream.
I also think it makes a difference whether the movie they're riffing is enjoyable -- it's a Goldilocks situation, where some of the movies are so bad, nothing helps, and some of the movies are too good, and then it's annoying that they're riffing. It needs to be one in the sweet spot.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:38 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
To me, part of the real love of it is grounded in a situation where you've got relatively few entertainment options. So, you're accustomed to only getting a few tv channels, with scanty content at off hours, and:
-it's midnight, and your options are a crappy movie, or infomercials, or... what's this? Oh MST3K is on! Awesome!
-you've got a cold, it's a rainy Sunday afternoon, and you just want to curl up on the couch, are you going to have to snooze while there's a golf game on? Hey, look, MST3K is on, perfect.
-you've got a friend over and the two of you want to just veg out and not talk, flipping channels, MST3k.
I still need to be in that frame of mind - an amiable chill-out, pay half attention to a crummy b-movie, frame of mind. Know that a lot of the jokes are gonna be meh, and occasionally one will be a bullseye.
Part of the goodness is the serendipity of finding this weird show, with a weird and smart sensibility, playing in what was otherwise a desert landscape of not-actually-entertaining-or-smart tv. It had a much higher rate of "tries" than most other shows of its time -- it tried a million things, and some of them stuck. It was part of the birth of weird comedy that later became more mainstream.
I also think it makes a difference whether the movie they're riffing is enjoyable -- it's a Goldilocks situation, where some of the movies are so bad, nothing helps, and some of the movies are too good, and then it's annoying that they're riffing. It needs to be one in the sweet spot.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:38 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
MTV and Sesame Street were also created and staffed by Boomers, but I would still consider them solidly "Gen X" programming. I think Joel and co's age misses the point. Watching stuff and making jokes about it was what Beavis and Butthead was all about too. I think it's a Zeitgeisty thing for the time it was in.
...the first thing I found was someone who seemed to think "set lasers to miss" was the best line ever, so I gave up
Okay I just cracked up at "set lasers to miss" so I think I can't help with this.
Team The Day The Earth Froze here. By the time they sang the "failure" song I was weeping-laughing. Super excited for the new series.
posted by Mchelly at 8:46 AM on February 22, 2017 [5 favorites]
...the first thing I found was someone who seemed to think "set lasers to miss" was the best line ever, so I gave up
Okay I just cracked up at "set lasers to miss" so I think I can't help with this.
Team The Day The Earth Froze here. By the time they sang the "failure" song I was weeping-laughing. Super excited for the new series.
posted by Mchelly at 8:46 AM on February 22, 2017 [5 favorites]
I also think it's maybe like spending all night with friends (slumber party, night out) and at some point someone says "sure if you eat like an OSTRICH" and everybody cracks up... and that will be funny forever, because of how it hit you at the moment, even if it wouldn't make sense or be that funny outside that context. There are MST3K lines that can always crack me up because they did the first time (because of something about the build-up and context), even if they're not that funny in isolation.
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:53 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by LobsterMitten at 8:53 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
LobsterMitten: To me, part of the real love of it is grounded in a situation where you've got relatively few entertainment options.
This is spot-on: scarcity helped to drive demand.
In college, in 1991, my buddy Tex's mom would mail him -- well, honestly, she knew she was delivering a mercy to a bunch of people at once, but his name was on the package -- a VHS tape with a recent MST3k episode and we would set aside an evening to drink and watch and whoop it up. It could be weeks before she sent another tape, so we would watch each one several times. This sounds sad, but when the alternatives were "study" or "not get into frat party" or "re-re-watch MST3k" or...uh...yeah -- well, it wasn't a difficult choice.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:54 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
This is spot-on: scarcity helped to drive demand.
In college, in 1991, my buddy Tex's mom would mail him -- well, honestly, she knew she was delivering a mercy to a bunch of people at once, but his name was on the package -- a VHS tape with a recent MST3k episode and we would set aside an evening to drink and watch and whoop it up. It could be weeks before she sent another tape, so we would watch each one several times. This sounds sad, but when the alternatives were "study" or "not get into frat party" or "re-re-watch MST3k" or...uh...yeah -- well, it wasn't a difficult choice.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:54 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
I realize it pretty much any time there's an argument about generational cohorts on the internet, but this thread is especially good at distilling the essential incoherence (or at least anti-utility) of the entire concept.
Anyways. I know a bunch of embittered 35-50 year olds who will be happy about this.
posted by brennen at 9:47 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
Anyways. I know a bunch of embittered 35-50 year olds who will be happy about this.
posted by brennen at 9:47 AM on February 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
For getting into it now, I would recommend some of the later Mike episodes, where the movies themselves are on average a little more watchable. The Final Sacrifice, Diabolik, Deathstalker, Soultaker, Time Chasers, That fucking Merlin movie, are all entertaining bad movies if you don't get the commentary.
Also, the newer projects, like the Rifftrax of Twilight.
posted by lkc at 10:06 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Also, the newer projects, like the Rifftrax of Twilight.
posted by lkc at 10:06 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Deadly Bees is one of my go-tos for MST3K.
"Oh, thank you, movie!"
posted by hippybear at 10:12 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
"Oh, thank you, movie!"
posted by hippybear at 10:12 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Watching stuff and making jokes about it was what Beavis and Butthead was all about too.
Mike Judge was born in 1962, so he's a Boomer too. Not to belabor the derail, but I think we can take it as a given that the media that younger generations consume is, generally speaking, made by people from the previous generation or earlier. That may be changing now that we have 14-year-olds on YouTube who directly target other 14-year-olds, but it holds for MST3K.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:15 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mike Judge was born in 1962, so he's a Boomer too. Not to belabor the derail, but I think we can take it as a given that the media that younger generations consume is, generally speaking, made by people from the previous generation or earlier. That may be changing now that we have 14-year-olds on YouTube who directly target other 14-year-olds, but it holds for MST3K.
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:15 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
RO-BOT ROLL CALL
However, he was often surprised how I related to the show. For me, if I liked a movie or was keen to watch a movie, Space Children or This Island Earth as actual examples,
This makes me feel a little better about my odd affection for The Gunslinger ("what it is, little wormy dude...").
posted by praemunire at 10:19 AM on February 22, 2017
However, he was often surprised how I related to the show. For me, if I liked a movie or was keen to watch a movie, Space Children or This Island Earth as actual examples,
This makes me feel a little better about my odd affection for The Gunslinger ("what it is, little wormy dude...").
posted by praemunire at 10:19 AM on February 22, 2017
I wouldn't try to get into it now. And, truth be told, there's only a few episodes that I really like — the aforementioned Space Mutiny, Joe-Don Baker vehicle Mitchell, and maybe Sidehackers — though maybe I only think I liked Sidehackers because I get the "Sidehacking is a thing to do / especially when you've got a low IQ" song stuck in my head on a regular basis. (and, look, although high school me thought that song was hilarious, present-day me is giving it so much side-eye).
But yeah. It's a product of a time where the amount of media available was low, and where much of that media was really boring and shoddily made, and where making fun of bad media still seemed like a vital activity.
It's an interesting historical artifact, though. The aesthetic that mst3k tapped into was a big part of the 90s Internet, and there's still a bit of it around on the todayweb — though we've come to associate this kind of zippy referential snark with clickbait and with bro humor now. There's an element of "we are the smarts and we are better than the dumbs" about it that's very easy for people with dumpster fire politics to pick up and use as a cudgel; this tendency is one of the original sins of the early Internet, and we're only now seeing the full costs of it.
(I want to say that Joel's less bad about this sort of thing than Mike was, but that impression may be tainted by having read about how Mike is/was a Republican.)
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 10:25 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
But yeah. It's a product of a time where the amount of media available was low, and where much of that media was really boring and shoddily made, and where making fun of bad media still seemed like a vital activity.
It's an interesting historical artifact, though. The aesthetic that mst3k tapped into was a big part of the 90s Internet, and there's still a bit of it around on the todayweb — though we've come to associate this kind of zippy referential snark with clickbait and with bro humor now. There's an element of "we are the smarts and we are better than the dumbs" about it that's very easy for people with dumpster fire politics to pick up and use as a cudgel; this tendency is one of the original sins of the early Internet, and we're only now seeing the full costs of it.
(I want to say that Joel's less bad about this sort of thing than Mike was, but that impression may be tainted by having read about how Mike is/was a Republican.)
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 10:25 AM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
praemunire: You are not alone.
I want to say that Joel's less bad
Joel is more goofy stoner to Mike's smug smart assery.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:34 AM on February 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
I want to say that Joel's less bad
Joel is more goofy stoner to Mike's smug smart assery.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:34 AM on February 22, 2017 [8 favorites]
i would heartily recommend any joe don baker episode, "the final sacrifice", or "the touch of satan" as great starting points, although my own introduction to mst3k was manos so i guess there's something to be said for just diving right in the doozies
posted by burgerrr at 10:49 AM on February 22, 2017
posted by burgerrr at 10:49 AM on February 22, 2017
The aesthetic that mst3k tapped into was a big part of the 90s Internet, and there's still a bit of it around on the todayweb
Like, for example the Joel vs Mike discussion happening today on a internet forum.
posted by lkc at 10:52 AM on February 22, 2017 [9 favorites]
Like, for example the Joel vs Mike discussion happening today on a internet forum.
posted by lkc at 10:52 AM on February 22, 2017 [9 favorites]
Which is somehow especially apropos given that neither Joel nor Mike will be on the Satellite Of Love in this revival!
posted by hippybear at 10:54 AM on February 22, 2017
posted by hippybear at 10:54 AM on February 22, 2017
Joel is more goofy stoner to Mike's smug smart assery.
I was actually just thinking earlier today of this part in the Mike-era ep, Time Chasers:
Anyway, I am cautiously optimistic for the new ones.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:01 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was actually just thinking earlier today of this part in the Mike-era ep, Time Chasers:
Movie guy: Sure!It has a...hard edged quality that generally wasn't present for Joel eps. Also see Japan-bashing in Invasion of the Neptune Men.
Tom Servo: Sure, I'm an unappealing actor in a crappy movie, sure!
Anyway, I am cautiously optimistic for the new ones.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:01 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was a Kickstarter backer for this and my favorite story from the process was that Patton Oswalt came up with his name, TV's Son of TV's Frank, which is perfect. I am cautiously optimistic, cautious in that I'm afraid I am now too old to really enjoy this, even though I'm about the same age as Joel.
posted by ceejaytee at 11:15 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by ceejaytee at 11:15 AM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
My favorite way I've heard Joel vs Mike put is that Joel feels like a guy who woke up, burned one, and rolled into the studio to play with some puppets, while Mike feels like he wants to be the best damned guy stuck on a space station with wisecracking robots that he can be.
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:41 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:41 AM on February 22, 2017 [11 favorites]
I haven't watched MST3K in years, but it was a weekly ritual with my friends in my late teens and early 20s. I still slip "I'm going to drink the HELL out of this Coke" into conversations occasionally. Also, if anyone says some variation of "this is going to sound crazy," there's about a 98% chance I'm going to jump in with "I have grasshoppers taped to my back!"
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:41 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 11:41 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Joe Don Baker is.......Mitchell! Wacachicawacachicawacachicawa!
posted by triage_lazarus at 11:46 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by triage_lazarus at 11:46 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Joe Don Baker is.......Mittens!
posted by AndrewInDC at 11:48 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by AndrewInDC at 11:48 AM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
How are we going to have Metafilter MST3K Club with these new episodes on Netflix? How will we chat while watching it?
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 11:55 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by The Man from Lardfork at 11:55 AM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I cannot express how excited(even if skeptical) I am about these new episodes. I love that they brought back the Turkey Day tradition this year on shoutfactorytv.com. So many fond memories from back in High School. The Final Sacrifice was playing while I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner and damn it had me and my mom cracking up super hard. I've rewatched it since and I'd concur it's probably a good intro for newbies(even if I lean Joel), lot's of Canada snark. And who doesn't love some Zap "I just had a dream I was making out with my truck" Rowsdower?!!!
"Rowsdower, Rowsower, Rowsdower"
posted by Capricorn13 at 12:01 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
"Rowsdower, Rowsower, Rowsdower"
posted by Capricorn13 at 12:01 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
Thinking about it more, it may not be just that scarcity drove demand (although I agree that's true and your example is a perfect illustration of it)... it's also that the situation of the bots and Joel/Mike mirrored the situation of the viewer. Here they are, stuck watching this crummy thing, because that's what's on. And that was a common position to be in, in the '80s and '90s (and even more-so, before that). It's midnight, hardly anything's on, so I guess we'll watch the crummy b-movie.
Whereas to a kid growing up now, I can see how that situation is just totally unfamiliar. "Nothing's on" just doesn't happen anymore, since you can dial up whatever you want on the many streaming sites. So there's never, "I guess we're stuck watching this movie that isn't very good, let's try to make the best of it, and if some of the jokes fall flat, at least we're still among friends" -- it's just not an activity you need to do anymore, right?
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:03 PM on February 22, 2017 [9 favorites]
Whereas to a kid growing up now, I can see how that situation is just totally unfamiliar. "Nothing's on" just doesn't happen anymore, since you can dial up whatever you want on the many streaming sites. So there's never, "I guess we're stuck watching this movie that isn't very good, let's try to make the best of it, and if some of the jokes fall flat, at least we're still among friends" -- it's just not an activity you need to do anymore, right?
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:03 PM on February 22, 2017 [9 favorites]
And another thing about the cast photo: Gypsy not only looks more facially-gaunt than before, but she's dangling from the ceiling. There's something vaguely menacing in an Aliens sort of way about that.
(Not that I mind. Gypsy had her intimidating moments in the first ten seasons.)
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 1:21 PM on February 22, 2017
(Not that I mind. Gypsy had her intimidating moments in the first ten seasons.)
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 1:21 PM on February 22, 2017
If you were born after... you are:
V-J Day: Boomer
Woodstock: Gen X
The election of Ronald Reagan: Gen Y / The Lost Generation
The fall of the Berlin Wall: Millennial
9/11: TBD
The election of Donald Trump: Wasteland Scavenger / Tribal Elder / The Last of the Before Times
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:58 PM on February 22, 2017 [5 favorites]
V-J Day: Boomer
Woodstock: Gen X
The election of Ronald Reagan: Gen Y / The Lost Generation
The fall of the Berlin Wall: Millennial
9/11: TBD
The election of Donald Trump: Wasteland Scavenger / Tribal Elder / The Last of the Before Times
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:58 PM on February 22, 2017 [5 favorites]
A few thoughts:
As someone in the same age range as the MST3K core and (like others currently in their 50s) NEVER felt as if they fit in with either Baby Boomers or Gen X, the term used for that sliver of a generation born from the late 50's to the mid-60s is Generation Jones.
In the Joel vs Mike debate, I always thought of Joel being the adult to the 'bots (he was their "father" after all, being he built them, would use terms like "Honey" when dealing with them) while Mike became part the 'bots clique, usually joining in whatever trouble they were getting into. I tend to lean toward liking the Mike years just a bit better, but both host eras had great and not so great eps.
Looking to get into MST3K (Or Rifftrax/Cinematic Titanic for that matter)? I'll concur with whats been said above as they are both on YouTube, try Space Mutiny (Big McLargeHuge, Bob Johnson...oh wait...) or The Final Sacrifice (RowsdowerRowsdowerRowsdower!).
Anything from the Coleman Francis trilogy are not for the uninitiated, let alone the infamous Manos: The Hands of Fate.
posted by bawanaal at 2:27 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
As someone in the same age range as the MST3K core and (like others currently in their 50s) NEVER felt as if they fit in with either Baby Boomers or Gen X, the term used for that sliver of a generation born from the late 50's to the mid-60s is Generation Jones.
In the Joel vs Mike debate, I always thought of Joel being the adult to the 'bots (he was their "father" after all, being he built them, would use terms like "Honey" when dealing with them) while Mike became part the 'bots clique, usually joining in whatever trouble they were getting into. I tend to lean toward liking the Mike years just a bit better, but both host eras had great and not so great eps.
Looking to get into MST3K (Or Rifftrax/Cinematic Titanic for that matter)? I'll concur with whats been said above as they are both on YouTube, try Space Mutiny (Big McLargeHuge, Bob Johnson...oh wait...) or The Final Sacrifice (RowsdowerRowsdowerRowsdower!).
Anything from the Coleman Francis trilogy are not for the uninitiated, let alone the infamous Manos: The Hands of Fate.
posted by bawanaal at 2:27 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
If you were born after... you are:
That would leave 24 years for boomers
11 years for Gen X
Approx. 9 years for Gen Y
Why do the Boomers get to have such a huge time span?
posted by drezdn at 2:46 PM on February 22, 2017
That would leave 24 years for boomers
11 years for Gen X
Approx. 9 years for Gen Y
Why do the Boomers get to have such a huge time span?
posted by drezdn at 2:46 PM on February 22, 2017
Gypsy had her intimidating moments in the first ten seasons
"P...O...E...O...E...P..."
posted by praemunire at 3:32 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
"P...O...E...O...E...P..."
posted by praemunire at 3:32 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
> "Why do the Boomers get to have such a huge time span?"
They get everything.
posted by kyrademon at 3:49 PM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
They get everything.
posted by kyrademon at 3:49 PM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
I like this very much, not just because I kickstarted the revival project, but also because the first big road trip Mrs. Example and I took together was to Minneapolis to introduce me to her parents, which just so happened to coincide with ConventioCon ExpoFest-A-Rama 2: Electric Boogaloo. MST3K has been part of our relationship since the beginning.
Our first dinner with her parents was also the one where we announced our engagement. Good times.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:32 PM on February 22, 2017
Our first dinner with her parents was also the one where we announced our engagement. Good times.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:32 PM on February 22, 2017
I wouldn't use Woodstock as the cut-off point of between Boomers and Gen X. I'd lean toward JFK's assassination, making Boomers: 19 years, GenX: 17 years. I'd also lump GenY and Millennials together for a 21 year block and the 16 years since 9/11 are simply "Doomed". But by those standards, only Mike and Bridget (born '64) would be barely GenX. That WOULD add extra insight to the "Joel vs. Mike" debate. Jonah Ray (born August 3, 1982) would be near the top of my GenX/Millennial lump.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:57 PM on February 22, 2017
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:57 PM on February 22, 2017
One of my favorites is Jack Frost, though I'm not sure how it holds up as an introduction to MST3K.
"Every time I meet a man, he's either gay or a bear" ... is a line I uttered the first time I went on a date with my now-husband. He had no idea what I was talking about, but he laughed anyway, and I got to introduce him to the show.
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it?
effbot, as you can probably tell by the way these threads dissolve into Americans quoting the show at one another, yes, there is a very strong set of cultural triggers involved that we seem to find funny. I'm sure you have your local equivalents.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:58 PM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
"Every time I meet a man, he's either gay or a bear" ... is a line I uttered the first time I went on a date with my now-husband. He had no idea what I was talking about, but he laughed anyway, and I got to introduce him to the show.
Is there some kind of guide somewhere for how to watch MST3K and get some entertainment out of it?
effbot, as you can probably tell by the way these threads dissolve into Americans quoting the show at one another, yes, there is a very strong set of cultural triggers involved that we seem to find funny. I'm sure you have your local equivalents.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 4:58 PM on February 22, 2017 [4 favorites]
Part of the goodness is the serendipity of finding this weird show, with a weird and smart sensibility, playing in what was otherwise a desert landscape of not-actually-entertaining-or-smart tv.
I totally agree. I think there was a great deal of beauty in being led to the trough to drink deep draughts of weird, extremely low budget, regional cinema. I grew up in Arkansas, so when I talked my sister and her husband into watching with me one night and Boggy Creek II: The Legend Continues came on... oh my god, that was possibly the funnest, funniest night of my little rural life. We all still bring a copy of it on family vacations we have together. The movie's a self-produced affair by this Arkansan, and he cast his son and two cute girls as supporting actors in a movie that has us led to believe that this guy is a university researcher looking for a local bigfoot legend. It's filled with glorious south-on-south stereotyping, twangs, I mean just the full deal. Seeing that movie, one we doubted anyone outside of the state had seen, make it to MST3K was a perfect moment of targeted, relevant humor in a decade that largely lacked anything of the sort.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 5:16 PM on February 22, 2017
I totally agree. I think there was a great deal of beauty in being led to the trough to drink deep draughts of weird, extremely low budget, regional cinema. I grew up in Arkansas, so when I talked my sister and her husband into watching with me one night and Boggy Creek II: The Legend Continues came on... oh my god, that was possibly the funnest, funniest night of my little rural life. We all still bring a copy of it on family vacations we have together. The movie's a self-produced affair by this Arkansan, and he cast his son and two cute girls as supporting actors in a movie that has us led to believe that this guy is a university researcher looking for a local bigfoot legend. It's filled with glorious south-on-south stereotyping, twangs, I mean just the full deal. Seeing that movie, one we doubted anyone outside of the state had seen, make it to MST3K was a perfect moment of targeted, relevant humor in a decade that largely lacked anything of the sort.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 5:16 PM on February 22, 2017
Joel is a brother to the bots while Mike is their dad. Different dynamic, different pluses and minuses.
posted by flatluigi at 5:50 PM on February 22, 2017
posted by flatluigi at 5:50 PM on February 22, 2017
Joel is a brother to the bots while Mike is their dad.
Strike that, reverse it.
posted by valkane at 5:54 PM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Strike that, reverse it.
posted by valkane at 5:54 PM on February 22, 2017 [3 favorites]
Joel was literally the father to the bots ("he used those special parts to make his robot friends"), but he's a single father who thought it'd be fun to have kids, and really wishes there was a mother around to do the work. Mike was an older brother who wishes he was out having fun but is stuck in this Satellite with these wacky kids. It will be interesting to see the dynamic with Jonah, who, if anything, will be the bots' LITTLE brother (no matter how tall he is, and he's tall).
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:48 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:48 PM on February 22, 2017 [1 favorite]
I wonder if they're finally going to make the long-obvious off-color pun.
"Oh, you're gonna have to carry me in and out of the theater. Can't hover over the floor grille. Yeah. Special parts."
posted by BiggerJ at 9:20 PM on February 22, 2017
"Oh, you're gonna have to carry me in and out of the theater. Can't hover over the floor grille. Yeah. Special parts."
posted by BiggerJ at 9:20 PM on February 22, 2017
Theory: Jonah is going to turn out to be the recombinant clone (and thus technically the child) of Joel and Mike. He is the prophesised one: JOIKE.
posted by BiggerJ at 9:48 PM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by BiggerJ at 9:48 PM on February 22, 2017 [6 favorites]
or Joe-Nel...
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:05 PM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:05 PM on February 22, 2017 [2 favorites]
Theory: Jonah is going to turn out to be the recombinant clone (and thus technically the child) of Joel and Mike. He is the prophesised one: JOIKE.
The premiere should open with the Bots peeling open one of those giant Ziploc Clone Storage Bags from Parts: The Clonus Horror to reveal Jonah.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:47 AM on February 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
The premiere should open with the Bots peeling open one of those giant Ziploc Clone Storage Bags from Parts: The Clonus Horror to reveal Jonah.
posted by Rock Steady at 7:47 AM on February 23, 2017 [3 favorites]
I really want them to some how ret-con or at least address the ending of the original series. (The bots lived in apartment with Mike while Gypsy got rich off the tech bubble).
posted by drezdn at 8:04 AM on February 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 8:04 AM on February 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
A friend went to a screening party on Tuesday. He's not allowed to talk about it, but based on the reaction.gif he sent it sounds like it will be amazing! Or possibly he needs to see an eye doctor, stat. Also, I now have a photo of one of my favorite people with Debbie from Manos.
posted by Room 641-A at 8:32 AM on February 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Room 641-A at 8:32 AM on February 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
I really want them to some how ret-con or at least address the ending of the original series. (The bots lived in apartment with Mike while Gypsy got rich off the tech bubble).
I could see a scenario in which the Bots get beamed off of Earth and onto a refitted SOL by the new Mads (citing the Bots' superior Q ratings for viewers ages 18-35), effectively putting them in the same position as Joel/Mike on the original show: A couple of wacky, fun-loving dopes who get kidnapped and forced to watch bad movies. Jonah could just be an unwitting satellite drywall contractor who got "accidentally" launched into space as the Mads' new test subject.
posted by Strange Interlude at 9:03 AM on February 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
I could see a scenario in which the Bots get beamed off of Earth and onto a refitted SOL by the new Mads (citing the Bots' superior Q ratings for viewers ages 18-35), effectively putting them in the same position as Joel/Mike on the original show: A couple of wacky, fun-loving dopes who get kidnapped and forced to watch bad movies. Jonah could just be an unwitting satellite drywall contractor who got "accidentally" launched into space as the Mads' new test subject.
posted by Strange Interlude at 9:03 AM on February 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
I did enjoy the original run a lot. All of my original internet handles were a variation of Gypsy because of that beautiful purple robot who ran the ship. I guess you could say I'm a fan but I am not nearly as much of a fan as the people who can rattle off 100 jokes and every episode number and title. Sometimes I think the Internet ruined casual fanhood.
posted by kimberussell at 3:43 PM on February 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by kimberussell at 3:43 PM on February 23, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm just hoping they explain how Jonah eats and breathes, and other science facts.
I've always wondered.
posted by kyrademon at 4:48 PM on February 23, 2017 [7 favorites]
I've always wondered.
posted by kyrademon at 4:48 PM on February 23, 2017 [7 favorites]
You should really just relax, kyrademon.
posted by hippybear at 2:29 PM on February 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 2:29 PM on February 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Strange Interlude: Combine this with my 'Jonah is the clone-child of Joel and Mike' theory and you get the possibility of this being the theme tune:
In the not-too-distant future
Next Monday A.D.
There were two sassy robots
not too different from you or me
They lived in a house up in Green Bay
Just how they got there's too weird to say
They got along well with the human race
'Til some bad guys tracked them down and then they shot them into space
(GET US DOWWWWWWWWN!)
"We'll show them cheesy movies, just like our dear old dads,"
"We'll find the one that breaks them, and then we'll send the whole world mad!"
Now keep in mind they can't control when the movies begin or end
They'll try to keep their sanity with the help of their human friend...
HUMAN ROLL CALL!
JONAH! (get a shave hipster)
KINGA! (your dad's a baby)
TV'S SON OF TV'S FRANK! (wait what)
HESTOOOOOOOOON! (ran outta humans)
If you're wondering how Jonah eats and breathes
And other science facts
They can just get another one
(WHAT?)
So sit back and relaaaaax
For Mystery Science Theater 3000!
(twaaaaang)
Oh god. I've just realized. The robots contain, among other things, Special Parts (TM) that can be used to override the movies. Imagine an episode where Jonah finds this out and has to struggle with temptation.
posted by BiggerJ at 2:14 AM on February 25, 2017 [4 favorites]
In the not-too-distant future
Next Monday A.D.
There were two sassy robots
not too different from you or me
They lived in a house up in Green Bay
Just how they got there's too weird to say
They got along well with the human race
'Til some bad guys tracked them down and then they shot them into space
(GET US DOWWWWWWWWN!)
"We'll show them cheesy movies, just like our dear old dads,"
"We'll find the one that breaks them, and then we'll send the whole world mad!"
Now keep in mind they can't control when the movies begin or end
They'll try to keep their sanity with the help of their human friend...
HUMAN ROLL CALL!
JONAH! (get a shave hipster)
KINGA! (your dad's a baby)
TV'S SON OF TV'S FRANK! (wait what)
HESTOOOOOOOOON! (ran outta humans)
If you're wondering how Jonah eats and breathes
And other science facts
They can just get another one
(WHAT?)
So sit back and relaaaaax
For Mystery Science Theater 3000!
(twaaaaang)
Oh god. I've just realized. The robots contain, among other things, Special Parts (TM) that can be used to override the movies. Imagine an episode where Jonah finds this out and has to struggle with temptation.
posted by BiggerJ at 2:14 AM on February 25, 2017 [4 favorites]
People, I have seen the pilot, and it is amazing. Not just the movie choice, but also the new cast, the writing, and the skits. They nailed it.
Waves at Room-641-A
posted by zippy at 12:14 AM on March 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
Waves at Room-641-A
posted by zippy at 12:14 AM on March 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
Also to completely discredit myself. I would like to recommend as a gentle introduction to MST3K Mitchell
posted by zippy at 12:19 AM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by zippy at 12:19 AM on March 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
The problem with using Mitchell as an introduction is story, which is rarely a concern for MST but it is a concern for that episode, being as it is Joel's last as host and Mike's introduction as Mike Nelson. The heart of the show is Joel's paternal relationship with the bots, and Mike's pal-ing around with them, and this is an episode in which one is ending and the other has yet to begin.
I think the best introduction episodes are the second and third season classics: Cave Dwellers, Pod People, Catalina Caper, The Sidehackers, Godzilla vs Megalon, the Gameras, anything with Sandy Frank Presents on it (other than Mighty Jack, which is nigh-incomprehensible for a newbie), Earth vs. The Spider, and the two Master Ninjas. From there you can go on to Mike episodes knowing where the show started, and you're also ready for stronger fare like Monster A-Go-Go, Manos, and the one we just watched in MST Club, Red Zone Cuba.
posted by JHarris at 7:24 AM on March 3, 2017
I think the best introduction episodes are the second and third season classics: Cave Dwellers, Pod People, Catalina Caper, The Sidehackers, Godzilla vs Megalon, the Gameras, anything with Sandy Frank Presents on it (other than Mighty Jack, which is nigh-incomprehensible for a newbie), Earth vs. The Spider, and the two Master Ninjas. From there you can go on to Mike episodes knowing where the show started, and you're also ready for stronger fare like Monster A-Go-Go, Manos, and the one we just watched in MST Club, Red Zone Cuba.
posted by JHarris at 7:24 AM on March 3, 2017
People, I have seen the pilot, and it is amazing. Not just the movie choice, but also the new cast, the writing, and the skits. They nailed it.
I can't decide whether I hate you, or whether i want to enslave myself to you in exchange for info.
...The one with the Mexican movie about Santa was my gateway. I was email pen-pals with this dude in Ottawa for a while who was obsessed with the show, and once when i was there for a visit he and his roommate had this huge viewing party for that weeks' episode. (That was also the first time I had pouitine; it was a very eventful evening.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:59 AM on March 3, 2017 [5 favorites]
My first episode was possibly the only one ever shown on Australian television (at least, on free-to-air television there) - MST3K: The Movie. In retrospect, it might be a 'worst good episode' - an episode that makes you want to watch more and is the least-good of all the episodes that would make you want to watch more - which is good because all the other good episodes are even better. I'm guessing this because I later read that they put fewer jokes in it than usual so people would be able to hear it in the theater over the audience's laughter.
posted by BiggerJ at 5:01 PM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by BiggerJ at 5:01 PM on March 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
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