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I’m surprised that “Space Mutiny” came out so late in the eighties, as it feels like it could have easily been dropped in 1985 when “Star Wars” was a juggernaut. In the decade, so many studios were eager to jump on the “Star Wars” band wagon and they did it whether they had the resources or not. “Space Mutiny” is that epic product of the decade that takes everything bad about the “Star Wars” craze and plops it on to one messy, festering pile of nonsense.
After the end of the seventies series “WKRP In Cincinnati,” star Howard Hesseman went on to more downbeat fare that, while formula, was at least a different direction. “Head of the Class” is a childhood favorite, a series I fondly remember watching as it came to a close, and then re-watching in reruns. I loved the show then, and years later it’s perfectly fine. As an eighties multi-camera prime time sitcom, it’s a serviceable and occasionally funny series about a substitute teacher who manages to take charge of a group of mismatched students with high IQ’s.
I think there was even some doubt by Joel Hodgson and company on whether or not fans wanted a reboot of MST3K. Sure, the merchandise sells well, but most reboots of nineties properties have either stunk or just failed to deliver, period. Plus it’s not like the show was around for a short time like “Firefly” or “Freaks and Geeks.” It was on ten years and even earned a movie of its own. Surprisingly enough fans proved that the show is just as special to them as it is to Joel Hodgson and his crew of brilliant creators that gave us the original series. Like all the other fans, “MST3K” has a very special place in my heart and I have such a deep bond with its characters and love for its formula. So naturally I was frightened the reboot would be stale.
For those unaware, “Comet TV” is a new science fiction station on the internet that hearkens back to classic cable’s niche TV networks. “Comet TV” is still young and has a limited, but fun line up of horror, fantasy, and hardcore science fiction, from shows like “Outer Limits,” and “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” and even have their own weekly events on the channel, including a line up of diverse and very interesting movies within the scope of the channel’s science fiction roots.
For fans anxious to bathe in some great science fiction, Comet TV can be found online and is reminiscent of the good old days of the Sci-Fi Channel here in America. This month, Comet TV have an entire list of genre films they’re airing for their audience, and these are five especially good ones we suggest you check out!
In June 2016, the folks from Rifftrax finally granted longtime fans the privilege of watching an MST3K reunion. It was pulled off successfully and brought literally everyone who has ever been on the series to riff on some classic and awful educational short films. Not just that, but the crew also had the foresight to bring on Jonah Ray the new human host for the upcoming “MST3K” reboot to throw in some of his own riffs, and warm the audience up to his impending tenure on the Satellite of Love. I’m a big fan of Ray’s, and he has the same affable personality, and humble charm that Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson had that won fans over. I’m excited to see how he handles the antics on the new show. For fans that missed the live show, the performance is now available for purchase at Rifftrax, and I gladly paid to watch the two and a half hour performance by the entire cast, in person in front of a welcome audience.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty psyched to see “Mystery Science Theater 3000” coming back. With the help of Kickstarter, fans have made their presence felt, by helping to fund a few episodes of the reboot of “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Original creator Joel Hodgson plans to change some elements, while also keeping many concepts the exact same for devotees. Hopefully with this new series, it’ll launch a brand new series fans can enjoy, while also converting a new generation of fans that can carry the torch of MST3K for many more years to come.
This is five reasons why we’re looking forward to the return of MST3K.
I by no means would suggest “MST3K” the movie to anyone interested in getting in to the show. If you’ve never seen the cult series before, the movie surely will not win you over. When you take away the rabid fandom (I will watch the entire nine seasons in one sitting someday!), the movie itself is somewhat mediocre and disappointing. We deserved a fun, and epic movie, with some of the better jokes we’ve seen on the show. We even should have been allowed the privilege of a better movie. How fun would it have been to see the guys riff on “Plan Nine from Outer Space,” finally?