Joel Hodgson Wins the Internet

And just in time for Thanksgiving, which was always a great time to be a Mystery Science Theater 3000 fan.

MST3K will officially be back. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Mystery Science Theater 3000 creator, Joel Hodgson, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring back the beloved show. He has already brought in over two million dollars, which is enough to produce three episodes. Hopefully fans will help him reach his stretch goal of five-and-a-half million dollars, which will cover a full twelve shows.

I'm on board, and I feel that every true blue fan who can afford to do so should be as well. This is the perfect vehicle for crowdfunding. A show that is treasured by fans, but was canceled by the suits at the networks.

I fell in love with the show early on. My passion for trash cinema coupled with my abiding affection for wit made Mystery Science Theater 3000 a natural for me.

Any crowdfunding venture is a risk. Will they take our money and run? I don't think that is a worry with Joel. More importantly, will the new incantation only soil the memory of the show so many of us adore?

MST3K was canceled by Comedy Central, and brought back by the Sci Fi Network in the late 90's. The movie riffs were still funny, but the host segments were atrocious. I missed The Mads.

It's worrisome that a new host and cast will be used in the future shows. It isn't necessarily a bad thing. Many fans were in an uproar when Joel stepped down and Mike Nelson took over the reins as the hapless captive of The Satellite of Love. Most people came to love Mike as much as Joel. If not even more so. I'm not on Team Mike or Team Joel. I like them both. On the other hand, I have never quite warmed to Bill Corbett as Crow.

The proposed new host will be Jonah Ray, who is a host on The Nerdist, whatever the hell that is. I personally folded up and put away my Geek Flag quite a while ago. Today's breed of nerd brings me no joy. Especially in the light of things like Gamergate and all those pathetic award puppies.

Still, I have an open mind and I am enthusiastically following and applauding the success of the Kickstarter campaign. I derived so much pleasure from Joel's odd little TV show that I feel I owe him. I'm in for a tee shirt and a download of the first show.

Sometimes this stuff works. Ash Vs Evil Dead is pleasing most of the fans of the old Evil Dead movies.
So, please, if the old show made you smile. Helped you forget your troubles every week. Please be a part of this. At a time when people are angry, scared, self-righteous, we need Mystery Science Theater 3000 more than ever. Join us, won't you?