Topic: MST3K: The Kickstartering

Interesting things are happening in Riff Land.

First, old MST3K episodes are being sold by Rifftrax on their web site. This means the cast will be making money from them for the first time since they aired. A new old episode will be released each Monday.

Now, a mere three weeks later, Joel has started a Kickstarter to do a new season of MST3K:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ms … gbackmst3k

All new cast, and no word on who will do the writing.

It looks like it will make its first goal, at the very least. I won't be contributing, as my money goes to the Rifftrax live kickstarters, but I'm interested in what they're going to do.

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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Re: MST3K: The Kickstartering

It's very strange that Joel, Trace, and Josh seem to want nothing to do with Mike, Bill, and Kevin. Rifftrax had a standing invitation for them to join, and Cinematic Titanic didn't quite have the mojo. Now this, with Joel apparently "getting the band back together" with all new members? I'm full of mixed feelings.

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: MST3K: The Kickstartering

Mary Jo Pehl  is now with Rifftrax, doing a series of shorts with Bridget Nelson.

I'm wary for a couple reasons. First, it's the writing team that will matter. Who they get behind the camera. Rifftrax had the advantage when they started that Mike was the head MST3K writer. No matter who they get to host, it'll take a bit for the chemistry to build.

Second... let's face it, this is a Veronica Mars situation. The rights are now owned by Shout Factory, the company releasing the DVDs. They COULD pay for this, but would rather have us foot the production costs. You don't get much in return, apart from the show existing. This actually is a donation. Compare this to the Rifftrax Kickstarters, which shove enough digital goodies at you that you get your money's worth (they use your cash to pay the upfront costs for the live shows).

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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Re: MST3K: The Kickstartering

I suspect a fair part of the crowdfunding is sheer goodwill for Joel. The guy only made a decent basic cable host living for a few years.

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: MST3K: The Kickstartering

When Joel created the show, Mike Nelson was still a waiter at TGI Fridays.  Mike is a talented fella, but he wasn't always the head writer - he started as the writing room assistant.   
It's fine to prefer the direction the show took when Mike did become the head writer.  But to say the reboot is at a disadvantage if Mike isn't writing... sheesh, it's Joel's freakin' show.  Everything MST3K is came out of Joel's brain originally.   I'd only be worried if someone ELSE was running the reboot. 
But of course, I'm a Joel guy.  If you're a Mike person your life must be very difficult already, so I will leave you in your freakish misery.

Re: MST3K: The Kickstartering

Trey wrote:

When Joel created the show, Mike Nelson was still a waiter at TGI Fridays.  Mike is a talented fella, but he wasn't always the head writer - he started as the writing room assistant.   
It's fine to prefer the direction the show took when Mike did become the head writer.

To be fair though, that's apparently the overwhelming majority of the show's run.  According to IMDB, Mike became head writer starting with the second Comedy Central season (September 1990).  That was more than three years before he actually became the show's host (October 1993). 

I have to confess, host-wise, I lean more Joel than Mike, but partly that's because I'm just not as familiar with his run.  I sort of 'grew up' with the Season 2-4 Turkey Day marathons at a friend's house (the cable company where I lived was too cheap to carry Comedy Central).  Those are still some of my favorites.  I think the one that got me hooked was Wild Rebels, but I could watch Master Ninja 1 forever.

For the next hour, everything in this post is strictly based on the available facts.

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Re: MST3K: The Kickstartering

Trey wrote:

When Joel created the show, Mike Nelson was still a waiter at TGI Fridays.  Mike is a talented fella, but he wasn't always the head writer - he started as the writing room assistant.   
It's fine to prefer the direction the show took when Mike did become the head writer.  But to say the reboot is at a disadvantage if Mike isn't writing... sheesh, it's Joel's freakin' show.  Everything MST3K is came out of Joel's brain originally.   I'd only be worried if someone ELSE was running the reboot. 
But of course, I'm a Joel guy.  If you're a Mike person your life must be very difficult already, so I will leave you in your freakish misery.

Nobody said anything anti-Joel. From what I've heard regarding the fate of Cinema Titanic his choices weren't too great there business wise, but this is something different. I only referenced Mike with regard to the start of Rifftrax. With luck, the new show will start with a good writing team.

I write stories! With words!
http://www.asstr.org/~Invid_Fan/

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