August-September 2017 15
T
here’s no doubt that the
cult-favorite Mystery Science
Theater 3000 is in a class by
itself, but after so much time
on the air it’s amazing the appeal
remains so strong. Senior Manager,
Publicity, at Shout! Factory, Sarah J.
De Bruin, expressed her thoughts on
this unique comedy phenomenon:
Mystery Science Theater 3000’s
unique format and sensibility has
infl uenced a generation, including
new season cast members like Patton
Oswalt, Jonah Ray, Hampton Yount,
and Baron Vaughn. MST3K was a
groundbreaking comedic concept
when the show premiered in 1988.
The show didn’t fi t into established
comedic molds — it wasn’t a sketch
show, a stand-up special or a sitcom.
Over the past nearly thirty years,
MST3K has spawned an entire genre
of movie-mocking media, from MST3K
cast member projects like Rifftrax to
podcasts like Doug Benson’s Doug
Loves Movies.
Riffi ng on a cheesy movie a la
MST3K is now part of the public
consciousness, with projects like the
Sharknado series being created for
the sole purpose of being riffed on.
MST3K is in the same vein as Doctor
Who or James Bond — the concept
remains the same, but new talent
keep the show fresh and let it evolve,
while maintaining the core ideals that
appeal to fans across generations.
Fans of the show, known as
MSTies, were one of the earliest
fandoms to take advantage of the
Internet. Transitioning from a post-
al-based fan club, MSTies connected
with other fans online and it allowed
them to keep circulating the tapes.
The community has been continuously
active since the original run ended in
1999, and has helped to keep MST3K
one of the most popular cult TV shows
of all time.
SHOUT! IT OUT
featured on MST3K are not in the public
domain, he may include subsets providing
ri s of some of the movies that are. e bulk
of the base & insert series, however, will
concentrate on the original host segments
and actors.
SCIENTIFIC CHASE CARDS
As planning on this rst-of-three series
continues, Parks is growing ever more
excited about the chase cards he is hoping to
unleash on an unsuspecting public. “At this
stage, because the cards are in the design
and licensing approval process, speci cs
aren’t yet decided,” Parks remarked. I’ve also
discussed with [licensor] Shout! Factory that
keeping the MST3K trading cards exible to
incorporate fan input will make for a more
dynamic, fan-friendly card series.”
Even though a big portion of the show’s
cast are robots, Parks is looking to offer