The Crazy History of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Show That Wouldn't DIE!!

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 is one of the longest running shows in terms of years of all time but there are plenty of twists and turns to get us from the 1980's to today.

Joel, Mike, Jonah, Emily, Tom, Crow and Gypsy have bounced around from network to network covering all the distribution methods you can think of but they're still here, riffing on movies aboard the Satellite of Love.

This is the story of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000

SOURCES;
The Amazing Colossal Episode Guide

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[cboehm]

When we were teenagers, I would record each episode off of the Comedy Channel (and then Comedy Central). Then, Thursday nights, my friends and I would gather in my mom's basement, order pizzas, watch the episode and then play table top role-playing games. It was a wonderful time in my life, and this show feels like a key part of it.

We definitely circulated the tapes.

[glennwelsh]

And remember everyone, keep circulating those tapes.

[FitnFire]

MST3K literally kept my sanity during my deployment to Afghanistan

[dougball]

“I want do decide who lives and who dies.” My favorite Crow line of all time. What I want for Christmas. 🤣🤣🤣

[soulknife]

Ah yes. The people who introduced us to Slab Bulkhead, Fridge Largemeat, Punt Speedchunk, and the goofy world of Gamera.

[leeartlee]

No exaggeration, watching MST3K as a kid had a profound effect on me. It not only taught me that humor could come from a variety of places but also the JOYS of staying up late to watch weird stuff.

Joel is a big reason why I love comedy as much as I do.

[therealking]

MST3K was that show that you didn't think anyone else had ever heard of until someone mentioned it and simultaneously everyone says "I love that show!"

[bittertroll]

MST3K is still one of my favorite shows ever. helped mold my sense of humor. i always try to introduce new people to it today

[lordzarak]

Shortly after I got married, I went to my wife and had to explain that I wanted to participate in a Kickstarter campaign to revive my favorite television show. One year later, the two of us were in Los Angeles so that I could appear on screen as one of the Observers at Jonah and Kinga's wedding in the Season 11 finale. It was an awesome experience! I got to chat freely with Jonah Ray who was such a great and humble guy.

[wamingopublishing]

I met most of the cast during their Cinematic Titanic tour in 2012. I was working third shift at the time, so was up all night and immediately drove with my friends from Indianapolis to Michigan to watch their show that very night.

Trace Beaulieu has always been my favorite cast member, so I singled him out when getting their autographs after the show. I had it planned out exactly what I was going to say to him: “I think you’re a terrific actor. Anyone who can manipulate a puppet the way you do, invoke such personality into its performance, that takes a lot of skill and talent.” But I was so exhausted and nervous when I met him that all that came out was a rushed, “I think you’re a great actor!” and then my brain froze and I just stood there in absolute silence. Trace says “Oh (uncomfortable pause) thanks, ” and hands me his autograph with a “You can piss off now” look on his face.

Still, it was a fun experience and I don’t regret meeting the cast even if I made a fool of myself in front of them.

[Alucard-A-La-Carte]

I'm not sure I can put into words just how much this show meant to me as a kid. In a chaotic, anxious world, it somehow made perfect sense AND you could fit 4 episodes on a VHS tape, if you paused the ads and recorded in EP-mode.

I've honestly loved every iteration: Joel, Mike, Jonah, Emily, it's been a singularly odd timeloop watching newer and newer 'fans' flip out about the "new host ruining everything."

[WillmobilePlus]

Still watch the Turkey Day Marathon! Thank goodness for YouTube!

I first saw an ad for this show as a young teen on the then new Comedy Central in like 92, knowing nothing about it before, and laughed so hard, I almost choked on my cornflakes!

Each episode seemed like it went on for hours into the evening. Sometimes I had to split the time between MST3K and the new episodes of TNG, which aired in my town at 7PM Saturday evening.

I love how then they encouraged you to share VHS tapes of the show.

[TheNerdWithASuit]

I'll be out walking then one day "You know every frame of this movie looks like someone's last known photograph." will play in my mind and I'll stop dead in my tracks laughing.

[usagi]

My dad and I used to watch MST3K together when I was a teenager. Manos the Hands of Fate was the first episode we ever caught, and it still holds a special place in my heart.

[Skorpius]

"In the late 80s, there was no internet..." (melo-dramatic pause) Priceless!

[thexalon]

"He tried to kill me with a forklift" has entered my brain forever. Also "hi-keeba" as the thing to say during a martial arts move.

[KRDiStort]

It's thanks to MST3k that I have my appreciation of the great cinematic heroes like Jet Jaguar, Zap Rowsdower, and Pumaman.

[natehans]

3:30 forty years later, I finally learn what the lower dial does.

[bensaret]

My entire sense of humor as a teenager was formed by watching Joel and the bots riff on Gamera vs Gaos onward ♥, since then I've seen every episode, joined the fanclub, got the Funko pops, watched the college tour (with that Adam West movie Zombie Nightmare), and generally loved the show from start to finish.
My dad would always ask "Are you watching that stupid show again?" and I would proudly declare "Yes. Yes, I am!" Good times, good times.

[vgtrp]

Mystery Science Theater 3000 is one of my favorite shows of all time, and still watch episodes on occasion.