Author Topic: The new MST3K...  (Read 6030 times)

Tenzhi

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The new MST3K...
« on: April 14, 2017, 09:12:12 AM »
The new MST3K started today.  So far, I enjoyed the Wil Wheaton and Erin Gray cameos, and I like Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt in their roles, but I'm not sure about the new Subject, Tom and Crow are a bit off, and I hate Gypsy's new voice.

Also: the new theme song is trying too hard.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

doc7924

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2017, 12:52:25 PM »
The new MST3K started today.  So far, I enjoyed the Wil Wheaton and Erin Gray cameos, and I like Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt in their roles, but I'm not sure about the new Subject, Tom and Crow are a bit off, and I hate Gypsy's new voice.

Also: the new theme song is trying too hard.

Oh. Where and when is that on? I had no idea they were doing a new series.

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2017, 01:02:12 PM »
It's a Netflix Original series.  By the end of the first episode, I was rather enjoying it.  I think the Every Country Has a Monster song sealed the deal for me.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2017, 04:14:24 PM »
I've only seen the first episode (I was a backer at the 035 level, so I got to see the first episode early), and I really liked it.  It feels different, but it still feels like MST3K.  The new quicker pace of the jokes means they sometimes belabor a point, the new voices for Tom and Crow are going to take a lot of getting used to (and Gypsy even moreso), and it seems like the writers just decided to ignore how the final episode of Season 10 ended (unless there's a plot twist coming later), but those are nitpicks rather than criticisms.

If the rest of the episodes continue in the vein of episode 1101, then it's going to be a great season.

Now to just try to learn whether Netflix France has it (which has turned out to be a surprisingly difficult question to get answered).

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2017, 04:32:44 PM »
I thought the original had 12 seasons.  I don't recall how the last episode ended, but I think the movie was something about Merlin running an antique shop?  The antagonist - Pearl? - really bugged me, as did a number of other things in the show's story at that point, so it largely was something I just turned on for background noise.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

doc7924

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2017, 09:55:57 PM »
Finally saw some of it. It's like the same - but different.

Will certainly take a while to get used to it. The original went through a lot of cast changes the last few years, so its not that hard to adapt.

I love they didn't un-cheapen the sets and models for 2017. That was always part of its charm.


Tahquitz

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2017, 10:12:08 PM »
Caught the first episode... some things to get used to (Why can't Gypsy watch with the boys instead of popping in?)... But I like the Moon 13 interstitials (since Netflix doesn't have ads, so the breaks in the movie wouldn't happen without something to fill the time) and they upped the music game considerably (Paul and Storm wrote their episode song about monsters I noticed), so this crew will be something to watch in it's own right. 
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Vee

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2017, 10:12:35 PM »
I'm anxious to see if it holds up for me. I'm not entirely sure the original series would hold up since I was a huge fan when I was like 14-16 but could never get into it once it moved to Sci-Fi. I've had the entire run waiting in the infinite queue for a while. Will check out an ep or two of the new one but it'll have to be really good not to get pushed into place behind the other seasons in the queue.

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #8 on: April 15, 2017, 03:43:52 PM »
I've only seen the first episode (I was a backer at the 035 level, so I got to see the first episode early), and I really liked it.  It feels different, but it still feels like MST3K.  The new quicker pace of the jokes means they sometimes belabor a point, the new voices for Tom and Crow are going to take a lot of getting used to (and Gypsy even moreso), and it seems like the writers just decided to ignore how the final episode of Season 10 ended (unless there's a plot twist coming later), but those are nitpicks rather than criticisms.

I didn't really notice any belaboring in the first episode, which was Reptilicus.  But, man, there's certainly been a few instances in episode 2 Cry Wilderness.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2017, 07:35:32 PM »
I thought the original had 12 seasons.  I don't recall how the last episode ended, but I think the movie was something about Merlin running an antique shop?  The antagonist - Pearl? - really bugged me, as did a number of other things in the show's story at that point, so it largely was something I just turned on for background noise.

The show ran for seven seasons on Comedy Central and three on Sci-Fi, making this season 11.  (Technically, there's one more season from when it was a local UHF show, but they don't consider that part of the series.  It's usually called either "Season 0" or just "The KTMA season".  They redid a lot of those Season 0 movies when they started on Comedy Central.  The Season 0 episodes are interesting, but they're very uneven due to the riffs being done spontaneously rather than being pre-written)

Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders was the last episode aired, but nor the last episode produced.  There were some last-minute rights issues with the movie that forced them to hold it back until after the season finale (Danger: Diabolique) had aired.  The final episode ended with Mike and the 'Bots living in a small apartment on Earth, while Gypsy was a multibillionaire with her own corporation.

I didn't really notice any belaboring in the first episode, which was Reptilicus.  But, man, there's certainly been a few instances in episode 2 Cry Wilderness.

The one that springs immediately to mind was the D&D riff in the war room, which I laughed at, but then they tacked on unnecessary references to the Dead Alewives D&D sketch.  There were a couple of others, but I'd have to re-re-watch the episode to remember them.

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #10 on: April 15, 2017, 08:37:19 PM »
Ah, see, what you called "unnecessary references" was simply "saying what I was thinking" for me.  Indeed, as I recall, my brain shortly followed with a never split the party reference as some people split up or something and I was slightly sad that the commentary and I had parted ways.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

doc7924

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2017, 10:48:41 PM »
The show ran for seven seasons on Comedy Central and three on Sci-Fi, making this season 11.  (Technically, there's one more season from when it was a local UHF show, but they don't consider that part of the series.  It's usually called either "Season 0" or just "The KTMA season".  They redid a lot of those Season 0 movies when they started on Comedy Central.  The Season 0 episodes are interesting, but they're very uneven due to the riffs being done spontaneously rather than being pre-written)

Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders was the last episode aired, but nor the last episode produced.  There were some last-minute rights issues with the movie that forced them to hold it back until after the season finale (Danger: Diabolique) had aired.  The final episode ended with Mike and the 'Bots living in a small apartment on Earth, while Gypsy was a multibillionaire with her own corporation.

The one that springs immediately to mind was the D&D riff in the war room, which I laughed at, but then they tacked on unnecessary references to the Dead Alewives D&D sketch.  There were a couple of others, but I'd have to re-re-watch the episode to remember them.

I have one of those old UHF ones - they did one of the Space:1999 edited for TV films. Space Princess I think.

Vee

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2017, 10:54:42 PM »
Cosmic Princess. Those early ones are really tough to watch, they barely comment.

Are *you people* trying to binge watch these like a normal length netflix show? Cause that seems like the kind of thing that needs to be monitored by mad scientists.

doc7924

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2017, 11:29:08 PM »
Cosmic Princess. Those early ones are really tough to watch, they barely comment.

Are *you people* trying to binge watch these like a normal length netflix show? Cause that seems like the kind of thing that needs to be monitored by mad scientists.

Not only that, the robots and sets are downright ugly looking. The CC ones were also cheap looking, but in a good way.

eabrace

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2017, 01:16:10 AM »
2 episodes in at the moment (definitely NOT trying to binge like I would other shows).  Reptilicus was OK, but I laughed more with Cry Wilderness.
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Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #15 on: April 16, 2017, 02:08:30 AM »
Most reviews I've read say that episode 2 is much better than the first, and the cast really starts to gel at around episode 4 or 5.  But that's what I expected. I was hoping that Episode 1 would be competent and "feel" like MST3K, because I knew they'd be stiff.

But I have learned whether Netflix France has the episodes, and the answer is no, they don't.  I haven't seen any of the other episodes of the new season yet, and I don't know when I will.

As for the KTMA episodes - for a fan, they're extremely interesting from a historical perspective, but they're not very good.  (Though K01 and K02 both featured pretty goofily-entertaining "films" in their own right, so that helped me get through them)

... I guess I'll go binge-watch MFT3K. :(

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #16 on: April 16, 2017, 02:18:38 AM »
Most reviews I've read say that episode 2 is much better than the first, and the cast really starts to gel at around episode 4 or 5. 

Given a comment made in episode 2, that's pretty funny.  Personally I liked the first episode a bit more, but possibly because the movie itself was more laughable... and also because of the monster song.  Episode 2 also rekindled my hatred for Pearl and the monkey.

And, no, I'm definitely not binge watching.  At my current rate it may take me a couple of weeks to get through it.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2017, 03:30:54 AM »
I'm just frustrated.  If I'd known it wasn't going to air in France when I backed it, I would have either donated enough to get the whole season, or not donated at all.

I not only donated, I gave up my physical rewards for donating, because I didn't want them to waste the money on sending things overseas.

I was excitedly counting the days until the premiere.  I couldn't wait to spend this long weekend watching many of the new episodes.

But all I get is "Sorry, stupid non-living-in-America person, you don't get to actually watch the episodes, you just get to read other people gush about how great it is.   Thanks for the free cash, and enjoy the knot in your stomach!  Ha ha ha!"

No... actually, I'm not just frustrated.  I'm downright angry.

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #18 on: April 16, 2017, 05:11:22 AM »
That sucks, TG.  I wonder why it's not airing in France?  Possibly something to do with how France handles copyrights and MST3K's usage of old movies?
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

Tahquitz

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #19 on: April 16, 2017, 04:57:24 PM »
I'd blame Netflix.  Geofencing bastards.
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Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #20 on: April 16, 2017, 08:35:18 PM »
Yeah, I would up just using some... alternate ways... to acquire and watch the episodes.   I wanted to support them (because I definitely want a Season 12), but both Netflix and MST3K customer support literally gave me no way to do so legitimately.

And now that I've seen them, I agree with the general consensus - episodes 2 and 3 are better than episode 1.  Pearl/Bobo/Brain Guy's cameo in episode 2 felt really forced, though I loved how terrible, bizarre, and terribly bizarre the movie was.  (Like how Jim had no trouble believing in Native American spirits, but Bigfoot?  No way!  "That's a fairy story, Paul!  Grow up, Paul!")

Episode 3's movie reminds me a little of This Island Earth, in that it has dirt-boring scientists interacting with an alien culture, but in this case, they're "alien" due to being from the future rather than from space.  It does, however, have some surprisingly good special effects.  It looks like a professional stage magician was involved, and, again, I mean that in a good way.  (Too bad the actual plot wasn't anywhere as good as the special effects.  It was about 90% padding)

I'm going to spread the rest of the episodes out over the course of the week.  Having watched the theatrical trailers for all of the films for the new season already, I think I'm looking forward to Starcrash and Wizards of the Lost Kingdom the most, and maybe Carnival Magic (which just sounds like a really bizarre movie).

Vee

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #21 on: April 16, 2017, 09:02:15 PM »
I don't think even the most staunch anti-piracy person would begrudge you after kickstarter support and having a netflix sub.

The stranger things promo is worth a yuck if anyone's not seen it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkOMAQAcBKE

Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #22 on: April 18, 2017, 09:11:06 PM »
As movies, Avalanche and Beast of Hollow Mountain suffer from the same problem - the titular menace doesn't appear until 3/4 of the way through the movie, and then it's a relatively anti-climactic affair.

As episodes of MST3K, though, they're perfect.  The riffing is getting sharper, and, yes, the characters are finally starting to gel.  I was afraid we were back to Season 0 and 1 situation where the Mads only appear at the very beginning and end, but they're starting to show up more during the episodes.  (The host segments still feel a little short and aimless, though.  They don't so much end as they just stop)

I've also picked out "The Canada Song" And "Creepy Girl" as background music for the commercial breaks.

Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #23 on: April 20, 2017, 06:49:02 AM »
Might as well keep on rocking...

Episode 6: Starcrash.  A big dumb Star Wars ripoff with 1/10th the budget.  Surprisingly, while the Riff/Second ratio was as high as always, they missed commenting on things like the villain's resemblance to John Lovitz as Tod Spengo, the way Stella's bikini keeps gaining and losing straps from scene to scene, and how much makeup David Hasselhoff was wearing.  They also went pretty easy on both Christopher Plummer and David Hasselhoff.

The MST3K version also cut out most of the uses of L's hilarious catchphrase ("That makes me nervous"), and removed a scene where Akton talks about his ability to see the future (and in which he also explains why the ship was "malfunctioning" when Thor tried to take off).

(Compare that to the Mystery Fandom Theater 3000 riffing of the same film, which did note the straps, Hoff's makeup, and the Lovitz resemblance, and ran with the "nervous" bit.  It's also longer because it didn't cut the movie, and includes cheesy 1950s commercials during its commercial breaks.  Also, I have an easier time telling the three voices apart - Jonah just sounds too much like Vaughn-as-Servo, which is weird, because he doesn't sound a thing like Vaughn-as-himself).

All in all, though, a good episode.  I think this is my favorite movie of the season so far (though, as I said, I'm also looking forward to Wizards of the Lost Kingdom 1 and 2).

Maybe it's just me, but I almost feel like they've quietly slipped in a story arc - there's a mysterious series of numbers during the opening that nobody can figure out, Kinga's bizarre liquid recording system (as well as Kinga herself) appears to be slowly breaking down as the episodes go on, and there's repeated references to the spacesuit Jonah's building/repairing.  I'm interested in seeing where this goes.

Vee

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #24 on: April 28, 2017, 06:54:16 AM »
Finally got around to watching one. Could do without the nerd pandering casting but it was ok I guess. Glad to see they're skewing younger with the Billie Holiday and Glen Miller.

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #25 on: April 28, 2017, 08:31:16 AM »
I've been chipping away at the Avalanche episode for a week now.  As much as I like NPH, the musical number and its forced-from-left-field scenario annoyed me... until TV'S Son of TV'S Frank joined in, then I was amused.  But I can only take this episode in small doses, mainly due to the movie.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.

Super Firebug

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #26 on: August 11, 2017, 07:53:21 PM »
Depending on what it'd cost, I may have to give this a try.
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Thunder Glove

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #27 on: August 11, 2017, 08:45:37 PM »
It's Netflix-only (and English-language Netflix-only) for the moment.

... also, belatedly, Avalanche was one of my least favorite episodes.  (I loved Starcrash and Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II.  I think I liked the fan-project MFT3K version of Starcrash a little better, though)

Tenzhi

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Re: The new MST3K...
« Reply #28 on: August 12, 2017, 07:32:12 AM »
I still haven't finished the season.  I keep getting distracted.  I liked WotLK and Starcrash, but I might have liked the Hercules movie just a bit more.
When you insult someone by calling them a "pig" or a "dog" you aren't maligning pigs and dogs everywhere.  The same is true of any term used as an insult.