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[Foggy]

You know what they need to do to really sell people who are on the fence? Just go ahead and do a quick little 5-10 minute short to give people an idea of what the reboot's gonna be like.

That's precisely the sort of thing that would make me bite.

There are plenty of remarkably talented people out there that could carry the torch, but I want to know that they are going to be remarkably talented and funny people before getting invested in this thing.

 

[Sanjuro]

That's precisely the sort of thing that would make me bite.

There are plenty of remarkably talented people out there that could carry the torch, but I want to know that they are going to be remarkably talented and funny people before getting invested in this thing.

Based on the reddit AMA, you'll at the very least have time to choose if you want to support MST3K or not. Sounds like they are going to be revealing much of what is going into the series very soon.

I'm also sure they'll have some fun surprises for the Turkey Day Marathon.

 

[Foggy]

Based on the reddit AMA, you'll at the very least have time to choose if you want to support MST3K or not. Sounds like they are going to be revealing much of what is going into the series very soon.

I'm also sure they'll have some fun surprises for the Turkey Day Marathon.

Yeah, I'm sure they'll reach the first or second plateau no problem, but if they want to do the full season then they'll need to convert the skeptics. I will HAPPILY become a believer once they throw more out there.

 

[Blader]

Based on the reddit AMA, you'll at the very least have time to choose if you want to support MST3K or not. Sounds like they are going to be revealing much of what is going into the series very soon.

I'm also sure they'll have some fun surprises for the Turkey Day Marathon.

It's probably pretty unlikely, but it would be cool if one of the movies for the Turkey Day Marathon was actually a new movie riffed by the new people -- even if it's just a short.

 

[BattleMonkey]

I'm still fighting the urge to support because Kickstarter goes against my core principles, but I hope this succeeds wildly and Netflix/Hulu can get a deal with them going. It would be great if Netflix put an MST3K clause in the movies they get so they can do riffs on them where desired.

You'd think that would be a major win for Netflix: pay the MST group (can't be that expensive), get tons of cheap old movies through public domain or same way KTMA/CC/Sci Fi got their movies, and have regular releases to encourage people to subscribe to Netflix.

Netflix would know how much viewership MST has with the past eps they have hosted, so I mean if they did ask netflix, they likely already know how popular the show is. Though I doubt it has the same exposure that the other shows Netflix has supported have.

 

[Respect]

Mike just said he's not involved: https://twitter.com/michaeljnelson/status/664160798499995648

Hype levels falling

 

[Tom_Cody]

It has been fun to watch the creep towards 1 million. It should reach the mark in the next few hours.

They clearly seem to have the kickstarter campaign charted-out. It will be interesting to see if there will be funding spikes in response to their planned reveals.

 

[plagiarize]

It has been fun to watch the creep towards 1 million. It should reach the mark in the next few hours.

They clearly seem to have the kickstarter campaign charted-out. It will be interesting to see if there will be funding spikes in response to their planned reveals.

I think there will be. It's a question of how big. Hopefully the new host and new mad will bring with them their own built in support once they are announced.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

We just crossed $1 million!

 

[mclem]

Well, safe to say that this is happening. Now the question is how much of this is happening!

 

[djplaeskool]

Holy crap.
Already past a million

 

[Tom_Cody]

We just crossed $1 million!

 

[mclem]

Thinking about it, I'm not sure if it's genius or a problem that $35 only ever gets the first episode while $100 gets the full range of episodes they release. On the one hand I sort of feel that it'd be nice if the $35 backers got a bit more as the stretch targets are met, but on the other hand it offers a nice motivation to increase your funding as the $100 deal looks better and better in comparison.

Maybe one extra episode for $35 for each extra group of three it makes?

 

[WyndhamPrice]

Thinking about it, I'm not sure if it's genius or a problem that $35 only ever gets the first episode while $100 gets the full range of episodes they release. On the one hand I sort of feel that it'd be nice if the $35 backers got a bit more as the stretch targets are met, but on the other hand it offers a nice motivation to increase your funding as the $100 deal looks better and better in comparison.

Maybe one extra episode for $35 for each extra group of three it makes?

You have to stop thinking like there is some equal value between your backing amount and reward.

 

[Rockandrollclown]

Without some level of involvement from Mike and Kevin I'm not really sure how to feel about this. I really can't imagine anyone else as Servo, and Mike was a big contributor to the show even when Joel was hosting. Hopefully its great. MST is a show that should be able to go on forever.

 

[mclem]

You have to stop thinking like there is some equal value between your backing amount and reward.

I don't; I've asserted that myself for other Kickstarters on several occasions. That's why I pitched it as "It'd be nice" rather than "They ought to"

I'm more thinking about whether making it more appealing to pledge $35 (i.e. capturing new backers) will be worth making it less appealing to upgrade to $100 (i.e. getting more out of existing backers).

 

[Skiptastic]

Netflix would know how much viewership MST has with the past eps they have hosted, so I mean if they did ask netflix, they likely already know how popular the show is. Though I doubt it has the same exposure that the other shows Netflix has supported have.

This is true...but imagine how badass it would be to have Netflix movies with an MST button. You can go from watching it normally to suddenly watching it with MST!

IMAGINE IT BATTLEMONKEY

 

[Enk]

Good to see that the kicksarter has passed a million within one day. At the very least we know we'll be getting 3 episodes now.

The worrisome thing about having an all new crew is that it's very difficult to find the right balance of riffers. Anyone who has heard the early days of Rifftrax (when Mike had guest hosts), or has listened to other people's attempts at riffing know it can be very difficult to land a good joke if you don't have the right tone of voice. Even having one bad riffer can hurt the overall flow of what could've been a good commentary. The right combination of riffers was what made everyone fall in love and stay in love with the Satellite of Love. The setting, robots, mads, and all that was just extra icing and cherries to an already delicious cake.

Going off of the kickstarter video (if they are indeed the new riffers), I might be ok with Crow's new voice, and the host sounds decent enough, but Servo's is way too different to the point of being distracting. It's like when your favorite childhood cartoon character has a sudden voice actor change which sounds nothing like the original and you immediately know that this feels wrong. If those voices are what to be expected from the new show then that new Tom Servo is going to have to make a damn good first impression to keep the fans from pull out their "I hate Tom Servo's new voice" signs again.

 

[Takeda Kenshi]

So the first update just went live and.... it's backers only?

Not the best way to get people more interested in your project, Joel.

 

[Alphahawk]

I'm still fighting the urge to support because Kickstarter goes against my core principles, but I hope this succeeds wildly and Netflix/Hulu can get a deal with them going. It would be great if Netflix put an MST3K clause in the movies they get so they can do riffs on them where desired.

You'd think that would be a major win for Netflix: pay the MST group (can't be that expensive), get tons of cheap old movies through public domain or same way KTMA/CC/Sci Fi got their movies, and have regular releases to encourage people to subscribe to Netflix.

That would be horrible and be about one of the worst things Netflix could do. I don't want to miss out on having great films on the service just because they did not agree to be riffed on by some show. I only have a very marginal interest in.

Thinking about it, I'm not sure if it's genius or a problem that $35 only ever gets the first episode while $100 gets the full range of episodes they release. On the one hand I sort of feel that it'd be nice if the $35 backers got a bit more as the stretch targets are met, but on the other hand it offers a nice motivation to increase your funding as the $100 deal looks better and better in comparison.

Maybe one extra episode for $35 for each extra group of three it makes?

Nothing says they can't go back to Kickstarter for additional episodes. Mark the one episode as a one off event, put it on Hulu or Netflix or something and give DVD copies of it as a reward to future backers.

 

[DiscoJer]

So the first update just went live and.... it's backers only?

Not the best way to get people more interested in your project, Joel.

Apparently it's just a "Thank you" for hitting $1 million. But yeah, it doesn't seem to be the best run KS so far. They need to keep up excitement and enthusiasm and there's nothing. And reading the comments, most people don't seem to realize that no one from the old MST3K will be involved besides Joel.

 

[Sanjuro]

So the first update just went live and.... it's backers only?

Not the best way to get people more interested in your project, Joel.

Well that got me to fund them.

The update he posted? It stinks.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

And reading the comments, most people don't seem to realize that no one from the old MST3K will be involved besides Joel.

Even though it's on the backers to read what they're backing, I'm genuinely concerned of a backlash from people who don't realize it.

 

[Tobor]

Even though it's on the backers to read what they're backing, I'm genuinely concerned of a backlash from people who don't realize it.

It's Joel's fault, honestly. This should have been called a reboot straight up, and he should have stated up front that this is a brand new cast and staff.

The ambiguity is all on him.

 

[Sanjuro]

It's Joel's fault, honestly. This should have been called a reboot straight up, and he should have stated up front that this is a brand new cast and staff.

The ambiguity is all on him.

There is no ambiguity, just laziness. I agree though he could have said a bit more, but he has been pretty upfront all along when asked various questions.

 

[opoth]

It's Joel's fault, honestly. This should have been called a reboot straight up, and he should have stated up front that this is a brand new cast and staff.

The ambiguity is all on him.

Where's the ambiguity? The Kickstarter graphic that is displayed when you share it on FB indicates a new host/new Mad in the mix and the video indicates a new cast as well.

I'm not really sure how many other ways Joel can hold your hand.

 

[Tobor]

Where's the ambiguity? The Kickstarter graphic that is displayed when you share it on FB indicates a new host/new Mad in the mix and the video indicates a new cast as well.

I'm not really sure how many other ways Joel can hold your hand.

Go back and look at the beginning of this thread, and look at the comments on the Kickstarter page. There were tons of questions and assumptions that the old cast would be involved somehow.

Joel could have been upfront and stated in the video and description that the old gang isn't involved. Instead the guys had to comment on Twitter after being bombarded with questions, and there are still people who don't fully understand what is happening, which is why electric blanket fire is worried about a potential backlash.

 

[Sanjuro]

Go back and look at the beginning of this thread, and look at the comments on the Kickstarter page. There were tons of questions and assumptions that the old cast would be involved somehow.

Joel could have been upfront and stated in the video and description that the old gang isn't involved. Instead the guys had to comment on Twitter after being bombarded with questions, and there are still people who don't fully understand what is happening.

Some of that is ignorance. Nobody who actively follows them expected anyone from Rifftrax to come back.

Trace, Frank, and Josh are the only ones that would have, and they have a revolving door.

 

[Not]

I doubt they'll reach 5.5 million, but it'll be cool to see how far they'll go. They stuck the prices up pretty high in this campaign in general.

And also, crappy to hear Mike, Bill, and Kevin, won't be a part. Mike is indispensable to MST3K-- he was the head writer even during Joel's tenure.

 

[Sanjuro]

I doubt they'll reach 5.5 million, but it'll be cool to see how far they'll go. They stuck the prices up pretty high in this campaign in general.

And also, crappy to hear Mike, Bill, and Kevin, won't be a part. Mike is indispensable to MST3K-- he was the head writer even during Joel's tenure.

Who knows. I'm looking at Veronica Mars, and it made well over $5M.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Some of that is ignorance. Nobody who actively follows them expected anyone from Rifftrax to come back.

Trace, Frank, and Josh are the only ones that would have, and they have a revolving door.

Yep. Ever since he started teasing the reboot he has said it would have a new host/voices.

 

[plagiarize]

I doubt they'll reach 5.5 million, but it'll be cool to see how far they'll go. They stuck the prices up pretty high in this campaign in general.

And also, crappy to hear Mike, Bill, and Kevin, won't be a part. Mike is indispensable to MST3K-- he was the head writer even during Joel's tenure.

For *some* of Joel's tenure. And again, Joel put the team together. Joel put Mike in place as head writer and Joel himself handed the host duties over to Mike.

Unless you believe that the only people who can do such a show justice all lived in Minneapolis and were all already discovered, then it shouldn't be too hard to believe Joel can find people with the right sensibilities now that we have the internet, and now that so many people are doing fan riffs etc etc.

The right people are out there. I can't think of anyone better than Joel to find them. Mike is a fantastic writer and comic, no doubt, and he would be an asset to the show if it came back, certainly. But Joel knows how to put a team of writers together.

Apparently it's just a "Thank you" for hitting $1 million. But yeah, it doesn't seem to be the best run KS so far. They need to keep up excitement and enthusiasm and there's nothing. And reading the comments, most people don't seem to realize that no one from the old MST3K will be involved besides Joel.

They've held back cast announcements but those will be coming soon, I presume to help spread out some of the publicity on this. We're nearly at one and a quarter million. Today is a holiday... and in the backer update Joel has said more info will be coming soon. It's only day two of the campaign... I'm not sure who regularly you want updates. Shrug.

 

[NoFaceNico]

I was really hyped to back this because I assumed it would be the old cast returning with Joel. I'm a bigger fan of Mike but I would pitch in just to get MST3K back on the air.

However, now that I know it's going to be a reboot, I'd rather just wait and see how it goes. I'm getting my fix with Rifftrax, so even if this falls through I'll be okay.

 

[Michael F. Assbender]

For *some* of Joel's tenure. And again, Joel put the team together. Joel put Mike in place as head writer and Joel himself handed the host duties over to Mike.

Unless you believe that the only people who can do such a show justice all lived in Minneapolis and were all already discovered, then it shouldn't be too hard to believe Joel can find people with the right sensibilities now that we have the internet, and now that so many people are doing fan riffs etc etc.

The right people are out there. I can't think of anyone better than Joel to find them. Mike is a fantastic writer and comic, no doubt, and he would be an asset to the show if it came back, certainly. But Joel knows how to put a team of writers together.

You're basing this assumption on what? His one and only successful project?

He assembled the team behind TV Wheel too. And the last time we got Joel-led riffing in a team not involving Mike at the helm, we got Cinematic Titanic, which wasn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but had none of the pop and nuance of an MST3K or many of the B-movie Rifftrax.

Joel is talented, to be sure. But let's not over-state that talent.

 

[Sanjuro]

You're basing this assumption on what? His one and only successful project?

He assembled the team behind TV Wheel too. And the last time we got Joel-led riffing in a team not involving Mike at the helm, we got Cinematic Titanic, which wasn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but had none of the pop and nuance of an MST3K or many of the B-movie Rifftrax.

Joel is talented, to be sure. But let's not over-state that talent.

Huh?

If anything Cinematic Titanic featured more of what made MST3K great over Rifftrax. Rifftrax was far more progressive in terms of their work.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Well this should help.

 

[plagiarize]

You're basing this assumption on what? His one and only successful project?

He assembled the team behind TV Wheel too. And the last time we got Joel-led riffing in a team not involving Mike at the helm, we got Cinematic Titanic, which wasn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but had none of the pop and nuance of an MST3K or many of the B-movie Rifftrax.

Joel is talented, to be sure. But let's not over-state that talent.

I've never seen the TV Wheel pilot, but looking at the talent involved, it's a pretty solid set of names. David Cross, Paul Feig, Morwenna Banks, Judd Apatow... yeah... not seeing why I shouldn't have faith in his ability to get together a group of talented people.

 

[Michael F. Assbender]

Huh?

If anything Cinematic Titanic featured more of what made MST3K great over Rifftrax. Rifftrax was far more progressive in terms of their work.

I guess it may depend on which era of MST3K you prefer. I found the series when Joel was still there (Sidehackers was my first episode), but grew to love the Sci-Fi era above the rest. The jokes were less corny and had a cutting edge to them that most of the early stuff (and Cinematic Titanic) lacked.

Again, I'm not calling the other stuff bad. Just saying I prefer what I prefer.

 

[Sanjuro]

I guess it may depend on which era of MST3K you prefer. I found the series when Joel was still there (Sidehackers was my first episode), but grew to love the Sci-Fi era above the rest. The jokes were less corny and had a cutting edge to them that most of the early stuff (and Cinematic Titanic) lacked.

Again, I'm not calling the other stuff bad. Just saying I prefer what I prefer.

I like it all. I'm just saying that CT resembles MST3K as a whole, and Rifftrax kind of went for their own thing. They are far more relevant in terms of the films they go after and marketing.

 

[uncelestial]

Pledged at the $100 level. Getting the whole new season and whatever little trinkets they're gonna send my way. Stoked!

 

[bulletbill10]

All this talk about Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax, and nobody stops to think about The Film Crew? Shame on you all.

 

[opoth]

Both are good in their own way, Rifftrax is an extrapalation of the Sci-fi era, a little more modern and a little more mean spirited.

Joel era MST3K was always more observational and gentle to the movies. CT was more along those lines most of the time too. I hope the new era is closer to the original mission statement to help differentiate it, we already have a Rifftrax.

There's room for everyone.

 

[Enk]

All this talk about Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax, and nobody stops to think about The Film Crew? Shame on you all.

I think that is because many just bundle it in with Rifftrax.

 

[bulletbill10]

I think that is because many just bundle it in with Rifftrax.

Yeah that makes sense. I only just started watching it, and have really enjoyed it and wanted to poke a little fun since I hadn't heard of it until recently.

 

[atomsk]

All this talk about Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax, and nobody stops to think about The Film Crew? Shame on you all.

I've got 3 out of the 4 DVDs, I should probably complete that collection one of these days

 

[mclem]

I've never seen the TV Wheel pilot, but looking at the talent involved, it's a pretty solid set of names. David Cross, Paul Feig, Morwenna Banks, Judd Apatow... yeah... not seeing why I shouldn't have faith in his ability to get together a group of talented people.

Wait, Morwenna Banks had a stint trying to make it in America? Maybe that's why it seemed like she mostly vanished off the face of the Earth after Absolutely!

 

[Camwi]

Please make this happen! Sucks that the old cast won't be there (their recent Rifftrax are godly), but I'm still excited for new episodes.

 

[BattleMonkey]

If this succeeds and money gets offered, wonder if some of the old guys will come back in some capacity (cameos, writing, etc). They are not involved now in this project, but once money is offered, do we think they aren't going to jump on board?

 

[Tom_Cody]

If this succeeds and money gets offered, wonder if some of the old guys will come back in some capacity (cameos, writing, etc). They are not involved now in this project, but once money is offered, do we think they aren't going to jump on board?

I think that's the best case scenario.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

So the update is backers only? I'm going to donate, but still trying to determine which tier.

What's the news?