Mystery Science Theater 3000
From MST3K
Mystery Science Theater 3000 (or MST3K) is the television show for which this wiki is founded. Since the show's humble UHF beginnings in 1988, it has gained a dedicated fanbase that remains to this day.
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The Premise
At its core, the show is about a guy and his friends watching and making fun of bottom-of-the-barrel movies. In the case of MST3K, the concept has been further refined into a hapless guy in a blue-collar job who has been stranded aboard a satellite by mad scientists; these scientists force him to watch these horrible films so they can find one that will break the human spirit and allow them to rule the world. The trapped victim has his own weapons, however: a sense of humor and the company of several homemade robot companions who help him keep his sanity by assisting him in making fun of the movies, thus ruining the plans of the mad scientists.
Sounds weird, but it all actually makes sense. And it's pretty damn funny to boot.
Characters
For a complete list of main characters, see the Character List.
Episodes
For a complete list of episodes, see the Episode List.
Specials
For a complete list of specials, see the Specials List.
Or maybe you just want to feel special. We can't help you there.
Show History
Beginnings
Ideas for the show came from the stand up comedy routine of Joel Hodgson. The routine was basically a prop comedy routine a la Carrot Top. He was doing the routine in the Twin Cities area when he and a friend discussed a possible TV show on the local UHF station KTMA.
KTMA Era
Debuting in 1988, Joel was the host. They established many elements of the show during this time. These fixtures included, the bots, the theater doors, and the invention exchange.The success of the show can be attributed somewhat to the underground network of tape trading.
Comedy Central Era
With the start of two new comedy channels on cable in 1989 there was a scramble for material. The Comedy Channel picked up MST3K as its flagship series. With this move the series went from an improvised style to a rehearsed scripted production. Thus, exit Josh Weinstein as Tom Servo and Gypsy and enter Frank Conniff as TV's Frank. Many new traditions were started during this time such as the annual Turkey Day Marathon.
In 1993 Joel decided to move on to new projects. It was decided to continue the show with head writer Michael J. Nelson.
In 1996, Comedy Central decided to cancel MST3K, citing flagging ratings. The show's staff began shopping around other networks that might be interested in picking up the show.
Sci-Fi Channel Era
The renewed show began running on The Sci-Fi Channel in 1997.
