What I’m Watching: New ‘MST3K’ is a must-see

Date: 4/20/2017

In this edition of “What I’m Watching” I celebrate the reboot of a returning movie-based TV show.

Streaming: Mystery Science Theater 3000

When I was first exposed to MST3K many, many years ago (the original series ran from 1988 to 1999) I didn’t know quite what to think. After all the show was showing  movies that I wanted to see but hadn’t until that point.

The premise was an extension of something movie fans had done for years: making comments to one another when watching a crappy movie on TV.

Only the commentary on MST3K was clever, funny and fast moving, unlike what was happening in various living rooms.

Created by comedian Joel Hodgson, the idea was Joel’s character had been shot into space aboard the Satellite of Love by two mad scientists who wanted to monitor his mind while they forced him to watch bad movies – many of them horror, science fiction and exploitation. His only companions were several robots he invented.

Hodgson eventually left the series and was replaced by head writer Michael J. Nelson, who did a great job as the new prisoner.

The show has been off the air for years  but has remained a favorite of fans through a series of DVDs and has now been successfully rebooted, thanks to a crowd-sourcing campaign and the participation of Netflix.

The original show was must viewing for me, and I’m happy to say the new series appears to be on its way to that status. Although it is better funded than the original, it has maintained that DIY feel the original series had, which had been produced at a small studio in Minnesota.

Tone is an important part of the appeal of MST3K, and despite the changes of cast and story arc in the original run, the show’s creators always maintained the same kind of loving yet snarky approach to the material. Many of the remarks made indicate a deep knowledge and love of film.

In the new version, there are two new “mads” – descendants of the original villains – played by Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt – who are the leaders of a hidden base on the dark side of the moon. They have kidnapped Jonah (comedian Jonah Ray) who is a star employee for the Gizmodic Institute.

As in the original, Jonah is imprisoned on the Satellite of Love and forced to watch cheesy movies. His way to avoid insanity is to supply a commentary making fun of the films.

The first episode features “Reptilicus,” an American giant monster movie shot in Denmark in 1961. To say that sitting through this inept film with a monster marionette is a grueling experience  would be an understatement. With the MST3K treatment though, it was a very funny romp.

Among the 14 films to be featured on the new Netflix series are some really sublimely crappy ones. There’s “Avalanche,” a terrible ski resort disaster movie with Rock Hudson; “The Land that Time Forgot” featuring men in dinosaur suits; and “Starcrash,” a cheapjack rip-off of “Star Wars” with a pre-“Bay Watch” Davis Hasselhoff.

Yes, I’m going to watch – and probably re-watch – all of them.

On DVD and Blu-ray: Rogue 1

If you’re like me you tend to think of the first three “Star Wars” movies released – the ones with Luke Skywalker – as “Star Wars” and only begrudgingly admit the three latter films into the canon.

Yes, I do accept the last film as well into my preferred group.

Where does that put “Rogue 1,” which is a stand-alone film? Near the top of the heap, in my opinion.

 “Star War” fans all know someone managed to get the plans to the Death Star to Princess Leia. Until now, we had no idea how this happened. This film tells that tale in a compelling and moving way, something the “first” three films in the series failed to do.

Structured and paced as war film, it tells the story of a young woman who slowly grows to accept a role in the rebellion by finding her father, the architect of the Death Star, and learning he has built a flaw into the design so it could be destroyed.

Felicity Jones hits the right notes as Jyn Erso. She slowly evolves from petty criminal to hero.

A great cast supports her, with my favorite being martial arts superstar Donnie Yen as a blind acolyte of the Force. Hey, I even liked the digital reconstruction of the late Peter Cushing as the evil Gov. Tarkin and I wasn’t sure I would. 

I’m sure if you’re a “Star Wars” fan, you’ll love this film and even if you’re not, if you give it a chance  you will be greatly entertained by it.