In the not-too-distant future, -- Next Sunday A.D.--
Opening '"Love Theme" from MST3K Gamers have been doing it for years making fun of cheezy movies and lame plot-lines. Perhaps that's why they seem to love MST3K and those little wisecracking robots who look as though they were built from items secured at a neighborhood
rummage sale.
The following is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questiorrs) file that has been lovingly nutured and passed around on the Internet for quite some time (see the end of this article for the appropriate credits). Knowing that gamers share common interests, we thought our readers would enjoy a romp on the Satellite of Love.
That's right, everything you've always wanted to know about MST3K but were afraid to ask in public.
Q: What is Mystery Science Theater 3000?
A: It's an unique comedy TV program that is run on the Comedy Central cable TV network.
Q: What is it about?
On board the SOL, Mike discovered four robots: a golden bird-like thing called Crow, a red, vaguely fire hydrant-ish bot called Tom Servo, a large hammer-headed robot named Gypey
and a floating, circular robot named Cambot, through whose mechanical eyes we see the proceedings. Crow and Tom's functions are to pin Mike in the Mystery Science Theater as he is forced to watch the movies.
Each week, after a few opening pleasantries, Dr. F pushes a button and Mike and the bots (M&TB) yell "Movie Sign!" and rush to their places in the theater as we, the viewers, see Cambot's path through several strange hatchways to his place in the back of the theater. There
he watches as M&TB take their seats and this week's horrible movie begins.
We can see M&TB sitting in theater seats at the bottom of our TV screens, and as they watch the movie, the three offer riotously funny commentary, satire and general heckling.
The comments, about 700 per episode, run the gamut from scatological silliness to extremely complex wordplay and the obscurest of pop culture references.
The show lasts two hours, enough time for M&TB to sit through an entire horrible movie and maybe a dreadful short fllm as well. And three times during the film, they come out of the theater to the SOL's bridge for short comedy bits known as "host segments" (HS): tomfoolery which may or may not have some connection to the film they've been watching.
Q: What does MST3K mean?
A That's what MSTies call the show for short: MST stands for Mystery Science Theater, and 3K is the abbreviation for 3000.
Q: What are MSTies?
A: Fans of the show refer to themselves as MSTies (pronounced MlS-teez). Also variously spelled Misties, Mysties and Mistees.
A: Yes, the original host of the series was the series' creator, stand-up comedian Joel Hodgson. Joel's character, Joel Robinson, was a janitor at a top secret scientific institute where Dr. F. then worked. He was tricked by Dr. F. into boarding the SOL just before it lifted
off, so that he could begin the movie watching experiment. It was Joel who built the robots out of pieces of the SOL and stray junk lying around the ship (except for Cambot, who may have been built by Dr. F).
Q: What happened to Joel? How did they I explain his departure?
A: In the episode (first run Oct. 23, 1993) in which Mike's character was introduced, Gypsy overheard Dr. F and his assistant Frank discussing their plans to kill Mike, and mistakenly assumed they were planning to kill Joel. With Mike's help, Gypsy learned that the SOL was carrying a secret escape pod. Desperate to save Joel, Gypsy tossed him into the escape
pod and sent him back to Earth, before he could object. He landed safely in the Australian Outback, (hopefully, as one of the Mads pointed out, on Yahoo Serious). Furious at Joel's escape, Dr. F and Frank sent Mike up to the SOL to take his place.
Q: Why did they change hosts?
A: Hodgson, who had created the series and labored on it ceaselessly for five years, asked off the show, pleading burnout. Hodgson, a shy person, was also reportedly very uncomfortable in
front of the camera, and even more uncomfortable with his growing fame. In the press release announcing his departure, Hodgson noted: "I think it was Adam West who once said that if you
stay in the same costume too long, you eventually find yourself signing autographs at the R. V. show." Nelson, who had been the show's head writer for four years and who had made numerous guest appearances on the show, was the logical choice to replace Hodgson.
Q: I've seen people refer to BBI and Best Brains. What are they?
A: Best Brains, Inc., is the name of the company, founded by Joel and producer Jim Mallon, that produces the show. It is often called BBI for short. It is located in a non-descript office park in Eden Prairie, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Q: Who does what on the show?
A: Trace Beaulieu plays Dr. F and does the voice and puppetry for Crow. Kevin Murphy does the uoice and puppetry for Tom Servo. Jim Mallon does the voice and puppetry for Gypsy. Frank
Conniff plays TV's Frank.
Q: Who or what is Magic Voice?
A: This has never been adequately explained, but she appears to be the voice of the ship's computer. At various times her voice has been provided by Jann Johnson and
Alexandra Carr. It is currently being provided by Mary Jo Pehl.
Q: How did the show come to be called Mystery Science Theater 3000?
A: Jim Mallon said in an interview on CompuServe, "When the show was to debut on KTMA we didn't have a title. So I said to Joel 'what do you think?' And without blinking he said Mystery
Science Theater 2000. But since we were so close to the year 2000 we decided to shift it up one thousand years.' The show does not take place in the year 3000.
Q: Mike Nelson looks familiar. Where have I seen him before?
A. Before taking over as host, Mike Nelson was already known to viewers for his special guest appearances as Jack Perkins, Michael Feinstein, Gamera, Mothra, Morressey, Torgo and any
number of hexfield viewscreen guests.
Q: What is Gizmonic Institute? A: Gizmonic was the top-secret research lab where Dr. F. worked as a scientist and where Joel worked as a janitor. The corporate culture of Gizmonic
revolved around inventing. Everyone who worked there, including the janitors, were inventors. In fact, one of the reasons Dr. F chose Joel to send into space was because Dr. F resented the fact that Joel was a better inventor. During the KTMA episodes, Dr. F spoke to Joel from a lab
in Gizmonic. But the inside of Gizmonic has never been shown on the regular series.
A: It's a cavernous underground lair located deep in the sub-basement of Gizmonic Institute, near the atomic pile. In episode 101, fearing his rogue experiment would be discovered by the
management of Gizmonic, Dr. F fled to Deep 13, and there continues his work.
Q: Why does Gypsy talk that way? Is she stupid? And why doesn't she watch the movies with M&TB?
A: Gypsy is probably the most sophisticated robot on the ship. She is responsible for controlling all the higher functions of the ship so that M&TB can watch the movies without worrying about it. She talks that way because all of her brain power is being used up in controlling the ship, and she has very little left over for normal conversation. In 207 "Wild
Rebels" she shut down most of the ship's functions for a little while in order to have a regular conversation, and she spoke perfectly normal. She does not watch the movies, again because she is busy elsewhere.
Q: Can Gypsy enter the theater?
A: Yes. Gypsy has entered the theater in 3 episodes, including 112 "Untamed Youth" and 207 "Wild Rebels". She even participated in the first part of the experiment in 412 "Hercules and the Captive Women. "
Q: Why do we never see Cambot?
A: Because we are seeing the proceedings through his eyes. We can only see him if he looks into a mirror (as he does in the opening).
Q: What's this I hear about an MST3K movie?
A: BBI has plans to make an MST3K full-length film. The movie will be similar to the TV show. The host segments will probably be a bit longer and more elaborate, but the main part of the film will still be in the theater. Mike Nelson will star in it (not Joel). Universal
studios has the option to make the MST3K mouie, but it has not seemed very eager. BBI may end up making it independently.
Q: What is the history of the show?
A: Joel first pitched the idea of the show in early 1988 to Jim Mallon, who
was then working at a small independent UHF TV station in Minneapolis, KTMATV,
channel 23. Joel made a demo tape of the concept with the help of struggling local
stand-up comic Trace Beaulieu and high-schooler and budding comedian Josh Weinstein. Helping out behind the scenes was KTMA semi-employee Kevin Murphy.
The first two episodes of MST3K aired back-to-back on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 1988, and were watched by only a few thousand people (only a few of whom "got" it.) The station paid the group $200 per show: Joel got $50, Trace and Josh got $25 each and the rest went to props. Joel did a total of 22 shows for KTMA, before, in 1989, selling it to the old Comedy Channel cable network. When they sold the series to the Comedy Channel, Mallon and Murphy quit KTMA,
and with Hodgson, Beaulieu and Weinstein founded Best Brains.
They did 13 shows in the first season, and, after a nervous period of waiting,
were renewed for another 13-show season. In the middle of the second season, the Comedy Channel and its rival, Ha!, merged to (eventually) become Comedy Central. The series has run on
Comedy Central ever since and is currently in its 6th season. Seasons 3 through 6 have each had 24 episodes.
Q: I've heard several stories about the fate of the original masters of the KTMA episodes. What happened to them?
A: A popular rumor was that they languished in storage room at KTMA for years, and then, when the station was sold, the masters were bulk erased by the new management. But staffers inside BBI have since confirmed that they are safe and sound and in the hands of Jim Mallon.
Q: I understand there was another cast change beside's Joel's departure. What was the change, and when did it happen?
A: The only other major change came when Josh Weinstein left the show after the end of season 1. At the beginning of the first episode of the second season (episode 201-Rocketship XM), Joel is seen installing a "new voice" in Tom Servo--this marks the beginning of Kevin
Murphy providing voice and puppetry for the mighty voiced bot, replacing Weinstein. In the same episode, Weinstein's Dr. Erhardt character was written out of the show and a new resident of Deep 13 was introduced: Frank--later to be known as TV's Frank.
Asked by Joel of Dr. Erhardt's whereabouts, Frank simply held up a milk carton with Weinstein's picture on it and announced "He's missing." He was never heard from again, except for a riff during "Earth Vs. The Spider," when a character vaguely resembling him was
eaten by the giant spider, prompting Joel to note "So THAT'S what happened to Dr. Erhardt!"
Weinstein as Servo used a deep, profundo wice, so as to not to be confused with the high-pitched, squeaky uoice he used as Dr. Erhardt, although the two mixed somewhat. Kevin appears to have tried to imitate Josh in the early going, before settling down to the Tom voice we
have all come to know and love.
Q. Is it true about Frank?
A. Sadly, yes. Frank Conniff, who plays TV's Frank, will be leaving the series at the end of the sixth season. He is off to Hollywood to become a star. We have no info about who or what his
replacement will be.
Q: Why did he decide to leave the show?
A. Partly to avoid typecasting, and partly to find new challenges. After portraying "TV's Frank" for five seasons, he decided that it was time to move on and seek his fortune. We can only wish him the best of luck.
Q: What were the episodes done for KTMA like?
A: They are barely recognizable as th forerunners of the current series. Little or no writing was done ahead of time, most of the riffs in the theater were' ad-libbed at the spur of the moment. This meant that sometimes they were brilliant, sometimes they were deadly stupid, sometimes they were pointless and many times there were LONG stretches of silence.
Physically, J&TB were far smaller in the theater, there were many more seats, and they were stuck waaaay over on the right hand side of the screen.
Crow was a bit more crudely made, Servo was silver and Gypsy looked like it was made from an erector set. In the first episode, Servo was called "Beeper" and looked a bit different. He also spoke annoying beeps (hence the name) that only Crow could understand. However, he wanted to have a larger speaking role in the show, so Beeper gained a voice and was renamed.
Q: Why won't Comedy Central run the KTMA and 1st season episodes?
A: First, you need to understand that Comedy Central has no control over this. Best Brains does not work for Comedy Central and Comedy Central cannot make Best Brains do anything
they don't want to. It is Best Brains' decision not to run them, for various reasons.
One reason is legality: KTMA never really secured proper rights for the movies that wereused--they just riffed on whatever the Saturday evening movie was. So even if it wanted to
show them, it would be illegal. There are also rights problems with some of the 1st season episodes--they did secure the rights for those, but in some cases they have since expired.
But even if the rights weren't the problem, there is a second reason why Brains doesn't want to see them air. Quality--or rather the lack thereof.
The opinion of Best Brains is that the 1st season shows, even if the rights ARE updated, are not up to the level of the later shows. "It's a bit like if someone asked to see the work you did in kindergarten," Jim Mallon explained recently. Many fans disagree with Mallon's assessment, but nonetheless respect the decision.
Q: Is there any way I can get copies of those early shows?
A: Many people have copies of the first season episodes. Posting notes on computer bulletin boards about the show usually brings a response from some helpful MSTie. The KTMAs are harder to
come by, and the copies I've seen are mostly barely watchable 50th generation dupes. But they are out there to be had if one is dogged enough.
Q: I'm building robots. Where can I find 'parts?
A: Whereuer you can find them! Tom Servo's gumball head can be found at Mr. Bulky's or other candy shops around the country. You might want to look for various items at Everything's A
Dollar store where euerything's a dollar (price check, Bill).
Another great place to look is in various thrift stores around town. Also, foam tubing and drainage tubing can be found at most home-improvement stores like Builders Square. However, certain items are so hard to find that Best Brains must create more copies by using molds of
the originals. These items are:
Crow: The soapdish around his eyes is another extremely rare item, so rare that Best Brains themselues only have one copy of the original. Also, Crow's main body is hard to find as that Tupperware set is no longer made. The Floralfer set is the one part of all of the
Bots' parts that Jef Maynard cannot make a copy of, so if you own a Tupperware Floralier then Jef may be uery interested in hearing from you!
Q: What is the Mads' keyboard made out of?
A: A teletype.
Q: Is there an MST3K fan club?
A: Yes, it is run by BBI. Just send your name and address to: MST3K Information Club, P.O. Box 5325, Hopkins, Minnesota 55343
Alternately, you can email Julie Walker, Info Club Liason, at juliewa@aol.com. It's free to join.
Q: What do you get when you join the club?
A: You will receive your official MST3K fan club card, attached to a flyer. Your membership number is printed at the bottom left of the address label. The flyer entices you to buy MST3K
merchandise, including t-shirts and the Life Suruiual Kit (a fan club kit). You are also put on the MST3K mailing list and receive a lifetime subscription to the MST3K "Satellite News" and receive updates on Best Brains activities such as live appearances and special events.
Q: Do I have to order a fan club kit to stay in the club?
A: No. The club is free. The newsletters postcards and flyers are sent to you free of charge.
Q: Where is the membership number?
A: It is in the lower left comer of the mailing label for the first item you receive from them. It is currently aboue 50,000.
Q: I ve heard and read a lot about the MST3K convention that was held in September of '94. Will there be another one in '95?
A: No, the next one is scheduled for 1996. Best Brains has said they expect the next one to be much larger and feels it will take at least that long to organize It.
Q: What happened at the convention?
A: It was glorious. About 2,000 MSTies from around the country gathered at the Raddison South hotel in Bloomington, MN. The line to get into the (too small) merchandise room was
endless but its inhabitants utterly cheerful. One room at the hotel featured a "museum" of famous props from the series. Episodes were run in two different rooms 24 hours a day--and the showings of "Manos: The Hands of Fate" were standing room only.
The Friday night
keynote speech featured the entire cast and several members of the writing staff discussing the early days of the show, showing slides and answering (far too few) questions from the audience. On Saturday, an autograph session scheduled for two hours stretched to over four.
That was followed by a celebrity session featuring Beverly Garland (star of three MSTed
movies), David Worth (director of "Warrior of the Lost World") and John Humphries (the guy played Mikey in "Teenage Stranglers). Kim Catrall (of "City Limits" fame) was scheduled to
attend but canceled (sob!) at the last minute. Studio tours went on all day Saturday. On Saturday night, the entire convention was bused to a theater in downtown Minneapolis for a live
performance of the show, featuring the movie is Island Earth." There were standing ovations beyond count and deafening cheers rattled the hall.
Following the show, conventioneers resumed to the hotel for a costume ball that extended well into wee hours and where MSTies and cast members mingled freely. It was a bleary
blissful 2,000 MSTies that stumbled to the airport on Sunday.
Q: What is "Keep Circulating The Tapes"?
A: At the end of the episode, MST3K has a line in the credits to "Keep Circulating The Tapes." When MST3K first started, it encouraged people to copy episodes to show to friends, as CC is not available in all areas. Beginning with the fifth season, the line does not appear anymore, apparantly at the suggestion of BBI's lawyers. BBI still allows copying of the show for private use, howover.
Q: So how come they don't do "Plan 9 from Outer Space" which is touted as the worst movie of all?
A: Best Brains has said that they do not want to do this movie for two reasons. First, the voice-over from Criswell would interfere with the commenting that Mike and the 'bots would make. Second, the movie already pokes fun at itself. In addition, while Plan 9 certainly is awful, MSTies know better. MST3K has unearthed several cinematic train wrecks that make it look like "Citizen Kane."
Q: Just what IS a hamdinger?
A: Hamdingers are miniature microwavable hamburgers made out of processed ham. Originally intended to be a quickie snack-meal item, they tasted so bad that most wound up being
used as chum, or fish bait.
Q: Where have I heard "Satellite of Love" before?
A: The Jerry Lewis Telethon people call the satellite which receives their signal the "Satellite of Love." It is also the title of a song record by Lou Reed on his 1973 "Transformer" album.
Q: Why are the Mole People (the Mads' assistants) named Jerry and Sylvia?
A: The names are taken from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, who created many supermarionation films such as "Thunderbirds Are Go."
Q. How come the Mole People are no longer on the show?
A: At the convention, it was revealed that the Mole People costumes were horribly hot under the studio lights, and the interns who were inside of them revolted and refused to continue the characters, for fear of asphyxiation.
Q: Who is Torgo, and why does he keep showing up with that annoying theme
music?
A: Torgo is the "monster" from 424 "Manos: The Hands of Fate"
Q: Which way do the 'bots face when in the theater? It looks like Crow is actually facing away from the screen.
A: The 'bots, in addition to Mike and Joel, face toward the screen, with their backs to Cambot and thus the audience. What you are seeing is an optical illusion that many people have
reported seeing.
Q: Who is this Richard Basehart that Gypsy is so fond of?
A He is a long-time movie and TV character actor, best known as the star of the 1960's TV series "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." The Richard Basehart thing is basically a running gag that was started in episode 101 when Joel asked Gypsy what 2+2 was. She responded "Richard Basehart." You kinda had to be there.
Q: Why does Tom Servo's head look like a cylinder in several episodes of the
Comedy Channel's 1990/91 season?
A: Servo was given a "haircut" in episode 205 "Rocket Attack USA."
Q: We have seen that Servo gets around by use of his hoverskirt. Why does he need to be carried in the theater by Mike or Joel?
A: In episode 110 "Robot Holocaust" Servo reminds Joel to carry him over the heating grid. Mike is also informed of this fact in 513 "The Brain That Wouldn't Die." Apparently Servo's
hoverskirt has difficulty providing enough force to carry him over on his own, although he has done it on occasion.
The show-production reason for this is that when they enter the theater, Mike can
walk in, and Trace can slide Crow over from the right, but Kevin must be already sitting
down under where Tom Servo sits. Mike has to carry Tom Servo in and hand him to Keuin
Murphy, and carry him out at the end.
Q: How does Tom Servo know when it is time to leave the theater?
A: Because he was built with those "special parts" (see "Song Lyrics") that tell the
time.
Q: Why can't we see through Tom Servo's head in the theater?
A: Puppet doubles are used for filming the theater segments for the show. These
doubles are painted black (such as the evil dark specter "Timmy" in show 416 "Fire-
maidens from Outer Space"). The doubles make better outlines for the final mix and
don't glare back at the camera.
Q: Was Servo's head always painted black?
A: No. In the KTMA episodes, the original 'bots played their own parts in the
theater segments, not stand-ins. Therefore the movie could be seen through Servo's head
then.
Q: Sometimes Tom Servo's hands are flesh colored and sometimes they are white.
Why?
A: They are created from a mold using the same plastic as hearing aids are made
from. Sometimes Best Brains forgets to paint them.
Q: How many times has Servo's head exploded?
A: As far as we can tell, 5 (not counting when everyone blew up in 406 "Attack of
the Giant Leeches" during "We're a Danger to Ourselves and Others" song). Tom's
head first exploded trying to think of a good thing about 105 "The Corpse Vanishes". In
107 "Robot Monster" it was figuring out how bumblebees fly. In 211 "First Spaceship on
Venus" his sarcasm sequencer overloaded. In 318 "Star Force: Fugitive Alien II" his
head came apart completely. And in 419 "Rebel Set" it was thinking about Merritt Stone.
Q: How many times has Cambot actively participated in the show?
A: Three, not counting his frequent musical accompaniment. In 202 "Sidehackers" he
put up an ESPN-type scorecard. In 301 "Cave Dwellers" he helped Joel redo the opening
credits. In 423 "Bride of the Monster" he re-edited the final scene.
Q: Why, in the opening credits of episodes 201-512, when Cambot looks at himself in
the mirror and pans left, the image on the set DOESN'T?
A: It's just a show, you should really just relax.
Q: I like the comedy, but many times the movie is SO bad, even the jokes don't save it, and I just can't take it. I wish they would do a GOOD movie.
A: You, too, have failed to grasp the point of the show, though your aesthetic tastes are admirable. The idea is that Dr. F is supposed to be torturing Mike to see how it affects his mind. A good movie would not be torture. Some have argued ouer the years that if they
were good enough writers, they wouldn't need a bad movie, they COULD do a good
one. That's probably true, but a bad movie gives the writers much more to work with.
Q: I notice that the "invention exchange" that used to start each show is no longer happening? Why has it stopped?
A: There is both an "on camera" reason and an "off camera" reason.
On camera: as explained earlier, the corporate culture of Gizmonic Institute revolued around inuentions. So much so that, rather than greet each other, Gizmonic employees that met
would show each other their latest invention. Since both Dr. F and Joel were Gizmonic employees, that was the first thing they did each episode. But Mike never worked for Gizmonic (he was a temp hired directly by Dr. F. well after they fled Gizmonic) so he really wasn't
steeped in the culture, and Dr. F would see no need to exchange inventions.
Off camera: the invention exchanges were mostly Joel's doing. He was the gizmo guy. When he left, there was no interest in continuing the concept. Instead, Dr. F begins each episode by
performing an experiment on M&TB.
Q: Since Mike took over, it seems like the host segments don't have anything to do with movie anymore/It seems like the host segments always have something to do with the movie. Why?
A: It's funny the way people's memories work. Those who prefer one kind of host segment ouer the other seem to sense more of the kind they dislike since Mike's arrival as host--and each
group has complained that this is the case, when a careful examination of the series shows that the ratio of relevant-to-irrelevant host segments has remained pretty much the same over the years. Weird, huh?
Q: Why is Frank listed in the credits as "TV's" Frank?
A: Originally, it was just Frank. As time went on, however, Frank adopted the name "TV's" Frank, similar to hosts of older TV shows where the host would buddy up to the viewer. When a TV
personality became big, he would be introduced as "TV's" so-and-so.
Q: Why does Mike (and Joel) watch these bombs? What would happen if he refused to enter the theater?
A: In 208 "Lost Continent" Joel refuses to enter the theater, and is zapped by remote control by the Mads.
Q: What is "Hi-keeba!" and where does it come from?
A: It comes from episode 104 "Women of the Prehistoric Planet". A character in the film is trying to show off his martial arts skill, so he shouts "Hi-keeba!" and promptly hits himself in the head.
Q: It seems to me that this sort of
thing has been done before. Has it?
A: Well, the concept of commenting humorously on some tedious presentation goes back at least to Shakespeare, and probably a lot further. In recent years we'ue seen a number of
similar concepts. In the 1960s, Woody Allen did a movie called "What's Up Tiger Lily?" in which he threw out the soundtrack of a horrible Japanese spy movie and dubbed in his own satirical
soundtrack. That same concept was used in the 1980s for a syndicated series called "Mad Movies with the L.A. Connection." There are reports of underground comedy teams in San Francisco and Los Angeles in the late 1960s who experimented with humorous commentary of mouies, etc. Of course, the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" phenomenon should be mentioned. And from around the country, viewers report that the hosts of local-station "Monster Chiller Horror Theater" type shows would often mock the movies they were showing in one way or another, sometimes while the movie was playing, though never quite in the way MST3K does, and certainly not with as much
success.
Q: What IS it about this show?
A: Well, Joel put it best in an interview in 1990: "It's about liberty, in a small, goofy way," he said. And that is probably at the heart of it. It appeals to the American independent spirit, and especially the quintessentially American passion for standing up and yelling
"This stinks!"
But beyond that, there is no mistaking the genius behind the show. It shines so clearly that toddlers are drawn to it and senior citizens nod in quiet respect--even if neither gets the Kurt
Cobain jokes. The show has a cool elegance, an endearing off kilter brilliance that engenders an astonishing loyalty in its viewers.
It is among the most unpredictable shows on national TV and yet it is also one of the most reassuringly formulaic. In the theater, the give-and-take rhythm between movie and commentary can be dazzling and hypnotic. While the host segments often build to the kind of antic cartoon chaos (reminiscent of Monty Python or Bugs Bunny) that is tonic for anyone who feels
trapped in dreary, predictable workaday world.
The overall result is an entertainment experience that leaves its viewer a little happier than when he found it. MST3K won't run forever. But it should.
The following is a list of all the people who
have sent along information, notes, and general
ideas to a the various versions of these FAQs, going
back to the beginning. What they wrote or suggested
may no longer be included here, but they still
deserve mention. They are Jennie Andreaseri, David
Arnold, Pat "Monty" Ashley, Malcolm Austin,
Gregory, S. Bandy, Keith Barrett, Cindy Bell, David
J. Bianco, Jeremy Billones, A: Wright, Than, Joseph
Cadotte, Mark Carson, Erin Cash, Cliff Chaput,
Kevin Cheek, Richar Clarh, Stephanie M. Clarkson-
Aines, Terri Clendenir Mike Cohen, Chris Cooley,
Jason Corley, Donal Cotnoir-Strong, Scott Crabtree,
Kevin Days, Martha De Shon, Rob DeMillo, Patrick
Delahanty, BiD Der nen, Scott Dexter, Matt Duhan,
Brian Dunkle, Lorer zo Ellis, Nina Eppes, Scott M.
Fabbri, Anthony Fiarito, Patrick Fitzgerald, Lynn-
Anne Friese, Greg Galcik, Pat Gomes, John Gotts,
Jamie Green, Gerald Guglielmo, Andrew Hannah,
William Harrison, Lan Hastings, Ron Hitchens,
Marty Hoff, Dale Holod, Mark Holtz, Charles R.
Hoynowski, Ed Hughes, Jonathan Hughes, Mike
Inglis, Chad Jackson, Lis Jenkins, Brian Johnson,
Mary Lynn Johnson, Tod Johnson, Chuck Jordan,
Norman Joseph, Brad Keely, Ed Klein, Johnny
Klonaris, R'ykandar Korra'ti Rich Kulawiec, Donna K.
Lang, Bob Linehan, Lom Matheson, Chris
McCuDough, Mark Meyer, Will Morgan, Phil Mueller,
Kevin Munay, Frank G. Neves, Michael K. Neylon,
Synth F. Oberheim, Mark Odell, Mary Pat, Brian
Perler, Marc Peters, Kevin Posiadlik, Lon
Ponschock, Joshua R. Poubon, Ed Powell, Elen
Sasse, Joel A Schenkenberg, Jeff Shpuras, Will
Sherman, John D. Shull, Brian Siano, Will Silve
Steve Simmons, Sarah Skovronsky, Mike Slushe
Dave Spensley, "The Punster," "Tazer One," Pa
Thrasher, Chuck Tomasi, Lance Visser, Julie Walker
Monty Wilson, Tom Wilson, Patty Winter, Kal
Wrightson, Michael J. Zavisca...And many other
MSTies from coast to coast.
"Mystery Science Theater 3000," its characters and situations are copyright © 1995 Best Brains, This document is not intended to infringe on a copynghts held by Best Brains, Comedy Central or employers. The information herein subject to be wrong. This FAQ is free to distribute as long as this notice remains intact.
There was a guy named Joel, Not too different from you or me.
He worked at Gizmonic Institute,
Just another face in a red jumpsuit.
He did a good job cleaning up the place,
But his bosses didn't like him, So they shot him into space.
We'll send him cheesy movies, The worst we can find (la-la-la).
He'll have to sit and watch them all, And we'll monitor his mind (la-la-la).
Now keep in mind Joel can't control, Where the movies begin or end (la-la-la)
Because he used those special parts, To make his robot friends.
Robot Roll Call (Let's go!) Cambot! (Pan left) Gypsy! (Hi, girl!) Tom Servo! (What a cool guy!) Croooow! (What a wisecracker!)
If you're wondering how he eats and breathes and other science facts (la la la),
Then repeat to yourself, "It's just a show, I should really just relax,
For Mystery Science Theater 3000!"
Lyrics: Joel Hodgson and Josh Weinstein
Music: Charles Erickson and Joel Hodgson
A: That takes a bit of explaining. The main character is Mike Nelson (played by actor Michael J. Nelson), a kemp worker who found himself in the employ of a mad scientist, Dr. Clayton Forresker (known as Dr. F). The assignment proved anything but temporary, however--Mike was knocked unconscious, put aboard a rocket, shot into space, and marooned on an orbiting
satellite, known as the Satellite of Love (SOL). There, as part of an evil experiment, he is forced to watch horrendously bad movies (Godzilla movies, Hercules movies, Ed Wood
movies, things like that) so that Dr. F can see what it does to Mike's mind.
Q: Wasn't there a different star of the show previously?
Q: What is Deep 13?
Tom Servo: His torso, including both the barrel bank and the engine block. In the words of Jeff Maynard, Toolmaster of Best Brains and builder of most of the props, the bank is
"about as rare as kryptonite." Tom's hands are also impossible to find.
Credits
Back to Shadis Presents #18.5 Table of Contents
Back to Shadis Presents List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1995 by Alderac Entertainment Group
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com