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Who's watching the new MST3K? Opinions?


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I've been steaming a few episodes on Netflix, and I'm honestly pleasantly surprised. 

MST3K-Netflix-review-featured.jpg

I think we're about to start Ep 6, and here's my pros and cons.

Pros:

  • Set is perfect, feels like home.  Theme music is perfect.
  • Riffing is still good, this is key of course.  
  • Characters are mostly true to form (see cons)
  • A positive change in trying to make sure riffs don't cover movie dialogue. (Yes, some of us do want to keep up with the movie)
  • Crow's new voice is almost spot on.
  • Patton Oswalt

Cons:

  • Gypsy.  Not digging her voice at all.  (also is that an ice chest she puts down at the beginning of the movie and picks up at the end?)
  • Tom Servo isn't familiar to me, and he used to be my favorite.  Bringing me to my next point
  • On MST3K I could tell which riffs were coming from which robot and/or host by the nature of the riff.   They had definite, distinct personalities.  I'm not feeling that yet with this one.  Maybe it will come in time.
  • I'm a big fan of Felicia Day, but she wasn't quite won me over as Kinga yet. 
  • Lastly, the movie selection hasn't been great so far.  Mostly the lower end of average rather than truly horrible.

I'm happy it's back, I think it will get even better as they go on.  Thoughts?
 

"For you - Rowsdower from the 70 - have been appointed Omnivisioner of the Game Grid."  ~ Atari Adventure Square

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Funny you bring this up. I was just discussing this last night on a recording I did with The Retro League Podcast for their next episode.

 

I'm only 2/3's through the first episode, but here are my thoughts. (some the same as Rows)

 

Crows voice is great!

Tom Servo is ok.

Gypsy....what did they do to her?!?!?!?

 

I wish the first episode set up the host getting trapped better. It seems like they glossed over it with him getting kidnapped and being like  "Ok. Whatever."

 

I like the new set, the reintroduction of the inventions and especially the new doors.

 

I don't like how much they had Tom Servo flying around during the movie. Once every other film would be plenty.

 

Overall I find the new series refreshing and worthy of the MST3K name. I still like Joel & Mike better and Tom Servo has lost his edge in this version, but I am slowly warming up to the new host and am glad MST3K is back in 2017.

The No Swear Gamer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChtJuo040EOCTVziObIgVcg

Host of The Atari 7800 Game by Game Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher and YouTube

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The wife and I have been through the first 11 so far, and we more or less agree with all of the mentioned pros/cons.  My wife has commented that it feels more like Joel-era MST3K than Mike-era in terms of overall attitude, and I don't disagree.  You can certainly feel and see Joel's influence throughout the show.  I was initially hesitant to get on board as I thought Cinematic Titanic was dreadful, but I, too, have been pleasantly surprised.  Servo's personality / voice could use some honing, or at least some further distinction.  Gypsy is supposedly delivering "a payload", but they haven't elaborated.  It feels like a way to shoehorn in a new voice on a riff, and I agree that the voice is jarring.

 

A few more of each...

 

Pros:

  • Just enough throwbacks to "old" MST3K without taking it too far.  "Watch out for snakes!"
  • The skits have been largely great.  A few clunkers mixed in, but I think Jonah has done a great job with everything he's been handed so far.
  • Use of a Wico Bat-Handle Joystick in the show-open :lol:

Cons:

  • Riffs sometimes begin before what's being riffed on appears on-screen.  I get that they're trying to time things for maximum effect, but when it no longer feels like they're watching the movie with us it's a bit off-putting.
  • Servo flying around the theater.  I don't mind some additional physical comedy (dodging on-screen objects, pretending to peer up and over ledges, etc.) but the flying makes me roll my eyes every time.  The one instance that I enjoyed was Servo emulating the Pink Floyd flying pig at what looked like Battersea Power Station (was that in Reptilicus?), but that gag suffered from my previous con listed -- he started it before the scene appeared, IIRC.
  • The first handful of movies felt like they had WAY too many riffs crammed in.  Fortunately, this did seem to improve.  But: quality over quantity, please!  Give the movie (and the viewer) some breathing room...

Neither pro/con:

  • Guest stars.  I could do without them.  I don't think they've been terrible, and I'm okay with innovation and keeping things fresh, but so far it's felt a bit "look at meeeee I'm guest starring on MST3K" to me.
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My wife and I watched the first two so far.

 

I pretty much agree 100% with all of the above. And yeah, Crow's new voice is almost indistinguishable from from Trace Beaulieu's Crow voice! (I was fine with Bill Corbett doing Crow, but this one is WAY better!)

 

I'm not thrilled with Servo's voice, but to me it was important that whoever do his voice also must have a good singing voice...so far, not bad!

 

But yep, often it's hard to tell who's saying what.

 

Gypsy -- I don't like that she's basically an extended overhead neck with a real female voice....I liked her more...I guess "nervous Miss Piggy" vibe....from the first ten seasons.

 

Glad they brought back the invention exchange. They tried to continue it with the Mike episodes but it didn't last long; I'm guessing Joel must have written those and when he left, nobody could quite live up to that standard. (It makes sense; Joel is a prop comic, after all.)

 

I'm not a fan of the set and the "band," though; it makes it look like the show has a budget. I loved the all-around cheap feel of the prior incarnations. I appreciate that the distant shots of the ship have the cheap vibe, but to me, the entire view has to be cheap.

 

BTW, I don't know the answer to this question as I've only seen the first two, but.....are there any short subjects?

Edited by dauber

Supernatural, perhaps...baloney, perhaps not.

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  • Servo flying around the theater.  I don't mind some additional physical comedy (dodging on-screen objects, pretending to peer up and over ledges, etc.) but the flying makes me roll my eyes every time.  The one instance that I enjoyed was Servo emulating the Pink Floyd flying pig at what looked like Battersea Power Station (was that in Reptilicus?), but that gag suffered from my previous con listed -- he started it before the scene appeared, IIRC.

I'm not a big fan of the mobile servo either, but he made me laugh on Time Travelers when he was pretending to hoist up the rocket.

 

 

 

 

BTW, I don't know the answer to this question as I've only seen the first two, but.....are there any short subjects?

Not so far.  I did love the shorts.

 

And I don't really care much for the band, or even the Moon13 set to be honest.   It looks like they set it up in a format where they can cut to commercials with Oswalt's synopsis, but on Neflix it just seems odd. 

"For you - Rowsdower from the 70 - have been appointed Omnivisioner of the Game Grid."  ~ Atari Adventure Square

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I am watching them, I "have" them all and have watched around 5 episodes at my leisure. I tried really hard to temper my expectations as excited as I was about it returning. I was not there for the initial run of the original series as I think the broadcasting was different here in Canada and only discovered it a few years ago but man I was hooked instantly. My first ever was Kitten With a Whip with Kevin / Bill / Mike and I quickly obtained every episode  could obtain. Now, I have seen every original episode and some several times, I went back to watch the Joel episodes of course. I cannot say if it was because I started with MIKE era but I really go for those episodes more. Mike's run just entertained me more, Joel era was quite different and I appreciate the origins and creativity and will always be thankful to Joel for his creation and I have never been one to participate in any arguments on which era was "better" as I believe there is no right or wrong they are just different styles that appeal to different people. Anyway, as for the new season 11 I am trying to give it a chance for sure and I will watch them all, I loved some cameos and some of the fan service etc, I believe all involved really are trying but it just does not come together quite right, almost as this riffing is more just "saying stuff", what I mean is it does not always seem like well written comedy, some stuff just seems to be thrown out there for the sake of saying something. Now occasionally I will chuckle here or there or even think "Oh ok good one" with a certain riff but I don't think it has found it's stride yet, I HOPE they return for another run and find their footing. I really do not see myself watching any of the episodes I have seen thus far a second or even multiple times as i have done with many original episodes. Here is a good article regarding some things fans may of wondered that may be covered in another new season you guys might like -

http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/1248685-nine-things-need-know-new-mst3k#/slide/1

 

Oh and while I am at it FYI for any of you fans on FACEBOOK I have a MST3K group you might like to check out. Please consider joining up and be sure to scroll down for older posts as there is a lot of great stuff for fans of everything MST3K / RiffTrax / Cinema titanic / and anything else related. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/maximumrdmst3k/

I am Rob aka MaximumRD aka OldSchoolRetroGamer and THIS is my world http://about.me/maximumrd

"For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday."

 - M. Bison

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