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Netflix cancels Mystery Science Theater 3000, Turkey Day marathon features new voices for Crow and Servo

ElectricBlanketFire

ElectricBlanketFire

What year is this?
Member
Oct 25, 2017
31,858
So while there hasn't been official word, this was posted by longtime MST3K crew member Beez McKeever:

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Yesterday's Turkey Day announcement is introduced by Crow and Servo...with the touring cast member voices (not Hampton or Baron):



While not surprising, I really wish Joel did a better job keeping fans (especially backers) informed as to what's going on.

That being said, it's a miracle the show came back at all. Jonah and the new crew did a great job for an impossible task of replacing Joel/Mike/the bots.

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GARlock Spiral

GARlock Spiral

Banned
Dec 21, 2017
1,225
Backed it for $300, this is a tragedy for me. I'm hoping they find some new home. MST3k is a relatively cheap show as far as anyone as big as netflix is concerned...
 
Sanjuro

Sanjuro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
31,077
Massachusetts
I don't think this means the voice actors are out. They just decided to do the Turkey Day programing during the live tour.

That said, the future is hazy. I think if another platform bites, the crew likely would be within budget.
 
Siggy-P

Siggy-P

Avenger
Mar 18, 2018
11,865
That's sucks, but to be honest outside of the few MST threads here I didn't hear a word about its existence.
 
Tom_Cody

Tom_Cody

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,970
I backed the show and greatly enjoyed the 2 new seasons. It will be a shame if this is it, but I'm extremely happy with the revival we got.
 
BringBackSonics

BringBackSonics

Member
Oct 27, 2017
45,245
Seattle
Jeff Bezos, please save us.

disappointing, but Beez is absolutely right. Netflix doesn't really seem to market/support shows they do not own. I can understand that from a Netflix perspective.
 
Tom_Cody

Tom_Cody

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,970
Siggy-P said:
That's sucks, but to be honest outside of the few MST threads here I didn't hear a word about its existence.
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That's a big problem of the streaming era: unless a show is heavily marketed (or even pushed by the streaking platform), no one it going to discover it. It will only be watched by those who seek it out and manually search for it within the service. I came to love MST3K originally from watching reruns at odd hours on Comedy Central and The Sci-Fi Channel. That no longer exists.
 
Rodney McKay

Rodney McKay

Member
Oct 26, 2017
12,205
MST3K is one of my favorite shows of all time, but I sadly still haven't gotten around to watching the latest season.

The first Netflix one was OK (jit sure I ever finished the final Christmas episode...) and I heard the latest one was better, I don't really know why I haven't watched it yet.

Maybe the show would have worked better as a weekly release. Just dropping a bunch of 1.5 hour movies all at once was too much for me to binge, and maybe some time between eoaides would have drummed up more excitement for them individually.
 
Agent Unknown

Agent Unknown

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,661
Just saw this in the main MST3K thread. I backed the reboot, loved the new episodes with Jonah and crew and had a blast at the 30th Anniversary Live show in Minneapolis last year, really don't want the ride to end. :( Save us, Oh Saintly Rowsdower and may our Hikeeba overlords at Shout pry our beloved child from the cold, uncaring hands of Netflix for a warm, new home.
 
Siggy-P

Siggy-P

Avenger
Mar 18, 2018
11,865
Tom_Cody said:
That's a big problem of the streaming era: unless a show is heavily marketed (or even pushed by the streaking platform), no one it going to discover it. It will only be watched by those who seek it out and manually search for it within the service.
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Netflix is trash at advertising it's programmes. Sense8 was like the most expensive show they made for a time and they didn't even slightly advertise season 2. I just went on Netflix and there it was. Over $100 million and not a single advertisement did I see.
 
PanzerKraken

PanzerKraken

Member
Nov 1, 2017
15,014
I feel they went in too hard with the kickstarter season, got in lot of talent and guest stars, kinda splurged when they should have kept the budget in check. Season 12 was clearly made cheaper, but still was great.

It didn't help that Netflix gave the show zero marketing for it's 2nd season, Jonah Ray and such had noted as such, that Netflix did zero promotion for the new season, the only promotion was done on their FB page 2 days before the new season premiered with a trailer. But other than that they dropped the show new season with no push at all, it was clearly sent to die
 
Skiptastic

Skiptastic

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,699
I've backed both seasons so I have access to the digital copies (I have every episode of MST3K on my computer except the KTMA version of Fugitive Alien II, which may be lost to the sands of time, now.

This is a big bummer, but I have those episodes to watch as I will, so that's not the end of the world. I'm more bummed because I love the new cast and want more of them. If they have to reboot again, I don't know what I'll do. Hopefully, they get a backer in Hulu or Amazon and can continue making the show as they will.
 
AaronD

AaronD

Member
Dec 1, 2017
3,261
Backed the reboot but honestly didn't care for the riffing. Felt like a jumble of occasionally funny things. Live show was a little better but not enough to watch more.
 
Volimar

Volimar

volunteer forum janitor
Member
Oct 25, 2017
38,524
Honestly, Netflix always seemed lukewarm on the show at best and as much as I enjoyed the last two seasons, this doesn't come as a surprise.
 
mreddie

mreddie

Member
Oct 26, 2017
44,125
I hope it trucks on one more season, but man, the fact these 2 seasons got made at all was a miracle.

Netflix killing the shows they don't own continues.
 
Joe

Joe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,616
:(

Hope they find a way to keep making it happen. The show is such a brilliant little gem, and I'm down for more, wherever it ends up
 
PanzerKraken

PanzerKraken

Member
Nov 1, 2017
15,014
Jegriva said:
Ok, so they just didn't bother to subtitling for non-anglophone markets.
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Licensing is the problem. They can't release many of their movies outside the US cause of licensing deals for said movies. Most of the movies they riffed in the last two seasons were owned or already licensed by Shout Factory, but those licenses don't extend outside the US in many cases. Each episode would need to be a new negotiated license with whoever owns the rights to the film in said territory. Which is a big expense, and mix that in with all the different territories they would have to work licensing for. Just not something such a low budget show could afford.

They also have explained that lot of the jokes and riffing in general doesn't work when translated into other languages. They have tried to figure ways to do it in past but would require completely all new riffs made for different territories and that becomes problematic with the shadow actors and such too.
 
Serein

Serein

Member
Mar 7, 2018
2,347
Gutted. Became a fan due to the ones shown on Netflix. Don't remember it from back in the day but I don't know if they were ever actually shown here in the UK or not.
 
BetterOffEd

BetterOffEd

Member
Oct 29, 2017
857
Something felt off about the pacing/audio recording of the new seasons. I was hoping they'd fix it for The Gauntlet, but they really didn't. I still enjoyed them, but I'm not surprised if some fans lost interest. I don't revisit them like I do the old stuff

The live show on the other hand was fantastic, and I should probably go again.

Keep in mind that Amazon Prime video keeps a big library of Rifftrax stuff if you ever need a fix, and those are so cheap to make that I don't foresee them stopping. I do miss the puppets, though
 
Jegriva

Jegriva

Banned
Sep 23, 2019
5,519
PanzerKraken said:
They also have explained that lot of the jokes and riffing in general doesn't work when translated into other languages. They have tried to figure ways to do it in past but would require completely all new riffs made for different territories and that becomes problematic with the shadow actors and such too.
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I thought about it, but Netflix has subbed every single standup comedian show they ever produced. I always wonder how many people watched in Italy the Chappelle specials. Thousands...?


Most likely licencing, you're right.
 
PanzerKraken

PanzerKraken

Member
Nov 1, 2017
15,014
Jegriva said:
I thought about it, but Netflix has subbed every single standup comedian show they ever produced. I always wonder how many people watched in Italy the Chappelle specials. Thousands...?


Most likely licencing, you're right.
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Joel has explained before besides the language issue with riffing (which is different from normal comedy), that its largely the licensing of the movies.
 
ReAxion

ReAxion

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,882
a plank in my campaign platform is that netflix has to pay a tax for shit like kowtowing to saudis and this tax goes toward funding MST3K and other public goods.
 
Choppasmith

Choppasmith

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,415
Beaumont, CA
Aww, this is a bummer. Like others have said, I really liked the new cast and was hoping to see more of them.

BetterOffEd said:
Keep in mind that Amazon Prime video keeps a big library of Rifftrax stuff if you ever need a fix, and those are so cheap to make that I don't foresee them stopping. I do miss the puppets, though
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I keep saying Tubi is even better with it's selection of Rifftrax, MST3K, Cinematic Titanic, AND Film Crew. It's free with ads.
 
PanzerKraken

PanzerKraken

Member
Nov 1, 2017
15,014
I imagine if they do continue the show elsewhere, they will have to get largely new cast again. I don't think they can afford to use Felicia and Patton anymore. Jonah seems like he would still try to do it but I think they would have to go back to very low budget format.
 
Lucas M. Thomas

Lucas M. Thomas

Editor-in-Chief of Nintendo Force Magazine
Verified
Oct 30, 2017
2,290
Kentucky
Would be awesome to see them come to Disney Plus and then just riff on all the old '50s, '60s and '70s stuff on that new service, like That Darn Cat! and Candleshoe. :p
 
Nappuccino

Nappuccino

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
13,019
There are so many streaming channels now, I bet their chances of finding a platform are better than ever. So many of these platforms know they're catering to niche audiences, and I have to imagine MST3K would fit right in.
 
wyndhamprice

wyndhamprice

Member
Oct 27, 2017
237
Shudder would be an incredible home for MST3K but it's probably not family friendly enough for how Joel sees the show.
 
Beer Monkey

Beer Monkey

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,308
It's not really Netflix' show, and everybody knows Netflix is all about two and done anyway. Not terribly surprising, not terribly concerning either.
 
Tfritz

Tfritz

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,280
in retrospect i probably should have seen this coming when elliot kalan was talking about a new show he was working on
 

AlternateAir

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,120
Yeah, feel like this news really should have came from Joel, but I understand his hands might be a bit tied (and he's never been the best at communicating news tbh.)

Shame it kind of petered out like this, but hopefully they can find some kind of other platform or work out some other way to get more shows into peoples hands.
 
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