Mystery Science Theater 3000 back on TV?

Sort of – RiffTrax to return ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ to TV on National Geographic:

“Mystery Science Theater 3000” is one of the most bizarre and beloved cult series ever to hit television. Now, the current incarnation of the show, RiffTrax, is returning to TV with new episodes on National Geographic.

During the show’s run from 1988 to 1999 (with a few interruptions and on four separate networks), “MST3K” fans tuned in to watch a hapless man and two robots watch bad movies while making jokes at those films’ expense. The show left TV, seemingly for good, after its cancellation by the Syfy Channel in 1999 but later found an internet incarnation in RiffTrax — audio tracks for feature films, designed to be listened to while watching the movies.

National Geographic is bringing the RiffTrax crew — Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy (as Tom Servo) and Bill Corbett (as Crow T. Robot) — back for three episodes on April 1. While details are not yet available, the trio are expected to riff on some form of television programming — National Geographic documentaries be due for the joking treatment?

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It’s Official, It’s Not a Prank…but It’s NOT Going to Be a ‘New Version of MST3K’

At long last we are able to give you correct information about the rumors that have been running rampant on the web. RiffTrax is coming to TV.

RiffTrax has created three hour-long specials that will debut on the NatGeo cable channel Tuesday, April 1, beginning at 8 p.m. eastern and Pacific (and then will repeat a number of times).

Called “Total Riff Off,” the three shows are “Killer Shrimp ‘N Friends,” “Demon Bat” and “A Guy and a Goose.” Each installment will run twice that night.

This is official and confirmed by RiffTrax. Will there be more? I would guess that would have something to do with the ratings.

Here’s the official NatGeo press release:

Don’t be alarmed when you turn on National Geographic Channel (NGC) on April Fools’ Day and see a mantis shrimp talking about its dinner or bloodthirsty monsters being compared to celebrities. We’ve just decided to have a little fun this year.

For the first time, National Geographic Channel has teamed up with RiffTrax, the movie and television commentary group created by the guys responsible for “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” So what does this mean? Your favorite Nat Geo programming with some unconventional commentary worked in around the narration and dialogue — three hours of it. Total Riff Off premieres Tuesday, April 1, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/PT only on NGC. For more information, visit http://www.natgeotv.com/totalriffoff and follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.

After “Mystery Science Theater 3000″ went off the air, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett continued to receive requests from fans to revive the show in some form. And so grew RiffTrax, a website where fans can download commentary to play along with their favorite movies or television shows. And National Geographic Channel has booked them for one night only.
In Total Riff Off, it’s all about the animals, but not as you’re used to seeing them on Nat Geo. RiffTrax takes on the honey badger, mantis shrimp and geographer’s cone snail of Bad@$$ Animals. These seriously unsuspecting creatures are funnier than you might think.

The guys then work their commentary magic on some unlikely relationships between man and his animals — in one instance a goose and in the other, a seal — in segments from Unlikely Animal Friends. And they get their hands on a segment from My Dog Ate What? to riff about a pup with an affinity for thongs.

Finally, riffers Nelson, Murphy and Corbett add their hilarious commentary to an episode of Man v. Monster. Imagine the jokes when they sink their teeth into host Richard Terry’s suspenseful hunt for an elusive flesh-eating bat.

At the end of the three hours of Total Riff Off, you may be a little wiser and you may have even learned a thing or two. You will definitely have had a fun ride listening to RiffTrax have a little April Fools’ Day fun with some of NGC’s already entertaining programming.

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