Lost mst3k episode surfaces on youtube after decades
A previously unseen episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 from its first season has surfaced on YouTube, offering a rare glimpse into the show's formative years. The episode, "Star Force: The Fugitive Alien 2," originally aired on November 24, 1988, and hadn't been publicly available since.
Rare footage: first season mst3k episode found
The episode's resurfacing is thanks to Reddit user /u/arthurputie, who acquired the VHS tape from a garage sale, as detailed in a post on r/MST3K. This find is significant because the early KTMA episodes of MST3K were never officially released during the show's initial run on the independent Minnesota station. The show, which later gained popularity on networks like Comedy Central and Netflix, began as a local experiment.
The show's creators themselves have been candid about the early episodes' quality. In 1995’s The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Amazing Colossal Episode Guide, these initial episodes were listed without descriptions, with the team admitting they weren’t particularly strong. “We don’t talk much of those early days anymore… Why don’t we release these shows and cash in? Well … the shows were seminal and formative, which is to say they weren’t very good,” the show explained.
A quick viewing reveals the episode’s raw, almost experimental nature. The bots are noticeably different, the riffs appear improvised, and the theme song is a unique take. Joel Hodgson, the show’s host, also sports a longer hairstyle.
While this particular episode was lost to time, two other early KTMA episodes, "Invaders from the Deep" and "The Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars," have been released through Kickstarter campaigns and are available on YouTube. The show’s willingness to revisit older material is evident in the re-use of Star Force II as the movie in episode 318, a move that occurred during MST3K’s more successful run.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is currently gearing up for a new Kickstarter-funded season called The RiffTrax Experiments, which will bring back classic cast members. This new season signals a return to the show’s roots while embracing its evolution. The series' enduring appeal speaks to a deep-seated appreciation for delightfully bad movies and clever commentary. After all, some things are simply too good to stay buried.