Mystery Science Theater 3000

"This wonderful book chronicles one of the essential cultural products of the past few decades and tells the story of Mystery Science Theater 3000, showing its enormous influence on popular media from broadcast and cable TV to streaming and social media. Riffing as we know it starts here. Thanks to Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson for giving us this great gift! --Michael Z. Newman, professor, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; and author, ""The Media Studies Toolkit"" Thoroughly researched and thoughtful, this is an absolute must-read for MSTies, media-studies scholars, and others who do not sit passively while the world tries to break them. --Shelley E. Barba, coeditor, ""In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theatre 3000"" Foy and Olson give the definitive history of the critically acclaimed show Mystery Science Theater 3000. This is the book I've been waiting for, and it is long overdue. Solid scholarship yet accessible to the average fan, this cultural history explains exactly why our transmedia world has been greatly influenced by the riffing as done in MST3K. The authors show how riffing is part of our cultural landscape including podcasts, fan tributes, video games, memes, and much more through its intertextuality. Mystery Science Theater 3000 changed the way we watch movies, giving a new way to critically evaluate and critique film by providing some of the greatest comedy in the history of television and online viewership. Foy and Olson take readers on a journey through the various iterations of the show as well as its offshoots (Rifftrax, Cinematic Titanic, The Mads). MST3K has remained a cultural icon with its own unique brand of humor. Foy and Olson tell us why this is important. Not to be missed! --Robert G. Weiner, popular culture librarian, Texas Tech University, and coeditor, ""In the Peanut Gallery with Mystery Science Theater 3000: Essays on Film, Fandom, Technology, and the Culture of Riffing"" Foy and Olson have created a fun and fact-filled book that is a valuable resource for any MST3K fan looking to learn more about the behind-the-scenes story of this cult classic. The tone is low-key and breezy, yet solidly researched. Foy and Olson also draw from pop-culture sources as well as academic publications. The book draws from many of the show's most salient inspirations and influences. It even presents a list of 20 must-see episodes. This book deserves to sit on any MSTie's media shelf. --Chris ""Sampo"" Cornell, author of ""MSTiepedia: One Man's Journey Through 30+ Years of the Best TV Show Ever"" Mystery Science Theater 3000 is known for its alchemical magic, spinning golden comedy from junk movies. In this delightful book, Foy and Olson riff spectacular on the origins, success, and influence of the highly memetic show, proving their thoughtful, accessible, and meaningful book is gold from the start. Highly recommended, and you can push that button, Frank! --Paul Booth, professor of media and popular culture, DePaul University Appropriate for fans and scholars, this thoughtful and comprehensive study positions Mystery Science Theater 3000 within its cultural, sociopolitical, and artistic contexts, illuminating the ways in which the show responds to and transforms media across its many iterations. --Shelley Rees, editor, ""Reading Mystery Science Theater 3000: Critical Approaches"" Sharp, smart, engaging, and comprehensive. A must read for Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans and pop culture scholars alike. Hi-Keeba! --Blair Davis, author, ""The Battle for the Bs: 1950s Hollywood and the Rebirth of Low-Budget Cinema"" Mystery Science Theater 3000: A Cultural History is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to think (as well as laugh) along with Mystery Science Theater 3000. It provides a succinct history of the show in its many iterations and gives context for what inspired it--and for many of the things MST3K has inspired in turn. But more importantly, it explores what this show actually is. What does it mean when we gather with our friends (or our home-made robot buddies) to watch ""bad"" movies, and what does it mean to talk back to them? What strategies can we use to interrogate and have fun with these movies? What happens when a movie gets riffed--to the movie, to the audience, and to our relationship with the culture we live in? And what makes our favorite riffs so satisfying? Thank you, Matt Foy and Christopher J. Olson, for laying out a framework for thinking about our favorite cowtown puppet show--and for making us laugh about love (and cultural theory) again. --Chris Piuma, cohost of ""It's Just a Show"""