All of the Rifftrax Live specials feel like an event, but none have come close to feeling as eventful as the twentieth installment. So eventful that I felt the need to write a recap commemorating it. Up to this point, the Rifftrax Live specials have simply been Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy riffing a film and/or shorts in front of a live audience. This time, they’re joined by the ghosts of Mystery Science Theater 3000 Past, Present, and Future. The past being creator and original host Joel Hodgson, Trace Beaulieu (Dr. Forrester & the original Crow T. Robot), Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), and Bridget Nelson (writer, various characters). The present being the current Rifftrax trio (as well as a cameo from their writers and staff). The future being the new host of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 revival, Jonah Ray.
The reunion special was formatted in a clever way. Instead of a short followed by a feature film, the entire show was a smorgasbord of shorts. This was a nice change of pace, as it built up anticipation with each passing short. It also helped in spreading out the reunion, with shorts being riffed by pairs, then a grand finale of all riffers coming together for not one, but two shorts. In total, seven shorts were riffed, with regaled memories and a clip show highlighting the past decade of Rifftrax sprinkled in throughout.
The show started with a riff on “A Talking Car” by the Rifftrax trio, then moved on to Bridget Nelson and Mary Jo Pehl teaming up to take down “Word to the Wives,” followed by Trace & Frank taking down the surprisingly blue “Many Dates for Kay,” the Rifftrax trio returned to tackle “Shake Hands with Danger,” then first host and latest host, Joel & Jonah, joined forces for “Barbers & Beauticians,” with the event then capped off with everybody coming together to riff “Stamp Day for Superman” and “At Your Fingertips: Grasses.” Both “Shake Hands with Danger” and “At Your Fingertips” had been riffed before, but are ripe for more hilarious riffing!
Each pair had their own flavor to them. The Rifftrax trio were bombastic, Nelson & Pehl were snarky, Trace & Frank worked blue (pushing the envelope quite a bit), and Joel & Jonah had a father/son bond aspect to them (fitting considering the theme of their short). All of these styles flowed surprisingly well during the finale, only feeling cluttered at the outset. The audio, which had been an issue in past live events, was pitch perfect, and the only slip-up on the part of the riffers occurred at the hand of Jonah, who played it off nicely along with Joel.
Speaking of Jonah, major props to him for keeping his composure! Some would view him as a bit overzealous, but that’s to be expected. The man grew up a huge MST3K fan like all of us and was getting the opportunity to live out a fantasy. Not only was he riffing, he was doing it in the presence of his childhood heroes. He brings a youthful zest to the proceedings, touching upon current fads and memes whilst recalling the quippyness and smart humor the show is known for. There was trepidation when he was announced as the new host, and I could feel that in the air during the live event, but he proved himself. I’m happy to report that the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 is in good hands!
“Rifftrax Live: MST3K Reunion” was a fun stroll down memory lane without overdoing the nostalgia. It felt contemporary, with any and all nostalgia coming from the familiar faces and various cosplayers (one of which was in my screening). Not only was it a nostalgia rush, but a glimpse into the future, not just for MST3K, but for Rifftrax as well. Most of all, it was a hysterical two-hour event shared with like-minded individuals!
If you missed the live screening, a replay will be broadcast on Tuesday, July 12th and (I presume) eventually available to download on Rifftrax.com. I definitely recommend checking it out!