Hey, just so you know ... this post is now about 15 years and 5 months old. Please keep that in mind as it very well may contain broken links and/or outdated information.

I found this New York Times article via slashdot … “Mystery Science Theater 3000” turns 20 this month!

MST3k premiered on Thanksgiving Day 1988 on KTMA in Minnesota. It was eventually picked up by Comedy Central where I discovered it as a sophomore in college in 1992 (back when Jon Stewart was still on “Short Attention Span Theater“). I remember having a group of friends come down to visit one weekend for KingCon that summer and telling them “guys, you have to see this show.” We were hooked (and their wives probably still hate me for introducing them to it).

MST3k was a Saturday night staple during my college years:

• I recall setting up the VCR to record the Turkey Day marathons and asking my roommate who was staying at school over break to change the tapes every 6 hours (man, TiVo would have made that soooo much easier!).
• I remember watching Joel’s last episode, and Mike’s first one.
• I would occasionally post in alt.tv.mst3k (that’s on Usenet for you younger folks ;-)).
• I remember worrying when Comedy Central dropped the show (but then SciFi picked it up).
• I wrote an alternate version of the lyrics to the opening theme (who hadn’t, back then?).

And it’s still a (small) part of my life today:

• I have an unopened copy of “Manos: The Hands of Fate” on VHS (Torgo!).
• I’m the proud owner of a copy of “The Amazing Colossal Episode Guide” (autographed by the Brains)
• I might even still have old copies of the MST3k fan club newsletters laying about.

The original Brains now run “Cinematic Titanic.” I’ve purchased, downloaded, and watched the first two episodes and they are really great … reminds me of old times with friends on Saturday nights.

Keep circulating those tapes …