Another show canceled at Netflix. It was announced on Wednesday that the streaming platform canceled Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Joel Hodgson created Mystery Science Theater 3000 in the late ’80s. The show is set in the future, where a stranded astronaut and two robots comment on poorly made films to keep sane. After getting a thirteen-episode order from KTMA TV 23, a Minneapolis-St. Paul area channel, Mystery Science Theater 3000 premiered on Thanksgiving Day in 1988.
The show eventually moved to the Comedy Channel, now known as Comedy Central, in 1989 and then Sci-Fi Channel, now known as SYFY in 1997. There was a hiatus eighteen-year hiatus until Netflix revived in 2016 and released the new season in 2017.
After two seasons, the show has been canceled. In an email to Mystery Science Theater 3000 mailing list, Hodgson wrote, “As some of you might have guessed, we won’t be making new seasons of the show for Netflix. However, I want you to know that we’ve had a wonderful time working with the Netflix team, and will always be grateful to them. After all, they gave us the opportunity to spend the past few years aboard the Satellite of Love, and made it possible for new generations to discover the joys of riffing cheesy movies with your friends.”
Jonah Ray, the host of the show, took to Twitter to talk about the cancellation. “So, Netflix decided to not do another season of MST3K. We are off to Get Down in Lilyhammer while the OA helps us take it One Day at a Time. We will be in group therapy with Tuca & Bertie, Jessica Jones & Lady Dynamite. The sessions will be run by Gypsy(w/ Naomi Watts.)” Ray made sure to tag all of the other ‘Netflix canceled’ shows he mentioned in his twitter thread.
Hodgson is hopeful about finding a new home for Mystery Science Theater 3000. Writing at the end of his email, “I couldn’t be more grateful or proud to our incredible cast and our wonderful crew for bringing this incarnation of the show to life, and hope that we’ll get the chance to continue collaborating on MST3K as we enter our next chapter.”