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MST3K Pops Up in New Season of ‘Arrested Development’

Many fans of MST3K are also fans of the comedy series “Arrested Development.” The creators of the show seem to know that.

The show was recently revived and episodes are now viewable on NetFlix. The episodes started streaming this weekend and almost immediately Twitter was ablaze about episode four five.

As we understand it (we don’t have NetFlix) the story revolves around a low-budget “Fantastic Four” movie, and the show demonstrates how bad it was by showing a snippet of a supposed episode of MST3K in which they Joel and the bots are riffing it. Joel and Trace made voice cameos, making three four riffs. There is reportedly another brief appearance in episode nine.

arrested

Thanks to Andy for the info.

44 Replies to “MST3K Pops Up in New Season of ‘Arrested Development’”

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  1. C. says:

    In a later episode MST3K features a low budget version of “Apollo 13”.

       5 likes

  2. JCC says:

    I have to watch the Fox seasons again on DVD so I get around to these new Netflix episodes TOOT SWEET.

       2 likes

  3. Triple_sSs says:

    It was actually shown in episode 5, not 4. And a second cameo shows up in episode 9.

    Anyway, the new season of Arrested Development is hilarious, but these cameos are by far one of my favorite parts. Not just because it’s a great funny reference, but it’s awesome that they got Joel & Trace themselves to do this too. Bravo, Mr. Mitchell Hurwitz.

       9 likes

  4. Tarlcabot says:

    Makes me wonder where Kevin was. Or Josh, for that matter. Would love to hear some behind-the-scenes info on this.

       7 likes

  5. JCC says:

    And what a shame that MST is not currently streaming on Netflix.

       9 likes

  6. mst3ktemple says:

    It’s episode 5 of the fourth season riffing Roger Corman’s Fantastic 4 (1994). Then again in episode 9 riffing Apollo 13 (1988).

       3 likes

  7. Joseph Nebus says:

    Wow. Is this the first time Trace has played Crow since ’96?

       3 likes

  8. Basil says:

    Not if you count the 10.2 upgrade disk.

       4 likes

  9. Zee says:

    The Riffs:

    Joel: Hey, maybe she came into this Lightbulbs Unlimited!

    Crow: Wait, grab that urine sample and let’s get out of here!

    Crow: This is the gayest Starbucks ever!

    Joel: Did his fishing line break too?

       5 likes

  10. JeremyR says:

    Maybe Netflix will bring back MST3K….

       15 likes

  11. Herandar says:

    MST3K episodes are streaming on Amazon Instant Video. Almost all of the episodes are free to stream with Amazon Prime (Last time I checked, one single episode [I forget which one] cost a few bucks to watch). I believe, though am far from certain, that this is why it is no longer on Netflix.

       2 likes

  12. Jbagels says:

    I’m always shocked at people who don’t have Netflix these days. How do you properly waste your time?

       3 likes

  13. Bob(NotThatBob) says:

    Hope this becomes an extra in an upcoming Shout Factory set!

       7 likes

  14. Frank Conniff says:

    Here is what Jim Vallely, one of the writers on Arrested Development, posted in a thread on my Facebook page –

    “Seriously, Mitch Hurwitz and I high fived when they agreed to it. More than a shoutout to a show that was a game changer . And I got to write a joke for MST3K! Damn that was a good day!”

       34 likes

  15. JohnnyRyde says:

    I’m always shocked at people who don’t have Netflix these days. How do you properly waste your time?

    I use Amazon Prime, since that works with Linux as well as Mac/PC (Netflix currently doesn’t work on Linux) which gave me more flexibility. However, since Netflix has showing more original content, I may need to re-think this…

       2 likes

  16. MattK says:

    Netflix, I know you did us a HUGE solid giving us new Arrested Development. If you could also get all the Best Brains back and give us new MST3K, I will never cancel the service…EVER.

       18 likes

  17. Fun fact: though she doesn’t appear in the MSTed clip, the woman who supposedly played Sue Storm in the movie is played by Maria Bamford, who played the fiddle (offscreen) for the square dance sketch in ep 607-Bloodlust.

       8 likes

  18. Kenotic says:

    JohnnyRyde, there’s a current workaround for Netflix on Linux. It works best on Ubuntu/Mint, but there’s plenty of other ways for your distro of choice. I’ve used it quite a few times!

    http://www.jeremymorgan.com/tutorials/linux/how-to-netflix-ubuntu-linux/

       1 likes

  19. Fred Burroughs says:

    Did Rifftrax (or CT) ever do Corman’s Fantastic Four? Which I heard wasn’t that bad.

       1 likes

  20. JLH says:

    It was never released officially, but of course, that didn’t stop them from doing the Star Wars Christmas Special…

       2 likes

  21. Zee says:

    The Corman Fantastic Four movie seems like the perfect fit for a Rifftrax VOD, but I imagine there are a lot of legal hurdles to jump.

    I wonder why they didn’t get Josh or Kevin in addition to Trace & Joel for the ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT bit?

       3 likes

  22. MikeK says:

    @Jbagels I haven’t had Netflix until know. There was no better time to use my 30-day free trial than to watch Arrested Development. I will buy it when it’s on DVD, but I just had to see it now. Having used it, I can see why people like it, and how they can power through whole season of different TV series. It’s a little scary.

       2 likes

  23. Laura says:

    Wow. :shock: I wish I could afford Netflix. Does anyone know what the episode(s) those riffs are from? All I can tell is that it’s during the Joel era (at least from the shadowrama). I have a sudden urge to watch MST3K again.

       1 likes

  24. ToolAssist says:

    #23: It’s original stuff made for Arrested Development.

       4 likes

  25. Toyland Chairman says:

    If Best Brains allowed Joel and Trace to film this, could there be hope for an MST3K reunion movie? I heard Cinematic Titanic was ending, so maybe there’s time now? I don’t know if Mike, Kevin, and Bill could be part of it due to their commitments to Rifftrax, but I’d still watch one with the original cast.

       8 likes

  26. Patrick says:

    My two favorite shows brought back in the same show. Thank you Netflix!!

       5 likes

  27. Traci says:

    @Laura
    Netflix has a 30 day trial. Just make sure you cancel before the trial is up or you will be charged $7.99 (?)

    I loved seeing MST3K on AD. Too funny.

       3 likes

  28. Bat Masterson says:

    #25: They need to just have a giant reunion movie with all the cast members in one role or another. If it’s a 2.35:1 ratio movie, there will be plenty of theater seats for everyone!

    3001: A Mystery Science Theater Odyssey. Bring it on! They could Kickstart it in less than a day.

       5 likes

  29. Mike "ex-genius" Kelley says:

    #2 — you don’t have to watch the AD Fox episodes on DVD as they are also on Netflix (they have the whole series). My wife and I are stripping them all over the next few days just to refresh things.

    While I’ve had NF issues over the years (I was an early adopter and they had a lot of growing pains) they are a must have service nowadays for anyone who consumes as much media as the typical MST3K fan does. The new content is just gravy on top of an already fine delivery system (both mail and stream).

    And, yes, to everyone who doesn’t have NF, the free trial means there’s no good reason NOT to at least see these episodes (the only downside? You’ll get hooked).

       3 likes

  30. Laura says:

    @24,

    Thank you! I was wondering why I didn’t recognize the riffs. Sometimes I can name an episode from them. And I’ll definitely try out the free Netflix next time. I sometimes watch “Arrested Development” back when it was on TV, so this will be the perfect excuse to see it again.

       0 likes

  31. Mike "ex-genius" Kelley says:

    Laura,

    You don’t have to wait until “next time” — unless you want to just hold off until another big event. The 30 day free trial is available all the time, although you can only do it once (truth be told you can do it more than once, as long as you have a different physical address and credit card the next time you try it :>).

    30 days would be plenty enough time to rewatch all the AD episodes AND the new ones, on Netflix, even for those of you who work (I think there are around 50+ total episodes, so even doing 4 or 5 a night will get you through in 10 days. DW and I are about halfway through right now).

       1 likes

  32. Laura says:

    What I meant was, “next time I think of watching AD”. But I don’t have a credit card since I haven’t had a real income since 2010. So that looks like I’ll have to wait for some other kind of way to watch. :cry:

       0 likes

  33. Trilaan says:

    I didn’t care for Arrested Development. I found it to be unfunny with totally annoying characters. But for this, okay, I must give some props to it.

       2 likes

  34. mstgator says:

    53 episodes in the original AD run (about 22 minutes each). I binged most of the series on DVD over the holiday weekend, having somehow missed it during the past ten years (!). My intention is to do the free trial of Netflix to watch the new episodes, but knowing my procrastination I’ll probably end up waiting until the inevitable Season 4 DVD release sometime in the next year or so.

       0 likes

  35. Zee says:

    I don’t think the silhouette was newly-recorded footage, Joel and Trace merely dubbed new lines over old shadowrama, like when Mike, Kevin, and Bill were “on” Cheap Seats. No effort is made at all to sync up Crow’s beak to the dialog

       0 likes

  36. trickymutha says:

    Netflix and MST should agree to, let’s say, 10 episodes. A slight story arch involving the various MADS, and, JT&B and MT&B should be in place. It would be so cool. What movies could they riff? I say, start with Sssssss…

       1 likes

  37. MikeK says:

    @Zee. That’s possible. It could be why I didn’t think that Crow had any lines. I didn’t hear any, sure, but I also didn’t see any movement from Crow.

       0 likes

  38. JCC says:

    “I say, start with Sssssss…”

    trickymutha fell asleep before typing “Snakes On A Plane”. (I kid I kid…)

       3 likes

  39. Speedy says:

    It’s up on youtube now. Joel and Trace are a little tough to hear.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzCJb8x3iAw

       3 likes

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       0 likes

  41. MikeK says:

    @39. Tough to hear is an understatement. It seems like they don’t even say anything in the Apollo 13 clip. I hope the fix the audio if they put this season out on DVD.

       0 likes

  42. VeryDisturbing says:

    OH…
    MY…

    UNREAL!!!

    MST3K and AD; 2 of my favorite things!

    I gotta get Netflix…

       0 likes

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