Dru Sefton at Current.org has a report that among some 75 shows that public TV programmers are previewing at distributor American Public Television’s annual Fall Marketplace this week is “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

Shout!Factory, the Los Angeles distributor that holds the TV rights, recently approached APT with an offer, said Eric Luskin, v.p. of premium service and syndication. Luskin was not familiar with MST3K but mentioned it to Alison Schmidt, senior program associate, syndication, who reacted enthusiastically. “She said, ‘We have to get this!’” Luskin recalled.

Luskin also knew science fiction was a good fit for public TV; he was an early fan of the pubTV favorite “Doctor Who” and produced the documentary “The Making of Doctor Who: Silver Nemesis.” “So I knew the passion the sci-fi audience has and its positive relationship with public TV,” he said.

APT is offering programmers the chance to initially pick up four episodes, including “Manos: The Hands of Fate,” a howlingly awful 1966 clunker that is considered a MST3K classic. Other titles are “Hercules and the Captive Women,” “Gunslinger” and “The Unearthly.” All four are hosted by Hodgson, who later handed off the series to head writer Mike Nelson to host.

“If programmers embrace these, we could offer an ongoing ‘Best of MST3K,’” Luskin said. Broadcasters would also have digital rights for streaming online.

The episodes, which run between 94 and 97 minutes, will be edited to 88 minutes to conform to public TV schedules, Luskin said.

After Marketplace, programmers vote on which shows they’d most likely schedule. APT should know by mid-December whether MST3K will make the cut, Luskin said.

Thanks to commenter “Tarl Cabot” for the heads up.