'Mystery Science Theater 3000' launches Season 14 fundraiser

Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Mystery Science Theater 3000 announced a fundraiser for Season 14 on Tuesday. The show launched Showmaker.MST3K.com for the latest effort.

MST3K writer Matt McGinnis hosted a 4 1/2-minute video on the show's social media platforms to announce the fundraiser in three tiers. Their goals are $3.7 million, $5.6 million and $7.4 million.

The first tier would generate six new episodes, six shorts and remaster 18 classic episodes. Tier 2 would net nine episodes and shorts and remaster 27 classics. Tier 3 would result in a 12-episode season, 12 shorts and 36 remastered classics.

The show's fundraiser for Season 13 hit the tier 3 goal. The Season 14 fundraiser has until Nov. 24.

McGinnis also clarified that production will not begin until the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Radio and Television Artists strike is resolved. He also said the show has partnered with a new shipping company so donors can receive rewards faster.

Joel Hodgson created Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1988. Hodgson and Mike Nelson hosted with a cadre of puppet-operated robots watching bad movies and making fun of them.

Netflix revived the series for two seasons starting in 2017. The show turned to crowd-funding after Netflix canceled the series.

Currently, Jonah Ray and Emily Marsh alternate hosting movies. Patton Oswalt and Felicia Day play the evil Forresters subjecting them to this experiment.

Season 13 also launched the Gizmoplex, which hosts the series online.