'Mystery Science Theater 3000': Joel Hodgson Talks Turkey Day Marathon

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks, and one of the things we’re most thankful for — and we’re sure you are, too — is Mystery Science Theater 3000. The holiday holds a special place in MST3K creator Joel Hodgson’s heart as well. After all, the series aired its first-ever episode on a local Minneapolis station on Thanksgiving Day in 1988. Five years later, an ad sales executive suggested that Hodgson organize a Turkey Day marathon, giving viewers at home cinematic turkeys to watch while they chowed down on Thanksgiving dinner. “It was kind of alternative programming for nerds,” Hodgson tells Yahoo TV in the above video.

And MST3K’s Turkey Day tradition is still going strong with another six-film lineup set to launch on Nov. 26 at Noon ET/9 a.m. PT. This year’s marathon can be viewed online at Yahoo TV as well as Shout Factory TV and Kickstarter. Why Kickstarter? Because Hodgson has launched a fundraising campaign to bring fresh episodes of MST3K to an eager fanbase. So far, he’s raised over $2.5 million on his way towards an overall goal of $5.5 million. “It’s been 15 years since the show was on, and to me, it’s like how do you do it now?” Hodgson says in this second video.

One way is by recruiting an all-new crew for the Satellite of Love, including Jonah Ray as the host, Felicia Day as the mad scientist, and some newly constructed robots to sit alongside Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo. But don’t worry: This will still be the same MST3K you know and love. “It’s still all about movie riffing,” Hodgson promises, adding that the movies are “still terrible.” That’s one more thing to be thankful for.

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day Marathon airs on Nov. 26 at 12 p.m. on Yahoo TV, Shout Factory TV, and Kickstarter. Check back tomorrow for additional details.