THIS FRIDAY! Join us in the Kingadome for Tom & Crow's Unsupervised Year-End Review Revue -- PLUS details on what happens to your Gizmoplex access in the future!
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 11:05:51 AM
Greetings, friends!
We hope your February has been a pleasant one. Read on for details on our next event, as well as what happens to the Gizmoplex after today!
This Friday, March 3, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, join Tom and Crow for a very special event, as they guide you through a look back at season 13 and year one of the Gizmoplex, with Tom & Crow’s Unsupervised Year-End Review Revue! We’ll revisit our newest episodes and some special moments from the last year, all on the eve of the Gizmoplex’s first anniversary.
Also, this event is FREE to all registered users of the Gizmoplex -- no pass required!
So, what’s next for the Gizmoplex?
Several of you have expressed concern about what happens to your Gizmoplex access after today, when your passes “expire.”
The answer is: nothing happens! You will retain access to all the episodes and livestream events that came with your pass. Our first year of Gizmoplex programming has come to a close, so we won’t be doing regular livestream events every two weeks for the foreseeable future, but everything else on your pass will remain intact.
That said, we do have a few more events to share with you that we promised as part of the Kickstarter campaign, like the live Rifftrax event (more on this soon) and the Jackbox rematch. We may also summon some additional surprises in the coming months, and we will keep you updated as things evolve.
But we wanted to reassure you all that the expiration date on your pass does not mean you are losing access to anything you currently have access to. You will eventually need a new pass for our next season, but we are still in the very early planning stages for that. When there is more to share, you will be the first to know. Pinky swear.
That’s all for now! Thanks for reading, and we hope we will #SeeYouInTheGizmoplex on Friday night for Tom & Crow’s Unsupervised Year-End Review Revue. We hear they worked very hard on it.
Your Friends,
Team MST3K
PS - Still wondering about physical rewards? We mentioned them in a previous backer update, but we’ve also got some updated FAQs here.
We've got big news! On March 1, Season 13 will premiere outside of the Gizmoplex, exclusively on Pluto TV!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Feb 23, 2023 at 09:50:52 AM
We have some exciting news to share!
On March 1, season 13 of MST3K will premiere outside the Gizmoplex for the first time, exclusively on the MST3K channel on Pluto TV.
Now that our inaugural year of Gizmoplex-exclusive content is complete, it’s time to put our newest episodes out into the world and share them with a wider audience of folks who haven’t seen them yet. There are a lot of people watching MST3K on Pluto TV who have not seen any of season 13, and some who aren’t even aware that new MST3K exists.
In fact, one of the biggest challenges we’ve faced over the past year is breaking through the immense volume of new content that’s available to folks every day. For seasons 11 and 12, we had help, because Netflix was a high-profile streaming service with a huge audience already. So a lot of people – a lot of you, the very people who backed this season – discovered MST3K for the first time that way, by stumbling across it on Netflix, or because Netflix recommended it to you.
With the Gizmoplex, we have a lot more independence and freedom. But we are also without the massive built-in pool of potential viewers that Netflix provided. Plus, we are competing with an enormous number of other shows. According to Nerdist, as of April 2022 there were 817,000 different shows available to watch on various content platforms. And the proliferation of streaming services has meant more and more new shows are being made every year.
This is great news, insofar as it means there are more opportunities for a wider diversity of media! But it also means that rising above the collective din of so many options to build a loyal audience can be a real challenge. By now, lots of you have had the experience of meeting someone who doesn’t even know there’s a new season of MST3K. Sharing these episodes on other platforms spreads the word.
We are enormously grateful to you, our most devoted backers, because your support has empowered us to make season 13 and build the Gizmoplex. But we don’t want to lean only on you for our ability to continue making new seasons. Many hands make light work, as the saying goes.
If we can reach more people who like MST3K and want to support it, that will help us establish a sustainable model for making new MST3K content on a regular basis, without needing to run big splashy Kickstarter campaigns every few years.
We know many of you are eager for news of season 14, and building our audience is part of our plan to make that happen. Sharing our newest episodes on Pluto TV is one way of doing that. Many of you are already frequent viewers of the MST3K channel on PlutoTV, so you know how popular it is – in fact, it’s the most popular place to watch MST3K outside of the Gizmoplex.
Now, some of you might be thinking, Hey wait, why is season 13 going to be viewable outside the Gizmoplex? I thought the Gizmoplex was the only place I could watch new episodes!
A valid question! The Gizmoplex is the first place you can see new MST3K – and the only place you can see all the other exclusive Gizmoplex content, like bonus segments and live events. Pluto TV will be showing season 13’s episodes in their most basic form. Your Gizmoplex membership has given you access to a whole year of premieres and tributes and livestreams and Vault Picks and extras and special programming (oh my!).
If we want to engage a growing audience of supporters going forward, we need to share new episodes with people outside of our friendly backer community.
We ask you to think of the Gizmoplex as a first-run theater. By supporting us directly, you get the first look at new seasons, plus access to a lot of other exclusive content that will never be shown outside the Gizmoplex’s hallowed virtual walls.
Part of what makes MST3K so special to many of you is that sometimes, it feels like an exclusive club. If you know, you know – or as MST3K’s creator, Joel Hodgson, famously observed in 1992, “We never say, ‘Who’s gonna get this?’ We always say ‘The right people will get this.’” This simple idea has inspired many MSTies to follow their own drumbeat, even when others don’t seem to understand.
We don’t want to lose that energy; we want to share it with more people. We know there are lots of the right people out there, and we want to connect with them too. We want them to know that MST3K is alive and well, and it all starts in the Gizmoplex.
We are so thankful to all of you who have steadfastly supported us and enabled us to keep going. You are an indelible part of MST3K’s history.
So, we hope you’ll also be excited for this development – and maybe let your friends know – because it’s a step toward a long, bright future for MST3K. If you have questions, you’re welcome to email us at [email protected].
Your Friends,
Team MST3K
PS: For those of you wondering, Hey, this is great and all, but where are my physical rewards? We mentioned this in the last backer update, but we’ve also got some updated FAQs here.
PPS: We will be sending another update next week explaining what happens to your Gizmoplex access after the end of the month, but the TL;DR is: Don’t worry! The Gizmoplex isn't going away.
February is DOOMED LOVERS Month in the Gizmoplex! Get all the details on this month’s Vault Picks and events!
almost 2 years ago
– Fri, Feb 03, 2023 at 07:54:42 AM
Happy V Day, backers!
For this month’s theme, we are exploring doomed relationships! We’ve got a tribute event for one of the most beloved classic episodes, a premiere of a new short riff, and a new batch of Vault Picks. Read on for all the details.
On Friday, February 10, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, grab a seat in the Kingadome for a Riff-Along Tribute to I Accuse My Parents – plus a new short riff premiere! Cast members and writers Emily Marsh, Yvonne Freese, Kelsey Brady, and Tim Ryder will watch along with you as troubled Jimmy Wilson lies repeatedly to his new girlfriend about his miserable homelife, and is ultimately drawn into a life of crime.
PLUS, we’ll be premiering our final new short riff of season 13: "Doing Things For Ourselves in School." This premiere is extra special, because this is the short co-written with the Kickstarter backers who pledged at the RIFF A SHORT WITH JOEL level!
And after the show, stick around for a live chat with our cast.
And then, moving ahead a little bit, on Friday, March 4, join us on the Gizmoplex's first anniversary for a look back at the first year, with Tom & Crow’s Unsupervised Year End Review Revue! We’ll share more about this later in the month.
As a reminder, this is the last month where NEW content will be added to the Gizmoplex Season Pass, but remember: even when the season ends, you’ll still have permanent streaming access to everything that was included with your pass while it was active. You just won’t keep receiving NEW content and livestreams after this.
You can join these events with your GIZMOPLEX MEMBER PASS, if you have one, or by buying a ticket to individual shows, which will be available later this week
If you don't have a Member Pass and you missed any of our previous events, they're all available to rent or buy.
And if you'd rather just see the new episodes, without all the livestream bells and whistles? You can rent or buy each season 13 episode here as they are released.
In recognition of Valentine’s Day, this month’s VAULT PICKS all involve relationships in crisis. If you've got an active Member Pass, the following January picks are available now in your Gizmoplex Library:
- The Girl in Lovers Lane
- The Touch of Satan
- Tormented
- The Screaming Skull
- Hercules Unchained
- Girl in Gold Boots
As always, each Vault Pick includes all-new introductions and outros, plus a few more hidden surprises. Remember: you can find each month's Vault Picks as part of your Gizmoplex Member Pass, if you have one. (Instructions for accessing your pass are here.)
An Update on Physical Rewards
By now many of you have noticed that we still have not sent out the requests for payment of your shipping costs, as we’d planned to do in mid-January. We are deeply sorry for missing yet another self-imposed deadline. We know it is frustrating to you, and it is frustrating to us as well -- both because we hate letting you all down, and because we are so excited to get your rewards out to you at last.
Without going into too much boring detail (and it really is boring), the process for calculating shipping costs has taken much, much longer than anticipated. Because we are a small team, and we have been focused on making season 13 and the Gizmoplex as satisfying as possible, we sometimes contract certain tasks like calculating shipping costs out to others, and we unfortunately underestimated how much time those calculations would take, given the resources available. We’re not telling you this to deflect blame – the responsibility here is squarely on our shoulders! – but so you have a better grasp of the circumstances.
We understand that this delay is disappointing and even exasperating, and you all have a right to that reaction. We just ask you to trust that we are doing our very best to get your rewards sent out as soon as we can. We’re not going to give you another specific date here until we are more certain of the timing.
Thank you, as always, for your patience. If you have any specific questions about your rewards, please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected].
That’s all for now! We hope you enjoy this month’s offerings, and we will #SeeYouInTheGizmoplex!
Your Friends,
Team MST3K
THIS FRIDAY, join us in the Kingadome for a LIVE Riff-Along Tribute to OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK!
almost 2 years ago
– Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 02:58:46 PM
Bleep bloop bzzzzrt…
Oops, sorry, we’re experiencing some technical difficulties, probably due to it being TECH RUN AMOK Month in the Gizmoplex! If your screen is still working, check out the details on our next event below.
Join us this Friday at 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT for a LIVE Riff-Along Tribute to OVERDRAWN AT THE MEMORY BANK, and the premiere of an all-new short riff!
As part of TECH RUN AMOK Month, we will be paying tribute to Overdrawn at the Memory Bank with a live riff-along featuring members of our cast! Watch in real-time with Jonah, Hampton, Baron and Rebecca as they experience the joy of doppeling and the panic of Aram Fingal’s missing identity cube. PLUS, even though we've aired the Season Finale, the new content releases continue through next month: this week, we'll be premiering another all-new Season 13 short, Better Breakfasts USA!
Our VAULT PICKS for TECH RUN AMOK month feature episodes in which technology wreaks havoc! If you've got an active Member Pass, the following January picks are available now in your Gizmoplex Library:
- First Spaceship on Venus
- The Atomic Brain
- Robot Holocaust
- Blood Waters of Dr Z
- War of the Colossal Beast
- The Amazing Transparent Man
As always, each Vault Pick includes all-new introductions and outros, plus a few more hidden surprises. Remember: you can find each month's Vault Picks as part of your Gizmoplex Member Pass, if you have one. (Instructions for accessing your pass are here.)
That’s all for now! We hope to #SeeYouInTheGizmoplex on Friday night for our Tribute to... Overdrawn at the Memory Bank!
Your Friends,
Team MST3K
January is TECH RUN AMOK Month in the Gizmoplex! Get all the details on this month’s Vault Picks and events! PLUS: Details about how your Gizmoplex Pass will work after the season ends!
almost 2 years ago
– Mon, Jan 02, 2023 at 12:36:21 AM
Happy New Year, backers!
If one of your new year's resolutions was to spend more time in the Gizmoplex, we have some compelling events, brand new shorts, and Vault Picks this month that will make that an easy promise to keep! Read on for all the details.
This Friday, JANUARY 6, the Kingadome will be hosting the MST3K Winter Festival of Shorts – including not one, but TWO new short riff premieres! Also, one of these shorts will be an all-new take on an old favorite... but we won’t say more here lest we spoil the surprise. You won't want to miss it.
And on Friday, JANUARY 20, as part of TECH RUN AMOK Month, we will be paying tribute to Overdrawn at the Memory Bank with a live riff-along featuring members of our current cast!
Since the Gizmoplex is grappling with the fallout of Y3K, this month’s VAULT PICKS feature episodes about technology spiraling out of control! If you've got an active Member Pass, the following January picks are available now in your Gizmoplex Library:
- First Spaceship on Venus
- The Atomic Brain
- Robot Holocaust
- Blood Waters of Dr Z
- War of the Colossal Beast
-
The Amazing Transparent Man
As always, each Vault Pick includes all-new introductions and conclusions, plus a few more hidden surprises.
And remember: you can find each month's Vault Picks as part of your Gizmoplex Member Pass, if you have an active pass, or rent them for the month right here.
(Instructions for accessing your pass are here.)
An Important Note about Your Gizmoplex Pass
Finally, as we approach the end of the Gizmoplex's first full season on Feb 28th, we wanted to take a moment to clear up some confusion about your Gizmoplex Passes. We know a lot of backers might be concerned that you'll lose access to all of your Gizmoplex Pass content after February 28th, so we're pleased to tell you:
Your Gizmoplex account gives you permanent streaming access to all content released as part of your Kickstarter Pass or Season Pass, aside from each month's limited-time Vault Picks.*
If your pass included access to a livestream event, tribute show, or premiere – or to the screener for an episode or short – don't worry! You won't lose that access after February 28th. Your pass gives you lifetime streaming access to any content released while your pass was active, so that you can keep enjoying and rewatching all of your livestream events and episodes whenever you want.
Really, the only thing that changes after your pass expires is that you won't get free access to any new content that might get released... but, before you ask, we're working out the plan for the future of the Gizmoplex now, and will share more details over the next few months.
For now – as Joel announced before the premiere of Episode 1313 – feel free to "just relax," knowing that we're working on plans to continue making new episodes beyond Season 13, and that you'll have a chance to preorder a Gizmoplex Pass for access to whatever we make next. More details coming soon, along with final instructions on how to pay shipping so we can send out all of your physical rewards!
*If you've been waiting for access to watch any Vault Picks you missed, don't worry: they might be gone for now, but they're not gone for good. We'll share more about the plans for Vault Picks in the months to come.
That’s all for now! We hope you enjoy this month’s offerings. Be sure to keep your technology in check, and we'll #SeeYouInTheGizmoplex!
Your Friends,
Team MST3K
