Watch Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gauntlet

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gauntlet is a science fiction comedy series available on Amazon Addon from. The latest iteration of the classic series that originally ran from 1988 to 1999, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gauntlet features a new cast and fresh jokes while still retaining the beloved format of riffing on cheesy B movies.

The show follows a man named Jonah Heston (played by comedian Jonah Ray) who is trapped on a spaceship called the Satellite of Love by a pair of mad scientists, Kinga Forrester (Felicia Day) and Max (Patton Oswalt). The two force Jonah to watch a series of terrible movies in an attempt to break his spirit and take over the world. To make matters worse, Jonah must also endure the constant wisecracks of two sarcastic robots, Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo.

The biggest difference between The Gauntlet and previous seasons of the show is the format. Instead of riffing on individual movies, Jonah and the bots are forced to watch six terrible movies back-to-back in a sort of movie marathon called The Gauntlet. The movies themselves are an eclectic mix of science fiction and horror films ranging from 1983's Atlantic Rim to a little known 1960's space epic, Starcrash.

The show kicks off with a hilariously campy robot monster movie called Mac and Me, which features bizarrely placed product placements for Coca-Cola and McDonald's. From there, the team moves on to Atlantic Rim, a shameless rip-off of Pacific Rim that appears to have been filmed in someone's backyard. Next up is Lords of the Deep, a movie that features a poorly conceived underwater civilization and a giant lobster monster. The fourth movie in The Gauntlet, The Day Time Ended, is a low-budget sci-fi film that features a horde of glowing aliens who invade a stranded family's home. The penultimate movie in the series is Killer Fish, a 1970s heist movie that features, you guessed it, killer fish. Finally, the show wraps up with the 1960s Italian space opera, Starcrash, which stars a young David Hasselhoff.

The humor in The Gauntlet is fast and furious, with the riffs coming fast and often. The jokes range from references to pop culture and current events to more esoteric humor that only die-hard fans of the show will appreciate. The constant riffing can be overwhelming at times, making it easy to miss some of the more subtle gags. However, for fans of the original show, the humor will feel like coming home.

In addition to the hilarious riffing, The Gauntlet also features amusing interludes between the movies. For example, during the break between Atlantic Rim and Lords of the Deep, Jonah and the bots are forced to play a bizarre board game called Wunks. The game is a ridiculous exercise in nonsense that perfectly encapsulates the absurdist humor of the show.

Overall, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Gauntlet is a must-watch for fans of the original show and anyone looking for a good laugh. The new cast is excellent, with Jonah Ray bringing a fresh energy to the role of the hapless host. Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt are delightfully over-the-top as the evil mad scientists, and the chemistry between Jonah and the robots is pitch perfect. The classic MST3K format is alive and well in The Gauntlet, with the riffing as sharp and funny as ever. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a hilarious journey through some of the worst movies ever made.