I'm really not enjoying Mystery Science Theater 3000 lately. Now when I turn it on I wait a few minutes to hear who's hosting and, no matter what the movie, my new rule is: if it's Joel, I'll watch it and if it's Mike, off it goes.

Why such animosity towards the new host and long-time supporting cast-member, Mike Nelson? I've always liked Mike when he was Jack Perkins, Hugh Beaumont, and especially Torgo but I just don't like his hosting style.

Of course I don't know what Mike and former host and show creator Joel Hodgson are like in real life but their show personas are cut from two completely different cloths. Joel was the slightly stoned and affable one who really didn't seem too upset to be circling the earth watching bad movies while Mike just seems kind of smarmy and desperate to leave—I won't stand in your way, buddy. Where Joel was a more motherly figure to his robots, Crow and Tom Servo, Mike seems like an older, bullying brother. Where Joel was mentor, Mike is instigator.

Joel seems like the kind of guy who would give you a call in the morning (not too early, doesn't want to wake you up) and ask, "Hey, wanna go record shopping or something today?"

Mike, on the other hand, seems like the kind of guy you'd only see at parties who would act like your best pal for a few minutes and, as he was leaving, say, "Call me, we'll get together." Half a dozen unreturned messages later you'd give up; only to see him in a few months where he'd have some lame excuse.

Too bad Joel had to leave with such a lame movie, Mitchell. Of course, all the movies are lame but some are just more fun to make fun of than others. Why couldn't they have dug up a good Japanese monster movie, a la Gammera vs. Guiron, instead of something that appeared to emulate Sidehackers in regards to pacing and general entertainment value? Oh well, nothing they can do about it now and with the departure of TV's Frank I don't know what will become of the show.

Joel, everyone here at CdC really misses your sleepy-eyed cutting wit and we wish you luck in whatever you do.

. . .

Again with the addendum: I wrote this a few days before I read about MST3K being cancelled in Entertainment Weekly—which leads me to believe that I am not alone in my dislike of Mike. Too bad, but it's better to cancel a show before it gets bad than let a network introduce a little kid into the show (like Dr. Forrester's Mom isn't bad enough), I always say.