Work in progress: My MST3K sequel idea

[Blue Lightning]

Here's my idea for a MST3K-like series...

The host:
"Ed Simpson" played by Edward K. Simpson. Somewhere between Joel and Mike in terms of personality.

The bots:
"MANTIS"-- Basically Crow, but looks a bit more like Zorak of Adult Swim fame. A little bit more evil than Crow, but really isn't very motivated in the evil department. Ed calls him "Manny".

"?" --I haven't come up with second, Servo-esque bot yet.
"RALF Roboto" --Modified R.O.B., base is more like Servo's hoverskirt, and arms more like a Lego man's. Quite bitter about the whole 8-bit era of video gaming.

"Lensmaster 2600"-- My show's Cambot. Ed calls him "Lenny".

The Mads:
Dr. Ramses--Ed's captor and tormentor. He decides what movies Ed & the Bots watch.

Madeline-- Dr. Ramses' assistant. She isn't evil, actually. She's under the impression that Dr. Ramses' experiment is part of Ed's therapy.

The Premise:

Dr. Ramses tricks Ed into boarding the "SOL" (I'll have a new name for the ship) by telling Ed that it's part of a new reality TV show. Ed actually hates reality TV, but does it for the rent-free housing. Initially, Madeline is the "SOL" crew's only earth contact...she sends them the movies, and rebuffs Ed's attempts to flirt with her.

[GProopdog]

I always felt a "cultured" bot on an MST3k like show would be funny
something like a stuffy, British accented one.

[Jackie Frost]

Yeah, a Brit-robot would be nice. As a matter of fact is there a British version of Mst3k? Now that is something I would like to see. Anyone know anything about that?

[Blue Lightning]

I don't know...to me, part of the appeal of MST3K is that it was like a B-Movie night with your buddies. Slightly eccentric, yes, but very much accessible.

To me, Brain Guy was the "cultured" type, and I think his character worked because of the Odd Couple-like pairing with a more "simpleton" type character in Professor Bobo.

I don't think a "cultured" type bot would fit in with a couple of "average guy" type characters...he'd be the odd man, or bot, out.

I thought of possibly doing a jaded ROB-type bot who was bitter about his place in video gaming history, but I'm worried that a ROB would look too much like Manny.

[GProopdog]

Well, it could make for good comedy if a "cultured bot" is forced to watch the same drivel with two "average guys"

perhaps he could try and find the "good qualities" in the movies and such they watch, and sometimes be a bit annoyed at the "juvenile" comments of his fellow bot and human.

Now keep in mind, I'm not really forcing you into making this second bot a "cultured bot", just offering a suggestion.

[Blue Lightning]

Ultimately, I decided to go with a ROB-like bot.

Also, I've decided that MANTIS isn't so much evil, as much as he really likes to say stuff like "When I take over the world..."

Lensmaster 2600 can talk, sort of. Only the other bots can understand (or even hear, for that matter) what he says.

Madeline's last name is Douglass. So her name sets up two lines for the bots: "Mad's calling" (a play on "The mads are calling") and "You're barking up the wrong tree!" to Ed when he tries to flirt with her.

The house/ship is the SOL II, but Ed initally doesn't catch that SOL is an acronym and calls it the "Sol Dos".

Dr. Ramses' office is in a suburban business park...in Suite 13!

[GProopdog]

If you need any help with this, I'd be more then happy to pitch in dude.

[Blue Lightning]

Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm not terribly serious about this project. I might do a few host segments, but that'll probably be it. My primary writing focus is on a novel I've been working on for a while.

Actually, I just wrote the Prolouge segment for the first episode the other day.

[Blue Lightning]

WORKING TITLE: "MST3K 2"

Episode 101 -- "Toys" (Subject to change)

Prologue.

<ED SIMPSON appears on camera from the left. He is very close to the camera, so we can only see his torso.>

ED SIMPSON (reading the label on something): Lensmaster 2600. Huh. This must be the confession room, I guess.

<ED SIMPSON backs away from the camera. As he steps back we can see that he is wearing a green jumpsuit with a light blue t-shirt underneath. He backs into the desk.>

ED SIMPSON (turning back to glance at what he'd bumped into): Huh, a desk. Usually they hve a couch or something in these rooms. Oh well.

<ED SIMPSON walks around the desk.>

ED SIMPSON: Hi, everybody, my name is Ed Simpson. I'll be living here at the Sol Dos house for the next six moths. To be honest, I never thought I'd be on a reality TV show, I've never seen one that really appealed to me. But hey, it's free room and board for half a year, and my checking account's been running on fumes for longer than I'd care to admit, so here I am.

MANTIS (off camera, talking to himself): What's with all the soup in there? When I rule the world, I'm banning soup once and for all!

<MANTIS walks on camera from the left. ED SIMPSON, hearing him, turns to the left to face him.>

ED SIMPSON and MANTIS (seeing each other): Gah!

<MANTIS turns to face the camera. ED SIMPSON stares, dumbfounded.>

MANTIS: Lensmaster 2600, what have I told you about letting in strays?

<Pause.>

MANTIS: What do you mean Doctor R authorized it? Listen, Lensmaster 2600, I'm going to rule the world, so you need to get used to listening to me.

<MANTIS glances over, notices that ED SIMPSON is still staring at him.>

MANTIS (exasperated): What?!?

ED SIMPSON: This is so cool! A real, live robot! Hey, can you transform into a car or a plane or something?

MANTIS (even more exasperated): Do I LOOK like I can transform into a car or a plane or something?

<RALF ROBOTO appears from underneath the desk. ED SIMPSON turns to face him when he speaks.>

RALF ROBOTO (slightly drowsily): Hey Generalissimo Des-bot, can you keep it down?

<RALF ROBOTO notices ED SIMPSON.>

ED SIMPSON: Hey, another robot! Although, I suppose you probably don't transform into anything either.

RALF ROBOTO (suspiciously): How old were you in 1987?

ED SIMPSON: Six. Unless you mean late 1987, then I would have been seven. My birthday's in September.

RALF ROBOTO (going crazy): Demon child!

MAGIC VOICE: Commercial Sign in fifteen seconds.

RALF ROBOTO (still going crazy): Demon child! Get him out!

MANTIS: That's two votes against and only one for, fleshbag! You're going to have to leave.

<ED SIMPSON turns back around to face MANTIS again.>

ED SIMPSON: Wait, don't I get a chance to win an immunity idol or something?

RALF ROBOTO (still going crazy): Get him out!

<ED SIMPSON turns back to face the camera. He turns his head left or right, depending on which bot is speaking.>

ED SIMPSON: No, hold on a sec. I have friends who watch reality shows and then talk about 'em, so I know a few ground rules. You have to give me some sort of challenge, and then if I don't pass it you can vote me out.

RALF ROBOTO (still going crazy): Get him out!

MANTIS: Fine, meat-sack. But you shall face the toughest challange this house has ever seen! A challange so daunting, it will most assuredly boggle your primitive non-cybernetic mind!

ED SIMPSON (determined): I'm ready!

MANTIS (clearly stalling): Yes, this, um, challange is without a doubt, uh, unquestionably the most terrifying challenge known to man or bot! For this challenge, you must...uh....

MAGIC VOICE: Commercial Sign now.

<Commercial Sign light begins flashing.>

MANTIS (having an epiphany): PUSH THE BUTTON!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

RALF ROBOTO (really going crazy now): Demon child! He can't push the button! They can never push the buttons!!

MANTIS: Push the button!

RALF ROBOTO (going really crazy): They can never push the buttons!!

MANTIS: Push the button!

RALF ROBOTO (going really crazy): They can never push the buttons!!

ED SIMPSON (to the camera, confidently): We'll be right back.

<ED SIMPSON slaps the commercial sign light.>

MAGIC VOICE: Please prepare for take-off.

<Cut to spinning planet logo. Camera shakes, and we hear the sound of a rocket blasting off as ED SIMPSON and THE BOTS scream "AHHHHHHHH!">

End Prologue.

[Blue Lightning]

bluelightning said:

Well, to be perfectly honest, I'm not terribly serious about this project. I might do a few host segments, but that'll probably be it. My primary writing focus is on a novel I've been working on for a while.

Actually, I just wrote the Prolouge segment for the first episode the other day.

I think this post killed the thread. And of course, no sooner do I post this than I get major writer's block on my novel.

[Blue Lightning]

So, the other day I was watching Ring of Terror, and the host segment where the bots try (and fail) to think of something positive about the movie for a RAM chip. I remembered that I had started on a sketch where the character Ed Simpson would eat some RAM chips, mistakingly thinking they were graham chips. Then I had an idea for tweaking the premise.

New Premise:
Madeline is a rich young heiress who hires Ed to house-sit at one of her mansions. Dr. Ramses is now an ancillary character...referred to, but not seen. Madeline rigs the house to launch into space the first time the commercial sign button is hit, her reason being to prevent Ed from throwing parties and trashing the place. Her reason for showing the movies is that she'll be at her weekly therapy sessions at the time, and can't monitor them.