MST3K related article in old TV Guide

[TV's Cowboy]

While going through some old TV Guides I have laying around I came across the May, 29, 93 issue. In the Cheers N Jeers section Joel's then upcoming departure was put as one of the Jeers. Here's what it said

And say it ain't so Joel:You're stepping down as host of Comedy Central's Mystery Science Theater 3000? For four seasons now,Joel Hodgson has portrayed a hapless Gizmonics Institute employee held captive on the Satellite of Love,where he and robot pals Tom Servo and Crow are forced to watch bad movies. Not in silence,however,which is why we watch. Hodgson's heckling of Hollywood's most horrendous is hilarious. We can't imagine MST3K without him,but next season he'll move behind the camera to write and direct,while Mike Nelson,the show's head writer and frequent guest star,takes over as host. We understand Hodgson's desire to hang up his red jumpsuit before he ends up "signing pictures at and RV show" but watching clunkers like "Hercules Against the Moon Men" will never be the same without him

I thought(And I know a lot of people probably agree)that Mike Nelson did a good job as host but I guess I can understand the stress involved when a cast member of a series leaves and is replaced with someone who might or might not live up to his predecessor. Any thoughts?

[Poe33]

Well, I remember when it happened and I was very upset. I lost my passion for the show for a while and although I taped the shows, I went along time before I really dioscovered Mike and his genius as host.

I now have just about every Mike ep on DVD (almost every Joel on tape but I am gonna replace them when I have the cash) and I LOVE the Mike eps.

Live and learn!

[Pete]

So, you just happened to have a TV Guide from '93 lying around? Sounds like you save useless crap like I do.

I wasn't worried at all when Joel left. I knew I would miss him, but I was aware of Mike being head writer for years and I knew his face from his occasional performances on the show, so I believed the overall tone of the show wouldn't change too much. Now if they had brought in a total unknown with no MST3K experience I would've been worried.

[Phantom Engineer]

I was quite concerned about it at the time but kept watching. I thought Mike seemed a little awkward in the role at first but I got used to him pretty quickly. And now that some time has gone by I'd say he did a fine job.