The kickstarter for ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000‘ has been a smashing success and has already raised the funds for a 3 episode return with a brand new host! In under a week we’ve seen Joel Hodgson kick off the funding and raise enough for three episodes to be produced. With 3 weeks left there is a chance we’ll hit more of the deadlines outlined below but the best part of the initial news is that he has announced that Jonah Ray from the Nerdist Podcast will be the victim of the next round of evil scientists who is forced to watch terrible movies in space.

Hodgson announced the new host via a video on his Kickstarter page:

I probably met Jonah about three years ago, when I did the [Nerdist] podcast and we talked aboutMST3K. It was a fun gig, and two things were really clear: I liked all three of those guys very much, and they all seemed to really love MST3K. They knew all about it, which always makes interviews easier. We had a great time and I left with a really good impression of Jonah.

In a move that may have been the most instinctual thing I’ve ever done, I asked Jonah to come help me write jokes for an awards show gig. He did, we started working on jokes together, and it just clicked. […]

About a year after that, I asked him what he thought about it. He said “yes” right away, without a second of hesitancy, and we’ve been talking about it ever since.

Since this is the internet, I guess some people will hear this news and rush to declare – for better and for worse – “what this means for the future of MST3K.”[…]

I can’t really tell you what kind of host Jonah is going to be, but I hope you’ll give him a chance to show you. […]

At the end of the day, he’s just another regular guy in a yellow jumpsuit – not so different from you and me. I’m excited to see what he can bring to the next hundred episodes of Mystery Science Theater, until it’s time to hand the jumpsuit over to someone else.

Seems like they’re really getting along and I have high hopes for the series. So, what else can we see if funds continue to flow in? Here is the first set of extended goals that they are still trying to hit:

I’m hoping that each week we see the series not only hitting a new goal but that another fun video is released with new details such as who may be joining or replacing the mad scientists from the past.

Are you happy to hear that we’ll be getting at least three more episodes of ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’? Do you think that Jonah Ray will make a good host for the show? Finally, what films would you want to see Jonah be tortured with while stuck in space? Share your thoughts below!

You can find out more and donate at the Mystery Science Theater 3000′ Kickstarter!