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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe $1.8 million figure refers to an early February 2026 snapshot, not the campaign’s final total. The four-episode project, The RiffTrax Experiments, closed its Kickstarter with $2,743,736 pledged by 22,604 backers, according to the campaign page. It brings Mike Nelson and many familiar performers and crew members from classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 back together with RiffTrax.
What the $1.8 million headline means
Ars Technica reported the campaign at roughly $1.82 million on February 13, 2026. That was its progress at the time; the campaign subsequently closed at $2,743,736 from 22,604 backers, as shown on Kickstarter. The headline captures an early milestone, while the final figure is the project’s completed fundraising total.
![Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume XVII [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51vEBvIPp7L._SL160_.jpg)
The new campaign is smaller in scope than the franchise’s landmark 2015 crowdfunding effort, so the totals are not an apples-to-apples measure of what each project financed.
| Campaign | Amount raised | Backers | What it supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| The RiffTrax Experiments (2026) | $2,743,736, according to the completed RiffTrax Kickstarter | 22,604, according to the completed RiffTrax Kickstarter | Four episodes in collaboration with RiffTrax |
| Bring Back MST3K (2015) | $5.7 million, according to Kickstarter’s 2015 campaign page | 48,270, according to the 2015 campaign page | Backers enabled fourteen episodes shot in 2016 and the series’ 2017 Netflix return |
Kickstarter described the 2015 effort as the platform’s most-funded Film project at that time. Its larger total funded a revival season, not the same four-episode format as the RiffTrax collaboration.
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Who is returning for the four episodes?
The project is a reunion-oriented return to the classic show’s performers and creative contributors. Alongside Mike Nelson, the returning familiar names identified by Ars Technica include Kevin Murphy, Bill Corbett, Trace Beaulieu, Frank Conniff and Mary Jo Pehl. The undertaking is limited to four episodes and is made with Nelson’s RiffTrax.
“Almost everyone” is a useful shorthand for the reunion’s breadth, not a literal cast list: it does not establish that every person who ever worked on MST3K is involved. Nor does the project erase the franchise’s intervening versions. Ars contrasts this cast with the 2010s Netflix-era iteration, which used a new cast and mostly new writers; the RiffTrax project is a backward-looking chapter in a series that has changed over time.
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- Factory sealed DVD
When and where can viewers watch?
RiffTrax’s official site currently advertises new MST3K beginning October 9 and offers preorders for all four episodes. Because release information can change as launch dates approach, check the RiffTrax site for the latest availability and ordering details.
The official site also has MST3K and RiffTrax catalog sections, plus DVD and Blu-ray categories. Those catalog pages make physical media and related riffing content natural places to look, but the available information does not establish a specific retail listing or format for The RiffTrax Experiments. A matching Amazon listing for this release has not been verified; confirm the title and edition before ordering from a retailer.
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Rank #3
- Mystery Science Theater 3000: Volume One - DVD Used Like New
A reunion amid a change in ownership
In January 2026, Radial Entertainment acquired full ownership of MST3K from Alternaversal and Shout! Studios. The purchase price was not disclosed. Radial said its long-term plans include developing new content, merchandise licensing and syndication in international territories. Joel Hodgson remains involved as a brand ambassador and consultant.
Michael Ribas, Shout! Studios’ senior vice president of marketing and product management, said: “As fans ourselves, we’re eager to continue developing growth opportunities for ‘MST3K’ and look forward to taking the Satellite of Love into the future.” The statement was reported by Media Play News and republished by Bytes Europe in January 2026.
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- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- Box set; Color; DVD; Full Screen; NTSC
What the campaign says—and does not say—about fan interest
The completed campaign shows that 22,604 backers contributed to this particular project. It does not, by itself, establish what all MST3K viewers want or how they feel about the franchise’s different eras. Community comments included individual expressions of excitement about Blu-ray being an option, but those remarks are anecdotes rather than representative audience research.
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