RiffTrax

RiffTrax is an online spinoff of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Following the conclusion of TV show in 1999, the various performers and writers from the show have taken on new projects that involve the basic idea of "riffing" over movies. The projects have taken different forms over the years. Given the people involved, it's not surprising that these projects continue the MST3K tradition of Muppet references.

In 2006, Nelson teamed up with Legend Films to create RiffTrax, a website which offers downloadable audio commentaries in the MST3K style. The viewer listens to the commentary track in sync with a DVD. Nelson has recorded RiffTrax with many of his MST colleagues, including Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo), Bill Corbett (Crow), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), and his wife Bridget Nelson (writer), as well as occasional celebrity guests such as Neil Patrick Harris and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Due to its nature, RiffTrax is able to provide humorous commentary without the permission of the filmmakers, expanding the field of available material to current films and significant blockbusters. RiffTrax also keeps up the MST tradition of riffing on bizarre public-domain short films.

Cinematic Titanic
In late 2007, Joel Hodgson teamed up with MST3K alums Trace Beaulieu, Josh Wenstein, Frank Coniff and Mary Jo Pehl to create a new line of "riffed" films under the banner Cinematic Titanic. The episodes are available either on DVD or through digital download. The premise is that Hodgson and co. have been brought in to archive films for posterity. Much like on MST3K, the cast is visible in silhouette while watching the film, but this time they are on platforms in the lower left and right-hand corners. While there is usually an opening explanatory segment and the cast will pause the film for small sketches, there are no "host segments" per se.

Legend Films DVDs
In 2003, colorization company Legend Films began re-releasing classic public domain films in restored black & white and new colorized versions. Starting in 2004, many of these releases featured Michael J. Nelson providing a humorous, MST3K-like commentary track.

The Film Crew
In 2005, Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett began work on an MST3K-like project called "The Film Crew"; a line of direct-to-DVD releases for distribution through Rhino Home Video. Various legal wrangling put the project into limbo after four episodes had been produced. Following the creation of Rifftrax, the "Film Crew" DVDs finally saw release through Shout! Factory in 2007. In this series, Mike, Kevin and Bill work for a friendly but lunatic boss, Bob Honcho (originally "Bob Rhino"), who wants to provide a commentary track for every movie ever made. The trio work as Honcho's "film crew", quipping over the movie. The series is, essentially, a direct-to-DVD Mystery Science Theater, but without silhouettes.