# Mst3k: Mike Or Joel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875 "2005-11-27T04:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/1 "2005-11-27T04:06:50Z")
I have watched almost all of the Mystery Science Theater episodes with Mike as the host and find the writing to be absolutely hilarious. I am sure I have seen episodes with Joel but it has been many, many years, though I sort of have a vague memory of maybe a couple episodes. So, I am a Mike veteran, but basically have no experience with Joel’s way of doing things. So how much am I missing by not seeing these episodes? Frankly, the idea of Crow with any other voice is scary to me. Also for those who have had a taste of both…Who is the superior host? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/2 "2005-11-27T04:59:29Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I have watched almost all of the Mystery Science Theater episodes with Mike as the host and find the writing to be absolutely hilarious. I am sure I have seen episodes with Joel but it has been many, many years, though I sort of have a vague memory of maybe a couple episodes. So, I am a Mike veteran, but basically have no experience with Joel’s way of doing things. So how much am I missing by not seeing these episodes? Frankly, the idea of Crow with any other voice is scary to me. Also for those who have had a taste of both…Who is the superior host? Joel is funnier, Mike is cuter. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/3 "2005-11-27T04:59:45Z")
Every episode I actually saw on TV was with Mike, but I’ve seen a bunch with Joel on DVD. The episodes with Joel were funny, but I like Mike better. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/4 "2005-11-27T05:21:44Z")
Not to slight Mike, who’s hilarious, but I sorta dig Joel more. Part of it is that he’s the first host I saw and so was the one I was “used” to, but I also genuinely think he’s the funnier host. Back when I watched the show more regularly, I used to have a bit of a crush on Joel, too. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/5 "2005-11-27T07:15:01Z")
Joel was more interesting. Mike was bland. I only watched a few after Joel left then gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/6 "2005-11-27T07:50:35Z")
I started watching from the beginning of the Comedy Central era, so I started off with Joel as the host. But I have to say, I gotta give the edge to Mike. He had that sort of aw shucks mid-Western look that contrasted so well with the subversiveness of the rest of the show. Joel worked that angle, too, but it always came off as ironic too me, probably because he looked like such a stoner. They were both great, of course, but on the other side of the hex-field viewscreen, nothing held a candle to the Frank and Dr. Forrester combo. I’ve only just recently seen some of the Sci-Fi channel episodes, and whatsername with the chimp and the bald guy just aren’t the same. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/7 "2005-11-27T08:15:50Z")
I prefer Joel’s persona and the skits from the Joel era. Especially _Master Ninja Theme Song_! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/8 "2005-11-27T08:26:33Z")
I like Mike’s demeanor better, and I think the writing was a little sharper while he was the host. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/9 "2005-11-27T14:18:05Z")
It should be noted that Mike was the head writer starting with Season Two. I liked them both, but give the edge to Mike. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/10 "2005-11-27T15:20:31Z")
I love them both, but Mike is funnier and more versatile. Either one is great though. ---
**Author:** ![Alistair\_McCello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Alistair\_McCello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alistair_McCello)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/11 "2005-11-27T15:35:23Z")
I was a fan of the series starting in the Joel era but didn’t start watching religiously until season 8, so I admit that I might be a bit biased. Over the years since the series was cancelled I have managed to collect and watch every episode excluding k1 - k3 of which, as far as I know, there are only two existing copies. After watching through the entire series I have to learn towards Mike as the best host, but I think that it mostly comes from the fact that he was in the later seasons. IMO the show did not really hit its stride writing wise until the fourth season, 1-3 were off and on, though always fun. That only gave Joel one and a half seasons of consitently great shows, whereas Mike had five and a half. I also have to lean towards Mike as he hosted two of my favorite three seasons, 6 and 8, whereas Joel only hosted one, season 4. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/12 "2005-11-27T16:45:35Z")
I didn’t start watching until well after Mike came on board, and so I enjoy his stuff more. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/13 "2005-11-27T17:14:25Z")
I find Mike much funnier than Joel. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/14 "2005-11-27T18:59:01Z")
Mike grew on me, but I’m all about the Joel. I find him more genuine, warmer, and more charming than Mike, whose charm is of a different flavor and who seems to me to be putting on more of an act. I also prefer the skits from Joel’s era, though as **Mr. Blue Sky** noted, Mike was head writer even then. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/15 "2005-11-27T20:24:42Z")
Joel (the character) was the creator of the robots.In the storyline,he created the robots to keep him company.he was more of a father figure,a teacher.Mike was more kid-like. I thought Joel made more sense as much as the show could make sense ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/16 "2005-11-27T22:19:24Z")
I love them both, but since I started watching in the Sci-Fi days, I’m partial to Mike. But both of them work. And they’re both hot. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/17 "2005-11-27T22:22:53Z")
I still think of Mike as “the new guy.” ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/18 "2005-11-27T22:44:03Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > It should be noted that Mike was the head writer starting with Season Two. Right. So for those of us who started watching in Season Two, it’s not a case of Mike replacing Joel; it’s that the show just lost Joel. Joel’s influence made the show softer and weirder. The same writers were always involved, and they always made fun of the movies, but once Joel’s influence was gone, it took on a _slight_ edge of mean-spiritedness. And, before Joel left, the jokes and the set-ups and especially the host segments had a really random quality about them, the sense that they were coming out of nowhere with a completely different frame of reference that still somehow made sense. Once Joel left, it just became about the jokes, which were still very funny but didn’t quite all hold together in the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/19 "2005-11-27T23:06:41Z")
> [@priapus](#): > > Joel (the character) was the creator of the robots.In the storyline,he created the robots to keep him company.he was more of a father figure,a teacher.Mike was more kid-like. > I thought Joel made more sense as much as the show could make sense I must admit that bothered me. It was that the bosses didn’t like Joel so they shot him into space to torture him. I was never satisfied with the switch. I can’t recall if I really believed Joel was going to get away when I watched it though or whether it was just some ploy. No internet at the time for me you see. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875/20 "2005-11-27T23:22:32Z")
I like Mike more than Joel. It seems the show was more in it’s stride with him than with Joel. But, they’re both great. I can’t believe Candid Gamera hasn’t chimed in yet. For those who haven’t heard, he’s doing a monster MST thread, reviewing all the episodes in order. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mst3k-mike-or-joel/332875.md?page=2)