S11 - RiffsTooFast or Riffs Just Right? You Decide!

[Variety of Cells]

This topic is currently spread out over 15 threads, so I'd like to try and contain it here.  You can change your vote in the poll, because I expect opinions will change as we watch more episodes.  I'll save my opinion for later, to leave this first post unsullied with dirty bias

Interesting.  I just noticed that I've worded the poll question to skew against my personal opinion.

[losingmydignity]

I would say most of the time for the first two eps. But watched ep 3 last night and it seemed a bit more balanced and while I didn't laugh a super lot it was an improvement.

I'm one of those people who laugh frequently aloud while watching good comedy. And it just makes me laugh less when I don't have room to laugh. I'm not into to just "hearing" jokes.

[Variety of Cells]

My vote is currently for 'sometimes'. Overall I really don't mind the new pace and I appreciate a majority of the riffs. There has just been a couple times where it has been tough to tell if a riffer is continuing off the previous riffer's joke, or if they are starting a new one. I'm curious to see if that will remain in the later episodes.

[emperorcupcake522]

Sometimes. After the first couple episodes, it was bugging me. Not so much the faster pace as the feeling that sometimes, they were just trying to cram in all their lines and it didn't come off as natural interplay. I think it's gotten better over the next few episodes, or I've just gotten used to it.

[Iron Curtain]

Sometimes. After the first couple episodes, it was bugging me. Not so much the faster pace as the feeling that sometimes, they were just trying to cram in all their lines and it didn't come off as natural interplay. I think it's gotten better over the next few episodes, or I've just gotten used to it.

I voted "Sometimes". By the time I started watching the sixth episode I was feeling right at home with the riff pace. I watched "Manos" after that so I know it wasn't just me, they really found the right footing by the sixth episode.

[BathTub]

There's been a few times I've wondered if they haven't digitally sped up a joke or two to cram them in.

[Darth Geek]

I like the faster pace. But I do think that it is more noticeable because they are being so careful to not talk over dialog. Which makes the pacing change a lot.

I have always believed that you CAN talk over dialog. As long as that particular line isn't important for the audience to understand what is going on.

[Pak-Man]

Joel stated in an interview or podcast or something (He's everywhere lately) that they took extra care this season not to step on the movie.

[Long Tall Jodie]

I'm up through episode six now and it's obvious that - starting with three and really improving with four - they're dialing in how they deliver the riffs.  The jokes are far less speedy and crammed in that in the first two episodes.  So that's nice.

[losingmydignity]

I'm up through episode six now and it's obvious that - starting with three and really improving with four - they're dialing in how they deliver the riffs.  The jokes are far less speedy and crammed in that in the first two episodes.  So that's nice.

That makes me feel better to hear this. Because otherwise I could really get into the new feel of the show. The first three eps felt "rushed" in more ways than one but otherwise I'm enjoying.

[Variety of Cells]

I'm up through episode six now and it's obvious that - starting with three and really improving with four - they're dialing in how they deliver the riffs.  The jokes are far less speedy and crammed in that in the first two episodes.  So that's nice.

That makes me feel better to hear this. Because otherwise I could really get into the new feel of the show. The first three eps felt "rushed" in more ways than one but otherwise I'm enjoying.

Just watched 6, and it's the first one where I had absolutely no problem with the speed of the riffs. It had been getting better, but this was the first one that didn't miss at all.

[Edward J Grug III]

You guys know they were filmed out of order and it has nothing to do with them getting better, and everything to do with you getting used to it, right?

[losingmydignity]

You guys know they were filmed out of order and it has nothing to do with them getting better, and everything to do with you getting used to it, right?

Well, that puts to end my placebo effect.

But it also supports my original thought that there are less instances of  "speed-riffing" in EP 3 because there is more dialogue in the film.

I doubt I can "get used" to laughing out loud less at MST. After all that is why it is a cut above most any show and why I don't watch sit-coms etc. American comedy in general makes me smile at best. (another laugh out loud until you hurt yourself is Monty Python of course.)

[Edward J Grug III]

Joel said that they are trying to not 'step on' the important dialogue too much, so yeah, you might be right about that?

Personally I am find a very high hit rate on laughs and it feels like a near seamless continuation of the series to me.

[ihavemyreasons]

Had recently watched most of the KTMA episodes again and man, some of those early episodes were virtually devoid of riffs, so no way will I complain about too many. Until hearing the criticism I wouldn't have noticed. But there is a stretch in 13 where the riffs stop for a minute or so due to dialog and while I was OK with it, it was different from the rest of the episodes.