Draft:Mike Nelson (Mystery Science Theater 3000)

• Comment: Though there are citations, none whow the subject's notability. Before resubmitting, I'd suggest first finding more sources that show the subject's notability. Thanks! :) SirMemeGod  13:32, 9 October 2024 (UTC)

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Mike Nelson
Mystery Science Theater 3000 character
First appearance	512 - Mitchell (film)
Last appearance	1013 - Diabolik
Created by	Joel Hodgson
Portrayed by	Michael J. Nelson
In-universe information
Full name	Michael J. Nelson
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Position	Test Subject on the Satellite of Love

Michael J. "Mike" Nelson is the main character in the sixth through tenth seasons of MST3K. Portrayed by actor/head writer Michael J. Nelson, Mike is an awkward, slightly dimwitted, but well-meaning temp worker who comes to work for the Mads (Dr. Clayton Forrester and TV's Frank) in Deep 13 while they prepare for an evil-scientist audit in Episode #512. Mike is originally from rural western Wisconsin and held a series of temp jobs, including one at a cheese factory.

Character Biography

When Joel Robinson escapes from the Satellite of Love at the end of Mitchell, the Mads knock Mike unconscious and shoot him up to the satellite to replace Joel as the subject of their experiment. The hapless Mike then finds himself forced to watch bad movies with robot companions Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot while interjecting humorous quips and cultural riffs based on the action and dialogue of the films. Nelson's first full appearance as a member of the SOL crew was in Episode 513

Mike Nelson is a fictionalized version of the real Michael J. Nelson. Like Joel in the KTMA era, he shares his name and much of his backstory.

Overview

Mike's relationship with the bots was different from the one the bots had with Joel. Though the bots occasionally poked fun at Joel, they generally respected him and his authority, often regarding him as a father figure (since he literally created them). If Joel was a father figure, Mike was more like an older brother. Though the bots came to accept Mike as their friend and companion, they were often more critical and cruel with him.

Mike was also different from Joel in personality and temperament. Joel tended to take his captivity in benign stride. Mike tended to be more aggressive in making fun of the films, and often schemed to escape the Satellite or make the Mads look foolish.

Mike shares much of Joel's mid-western sensibility. He feels a strong connection to his family back in Wisconsin, and mentions them often. His grandmother was the first person he attempted to contact for help upon being stranded (something that Joel apparently never tried). He also seems to have no problem staying on good terms with ex-girlfriends, also calling one of them for help (see Trivia below). Mike has occasionally made reference to having a dark side, including once having "punched that guy from accounting" at one of his temp jobs.

According to The Amazing Colossal Guide, Mike is "as intelligent as the average man" and often displays a comic unawareness of his limitations and foibles. He is also notoriously clumsy and mechanically-unskilled. In Episode #520, he attempts to perform some standard maintenance on Crow and inadvertently changes Crow's personality to that of Arnold Horshack (from the TV show Welcome Back Kotter). In Episode #602, he builds a robot whose only function appears to be to "destroy...destroy...destroy...". Despite his apparent ineptitude at building and repairing robots, Mike successfully reprograms Tom and Crow with incompatible regional speech patterns at the beginning of Experiment #611. During the eighth season, Mike's clumsiness reaches a zenith as he manages to accidentally contribute to the destruction of a planet in three separate incidents.

After blowing up the Intelligent Ape inhabited Earth in 2525, Mike would learn that the explosion he caused inadvertently sent Dr. Peanut back in time and caused the Planet of the Apes-style breeding involving several of his own relatives in the past (revealed by Dr. Peanut sending a letter to Mike at the end of Episode #804).

After many, many adventures through time and space, the Satellite eventually crashed to Earth and Mike and the robots escaped. Mike, Tom, and Crow took up residence together in a garden-level apartment and continued to enjoy watching movies together. Mike's current status is unknown.

References

P., Ken (March 17, 2003). "An Interview with Mike Nelson". IGN.

"An Inteview With MST3K's Michael J. Nelson!". Theology of Games. June 10, 2013.

Brooks, Dan (July 25, 2011). "Interview: Mike Nelson of RiffTrax and Mystery Science Theater 3000". Flightpath. Kyanka, Rich (November 15, 2006). "Interview: Mike Nelson". The Something Awful Forums.

Firestone, Scott (February 26, 2015). "A Riff in the Dark: An Interview with Michael J. Nelson". Theology of Games.

Sawdey, Evan (August 13, 2014). ""You Should Have To Make Your Case With Comedy": An Interview With MST3K'S Michael J. Nelson". Pop Matters.

External Links

Mike Nelson's Character Page

Mike Nelson's Rifftrax Biography