Fan reception to this incarnation was so negative, one user went as far as to create an unofficial RiffTrax for the first cartoon using the now-defunct "RiffTrax Cuts" feature.
This online series was created to accompany a revamped MST3K website in 2007. Unfortunately, Jim Mallon underestimated the overall costs to maintain a weekly show and it ended after only four episodes. The shorts were eventually taken down from the site in June 2008, although the animated likeness of the characters remained. Fortunately, the shorts can be easily found on YouTube.