For syndication, the show was aired as "The Mystery Science Theater Hour." Eleven episodes from seasons 2-4 were broken up into two-parters, and released as 22 hour-long episodes into what was effectively first-run syndication for the 1995-96 season. Although the original host segments were retained, new introductions were also filmed featuring
Michael J. Nelson as the balding "Host" (a parody of A&E announcer
Jack Perkins).