FINALLY got around to watching the season premier. I am SO HAPPY this is back. Patton Oswalt called the movie in this episode "Bugf--- crazy." He was not exaggerating. El Santo builds a time machine + scientists make fun of him + he sends a friend through the time machine = Dracula.
The riffs felt better paced compared to the gauntlet season. The green screen was most noticeable for me during the mad's host segment, but I got used to it. There was a QR code to offer feedback, but I didn't feel I had anything meaningful to offer. I'll very likely pay for the Gizmoplex every year.
Thing I really liked: Tom Servo singing the theme song! Because of course he is. It fits the character, and I suspect this is a piece of necessity given how this season will feature different hosts. There was something about this movie--It felt like late season Joel or Mike. Maybe this is me projecting because of Sampson v Vampire Women? (Which is one of the go-to episodes in our house.) To me, it felt like a logical extension of the Jonah seasons, but it wouldn't have been out of place on Comedy Central.