It’s no secret that Haunted MTL absolutely loves The Last Drive-In on Shudder. However, we do have some small suggestions and a wish or two for the upcoming second season that we wanted to float for the producers, drive-in mutants, and Joe Bob Briggs himself.
So, what do we want to see?
Separately archived host segments are a must
The first marathon of The Last Drive-In had many great moments tied to particular films. The problem is, though, that sometimes Shudder cannot keep the rights to those films. This means that all of the great Joe Bob Briggs moments during The Legend of Boggy Creek, for example, are now officially lost for fans outside of YouTube.
Our request is simple: Consider archiving the host segments of the show separately from the films as well so that they can be enjoyed as special features with each season or marathon of the series. We need immediate and ready access to Joe Bob singing “Nobody Sees the Flowers Bloom But Me.”
More guests are always good
Joe Bob Briggs is a fantastic host who bounces off guests masterfully. In fact, guests have become a fun treat of The Last Drive-In in general. From Felissa Rose’s mangled-dick expertise to seeing the legendary Barbara Crampton sitting outside the trailer, guests inject something special into the whole formula of the show that could be utilized a lot more.
One example could be the creation of another segment. Felissa’s hotline is always fun when a mangled member is plot-relevant, but how about some other potential experts? Maybe Joe Bob should take a spin through the Rolodex and call in a favor or two.
A wish for Troma movies
We admit that this will take some doing. There isn’t a movie studio quite as adept at the drive-in weirdness as Troma Entertainment, and any number of their movies would be perfect for The Last Drive-In. This all comes down to streaming rights negotiations and complicated things most mutants are not even qualified to attempt to unpack, but The Toxic Avenger would make for a great part of a double-feature, wouldn’t it?
Plus, imagine Lloyd Kaufman stopping by for a little chat at the drive-in. We’re already salivating at the idea.
More Japanese movies, please!
Some of the most insane films shown on The Last Drive-In have been from Japan. The Drive-In Totals for Wolf Guy alone were a masterclass in film excess that was only really matched by Street Trash. Plus, we’re still absolutely puzzled over just what the hell happened in Dead or Alive. So, getting down to it, mutants everywhere wish for more drive-in trips to Japan.
Basically, Japanese cinema needs to continue to be a part of the drive-in tradition, especially if the creative team can tailor those moments to the show, such as using that hilarious title card featuring Ernie, the resident lizard.
A longer break between films would be nice
Sometimes the live stream can be a bit of a bladder-buster. It makes sense given the large block of time that The Last Drive-In could occupy (over 4 hours with some episodes) that too long a run time could prove to be a scheduling issue. Generally, between the two films, Shudder runs a trailer for a film. It kind of evokes the feeling of grindhouse cinema and it could really be a help to the bathroom-bound audience to maybe run two to three trailers, if possible. Surely some mutants have made this sort of wish as they ran from the tv to the toilet, right?
We wish for a live audience of Mutants
Hearing the audience of the crew bouncing off of Joe Bob Briggs is one of those small little joys that are unique to The Last Drive-In and MonsterVision back in the day. Joe Bob asking the crew if they knew a fact, or their occasional whoops and hollers at the namedropping of a cult movie make the show feel super communal.
This is a big ask, but if possible, a live audience of drive-in mutants for the show would be incredible. Naturally, the logistics of episode production would dictate the process, but perhaps a live audience for the host segments and a later screening of the movie for the mutants might prove possible?
Could we have a half-hour spinoff?
Part of the joy of The Last Drive-In is simply hearing Joe Bob’s tales about cult films and the weirdos behind them. There’s also the fact he brings on great guests who are only there for a very short amount of time.
So, maybe this is us just being greedy, but we would love to see a simple half-hour show that expands on the weekly host segments with longer interviews, more stories, and the always popular Joe Bob rants. It could even be a sort of preview of coming attractions as well with hints about the upcoming double feature. Basically, we wish for even more Joe Bob, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be tied to a movie either.
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