The Mads are Back (2020)
Synopsis
Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu are back in the movie-riffing business. They wrote, and starred as Dr. Clayton Forrester/Crow T. Robot (Trace) and TV’s Frank (Frank) on a little Minnesotan puppet show you may have heard of called Mystery Science Theater 3000. Now they’re at it again, riffing movies across the US and live online, every second Tuesday of the month.
First Air Date: 2020-07-21
Last Air Date: 2025-04-15
Number of Seasons: 5
Number of Episodes: 53
Created By: Frank Conniff, Trace Beaulieu
Networks: YouTube
Top Cast
- Chris Gersbeck as Host
- Frank Conniff as Himself
- Trace Beaulieu as Himself
Seasons
Season 1 (2020)
The Mads are Back, Season 1
Episodes:
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Ep. 1: Glen or Glenda
Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff, "The Mads" from Mystery Science Theater 3000, took their touring act online on July 21, 2020 with a live-riff of Ed Wood’s GLEN OR GLENDA (1958), and have held the monthly tradition ever since. Presented here is the full recording from The Mads' first livestream, including a post-show Q&A with Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff, hosted by Chris Gersbeck. Glen or Glenda, the legendary debut film from director Ed Wood, Jr. (the infamous visionary behind Plan 9 From Outer Space), is a hilariously confusing but gentle tale of a young “transvestite” (played by Ed himself) who must come to grips with his identity as an angora-loving cross-dresser while also struggling to find acceptance from his fiancé and society at large.
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Ep. 2: The Tingler
The Mads Are Back! Join Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff (“Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank”) for this special livestream event recorded live August 18, 2020, as they live-riff through William Castle's 1959 classic, The Tingler, with a Q&A afterwards featuring very special guest Victoria Price, daughter of the legendary horror icon Vincent Price. Hosted by Chris Gersbeck. The Tingler tells the story of a scientist who discovers a parasite in human beings, called a "tingler", which feeds on fear. The creature earned its name by making the spine of its host "tingle" when the host is frightened. The Tingler remains most well known for a gimmick called "Percepto!", a vibrating device in some theater chairs which activated with the onscreen action.
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Ep. 3: Walk the Dark Street
The Mads Are Back! Join Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff (“Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank”) for this special livestream event recorded live September 15, 2020 as they live-riff through 1956 film noir Walk The Dark Street, with a Q&A with Frank & Trace, plus special guest Jonah Ray. Walk The Dark Street (1956): A platoon leader returns from the Korean War and seeks out the brother of a soldier who had been killed while under his command. The men agree to engage in competition to "hunt" each other through the streets of Los Angeles using camera-guns. The platoon leader does not realize that the brother blames him for the soldier's death, and intends to kill him.
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Ep. 4: A Night of Shorts
The Mads’ fourth livestream from October 20, 2020, including their first live-riff compilation A NIGHT OF SHORTS 1 and a post-show Q&A with Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff and very special guests Rich Koz & Jim Roche (host and producer of MeTV’s Svengoolie), hosted by Chris Gersbeck. A Night Of Shorts 1 Contains The Following Shorts: Are You Listening? (1971) How Friendly Are You? (1952) Mighty Mister Titan (1964-65) Office Etiquette (1950) Halloween Safety, 2nd Edition (1985) More Dates for Kay (1952) Health - Your Cleanliness (1953) Danger! Poison The Cautious Twins (1960)
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Ep. 5: The Brain from Planet Arous
Gor, a powerful criminal from the planet Arous who takes the shape of a disembodied human brain, assumes the body of scientist Steve March, played with gusto by John Agar. What follows is the schlocky sci-fi classic The Brain From Planet Arous! Available exclusively at Dumb Video, The Mads Are Back: The Brain From Planet Arous finds Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff live-riffing over the entire film during the livestream event hosted by Chris Gersbeck and featuring a post-film Q&A with comedian Dana Gould! Recorded live November 17, 2020.
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Ep. 6: Santa Claus vs. The Devil
A recording of The Mads: Santa Claus vs. The Devil livestream on December 15, 2020. Features the entire film and post-show Q&A with Frank and Trace, plus special guests Andy Kindler & J. Elvis Weinstein. The film was also featured in the fifth season of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (episode #521), which first aired on Christmas Eve 1993. The devil Pitch became a recurring character on MST3K, played by writer Paul Chaplin. Chaplin said, "It's kind of a fun movie, and we all enjoyed it", noting that he made "quite an attractive demon". The episode may be the origin of the phrase "nightmare fuel"; during the movie, Crow T. Robot calls an animatronic Santa "some good old-fashioned nightmare fuel", and the phrase spread through MST3K message boards.
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Ep. 7: A Night of Shorts 2
The Mads’ seventh livestream from January 12, 2021, including their post-show Q&A with Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff and very special guest Mary Jo Pehl (Mystery Science Theater 3000, RiffTrax), hosted by Chris Gersbeck. A Night of Shorts 2 contains the following shorts: First Lessons (1952) Blasting Caps - Danger! (1957) How To Keep a Job (1949) Overcoming Fear (1950) How to Get Cooperation (1950) Science and Superstition (1947) The Trouble with Women (1959)
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Ep. 8: The Choppers
The Mads are back! Join Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff (“Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank”) for this special livestream event as they live-riff on 1961 film The Choppers! A post-show Q&A with Frank & Trace and very special guest, Carolina Hidalgo (Movie Sign With The Mads)! A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Friends In Need Food Shelf in Minneapolis. The Choppers (1961) From IMDb: “A gang of teenage delinquents terrorize a small community by stealing cars and stripping them for parts, then selling the parts to a crooked junkyard owner. The police and an insurance company investigator set out to break up the gang.” Arch Hall Jr’s film debut!
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Ep. 9: Phantom from Space
The Mads are back! Join Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff (“Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank”) for this special livestream event as they live-riff on the 1953 sci-fi movie PHANTOM FROM SPACE! Stick around for a post-show Q&A with Frank & Trace and very special guest Bill Corbett (Mystery Science Theater 3000, Rifftrax)! A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit MST3K makeup artist Crist Ballas, who needs assistance with medical costs incurred during a recent and unexpected week long hospital stay.
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Ep. 10: A Night of Shorts 3
The Mads’ tenth livestream from April 13, 2021, including their post-show Q&A with Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff and very special guest Kevin Murphy (Mystery Science Theater 3000, RiffTrax), hosted by Chris Gersbeck. A Night of Shorts 3 contains the following shorts: Managing Time (1968) Where Does Food Go? (1972) Don't Get Angry (1953) Your Thrift Habits (1958) Marijuana (1968)
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Ep. 11: T-Bird Gang
The Mads are back! Join Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff (“Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank”) for this special livestream event as they live-riff on the 1959 Roger Corman-produced “classic” T-BIRD GANG! Stick around for a post-show Q&A with Frank & Trace and very special guest, Mike Nelson (from RiffTrax and MST3K)!
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Ep. 12: The Lost Missile
The Mads are back! Join Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff (“Dr. Clayton Forrester” and “TV’s Frank”) for this special livestream event as they live-riff on the 1958 Robert Loggia-starring sci-fi flick THE LOST MISSILE! Stick around for a post-show Q&A with Frank & Trace and very special guest Bridget Nelson (Mystery Science Theater 3000, RiffTrax)!
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Ep. 13: A Night of Shorts 4
The Mads’ thirteenth livestream from July 13, 2021, including their post-show Q&A with Trace Beaulieu & Frank Conniff, hosted by Chris Gersbeck. A Night of Shorts 4 contains the following shorts: Cindy Goes to a Party (1955) Space Angel - Dragon Fire part 1 (1962) Coffee Break (1958) Space Angel - Dragon Fire part 2 Gilbert Toys (1963) Space Angel - Dragon Fire part 3 Moral Maturity - How to Say No (1951)
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