“The Mads” of MST3K Have a New YouTube Channel and Monthly Livestream Riff Series

Loyal superfans of Mystery Science Theater 3000, take note: Another new destination for riffing from the classic MST3K cast has appeared on the web. Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu, known affectionately to MST3K geeks as “The Mads” (short for “mad scientists) have taken their show The Mads Are Back to the web, establishing a new YouTube channel that will host their future movie riffing endeavors. “Every second Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET,” Conniff and Beaulieu will be presenting ticketed livestreams on the site, with viewers free to tune in from around the world. Meanwhile, previous riffing projects from The Mads will be added to the YouTube account over time for free viewing.

Beaulieu and Conniff of course played lead antagonists Dr. Clayton Forrester and TV’s Frank respectively during the Joel Hodgson-fronted era of MST3K on Comedy Central, with Dr. F being the de facto reason the “experiment” existed in the first place. In the years since the end of the original series, both Conniff and Beaulieu have stayed busy with a variety of writing and riffing projects—Conniff wrote much of Invader Zim and has written extensively for political TV and radio, while Beaulieu has dabbled in a wide array of voice acting and comedy writing, from America’s Funniest Videos to Paul Feig’s Other Space. Still, the two have always been associated with one another, which led to their reunion as “The Mads.”