Put Down Your Pencil & Watch 'The Curious Happenings About George Warrior'

AHHH, HELP ME! I think my brain is being controlled! Seriously. Watching Channel101’s The Curious Happenings About George Warrior is freaking me out. It’s incredibly stupid, but I can’t stop laughing at it. Maybe I’m laughing with it. Maybe it is laughing at…me!

I was even warned that the first episode wasn’t the greatest, and I don’t even know much about or particularly like the style of “free wrestling” practiced by our neighbors to the south (Full disclosure: I don’t care for American wrestling either and I’m perplexed about how Nacho Libre garnered a single positive review). But here I am giggling uncontrollably at a fake luchador with a terrible (and possibly offensive) Mexican accent.

Apparently – and I’m learning this from episode 1, as you will too – one can control a luchador like a Manchurian Candidate if he or she comes into possession of an unmasked photo of said luchador. In the case of lovably dimwitted George Warrior, it’s the presence of a pencil that flips the control switch in his head, turning him from a free-willed individual into an unwilling pawn in some unknown sadist’s game.

Now GW must find the man in possession of the polaroid of his de-masked face in order to regain full control of his faculties. If he doesn’t he may just go on inadvertently killing dudes or bros…

George Warrior was co-created by Willy Roberts and Mike Manasewitsch; the former portraying George, the latter responsible for nearly everything behind the camera (including the awesome & pointedly terrible digital effects). The two share writing and directing duties and must have a highly developed understanding of each other’s comedic sensibilities. Between the offbeat pauses and awkwardly mangled, quasi-goofball dialogue they have stumbled upon something rather rare. Roberts and Manasewitsch have taken a premise – absurdist luchador-based mystery – that appears ridiculous on paper and said, “See this stupid premise? We’re gonna make you laugh at it and hate yourself because it’s awesome.”

Among the numerous things that Manasewitsch and Roberts get right is language play. George’s acyrologia is littered with eggcorns, much like Ricky of Trailer Park Boys. “I have some questions to tell you!” is a personal favorite of George’s malapropisms.

Another notable point: ending a declarative statement with “…bro” is a clear sign that either someone is a incredible douchebag or complete burnout who has watched too much Cheech & Chong. Here, Mr. Roberts flips this common-sense dictum on its melon with his utterances of, “I’m not in control of myself, bro!” whenever he spots a pencil. Why this kills me I have no idea, though it might be the lingering fantasy that each time that statement is exclaimed, Carlos Mencia gets punched in the face. It might be a dream, but we all need dreams just like George needs to find Jason Makiaris. This is the mysterious man who possesses the photo and controls Greoge (and, it should be mentioned, lives on Pen Island).

Odd as it may seem, this ridiculous excursion into a universe where a pot-bellied luchador named George can have his mind controlled via pencil has restored my temporarily lost faith in the comedic aptitude of webserial makers (and possibly also superheroic antics, though let’s not go overboard). Whatever the hell it is that Mike Manasewitsch and Willy Roberts are doing works and works really really well. The Curious Happenings About George Warrior is a winner in my book.

Check it out on Channel101.