Article contributed by Erin Fagan
For fans of the weird and undiscovered, step inside the world of Conner Creek in the YouTube series and narrative podcast, Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye. The series is created by the Tin Can Brothers, Corey Lubowich, Brian Rosenthal, and Joey Richter, who are known for hits such as Spies are Forever, Solve It Squad, and many other live and virtual sketches, short films, and stage shows. This project was backed on Kickstarter by over 2,000 people and released in the fall of 2020. I have been a fan of the Tin Can Brothers for years for their innovative and accessible work, and Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye did not disappoint!
The show follows a twin podcasting team, Artemis and Paul Schue-Horyn (Mary Kate Wiles and Steve Zaragoza) as they venture into the small mining town of Connor Creek to follow a corporate corruption story brought to them by Ryan Reynolds (Darren Criss), who isn’t that Ryan Reynolds but is still well known in his town. All they want is to sink their teeth into the story to find the truth, impress their boss (Sean Astin) and prove that they can be the top podcasting team at American Podcasting Network. The corporate corruption investigation turns into more of a hairy situation as the eccentric townspeople begin dying under mysterious circumstances. As rumours of werewolves begin flying around an already divided town, Artemis and Paul must figure out what is going on, who they can trust, and if running this story is worth risking their lives.
The entire narrative is exhilarating from start to finish. It blends horror, mystery, and comedy and feels like a cross between Twin Peaks and the popular game One Night Ultimate Werewolf. The series’ voice is completely new and exciting, leaning into the weird and supernatural while also touching on social and political division. You won’t be able to stop watching, as each episode hooks you in right away and leaves you in suspense. The innovative multimedia narrative consists of 10 YouTube episodes and 11 podcast episodes that create an immersive experience. Depending on your preferences, you can either watch just the webseries, or listen to the podcast, but to get the best experience in my opinion, you’d experience them together in the release date order. The podcast is the polished version of what Artemis and Paul release to the world after their adventures, and the webseries acts as a behind the scenes of their journey and so together you have access to backstories, other perspectives and lots of other juicy details.
The YouTube videos are bingeworthy and a quick enjoyable watch. The dialogue flies fast and strong, with lots of witty bits. They are able to pack lots of Connor Creek lore and fun into the roughly ten minute long episodes without rushing anything, which is a huge testament to the writing. The cinematography is stunning and I don’t want to venture too far into spoiler territory but the special effects and action sequences are Hollywood quality and dazzling. Every detail is intentional to aid in the mystery or add depth to the world and it is beneficial to pay attention to everything if you want to sleuth alongside Artemis and Paul. The release became very interactive as fans would work together to come up with theories and the Tin Can Brothers would chat with viewers before each episode premiere. They also offer lots of behind the scene information and footage if you join their Patreon or check out their website.
The podcast is so well put together that if you close your eyes, you’ll feel like you are right there with the team exploring the town. It also adds a lot of humour and background to an already rich story. There’s new characters to round out the world beyond Conner Creek and the characters you already know from the screen get more of a chance to shine. You really get to know the twins and their dynamic in a different way. They’ve had time to reflect, and it’s fun to see the differences of how they report the events vs how everything actually plays out in the moment. What do they choose to include and leave out? What does the world know about this mystery?
The ensemble of characters is one of my favourite parts and what I find myself coming back to when I think about the show. Everyone is incredibly weird in the most delightful way, with their own accents and role in the town. The cast is extremely talented and come from various mediums from digital, Broadway, television and companies like Starkid Productions and Shipwrecked Comedy. They clearly have fun working together which just amplifies their performances. Mary Kate Wiles and Steve Zaragoza have realistic sibling energy and play off of each other so well. Then some of the other townsfolk you will meet include Madison Reynolds (Joanna Sotomura), the noble sheriff, Dr. Henry Edwards (Carlos Valdez), the drunk doctor, Rita Waldeburg (Sinead Persaud), the passionately morbid mortician, and Mary Jo and Ellis Walker (Ashley Clements and Gabe Greenspan), a couple of gossipy florists, just to name a few. Every character is memorable and endearingly ridiculous in their own way.
So what are you waiting for? The Tin Can Brothers have done an incredible job of creating an immersive series that is a real howl. I have now rewatched/relistened multiple times and every time, I’m on the edge of my seat. I hope that a second season is in store, but in the meantime, you can find all the video and podcast episodes of Wayward Guide for the Untrained Eye on YouTube and the podcast episodes also on most streaming platforms.
