Read @ Joe’s

The Human, Will

3 March, 2026

1–2 minutes

Comedian, comedy, episode, fish, forty, indie, insurance, narrative, neighborhood, Pennsylvania, short story, Slamdance

SLAMDANCE ’26: Episodes

Title: The Human, Will (2026)
Director: Edward Bursch
Writer: Edward Bursch // Dave Niedoba
Studio: Zorithunglen Entertainment

IMDb Plot: A depressed insurance claims adjuster vows to exercise free will after his pet goldfish Frodo is shot and killed.

Joe Says: Welcoming, relatable, and deliciously chaotic.

The short form episodic series The Human, Will, is a beautiful celebration into the world of normalcy. From weird neighbors and inter-office romance, to encounters with InstaCart shoppers and survivalists hunting Bigfoot, creators Edward Bursch and Dave Niedoba find glitter in the carpeted corners of life. Truly, the “meh” becomes magical.

Will is played by Will Sterbenz – forgettable and forty – who realizes that the best way to take control of his life is to ask his claims adjuster boss… for a demotion. Will opens his arms to embrace whatever life offers… noisy neighbors, malfunctioning air con units, and skiing accidents. If George Costanza ever stumbled into self awareness and decided to weaponize it for good, the end result would be The Human, Will.

The Human, Will Slamdance Episode starring Will Sterbenz

The intrigue of the plot aside, director/creator Bursch and co-writer Niedoba keep the dialogue light. Instead, the episodes are all narrated storybook style by comedian Joe Pera, who plays Will’s self-styled guardian angel. Pera has the voice of a calm, cool uncle who might have lost a finger in an unnamed war, but injects the sly snark of an Apple TV sitcom with a wink and a sigh. The end result is welcoming, relatable, and deliciously chaotic.

The premiere episode introduces the humdrum Will, his goldfish Frodo, and his claims adjusting normalcy, then ends with Will’s declaration for a lust of life. Will is ordinary and wonderful. And Bursch and Niedoba make the awkward enthusiastically grand.