Knox's Korner was a staple of the early internet days, with creator Robert Benfer making videos before even YouTube existed. The "Klay World" videos were a fascinating display of absurdity, wanton violence, and imagination. The videos featured "Klaymen" stop-motion figures getting into seemingly normal situations that escalated quickly.
The series ran over the course of a decade, from 2003 to early 2014, and even got a feature-length film along the ride. And yes, the "K" spelling is intentional, just like Mortal Kombat. There were 67 episodes in the official Klay World run, so here's a run-through of some of the best snippets. Klay World truly was one of the first series to prove that long-form storytelling could be done with humble means on the internet and get attention.
10 A Dangerous Stunt
This episode came in the latter years of the Knox's Korner days and is a perfect example of the Klay World formula for disaster. A pair of bored Klaymen sit around and whine about their boredom, and demand amusement. Their whinging is answered in the form of another random Klayman who calls their attention and declares he will perform a dangerous stunt. The episode's tight stop-motion animation is particularly impressive in this outing, as Benfer clearly became more skilled in the craft. The stunt performer does a headstand, a somersault, twirls, and shimmies as he walks across a precarious pole, physical actions that must have been exceedingly hard to perform in stop-motion.
9 Grenade Gregory
Many Klay World episodes end in the carnage of the Klaymen. The episode starts with several Klaymen gambling with dice that appear to be racing (while standing still), when a Klayman with a grenade belt and tactical helmet shows up. He simply starts tossing grenades left and right, blowing up the other Klaymen, casually chirping "here comes another one!" The cherry on top is the incompetent police officer with an incredibly hoarse voice who manages to only worsen the situation for everyone.
8 KLAYTON
KLAYTON is a robot created by an adorable bespectacled Klayman scientist, but the world was not ready to endure the power of the technology. The episode takes a Frankenstein twist when the machine loses control and, to no one's surprise, begins to slaughter Klaymen without hesitation. But once again, the incompetent police officer from "Grenade Gregory" makes another appearance and attempts to save the day, though the outcome is much less messy, albeit sadder.
7 Boogie Monster
"Boogie Monster" is one of the older videos from Klay World, created in 2004. Thus, the camera footage and aspect ratio are not terribly impressive, but the humble means of making the video have aged like a fine wine in this case. The episode feels somewhat like a found footage film because of it, and because the plot revolves around a monster, it's all the better for it. A few Klaymen discover that the fabled Boogie Monster, who roars an eerie telephone ring, is real. Following the discovery...Klaymen die.
Tragically, the Boogie Monster was meant to make a re-appearance at some point in the Klay World saga, either in the film or in the final episode, but the model for the creature was long lost.
6 Henry's Shotgun
Henrey's Shotgun was originally one of the old non-canon shorts that Benfer made in 2003, but he liked it so much that he treated it to an HD canon remaster in the Klay World series. The premise is about as all-American as it can get. A Klayman named Henry finds a shotgun, the power goes to his head, and Henry sows chaos. The episode is fairly basic and doesn't accomplish too much other than some easy shock humor, but the massive leap in quality from the original skit to the new video is impressive, and a testament to a dedicated craftsman.
5 Klay World: Off The Table
This entry is a bit of a cheat, as it's a feature-length film and not an episode, but its inclusion is critical, as it really is a cohesive film with an original narrative and not just a complication of clips. Off The Table, features Chip, an oddity amongst Klaymen, because he is actually intelligent, likely due to the chip in his head for which he is named.
As to the movie's title, Chip manages to lead an expedition of Klaymen off of the table they are filmed on, which comprises Klay World. The film's sense of adventure and fun is similar to in tone to the Spongebob Squarepants Movie, and seeing Klaymen drive around in an RC car is a visual feast.
4 Dr. Bob Saves The Day
The character of Dr. Bob would later prove to be a pivotal Klayman in the run of Klay World, and this episode was a solid introduction to the sadistic quack of a doctor. The episode also features the classic "co-co cola," which would become a running gag throughout the series' run. The episode has some of the dumbest Klaymen put to screen, and the comedy revolving around their idiotic antics makes for one of the most memorable early episodes, which likely sealed in many fans.
3 All Gone
As Jason Steele (creator of Charlie the Unicorn and Llamas With Hats, and collaborator of Benfer) bluntly put in his review of the Klay World finale, it "ends a billion times better than the finale of Lost." It's an astute way to put things, as the Klay World finale truly does hit every single note for the die-hard fans who watched the story of the Klaymen for a decade. "All Gone" is a half-hour length special that actually explains the absurd rules of Klay World, while paying homage to all of the past episodes in the series. It's heartwarming, hilarious, and fires on all engines to make a more than satisfactory conclusion.
2 Hotdog Job (Part I and II)
Out of all of the absurd episodes of Klay World, "Hotdog Job" has to be the most absurd. After a food stand vendor's products cause his patrons to commit suicide due to their foul taste, he receives assistance from the "God of Hot Dogs," who attempts to make the food taste better. But instead, the hot dog springs to life and begins a mass killing spree. The video was one of the longer Klay World episodes, and has it all: hungry/blissfully dumb Klaymen, violence, escalating hijinks, and timeless humor.
1 Pancake Mines
Many Klay World videos functioned episodically, and casual viewers could watch episodes with no fear of confusion or missing out on storylines. "Pancake Mines" was by far the most far-reaching video with mass appeal, due to its simple premise and gags. A pair of Klaymen come across a minefield made up of landmines that seemingly resemble pancakes.
Several Klaymen appear as they all try to (unsuccessfully) cross the table in various ways and get around the hazard. The video works because it has non-stop energy and every joke is a bullseye. It features the best quality of dark humor from Benefer, and likewise, the same absurdity to match it. For many years, it was the most-watched video in the Klay World franchise, and to this day, the charm hasn't worn off.
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