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"Mythic Quest" returns for its second flavor. Photo Courtesy: Apple tree TV+

Rating: eight/ten

In February of 2020, Mythic Quest's get-go episode dropped on Apple TV+. A few months later, I establish myself turning to streaming services that weren't Netflix or Hulu. Even so, finding fresh fare during the pandemic proved tricky. Non simply because streamers were generally eking out content slowly — or delaying shows and movies altogether — only as well considering starting something new felt daunting.

Some days, getting caught up in a new world feels heady. But, like many other Telly marathoners, I institute myself rewatching "condolement shows" last summer. Familiar characters, stories, worlds and jokes provided some kind of certainty at a time that felt defined past the unknown. Merely even that chicken-soup-predictability of comedies past wore thin. And so, in the all-out egg warfare that led up to "Bunny Twenty-four hour period," even Creature Crossing: New Horizons started to feel like piece of work — not escapism.

Luckily, my Apple TV+ subscription — which, originally, I'd caved to purchasing for the sake of Dickinsonand The Servant— was notwithstanding alive and well. Apple's streamer emphasizes quality over quantity. And Mythic Questis yet another bear witness that illustrates this somewhat-novel streaming wars game plan. In fact, the prove's nearly-perfect blend of abrupt (however oddball) comedy and sudden poignancy makes this subconscious precious stone shine brighter than most. Like that friend y'all've merely met, but feel yous've known for years.

So, What's "Mythic Quest" About?

Co-created by It'due south E'er Sunny in Philadelphia alum Charlie Day, Megan Ganz (too Community), and Rob McElhenney, Mythic Quest — subtitled Raven's Banquet in season 1 — is a workplace comedy that follows the exploits of a video game studio that produces an immensely popular massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), also called Mythic Quest, or MQ for brusque.

With a cast and crew made up of familiar faces from both It's Always Sunny and Community, you know off the bat — or shovel — that you're in good hands. The MQ office is led by McElhenney's Ian Grimm (pronounced much like the German word "Ein"), a artistic managing director who is both the knuckle ring-wearing self-absorbed dude you look — and also someone with a surprising corporeality of warmth and (at times) perceptiveness.

Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) and Ian (Rob McElhenney) try out a new work dynamic (to decidedly mixed results) in the charming, laugh-out-loud 2nd season of "Mythic Quest" on Apple Television receiver+. Photograph Courtesy: Apple TV+

In many means, Ian'southward character hits the same balance the whole show strives for: information technology'south express joy-out-loud funny; incredibly sharp; searing in its satirical criticisms of the video game industry; full of heart that feels like a existent gut-dial when it sneaks upwards on yous; and and so much more than.

Just let's become back to this stacked cast. By and large, Ian is going head-to-head with MQ'southward lead engineer Poppy Li (breakout star Charlotte Nicdao). (Generally, the ii have unlike priorities and unlike visions for the game's Raven's Feast expansion.) The MQsquad also features Customs'southward Danny Pudi every bit Brad Bakshi, the blunt, snarky head of monetization; David Hornsby (It's E'er Sunny) every bit push-over executive producer David Brittlesbee; Jessie Ennis as David's frequently-scary and out-for-blood season i assistant Jo; Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus) as Nebula Award-winning head writer C.W. Longbottom; and Ashly Burch and Imani Hakim as game testers (and budding couple) Rachel and Dana.

Rounding out the studio are recurring characters Sue Gorgon (Caitlin McGee), the overworked community manager, and Carol (Broad Metropolis's Naomi Ekperigin), the HR head who's constantly pulled into everyone's personal lives.

As mentioned before, there's a lot to dear about Mythic Quest. Besides its connections to classics like Community and It's Always Sunny, two specifics convinced me to striking play on the airplane pilot. For starters, as a gamer I was drawn to the workplace backdrop — the in-jokes and dash.

MQ testers Rachel (Ashly Burch) and Dana (Imani Hakim) on the studio's motion capture soundstage. Photo Courtesy: Apple Television set+

Relatedly, I've been a longtime gentleman of Ashly Burch, the voice backside characters from stellar games similar Life Is Foreign and Horizon Aught Dawn, but, perhaps more formatively, ane half of the duo behind the sketch-comedy web serial Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin'? (HAWP). In their spider web series, siblings Ash and Anthony Burch (Borderlands ii) employ surreal humor to examine video games' themes and industry trends. And if HAWP was whatever indication of the incisive satire Burch would bring to the Mythic Quest author's room (and to her character, Rachel), I was sold.

While my excitement around video game-centric content pulled me into Mythic Questinitially, I'd still pitch information technology to not-gamers and casual fans too. The series never gets bogged down in industry minutia or technical jargon — even Nicdao noted that she wasn't a gamer before acting in flavour one, but feels that the bear witness transcends its setting and is "about a dysfunctional constitute family" (via Uproxx). It's safe to say that much of the show's appeal comes from its universality, and not in a cheesy way either.

"We never want to be the kind of show that's, like, moralistically wagging our finger at the audience," Nicdao told Uproxx in an interview. But, in the same breath, Nicdao points to a season-two scene wherein Ian and Poppy treat the fine art section terribly, noting that the audience isn't supposed to be on the stars' side.

Brad (Danny Pudi) and Jo (Jessie Ennis) at the studio'southward annual Everlight event. Photograph Courtesy: Apple tree TV+

Whether Mythic Quest's insightful social commentary is shedding a calorie-free on industry issues, like crisis and exhaustion; or illustrating how women, people of color, and queer folks accept to navigate the workplace, it does then with a real honesty. In fact, Mythic Quest's inclusivity feels every bit natural equally its comedy. You lot can tell that the show was made past — and for — people who might see themselves reflected in the characters on screen. And, in terms of Boob tube representation, that makes a world of difference.

As Nicdao pointed out, the show centers on a blazon of called family unit, and perchance null illustrates that notion better than the show's "Quarantine" episode, which hit Apple tree TV+ on the heels of the flavour one finale. Different virtually every other quarantine special episode that came out last year, Mythic Quest'south bonus episode actually succeeded. Filmed from its cast members' homes, the episode, which featured a remote Rube Goldberg automobile, proved to be a stunning technological feat.

But underneath all the Zoom jokes and work-from-home sense of humor was one of Goggle box's most touching explorations of the profound sense of isolation 2020 created — as well as our demand for warm moments and human connection. It's a gut-punch that sneaks upward on you, but in a way that's both delightfully surprising and perfectly inevitable.

"Everybody has that game that they vicious in love with because they make an bear upon," Ian says (admitting for selfish reasons) in season one. "Those games were somebody'south legacy." With season ii'due south first few episodes under its belt, Mythic Questhas started to cement its own legacy as themust-watch workplace comedy.

Flavor i, plus two bonus episodes, are streaming now on AppleTV+. New episodes from Mythic Quest's 2d seasondrop on Apple Television set+ every Friday, from May 7 through June 25, 2021.