I cannot begin to express how delighted and excited I am for this to be around. This Friday, the world gets to meet the ‘heroes’ of Vox Machina on Prime Video.
I’m not going to rehash my background of how we got here, and instead let’s get into the world of Exandria and what all this is. Instead, I’m going to talk about how the show is. Because, oh yes, I’ve seen it and it’s marvellous.
I do have one warning for you: This show is not for little kids, unless you’re okay with them seeing characters having sex and some gruesome deaths.
Okay, let’s go!
Screener Review On The Legend of Vox Machina
A high fantasy adventure in the age of myth and magic with the biggest group of fuck ups you’ll ever meet makes for stellar television.
For Critters: The Show isn’t the Stream
One of the biggest questions I had was how would they transform the Twitch Stream (Thursdays at 7pm Pacific on the Critical Role Channel on Twitch, subscribe), which started in the middle of a specific quest, and with a little different character configuration. Instead of that, we Critters all assumed they’d have to make some changes to handle both introducing everyone and setting up the slightly different plot lines.
Personally my thought was “They could just have all this be Scanlan’s versions of events, as told by Kylie, who corrects him at every turn.” but they didn’t do that. Instead, we jump right in an original version of their adventures, including a fight never before seen on stream.
There are a lot of Easter eggs for us Critters (like the background music for a specific fight scene, someone not holding her liquor, someone not as connected to her god as might be, someone having issues with his pepperbox, a certain animal …), and they made me laugh at every single turn and change of events. The characters sound a little different, more refined voices that are geared towards being easily differentiated on TV vs stream.
For you old Critters, yes, everything is a little left-turned adapted, and we know D&D magic doesn’t work like that! Be calm. We knew this would be different. My advice to you is sit back and watch the show, and for the sake of the Everlight, DO NOT SPOIL THINGS FOR THE NEW PEOPLE okay? If you promise that, I’ll give you two words that will give you delight: Tusk Love.
For New Watchers: What’s It Like?
If you’re a fan of LoTR or Game of Thrones and like a good animated story that has a lot of tongue in cheek jokes with your action and adventure, you need to watch this show.
The story is about a part of adventurers trying to get their names made into the legend the want to be. Your heroes are:
- Grog – a simpleminded giant who likes to bash things and drink
- Keyleth of the Ashari – a half-elf with power to control nature who may be in over her head
- Percy – an aloof tactician with a rudimentary pistol and a dark past
- Pike – a holy warrior of the Everlight, struggling with her faith
- Vex – a bow wielding hunter with a bear sidekick (Trinket)
- Vax – her emo twin-brother, an assasin
- Scanlan – a lusty, pervy, bard who casts magic with music
When their empire is in need of heroes, and they’re in need of work, they step up to the challenge. More or less.
The series is equal parts fantasy and fuckery, with a bunch of misfits stumbling through heroism. They’re lucky until they’re not, and you wonder many times how these are the people who are going to save things.
We don’t do ‘organized.’ Look at us, we’re Vox Machina. We fuck shit up.
Scanlan
If you’re worried that a series based on a thousand hours of lore and adventure that’s watchable for free will have too many in-jokes or backstory, please don’t. They do a perfect job of making things easily digestible and enjoyable, without taking away the joy from people who may know the general plot.
Oh and if any of your friends want to tell you what to expect because they know the steam? The stream is not the show. What they know is generally correct, but the telling will be different. And if they push? Tell them “NO JENGA.” They’ll get it.
Why You Should Watch
This is sometimes a hard sell. Sometimes people just don’t like fantasy, and that’s understandable. Not everything is for everyone. So my pitch for you is that if you enjoyed Game of Thrones but thought it needed more humorous, or you loved the friendships in Lord of the Rings, then you really will like this show. It’s as much about assholes finding family as it is about saving the world. It has some amazing voice actors who really sell their roles, it’s got a plot that is both easy to understand and logically pulls in everyone, and it really is funny as fuck.
Something that was just a fun weekend game for friends became a movement, and now they’re sharing it with people who never would have considered watching the original. Oh, and no, you very much do not have to know fuck all about D&D or the story before you step in. Everything will be explained, and everything will make sense.
Where and When to Watch?
The first few episodes will be available Friday, January 28th, on Prime Video (owned by Amazon). Make a cup of your favourite drink and put your feet up to enjoy the legend of the greatest idiots to ever save the world.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find out who is on the Tal’dorei Council.
Heck yeah! so excited!
YES! SOO EXCITED! I really hope this does well, because there are two very big reasons I (and I think everyone else here who knows) would love to see a “The Legend of The Mighty Nein” series after this!
Nott the best sequel 😀