“Hey Poppy! I waited for you... I waited for you this time in the meeting.” — Ian Grimm in the “Mythic Quest” Quarantine Special
The past two months, we’ve watched Hollywood employ a number of interesting gimmicks to film new content as actors and crews have been stuck at home.
Recent examples of quarantine-centered specials include a “Parks and Recreation” reunion (with the original cast reprising their roles) and an episode of the CBS legal drama “All Rise.”
Apple’s workplace comedy “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” joined the fray of properties creating an original episode designed to look like it was filmed using videoconferencing software.
According to an article on Vulture, the cast used 40 iPhones and 20 sets of AirPods to film the episode (along with the use of prosumer-grade software on those devices). The actors would connect via Zoom on their computers, but film their content using the cameras on the iPhones.
The overall effect was good. Creator and star Rob McElhenney (along with the other players) crafted a fun episode that had solid production value and a fun vibe.
You’re limited with what you can do on a videoconference-centered episode. That said, I thought thought McElhenny & Co. did a decent job avoiding some of the “remote work” cliches that have become prevalent in humorous content the past few months. It was fun to watch the fictitious video game company manage their multi-player role playing game remotely.
More than anything, it was nice to catch up with the endearing cast of characters — Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao), David Brittlesbee (David Hornby), Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi), C.W. Longbottom (F. Murray Abraham), Sue (Caitlin McGee), Rachel (Ashly Burch), Dana (Imani Hakim), and Jo (Jessie Ennis).
I won’t give anything away, but the quarantine episode’s last four minutes are brilliant and serve as a reminder why I applauded the genius of “Mythic Quest’s” first season in my March review.
I still believe that “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” is the best thing on the AppleTV+ streaming service and I can’t wait until the cast and crew are back together to film more episodes!
If you’d like to learn more about the series — and watch the first two episodes for free — visit the Apple TV website or via the Apple TV app.
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