“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 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.
If you’d told me a month ago that “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” would be the show that would motivate me to subscribe to Apple TV+, I would have said you were crazy.
In that review, I wrote “I’m wary” as it regarded Apple’s foray into subscription services (which also includes a beefed up news offering, a video game arcade, and the company’s branded credit card).
Because Apple TV+ is focused on “originals only” (something the marketing team has tried to pimp as a virtue), I was skeptical about whether they’d be able to develop enough compelling programming to keep subscribers interested.
I’m still skeptical (based on the current lineup), but Apple has a winner in the new workplace comedy “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet.”
The series focuses on a fictitious video game development company with the “highest grossing multiplayer role-playing game of all time” (called Mythic Quest… obviously!). The game is played in 20 countries on six continents.
As the first season begins, the team is getting ready to launch Raven’s Banquet — an expansion pack for the game.
Before I go any further, I should note that you DO NOT have to be a “game geek” to enjoy the series. I haven’t played video games since I parted with my PS2 several years ago, and haven’t delved into the current generation of games at all.
The joy of the nine-episode first season lies in the quirky characters and dysfunctional workplace dynamic seen in the show. It’s all done with a light touch and the show has some genuinely funny moments.
The tone of the show is sort of a whisked-together mix of the NBC show “Community,” HBO’s “Silicon Valley,” and the 1999 movie “Office Space.”
The ringleader of the “Mythic Quest” team is Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney) — a creative director who exudes an oddly charming “God complex” as he perpetually pushes his vision for the game. McElhenney imbues a sort of an everyman Ryan Reynolds vibe. (Bridget called him a “poor man’s Ryan Reynolds.”)
As Grimm tries to navigate the ever-changing world of the game, he’ll use pithy phrases like “just let me noodle” to describe his creative process.
The game’s lead engineer is Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao) — a plucky hipster who serves as a foil to some of Grimm’s more grandiose plans (the interplay between Li and Grimm is one of the show’s strengths).
The executive producer of the game is David Brittlesbee (David Hornsby) — a Ms. Pac-Man-loving, straight-arrow manager who sports a ’stache that looks like it jumped out of an 80s detective show.
The head of monetization is Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi) — an aloof bean counter concerned about maximizing the game’s revenue potential. One of his contributions to the game is the MQ Grand Casino (referred to as “an artless money grab that has no connection to the game”).
(I loved Pudi as Abed Nadir on “Community”… ).
The main slate of characters is rounded out by C.W. Longbottom (F. Murray Abraham). Longbottom is a washed-up science fiction writer (winner of the 1973 Nebula Award) who builds the narrative structure for the game. Ian met him at a state fair where he (Longbottom) was selling rotisserie chicken.
(A look at the character’s bookshelf in the second episode shows his bibliography of novels — including one called “Dances With Elves”).
Highlight episodes for me were Episode 3 (“Dinner Party”) and Episode 5 (“A Dark Quiet Death”).
The third episode had me chuckling in quite a few spots. It was definitely a novel take on crisis management in a 21st century tech company. Since we provide PR services in our business, we could sympathize with “Mythic Quest’s” trod-upon community relations expert Sue (Caitlin McGee).
A number of fans online have talked about how good the fifth episode is, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.
It is a tonal/narrative shift from the other eight episodes in the first season, and features “New Girl’s” Jake Johnson as the developer of a video game called Dark Quiet Death. The episode builds an emotional core for the first season, and illustrates the melancholy side of partnerships in business. It’s a really terrific story.
The series was created by “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” writers Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Megan Ganz.
My friend Jason Combs recommended “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” to me shortly after it dropped on Apple TV+, and I’m glad I checked it out.
There were a number of interesting supporting characters in the first season. Game testers Rachel (Ashly Burch) and Dana (Imani Hakim) added dimension to the series. David Brittlebee’s assistant (and the company’s newest employee) Jo (Jessie Ennis) provides moments of levity as a slightly unhinged fan girl of Ian Grimm. Snarky programmer Michelle (Aparna Nancherla) adds… well… snark.
The show manages to poke fun at the trappings of millennial life as it regards the so-called “influencers” in pop culture. Many of these moments are played out via a 14-year-old gamer known as “Pootie_Shoe” (Elisha Henig) — a live streamer with over 10 million followers who can determine the success (or failure) of a video game with one flippant comment.
I also want to mention how much I enjoyed some of the fun cut scenes and interstitials that were included in the structure of the show. Video game maker Ubisoft is one of the series producers.
Bridget and I breezed through the first nine episodes of “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” in a couple days. The first two episodes are available for free (without a subscription) on Apple TV (via the website or the app) if you’d like to check it out for yourself.
It can be a crapshoot recommending comedies since it is a genre that appeals to specific tastes. I’ve had an affection for workplace comedies like “Community,” “Parks & Rec,” and “Superstore” for quite some time, so this show was right up my alley.
We had a good time watching the first season. It was irreverent, charming, and a lot of fun. With all the craziness going on in the world right now, I think you’ll enjoy escaping into “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” too.
