First off, to answer the title short and sweet, it’s an incredible show based on an incredible Dungeons and Dragons campaign, but hey, I’m a long-time fan, so let me break down the details as to why everyone is obsessed with The Legend of Vox Machina. Critical Role fans all around the globe have been counting down the days for the release of The Legend of Vox Machina, an animated series based on the Dungeons and Dragons campaign, Critical Role, featuring a wide array of famous voice actors . The show first came into existence as a Kickstarter campaign way back when in 2019. The campaign blew up, with eager and excited fans raising over $11.3 million, becoming one of the most funded campaigns in Kickstarter history. The original plan was just a once off animated special, which came to be the two seasons of chaos and adventure that we’re now getting thanks to Amazon Prime Video. With the Dungeons and Dragons group already featuring some of the best voice actors today, there was a high degree of excitement for what the show could become. In the run up to its release, further news regarding featured actors started spreading like wildfire. From David Tennant to Stephanie Beatriz, the show promised to go above and beyond any expectations imaginable.
Amazon Prime Video launched the adult animated series at the start of February 2022, and it hasn’t just been Dungeons and Dragons fans loving each episode. The show follows a group of adventurers navigating the world of Tal’Dorei as they bond with one another and gear up to fight all forms of evil imaginable. The show is wacky and wild, taking all the best elements of Dungeons and Dragons and putting them together in an animated show for a wider audience. The band of adventurers known as Vox Machina, are a group of misfits with a love for booze and brawls, but all in all, they’re a lovely group supporting each other through a whole array of challenges. Time and time again, their friendship and skill are tested by ever growing odds and challenges.
So, season one has come to an end, and as a long-time fan of Critical Role, I was extremely excited to finally sit down and watch the show. I was anxious coming into the series that I wouldn’t enjoy it, simply for the fact that well, I know the plot. Those of us who have come from Critical Role had already seen the events of campaign one, and I frankly I was nervous I would immediately lose interest because of this. Somehow, this show has managed to keep me on my toes, with fight sequences that leave you holding your breath, even when you know who’s going to make it out the other side. Each episode balances character growth and plot progression carefully, never feeling overly dominated by one or the other.
I don’t want to go into spoilers, but all I’ll say is the gang at Critical Role have weaved some of the most intricate, exciting, and heart-breaking storylines throughout the Dungeons and Dragons campaign. This is, without a doubt, not a show you want to miss.