Critical Role’s second campaign’s animated adaptation, The Mighty Nein, drops on Prime Video with its first three episodes on November 19, and it’s undoubtedly worth watching. The main cast of Critical Role is back with new characters, exploring a different part of Exandria. The animation is just as fantastic as The Legend of Vox Machina, both having been animated by Titmouse Studios, making them gorgeously crafted with more depth to the already fleshed-out world of Exandria.
I am still currently working my way through campaign one of Critical Role, but I have seen spoilers of campaign two. Personally, I have been looking forward to the relationship between Jester Lavorre (Laura Bailey) and Fjord Stone (Travis Willingham), especially after the recent live show at Radio City Music Hall in New York. And so far, they have not disappointed. Funny, cute, and with layers to explore, I’m excited to watch where this campaign leads them and their relationships with the rest of the party.
The show has a slower start than The Legend of Vox Machina, which makes sense, since Critical Role began with an established campaign. The first episode, “Mote of Possibility,” has aired early on YouTube already, showcasing the origins of this new group of complicated protagonists while laying down the foundation for the antagonistic forces they must face. With a solid pilot like this, it’s only the beginning of a riveting season.
The Mighty Nein stars Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffe, Matthew Mercer, Ashley Johnson, and more, with each voice actor bringing something incredibly nuanced to layer their characters and make them interesting. With this, there’s also much discuss about the relationships within and how various bonds shape the trajectory of the debut season.
With all of the strong personalities and unique perspectives of each member of this newly formed group, the party members naturally butt heads often. They’re all very different, which makes the dynamics that much more complex, and I love watching them clash and come together. Where Vox Machina felt like a family early on, watching the Mighty Nein form more slowly is riveting. Still, the wide range of characters ensures that the series is full of sincerity, humor, intriguing complexities, and narrative choices that are thoroughly intriguing.
While darker and slower paced, The Mighty Nein still has humor and light-hearted moments scattered throughout. With any media inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, it’s always easy to appreciate when you can tell in the narrative that there was a poor dice roll, and there are a few moments like that throughout the series that fans can spot.
Overall, The Mighty Nein delivers a solid and riveting first season that lays the groundwork for what will be an amazing series. While we don’t yet have an official renewal from Prime Video, there’s a good chance we’ll see it, given the popularity of Critical Role in general. Few shows have a debut season that is this strong, and I am excited to see where these characters continue to go.
Are you excited for The Mighty Nein? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Prime Video