Mythic Quest: Season Two

The upward trajectory of this office comedy set in a video game studio is something to behold. That’s not to say it started off badly, but a slow introduction last season gradually worked its way towards a captivating, highly entertaining finale, before fans were blessed with two hilarious bonus episodes (a lockdown special and an episode released just before this new outing). Mythic Quest continues to get better and better in its second series. 

Season two promises to have the same high-functioning, remarkable inter-departmental dysfunction and petty office politics that made the first season such a blast. Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Charlotte Nicdao return, with Nicdao’s Poppy Li now jostling for authority with McElhenney’s Ian Grimm as co-creative director. It’s a dynamic that promises even more petulant battles for creative control among the team at Mythic Quest, a highly popular (fictional) video game. 

The first season’s momentum continues unhindered, the discord, the rage and the weirdness of the characters now harmonised, working so smoothly, with such a rhythm. That steady beat is encapsulated by the difference between this series’ opener and that in the first: the team jump straight into high-drama and big laughs, office romance and the quest for power. 

Though there are few similarities between this show and McElhenney’s other creation, the beloved cult comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, razor-sharp writing and character development are definitely shared. It’s not character development in the traditional moral arc sense – no, Mythic Quest’s characters are developing to become ever funnier, ever weirder. Viewers are getting more attached to their stories, even as their narcissistic personalities grow out of control. The strength of the writing team is further displayed in their commitment to fleshing out the full team of characters, not just the ostensible main characters Grimm and Poppy Li. 

And on that cast… what a cast. Nicdao is a revelation, and David Hornsby elicits pathos and laughter as the push-over boss David Brittlesbee. Meanwhile, Jessie Ennis continues on her path to power as David’s errant assistant, Jo, drawn to the self-styled alphas of the pack, and Danny Pudi increasingly, disturbingly excels as the avaricious, unscrupulous head of monetisation, Brad Bakshi. Mythic Quest is a joy. 

Jake Cudsi

Mythic Quest: Season Two is released on Apple TV+ on 7^th May 2021.

Watch the trailer for Mythic Quest: Season Two here: