Since 2015, Critical Role has entertained both novice and experienced fans of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.
The weekly web series features a tight-knit group of professional voice actors who role-play and improvise their way through an elaborate D&D campaign. Since its inception, the band of adventurers has worked its way through two major campaigns (Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein) filled with multiple story arcs, solo adventures, and character backstories.
Episodes typically run between 180–360 minutes, with each campaign lasting well over 100 episodes. On the series’ 100th episode in June 2017, Critical Role announced the launch of its podcast. The audio versions of the group’s epic adventures can be streamed directly from the show’s website as well as various other streaming services.
With over a thousand hours of content already produced, entering into the world of Critical Role may seem daunting. However, episode 1 of each campaign provides an excellent primer into both the characters and the adventure that unfolds in future episodes. In addition, a series of “one-shots” offers listeners a tale wrapped up in a single episode.