by Nick Ferro, Contributing Writer
Mythic Quest on to Apple TV+ has just wrapped up its third season, and until now has been a very fun and clever show. I have enjoyed getting to know and spending time with these characters and the strange situations they find themselves in. Mythic Quest is a great example of how the modern-day 30-minute comedy has evolved and can still exist, even on streaming. But before we jump into how I felt about Season Three, let me give you my brief feelings on the first two seasons.
Season One of Mythic Quest was one of my favorite new shows of 2020. It was, in my opinion one of the most original and clever shows introduced that year. The lynchpin episode, being what I like to call the “intermission” episode, Episode Five of the season was titled, “A Dark Quiet Death,” starred two guest actors Jake Johnson and Cristin Milioti and did not include our main characters. The risks the show took to be creative were surprising and felt new. There was a bit of that Always Sunny style of humor, but for the most part the season was incredibly funny in what felt like a whole new manner.
Season Two continued on this path by taking on the pandemic, zoom calls, and its great cast of side characters. Once again delivering one of its best episodes with an intermission episode, this time with guest actor Josh Brener anchoring the episode. All of these characters are funny and unique in a setting that you don’t see often on television. As a former World of Warcraft addict, I can attest there is an additional level of humor that comes from the show when you can see them poking fun at the MMORPG genre. This brings us to Season Three, which had the daunting task of tackling the big decision of the two leads to leave the company to create a new one of their own. Could the show sustain itself by splitting up the characters, and giving a larger focus to those who had previously taken a supporting role?
The answer to that question is, unfortunately no, it does not sustain itself. I found Season Three to be the weakest of the show so far. I still really enjoy spending time with these characters and their silly antics from week to week, but this season feels divided, with our side characters being dropped in an average sitcom, rather than the innovative clever comedy, while our two lead characters are in a dramedy that put its focus on character development and pathos. The first episode starts out very strong with some incredibly witty humor and a really funny final scene that feels like a sign of things yet to come. However, I never felt the rest of Season Three reaches the high of Episode One, or previous seasons, in terms of comedy. I really was hoping for the same huge belly laughs that I was getting from the first two seasons, but this time around it was just consistent chuckling, which, don’t get me wrong, isn’t a bad thing; it just feels disappointing based on the expectations created by previous seasons. Even the intermission episode this season is its weakest so far. I enjoyed seeing the backstory of our two leads; I just didn’t feel that spark of energy that the previous seasons offer.
In terms of performances everyone continues to turn in their best. Ian (Rob McElhenney) and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) continue to carry the show’s story, and it’s very clear that they were more focused on character development this season. Their best moments make this show feel like an awards-worthy drama. I really love the relationship they have built together, and one plus from this year’s “intermission” episode is that they really deep dive into the core of their characters. These two are on their A-game the whole season, and although the comedy falls short for me, their performances never do.
My favorite performance of the season is by young actress Isla Rose Hall, who portrays young Poppy in the intermission episode. I kept forgetting that they didn’t go back in time to film Charlotte Nicdao as a kid, because Hall is so spot on with her performance. But more than just her ability to imitate her older counterpart, I was able to relate to the character’s inability to make friends and her being a socially awkward tween with an intense love of video games. What I really loved was her performance during the scene she overheard her parents discussing her issues behind her back. The emotion this young talent portrays feels real and hit home for me.
Although I was not won over by this season of Mythic Quest, I do believe that if you are a fan of the previous two seasons, there will be something for you to enjoy. I did really like what they presented us with — it just feels average, with very common and clichéd situations, rather than the clever, laugh-out-loud comedy it had been in previous seasons. An average season of a great show still makes this a very good show, and I still look forward to what comes next for our characters in Season Four.
Score: 7/10
Mythic Quest is currently streaming on Apple TV+
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