The Legend of Vox Machina

The comically vulgar tone established by the first couple episodes (and featured prominently in the trailers) eventually gives way to a more serious horror-themed storyline (albeit one with frequent sex jokes and f-bombs). Very clearly based on a D&D campaign, but pulled off surprisingly well with better-than-expected animation.

A Dungeons & Dragons show done with higher quality modern animation should be right up my alley, but for whatever reason I kind of got snagged on this one - took me like 3 months to get through the 12 25-minute episodes, and even then it was “well I’ve come this far, may as well finish.” Someone else here said the show is like Fantasy Guardians of the Galaxy, and maybe that’s it; that GotG tone / comedic sensibility quickly becomes more annoying than endearing to me.

It's cool to see an oral story get visualized, but the plot and characters are too hacky and tropey for me to enjoy. The first couple episodes also disappointed me personally because it constantly felt like I was supposed to already know everybody, and even though I did, that's an awful way to open a series for anyone brand new.

I'm a ex-DnD player, and something like that would have been right up my alley had I watched it a decade earlier. As it is, though, I felt like it was tonally off and the pacing was a bit all over the place. Kudos, though, for nailing the general feeling of a gaming group. I've watched a bit of Critical Role here and there, and I almost prefer that. It's solid for what it is, and I enjoyed the one season, but it's just not for me long-term.

Based on the first episode only. A circus of lazily unsubverted tropes, crass gross-out humor, gen Z throwaway aphorisms. Basic. But nastier. Like high fantasy Archer drawn in the style of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Great. Good characters and intriguing writing

That was my toothpick

Ironically, the elements that are supposed to make this adult viewing only make it more childish - a typically American exuberance towards violence, and prudishness towards nudity.

Think Guardians of the Galaxy in a D&D setting, but better.