Critical Role’s latest D&D show isn’t the reboot we expected - Polygon

Halfway through its eight-episode run, Exandria Unlimited is shaping up to be a wonderful little Dungeons & Dragons adventure set within Critical Role’s world of Exandria.

This latest actual play series features a new host, new cast members, and a new pre-recorded format.

Their main product is a livestreamed show where they play D&D, also known as an actual play series.

Once a week since 2012, they’ve shown up on Twitch to run through two different campaigns called Vox Machina and the Mighty Nein, both of which are set within their own high fantasy world of Exandria.

It’s hard to understate just how much Critical Role there is in the world already.

(For context, Grey’s Anatomy — a 17-season medical procedural — is only 363 hours long.) There’s also a Critical Role sourcebook from D&D publisher Wizards of the Coast, a line of miniatures from WizKids, a middling board game, and two seasons of an animated series on the way at Amazon Prime Streaming.

Despite Critical Role’s commercial success, criticisms of the show have been mounting over the years — first, that the cast wasn’t diverse enough and, second, that there was really no easy way in to understanding this world without starting all the way back at the beginning.

In pitching the show to new audiences, Critical Role said newcomers “can jump in completely fresh” to this adventure.

Three of the first four episodes clock in at over four hours — longer than the average running time of Critical Role’s previous episodes.

Some fans of the series have become wedded to the idea that Mercer’s way is the only way to play, but Iyengar’s work here goes a long way toward proving that Critical Role doesn’t always need Mercer at the head of the table to succeed.

Unlike fellow newcomer Robbie Daymond (Marvel’s Spider-Man, Sailor Moon), Carrero is a true novice, and it’s great for people nervous about D&D to see that you can play with literally no experience.

Through four episodes, Exandria Unlimited has been able to retain what makes Critical Role so beloved by so many fans, while bringing new voices to the table?