Dimension 20

Last updated

Dimension 20
Dimension 20.png
Genre
Created by Brennan Lee Mulligan
Based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition
Directed byMichael Schaubach
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons21
No. of episodes225 (plus 6 one-shots)
Production
Executive producers
  • Sam Reich
  • David Cyr Kerns
  • Brennan Lee Mulligan
ProducerRick Perry
Running timec. 60–180 minutes
Production company CollegeHumor
Original release
Network Dropout
ReleaseSeptember 26, 2018 (2018-09-26) 
present (present)

Dimension 20 is a tabletop role-playing game show produced by and broadcast on Dropout, and generally hosted by Brennan Lee Mulligan as the show's regular Dungeon Master. Most of the games use Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. Long seasons, featuring a core cast of players in seventeen or more episodes, are interspersed with shorter side quests, featuring a rotating cast in ten or fewer episodes.

Contents

History

Origins and financial difficulties at CollegeHumor (2018–20)

Dimension 20 originated as a production for Dropout, a streaming service launched by CollegeHumor in 2018 to deliver content with R-rated material or unusual formatting. Dimension 20 was among the shows listed for the service when it was first unveiled. [1] The launch of Dimension 20 took place amid a "renaissance" of actual play shows. Mulligan cited a number of existing tabletop shows as inspiration for Dimension 20, including Not Another D&D Podcast (NADDPod), The Adventure Zone and Critical Role . [2] In particular, NADDPod features Emily Axford and Brian Murphy, who would join Dimension 20's primary cast. [3] Guests were also drawn from Critical Role and The Adventure Zone early on in the show's run – with Matt Mercer first appearing in Escape from the Bloodkeep and Griffin McElroy appearing in a live episode of Fantasy High in 2019. The full cast of The Adventure Zone appeared in Tiny Heist in early 2020.

The format for the show, with distinct arcs based on different settings, was determined early on in the show's development. [2] Brennan Lee Mulligan had been DMing since the age of 10 and had a background as a LARP writer – additionally, he had been the dungeon master for a private campaign with the entire principle cast of Dimension 20, save for Lou Wilson and Ally Beardsley. [2]

The show debuted in 2018 with Fantasy High as the first campaign presented. A sequel to this campaign, titled Fantasy High: Sophomore Year, premiered in 2019. Episodes of Fantasy High: Sophomore Year were streamed live on Twitch, as opposed to the pre-recorded and edited style of other campaigns on Dropout. The season concluded with a two-part finale titled “Spring Break! I Believe in You!”, which was streamed remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [4] On the fifth anniversary of Dimension 20, a third season of this campaign – Fantasy High: Junior Year – was announced which premiered in January 2024. [5]

The launch of the show took place amid a troubled financial background at CollegeHumour, which had suffered from a pivot to Facebook video in the late 2010s based on inaccurate metrics. By late 2019, IAC was exploring the sale of CollegeHumor. [6] In January 2020, major layoffs took place, including the Dimension 20 cast. Mulligan was left as the only creative staff member on payroll at the company. [7] The show nevertheless continued production remotely as California's stay at home orders were put into effect. [8] CollegeHumor was rebranded to Dropout and continued to produce content, with the Dropout platform heavily focused around Dimension 20. [9]

Return to studio production and success (2021–present)

On May 24, 2021, Brennan Lee Mulligan announced in a video on Dropout that Dimension 20 and other CollegeHumor projects would resume production in-person and in-studio, adhering to COVID safety guidelines set by SAG-AFTRA and other film guilds and production unions. [10] The show also began to use rotating game masters for side quest campaigns in a change announced the following month. [11] The company was able to hire more staff beyond its initial skeleton crew, and was in a more positive financial situation by 2024. [12] [13]

Beginning in 2022, Dropout began to auction off miniatures from previous seasons of Dimension 20. The proceeds from the auctions go towards funding future seasons of the show, as well as to charitable causes. This began with A Crown of Candy pieces. [14] A Fantasy High auction in 2024 donated 100% of profit to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, and for the first time included scenery pieces and segments of the Dungeon Master's screen. [15]

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, production on Dimension 20 initially shut down. [16] In July 2023, Dropout CEO Sam Reich stated that as Dropout is not a member of the AMPTP, they "may be able to reach an interim agreement with SAG" which would allow them to resume production. [17] Reich commented, "but we'll only do that, obviously, if we get the blessing of the union and the buy-in of our performers. If not, we have enough content in the can to last us a little past the end of the year". [17] In August 2023, Reich announced that all Dropout shows have resumed production as it was determined that their "New Media Agreement for Non-Dramatic Programming" was actually a non-struck SAG-AFTRA contract. [18] [19]

Dimension 20 at the Hammersmith Apollo during the 2024 UK and Ireland tour. Dimension20Apollo.jpg
Dimension 20 at the Hammersmith Apollo during the 2024 UK and Ireland tour.

In April 2024, Dimension 20 underwent a live tour in the UK and Ireland. These performances were billed as the "Time Quangle" and featured non-canonical crossovers between the main campaigns. [20] [21] A performance at Madison Square Garden entitled Gauntlet at the Garden is also scheduled for January 24, 2025. As the venue's ticketing is managed by Ticketmaster, a surge pricing algorithm meant that tickets were briefly selling for thousands of dollars, higher priced than comparable Taylor Swift tickets. [22] Dimension 20 issued a statement afterwards, indicating that they had been unaware Ticketmaster was operating its dynamic pricing system for the venue, and that they had opted out of that system for all future events. Given that 15,000 tickets sold in four days, the event is expected to be the largest actual play show in the United States that year. [23] [24]

Casting

The primary cast, termed the "Intrepid Heroes", are the following:

Format

The seasons of the show are broadly divided into Intrepid Heroes campaigns [25] which feature the above cast, and Side Quests which feature guest players. The sole exception to this format was a 2019 episode of Fantasy High which was recorded live in Austin by the Intrepid Heroes cast, and featured Griffin McElroy as a guest. Intrepid Heroes seasons are generally around twenty episodes in length, and a campaign setting is sometimes revisited for additional seasons. As of 2024 there have been eight such seasons: Fantasy High, The Unsleeping City, Fantasy High: Sophomore Year, A Crown of Candy, The Unsleeping City: Chapter II, A Starstruck Odyssey, Neverafter, and Fantasy High: Junior Year.[ citation needed ] A 2024 Time Quangle live tour in the UK and Ireland also featured the Intrepid Heroes cast and acted as a crossover between the main campaigns. The players drew randomly from their past characters using bingo machines to set up each show. The Time Quangle performances were recorded and will be released on Dropout in the future. [26]

Guest players for Side Quests are generally CollegeHumor alumni, or are cast members of other actual play shows. An exception to this was Dungeons and Drag Queens which featured notable contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race . [27] [28] Mulligan acted as the game master of all Side Quests up until 2021, after which the show started to use other Game Masters for these campaigns. In particular, Aabria Iyengar has appeared in that role three times. [29] [30]

Cast members by campaign

Key
SymbolMeaning
*Intrepid Heroes campaign; DM Mulligan
^Side quest campaign; DM/GM Mulligan
§Side quest campaign; GM Iyengar
ΔSide quest campaign; other GM/DM
DM/GMCast member is the dungeon master or game master of a specific campaign
Green check.svgCast member appears in a specific campaign
LiveCast member appears in the live episodes of a specific campaign
Main and recurring cast appearances by campaign
Campaign
Cast
Member
123456789101112131415161718192021
*Fantasy High
^Escape from the Bloodkeep
*The Unsleeping City
*Fantasy High: Sophomore Year
^Tiny Heist
*A Crown of Candy
^Pirates of Leviathan
*The Unsleeping City: Chapter II
^Mice & Murder
^The Seven
ΔShriek Week
*A Starstruck Odyssey
ΔCoffin Run
§A Court of Fae and Flowers
*Neverafter
ΔThe Ravening War
^Dungeons & Drag Queens
^Mentopolis
§Burrow's End
*Fantasy High: Junior Year
Main cast
Brennan Lee Mulligan DMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMDMGreen check.svgDMDMGreen check.svgDMGreen check.svgDMGMGreen check.svgDM
Emily Axford Green check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Ally BeardsleyGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Brian Murphy Green check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Zac OyamaGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Siobhan Thompson Green check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Lou Wilson Green check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Recurring cast
Erika Ishii Green check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Matthew Mercer Green check.svgGreen check.svgDM
Ify NwadiweGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Rekha ShankarGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Mike TrappGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Lily DuGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Griffin McElroy LiveGreen check.svg
Aabria Iyengar Green check.svgGMGreen check.svgGMGreen check.svgGM
Carlos LunaGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Danielle RadfordGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Isabella RolandGreen check.svgGreen check.svgGreen check.svg
Becca ScottLiveGreen check.svg

Campaigns

The campaigns use the Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition system with Brennan Lee Mulligan as the Dungeon Master (DM) unless otherwise stated. The DM or Game Master (GM) also creates house rules that alter the role-playing game system the campaign is using.

Key
SymbolMeaning
*Intrepid Heroes campaign; DM Mulligan
^Side quest campaign; DM/GM Mulligan
§Side quest campaign; GM Iyengar
ΔSide quest campaign; other GM/DM
No.EpsOriginal airingCastDescriptionRef
StartEnd
* Fantasy High
117 [lower-alpha 1] Sep 26, 2018Jan 9, 2019
Set in Elmville, an odd, anachronistic town resembling a high-fantasy John Hughes movie. "The Bad Kids" attend freshman year at high school Aguefort Adventuring Academy, which teaches students to become adventurers. [31]
[32]
[33]
^ Escape from the Bloodkeep
26Apr 30, 2019Jun 4, 2019
  • Rekha Shankar as Maggie
  • Matthew Mercer as Kraz-Thun / Leiland
  • Amy Vorpahl as Efink Murderdeath
  • Mike Trapp as Sokhbarr
  • Erika Ishii as Lilith
  • Ify Nwadiwe as Markus St. Vincent
The show's first "side quest" season, a parody of The Lord of the Rings . A cast of villains try to hide the death of their Sauron-esque leader from the rest of his evil armies. [34]
[35]
* The Unsleeping City
317Jul 9, 2019Oct 29, 2019
A campaign set in a magical version of modern-day New York City, where a group of New Yorkers protect its residents from knowing about the underlying magic in their city. [36]
[37]
[38]
* Fantasy High: Sophomore Year
420Oct 16, 2019Apr 3, 2020See Fantasy High aboveA continuation of Fantasy High. The Bad Kids leave Elmville to retrieve the Crown of The Nightmare King for 60% of their final grade. Streamed on Twitch as "Dimension 20 LIVE", then edited for Dropout. The campaign was the first to use "theater of the mind", not battle minis or sets. The two-part finale was recorded remotely due to Stay at Home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
^ Tiny Heist
56Jan 9, 2020Feb 13, 2020
In a city built into the walls and garden of a suburban house, a crew of "tiny people" (bugs, fairies, living toys, etc.) try to pull off a heist against a crime lord. Inspired by The Borrowers and Toy Story , and featuring the McElroys from The Adventure Zone . [39]
* A Crown of Candy
617Apr 8, 2020Aug 5, 2020
  • Ally Beardsley as Liam Wilhelmina
  • Brian Murphy as Sir Theobald Gumbar
  • Emily Axford as Princess Jet Rocks & Queen Saccharina Frostwhip
  • Siobhan Thompson as Princess Ruby Rocks
  • Lou Wilson as King Amethar Rocks
  • Zac Oyama as Chancellor Lapin Cadbury & Cumulous Rocks
Set in a Candy Land-inspired kingdom of Candia in a Game of Thrones -inspired setting of violence and political intrigue. Pre-recorded episodes, followed by a new live after-show with the cast (known as Adventuring Party) were released every Wednesday until the season finale. [40]
[41]
^ Pirates of Leviathan
76Sep 16, 2020Oct 21, 2020
In the same universe as Fantasy High, a group of pirates band together to prevent an evil insurance company from destroying their floating pirate city of Leviathan. This was the first campaign to be completely recorded remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. [42]
[43]
* The Unsleeping City: Chapter II
818Nov 11, 2020Mar 10, 2021
Three years after The Unsleeping City, the Dream Team reunites, with two new members, to stop internet-based media corporation Gladiator from destroying the balance between Dream and Waking Worlds. The remotely recorded campaign used virtual tabletop Roll20 instead of physical dice, sets and figurines. [44]
^ Mice & Murder
910Apr 7, 2021Jun 9, 2021
  • Katie Marovitch as Gangie Green
  • Ally Beardsley as Lars Vandenchomp
  • Sam Reich as Buckster $ Boyd
  • Raphael Chestang as Vicar Ian Prescott
  • Rekha Shankar as Daisy D'umpstaire
  • Grant O'Brien as Detective Sylvester Cross
An Edwardian murder mystery campaign inspired by Sherlock Holmes, set in a world where characters are anthropomorphic animals, in the same vein as The Wind in the Willows , attending the birthday party of a wealthy estate owner. [45]
§ Misfits and Magic
104Jun 30, 2021Jul 21, 2021
A parody of Harry Potter with American exchange students at a British magical academy. The campaign uses the Kids on Brooms system, and is the first with a guest GM, and first instudio after the COVID-19 pandemic. [46]
[47]
[48]
^ The Seven
1110Aug 18, 2021Oct 20, 2021
  • Aabria Iyengar as Antiope Jones
  • Persephone Valentine as Sam Nightingale
  • Isabella Roland as Ostentatia Wallace
  • Rekha Shankar as Katja Cleaver
  • Erika Ishii as Danielle Barkstock
  • Becca Scott as Penny Luckstone
  • Brennan Lee Mulligan as Zelda Donovan and the DM
The Seven Maidens, an adventuring party formed after the events of Fantasy High: Freshman Year, must go on a dangerous quest to prevent their party from being disbanded when their senior-year members graduate. The campaign used digital tabletop system TaleSpire for encounters and battles. [49] [49]
Δ Shriek Week
124Nov 10, 2021Dec 1, 2021
  • Ally Beardsley as Megan Mirror
  • Lily Du as Tuti IV
  • Dani Fernandez as Seven
  • Ify Nwadiwe as Terry Talbo
  • Gabe Hicks as the Game Master
Monstrous "children of horror icons" find love and investigate a mystery in their first week as seniors at prestigious monster/human learning institution Bram University. [50] Uses the Mythic system created by guest GM Gabe Hicks. [50]
* A Starstruck Odyssey
1318Jan 12, 2022May 11, 2022
A campaign in the sci-fi Starstruck universe, which was co-created by Elaine Lee (Mulligan's mother) and Michael Kaluta, following the adventures of a crew of a ragtag space ship trying to save the galaxy. It uses the Star Wars 5e role-playing system. [51]
[52]
[53]
Δ Coffin Run
146Jun 8, 2022Jul 13, 2022
  • Erika Ishii as May Wong
  • Carlos Luna as Wetzel
  • Zac Oyama as Squing
  • Isabella Roland as Dr. Aleksandr Astrovsky
  • Jasmine Bhullar as the Game Master
A comedic vampire road trip where Dracula's entourage must return a nearly dead Dracula to Transylvania – or die. The game uses a modified version of D&D 5th Edition. [54]
§ A Court of Fey and Flowers
1510Aug 3, 2022Oct 5, 2022
In a Regency era-inspired Fae Court, several of the realm's most prestigious aristocrats attend an event known as the Bloom. It utilizes 5e and Good Society game systems. [55]
* Neverafter
1620Nov 30, 2022Apr 12, 2023Marketed as "the horror season," featuring classic fairy tale characters whose stories have become twisted and violent as their land, the Neverafter, is corrupted by dark forces.
Δ The Ravening War
176May 10, 2023Jun 14, 2023
A prequel to the previous campaign A Crown Of Candy set 20 years earlier, in which a disparate group of nobles are blackmailed into furthering the aims of a mysterious religious sect as the land of Comida slides into civil war. [56]
[57]
^ Dungeons and Drag Queens
184Jun 28, 2023Jul 19, 2023
A high fantasy adventure where four adventurers, played by stars of RuPaul's Drag Race , descend into the underworld. [58]
[59]
^ Mentopolis
196Aug 9, 2023Sep 13, 2023
A homage to hard-boiled detective stories and film noir, set inside a human brain. Uses a homebrewed version of the Kids on Bikes system. [60]
§ Burrow's End
2010Oct 4, 2023Dec 6, 2023
When their home is destroyed, a family of stoats is forced to fight to survive in the threatening Blue Forest. Inspired by Watership Down , Annihilation and The Secret of NIMH , as well as Redwall and The Animals of Farthing Wood . [61]
[62]
[63]
[64]
* Fantasy High: Junior Year
2120Jan 10, 2024TBASee Fantasy High aboveA continuation of the original Fantasy High campaign. The Bad Kids struggle with their academic workload while investigating a rival adventuring party. This season features more elaborate projections made by season artist Cait May, along with a theme song by Sarah Barrios. [65]

One-shots

Dropout has released multiple one-shot adventures in addition to their full-length campaigns. Four have been extensions of the Fantasy High campaigns, including Dimension 20: Fantasy High! Live! at The Bell House (with Brian David Gilbert), [66] [67] Fantasy High LIVE at RTX Austin (with Griffin McElroy), [68] College Visit (RTX @ Home Live), [69] and Boys' Night! (Roll20Con); [70] while two have been continuations of Misfits & Magic, consisting of the Misfits & Magic Holiday Special [52] and Misfits & Magic Live at GenCon 2022 (Iyengar as GM, with players Noxweiler Berf, Michelle Nguyen Bradley, Markeia McCarty, Becca Scott). [71]

Production

Filming and set design

In the late 2010s, the format pioneered by Critical Role — with the cast performing live in a full table multi-camera composite — had come to dominate actual play. Dimension 20 does not however follow this convention, but rather alternates between several cameras which are presented full screen. The players are surrounded by a colored geodesic dome, with lighting adjusted scene by scene or images projected on its panels. Certain panels of the dome can be removed for camera access also. Multiple episodes are generally shot back to back, with editing taking place over several days for the batch. The format does add cost to the production, but the approach allows for the removal of pauses and the inclusion of post-production elements such as character art, illustrations and footage of the battle terrain. [72]

Supplementary shows

Dropout publishes additional videos that discuss elements of role-playing (Adventuring Academy) [33] or specifics about the first season (Fantasy High: Extra Credit). These are also released via YouTube.

Beginning with A Crown Of Candy, Dropout began airing a Dimension 20 Q&A and talkback show called Adventuring Party, in which the cast would discuss the most recently recorded episode. The first four seasons centered around A Crown Of Candy,Pirates of Leviathan,The Unsleeping City: Chapter II, and Mice & Murder were all filmed remotely and aired live following the release of the episode of Dimension 20 aired that week, where fans submitted questions for Mulligan and the cast to answer. Once filming resumed in The Dome, however, the format changed to that of a commentary talkback show pre-recorded immediately after the filming of the previous episode. [73]

Reception

CBR warmly received the show, describing it as "among the best of its kind". The review highlighted the arc based format, which keeps the story fast paced and allows the rotation of new players and voices in the space. [42] The show has also been praised for its positive LGBTQ representation, with multiple characters exploring their sexualities during the first two seasons of Fantasy High. [33]

Glen Weldon, for NPR in 2021, wrote: "Mulligan is such a good DM and he's got so many improv skills. He's such a close and responsive listener that no matter what the players throw at him, he can always roll with it, without breaking the game. And that is a very rare skill, so it's terrific stuff". [74] Weldon compared the show to Critical Role and highlighted that the cast is "sketch and improv comedians. While the folks at Critical Role are often very funny, they're actors. [...] At Dimension 20, if they can go for a joke, they're going to go for the joke, and that might line up closer to my sensibility". [74]

Justin Carter, in a review of A Starstruck Odyssey for Gizmodo , stated that "the consistency with which Dimension 20 shakes things up has helped give it a different kind of longevity compared to some of its fellow actual play titans, and each season [...] is able to feel like a natural part of the franchise while also its own distinct thing". [75] Carter highlighted that "several of the season’s best events are too good to spoil, but every episode has at least two moments of incredible, often hilarious roleplaying from the cast. [...] Starstruck’s blend of strange humor and character drama feels a little bit more reined in than some earlier seasons and not prone to bits that could admittedly go on a little longer than necessary". [75] Carter commented that this season has an infectious joy to it and that it takes the "fun to new, cosmic heights". [75]

Rowan Zeoli, in a review of Dungeons and Drag Queens for Polygon , commented that the season "embraces the LGBTQ+ community in no uncertain terms" and that "in a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under constant attack, Dungeons and Drag Queens is a beacon of nerdy, queer joy". [59] Zeoli highlighted that the cast "experiences the range of emotions your first D&D campaign can evoke" with the season offering "an easy and entertaining access point for queer people who have never felt safe entering D&D's complex (and occasionally infuriating) world of rules, lore, and role-play. One could watch these four episodes, along with a few episodes of Adventuring Party, and walk away with a basic grasp of the game". [59]

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Misfits and Magic is the tenth season of Dimension 20, an actual play tabletop role-playing game show. It was aired from June 30, 2021 to July 21, 2021 on Dropout with two specials released in December 2021 and August 2022. Inspired by Harry Potter, the show features Aabria Iyengar as the game master and Erika Ishii, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Danielle Radford, and Lou Wilson as Americans who are invited to a Hogwarts-like school to study magic. However, the show also deviates from and criticizes the source material for perceived bigotry, making modifications to some aspects of the material and highlighting the absurdity in other aspects. In addition, Misfits and Magic sought to rebut Harry Potter's lack of diversity in its central casting, making its own cast and characters majority-black. The season was reviewed favorably.

<i>Worlds Beyond Number</i> Actual play fantasy podcast

Worlds Beyond Number is an actual play audio drama podcast created by Erika Ishii, Aabria Iyengar, Taylor Moore, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Lou Wilson and narrated by the same group. The first season was released to the public on March 1, 2023. The podcast is produced by publisher Fortunate Horse. Paid Patreon subscribers are able to enjoy exclusive content only produced on that platform.

References

  1. Two live episodes were also recorded and are listed on Dropout as part of the first season, for a total of 19 episodes. One of these guest stars Griffin McElroy.
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