Mythic Quest is the biggest multiplayer video game of all time. But with every massive success, an equal amount of expectation will come with it. Even within a workplace dedicated to constructing mythical worlds and creating legendary fighters for war, the biggest battles take place in the office.
The game has grown exponentially over the course of its existence and is in need of something new. With the team’s fearless leader Ian (Rob McElhenney) at the helm, the team concludes that a massive expansion is due for the game – Raven’s Banquet. With a hilarious cast and a fun concept, it’s not hard to see why Mythic Quest has been so successful as it enters its fourth season.
The cast includes Rob McElhenney, Charlotte Nicdao, Jessie Ennis, Ashly Burch, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Danny Pudi, F. Murray Abraham, Naomi Ekperigin, and Caitlin McGee.
*Possible spoilers ahead* (Details of the first three seasons are revealed along with the first two episodes of Season 4)
Mythic Quest is a workplace comedy like no other, mainly because it offers something beyond humor. Unafraid to dive deeply into a character’s background or origin story, you learn everything about the characters you’re watching. Whether it’s a quick flashback or an entire episode, the show bares its heart when you least expect it, and it’s welcomed.
In the first season, the team goes through the motions of building an expansion, creating new weapons, finding new ways to generate revenue, and even learning how to deal with a hacker. All of that extraneous noise was on top of jealousy, office dissonance, a smidgen of bullying, and a budding workplace romance. The season ends with the gang working remotely because of the pandemic. With David (David Hornsby) constantly having to be the office peacekeeper, quarantine only added a higher degree of difficulty to his attempts to hold team meetings remotely.
Season 2 kicks off after quarantine. Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) is the newly promoted co-creative director, but after deciding the game needs another expansion, she and Ian struggle with the game’s direction. We get a cool backstory on C.W. and how he became an author. What started as a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed trio ended in bitterness and jealousy. The office has zero interest in testers Rachel (Ashly Burch) and Dana (Imani Hakim) dating in the workplace, and that’s mainly… because they’re testers. Carol (Naomi Ekperigin) is still navigating the office as the sole body for Human Resources. Brad’s (Danny Pudi) hyperfocus on revenue takes a backseat to his brother’s surprise visit. His erratic behavior is received unfavorably by Jo (Jessie Ennis), whose addiction to power was made clear from the start of the series. As she shifts her focus to a higher authority, Brad is looking at prison time, the testers are going to college, and Ian and Poppy are starting to feel unfulfilled.
Season 3 brought even more laughs than the first two and had its fill of heartfelt moments. Always willing to take a leap of faith, Ian convinces Poppy to leave MQ and start their own company. With Poppy the coder and Ian the visionary, the two spend the entire season learning each other’s strengths and weaknesses. “Montréal” is corporate, and they give the green light for David to make a Mythic Quest film. With Ian and Poppy gone, he now exists unchallenged in the office, making work more efficient and more enjoyable. Season two had a special musical guest in Snoop Dogg. This season will feature a special actor. Without Ian and Poppy around to distract, the office runs smoother than ever, earning Carol a long-awaited raise and promotion. Jo, Rachel, and Poppy hang out for the first time at a gal-pal brunch; Jo returns the favor by taking the girls to drive a tank. Even though Poppy and Ian are gone, their new office is in the same building as MQ, so they never truly left. After several appearances at random, David (with Jo’s influence, of course) sets boundaries with Ian and starts to be feared around the office. Rachel gets a promotion with MQ, and Dana gets hired by GrimPop (Ian’s last name is “Grimm” and “Pop” is short for Poppy). Brad slithers his way out of prison and thirsts for a new challenge. With lines seemingly drawn in every direction, it’s led to an epic beginning of the latest season of Mythic Quest.
A new season means it’s time for yet another MQ Expansion. The gang is back together again but in different spaces. Brad and Jo have united with Dana as she holds her own as a creative. Her idea of a Playpen x Mythic Quest crossover is a hit and adds a boatload of new users. But problems arise when she feels like her work is undercompensated. Ian and Poppy establish boundaries but they are quickly pushed after she lies to Ian about having a boyfriend. Their relationship dynamic has gradually changed over the past three seasons so seeing tension arise between the two of them isn’t a surprise. Ian is always quick to say he’s in love with her mind and overcompensates when explaining how unattractive she is. The sexual tension has been building since Poppy started dreaming of sleeping with him in Season 2. But when Ian discovers she’s been working with somebody else on a project outside of work, he tries his best to appear unbothered. But it’s very clear that something exists between them aside from the every day animosity.
One of the things that sets Season 4 apart from the others is its focus on women. The ladies of MQ fully step into their own and show their growth with new positions and take bold steps toward their goals. Whether it’s Jo desiring power over all else or Poppy commanding respect with actions instead of words, the series puts women-led excellence on display this go round and it’s welcome. Even Carol gets more facetime this season. Watching her character grow from the first half of the series to now has been not only entertaining, but fulfilling. As one of the few workplace comedies left, Mythic Quest has found a way to keep its relevance without sacrificing its character.
Mythic Quest gets a 9 out of 10. Season 4 is much bolder than the last three and it will be interesting to see how that bides with fans. There’s a lot more sexual humor than in past seasons and a few episodes may have reached ‘too far’, but neither are extreme enough to tarnish the series’ character. Apple TV+ is home to a plethora of great series and if you’ve been tracking them, go ahead and add this to your watchlist. It’s hard to watch this and not have a favorite character (*cough cough* Jo).
Season 4 of Mythic Quest premieres on Jan. 29 with new episodes available every Wednesday.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Apple TV+
Genre: Comedy
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 26 mins, Nine Episodes
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: January 29, 2025