TV show · 2015 · Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama · English
Curator score: 7.0/10 (15K ratings)
Is it Thursday yet?
Overview
Critical Role is a weekly actual play series that uses tabletop role-playing game mechanics as a means to explore and develop stories from the vast fantasy worlds of Exandria, Aramán, and beyond, with sweeping narratives intricately woven through collaboration between Game Masters and players.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.0/10
IMDb: 9.0/10
TMDB: 7.9/10
Production
Critical Role Productions
Cast
Brennan Lee Mulligan, Laura Bailey, Luis Carazo, Robbie Daymond, Aabria Iyengar, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Matthew Mercer, Whitney Moore, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel, Alexander Ward, Travis Willingham
Curator Review
Verdict
A landmark actual-play fantasy series that turns tabletop sessions into long-form, character-driven adventure. It’s especially rewarding if you enjoy sprawling worldbuilding, ensemble chemistry, and the feeling of watching a campaign become a living epic.
Best for
Fantasy fans who like deep lore and collaborative storytelling
Viewers comfortable with long runtimes and slow-burn arcs
People who enjoy improv, table banter, and character roleplay
Fans of ensemble adventure series with emotional payoffs
Skip if
You want tightly edited, episodic TV with a brisk pace
You dislike game mechanics, dice-driven storytelling, or table chatter
You prefer short seasons with clear standalone arcs
You need a polished scripted drama rather than a live-play experience
Overview
Critical Role is less a conventional TV series than a landmark of modern fantasy fandom: a weekly, player-driven epic where character work, improvisation, and worldbuilding carry the same weight as plot. The appeal is the accumulation of detail — friendships, betrayals, romances, and quests that can run for dozens of hours and still feel earned.
Worth noting
Its strongest quality is the ensemble. The cast’s chemistry makes even quiet scenes compelling, and the show often delivers the emotional texture of prestige fantasy while keeping the looseness and humor of a game at the table. If you’re invested, the payoff can be enormous; if you aren’t, the pace and length can feel daunting.
Bottom line
Best approached as a commitment rather than casual viewing. It’s ideal for fantasy devotees, RPG fans, and anyone curious about the storytelling potential of actual play. For newcomers, the earliest campaigns and the most self-contained later entries are the best entry points, while the middle stretches reward patience and familiarity.
2008 · Curator 6.9/10 (94.5K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Tubi TV
A lighter, character-centric fantasy series with adventure-of-the-week rhythms and strong friendship dynamics.