Critical Role The Legend of Vox Machina: Bawdy, Bloody, and Funny

With The Legend of Vox Machina, Critical Role comes full circle from being voice actors playing D&D (first in a private game, then streaming on Geek & Sundry) to an $11 million Kickstarter for an animated special. That success attracted streaming network interest, which then morphed into a 24-episode animated series where they're voicing their own characters.

With The Legend of Vox Machina, Critical Role comes full circle from being voice actors playing D&D (first in a private game, then streaming on Geek & Sundry) to an $11 million Kickstarter for an animated special. That success attracted streaming network interest, which then morphed into a 24-episode animated series where they're voicing their own characters.

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If you've never watched Critical Role Season 1 or read any of the stories, TLoVM the animated series is easy to jump into. Instead of being exposition heavy or thrusting viewers into a lot of world building, it starts with some classic fantasy – especially fantasy RPG – tropes like a drunken bar brawl and mercenaries being killed (a TPK) by a mysterious force. Those scenes are delivered with hefty dose of humor, a bit of blood, and some nudity.

This isn't the '80s Saturday morning Dungeons & Dragons cartoon for kids. While there is gore, it's less than an episode of Invincible and far less than that show's season 1 finale. Similarly, TLoVM has nudity and a bit of sex in the first few episodes, but far less than Game of Thrones.

Vox Machina is an established group at the start of the series, but one that needs money and has a less than stellar reputation. The land of Emon is being ravaged by a mysterious threat. A bit of desperation on both sides leads to the bickering heroes taking the job.

TLoVM is bawdy, bloody, and funny, but it also has heart. The first two episodes tell a complete story with an obvious hook at the end that leads into the rest of the episodes – and a stinger hinting at new threats.

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The animation style has clean lines with some anime influence, but nothing excessively intricate or artsy. At the same, the art direction has style, like a scene that adds interest to the characters walking by showing it through a spider's web dotted with raindrops.

The first episode establishes the eight members of Vox Machina quickly with the following episodes building nicely upon each character's traits. Matthew Mercer voices several of the supporting characters, but in this format he doesn't have to cover all of the NPCs. The guest star talent includes David Tennant, Stephanie Beatriz, Tony Hale. Felica Day is the voice of a bandit.

And if they don't sell a stuffed toy bear version of Trinket at some point, Critical Role is missing out on a merchandise opportunity. TLoVM hits the perfect sweet spot between making Vex's companion bear fierce in battle, amusing when waiting, and adorable the rest of the time.

No critic has been given advance access to the entire first season, let alone all 24 episodes, so it's impossible to say how well the entire story arc plays out, but the first few episodes are entertaining and well made.

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You don't have to be a fan of Critical Role to enjoy The Legend of Vox Machina, but if you're a fan of fantasy adventure, TLoVM might turn you into Critter. The Legend of Vox Machina debuts on Amazon Prime on Friday, January 28, with the first three episodes. Critical Role will be holding watch parties on their Twitch channel at 7pm Tuesdays.
 

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Beth Rimmels

Beth Rimmels

Vaalingrade

Legend
There's also nothing in the tv show that says she's "in love" with him at this point. That's a leap of assumption from her recognizing that Vax loves her and it being meaningful as the first time someone has demonstrated those feelings to her.
Pop culture has told us that it goes:

Strangers -> Great Friends -> Unbreakable I-Would-Die-For-You Friends -> Deep, Eternal Love

There are no transitions, outliers or anything in between.

Because writing those other ones is hard and fandoms can't latch on to them even if you do them.
 

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Zaukrie

New Publisher
There's also nothing in the tv show that says she's "in love" with him at this point. That's a leap of assumption from her recognizing that Vax loves her and it being meaningful as the first time someone has demonstrated those feelings to her.
I guess we all imagined the two of them swooning over each other? I 100% think we'll disagree on this.
 

Zaukrie

New Publisher
Look, it was one off hand comment about the show.....people sure have strong feelings about it! It is the trope that I don't like, that as someone said above, heroes can't be in love, can't have happiness, that they have to sacrifice all that for the greater good!

Overall, the show was between find and good. As my wife said, the writing was not the strongest of the shows we've streamed, but we were entertained enough to watch another season.
 







This idea that you can't be a hero and be in love is part of the problems in the world. We just can't ever be fully happy, we MUST sacrifice our happiness. I call BS on this idea, that our "leaders" and societies have put on us.
Some things are more important than sex.

Correction: Most things are more important than sex. Get over it, there are people who need saving.
 

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