Apple orders Mythic Quest spin-off series

What’s a satire of the modern video game industry without a little downloadable content? According to Variety, Apple TV+’s hit Mythic Quest is getting a spin-off series from writers Ashly Burch, John Howell Harris, and Katie McElhenney (all of whom also work on the regular show, with Burch also playing Rachel). Titled Mere Mortals, it sounds like an anthology show set in the world of Mythic Quest that will “explore the lives of employees, players, and fans who are impacted by the game” at the center of the main series.

Mere Mortals will reportedly “follow the model” of Mythic Quest episodes “A Dark Quiet Death,” “Backstory!,” and “Everlight,” which fans of the show will recognize as the notably different ones that (some more than others) step away from the main plots and characters of the regular Mythic Quest episodes. Some of them are also… you know, emotionally devastating and powerful explorations of people, beyond just people who make and like video games.

That makes them the perfect framework for this kind of spin-off show, and if we’re going to maintain that metaphor from the opening sentence, the perfect framework for DLC. The main game covers the central plot and the main characters, but Blood And Wine (for example) lets the hero spend some time hunting vampires on a booze-soaked adventure that doesn’t really matter to the main plot but still fills out his world and lets you spend some more time with Geralt Of Rivia—though it’s unclear if Mere Mortals will follow The Witcher 3’s lead and have any regular Mythic Quest characters show up to say hello to these employees, players, and fans.

The new series will consist of eight episodes, but there’s no word on when it might premiere (or if it might get a second season, which would probably depend on how this one goes anyway).