Mythic Quest is one of the smartest, funniest, and most unexpected comedies going

Outside of the legitimate phenomenon that was Ted Lasso, Apple TV+ has struggled a bit to develop its comedic personality, missing the mark for big audiences with shows like Platonic, Palm Royale, and the canceled-too-soon Schmigadoon! (That said, Shrinking quietly became one of the best comedies on any platform in its second season.) While a lot of Apple comedies have come and gone, one of the streamer’s first original programs has maintained a consistently high level of quality and increasingly loyal fan base over the last five years. Mythic Quest returns for a relatively unheralded fourth season, but it almost feels like being outside of the glaring spotlight of awards or massive streaming success has been to the benefit of this show, one that’s been able to carve out and maintain its own identity without pandering to a wider audience. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Mythic Quest has been how it has stayed fresh, digging deeper into the fragile emotional states of its characters, their blinding need for acceptance, and the egos that provide fertile comedic ground every season. This one is no exception.  

Mythic Quest has been one of the better shows when it comes to interrogating the intersection between fame and fulfillment. Most of its characters are undeniably successful, but they struggle to find happiness within that success. Take Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney), who’s struggling at the open of the fourth season to accept that his creative equal Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) is carving her own path, including a burgeoning relationship with a handsome artist named Storm. An early episode sees Ian and Poppy developing A.I. versions of each other to replace the fact that they’re not working on a project together, and much of the season spins around Ian not being able to figure out not only how to win Poppy back but if he really wants to in the first place.

The pitfalls of success are woven through the entire season. Dana (the great Imani Hakim) has a massive hit in the perfectly-named Cozy Galaxy. The writers of this show are clearly attuned to the actual developments in an industry that’s trying to find another Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley, but she’s not seeing anywhere near the financial compensation that she should for a Game Of The Year nominee. Brad (Danny Pudi, displaying arguably his best comic timing since Community this season) wants to do something about that, pitting him against David (David Hornsby) to make sure Dana gets what she deserves (and that gets a cut, of course). Rachel (Ashly Burch) remains a loyal partner to Dana in one of the most genuinely written LGBTQ+ relationships on a comedy of this era. You’d have to be a monster to not root for Rachel and Dana to be happy together. Meanwhile, Jesse Ennis returns as the aggressive Jo, who always gets a few laughs every season but remains the most shallowly written character on the show, and Naomi Ekperigin continues to be funny as the head of human resources. 

Mythic Quest shines by threading a needle between unpredictability and relatable humanity. It’s easy to send characters off in different directions in service of sitcom plotting, but the writers of this show—led by creators McElhenney, Charlie Day, and the brilliant Megan Ganz—never let the machinations of the situation overwhelm the work they’ve done with these characters over four seasons. And they have become almost playful with the tropes that they avoid, putting together episodes that hinge on sitcomish setups but work off character instead of plotting. For example, there’s a phenomenal episode that features the ensemble playing a variation on “Mafia” or “Werewolves” at a mansion that uses the game to unpack the insecurities of characters like Ian and David instead of just giving them goofy things to do. It’s clear that the writers of Mythic Quest value character over concept, and that’s what has allowed it to sustain.

It helps to have a team that’s willing to take creative risks. Fans of the show know to expect a “spin-off” episode every season. The first season’s “A Dark Quiet Death,” starring Jake Johnson and Cristin Milioti, was stunning, and the second season gave us a gem that co-starred William Hurt. This year’s “expansion pack” episode isn’t quite as daring, but it’s smart, funny, and unexpected—three adjectives this show maintains for most of this entire new season.

If there’s a flaw this time around, it’s that some of the dynamics are showing signs of wear and tear. It feels like the writers haven’t known what to do with Jessie Ennis’s Jo for a couple of seasons now (although the actor’s timing remains excellent), mostly keeping her around to hit the occasional punchline. It’s also frustrating at times to see Ian overly defined by his complex dynamic with Poppy, but it’s telling of how much McElhenney trusts his ensemble that he takes a back seat as often as he does. 

Mythic Quest premiered just before COVID took over the world in early 2020, and it’s quietly developed into one of the more consistently entertaining shows about so many of the issues of the 2020s, including the work-life balance destroyed by so much of our livings coming home with us and the increasing international addictions on all kinds of technology, from online gaming to microtransactions to A.I. Every time a new season comes around, there’s a concern that a show about video-game developers has to have a pretty short shelf life. But like those mobile games that people never stop downloading, this comedy just keeps on clicking. 

Mythic Quest season four premieres January 29 on Apple TV+