When Critical Role announced it would expand its animated universe beyond The Legend of Vox Machina, I was excited. I loved Vox Machina. The way it brought its characters to life. Paired with strong animation, made me eager to see what another series from Critical Role would look like. After watching the first season of The Mighty Nein, with the first episode now streaming on Prime Video, the answer is clear: this darker, more violent and more complex tale not only matches its predecessor but charts a new course for what animated fantasy can achieve. Even though the series is only getting started, I cannot wait to see where it goes next.
The Mighty Nein shifts the focus from heroic adventurers to something more unusual. This eight-episode season introduces viewers to fugitives and outcasts who never wanted to save anyone, least of all themselves, and serves as an introduction to the world and its characters. Each character carries secrets and scars that make their eventual alliance feel earned rather than convenient. It all works, giving the series a strained but layered group that we want to learn more about. When a powerful arcane relic called the Beacon is stolen and falls into dangerous hands, these broken individuals must learn to work together before reality unravels. While it takes some time to get moving, it becomes a rewarding adventure.
The shift in tone is clear within minutes of the first episode. These are not the adventurers we grew to love in Vox Machina. These are people who do not know each other but end up working together and slowly learning to trust one another, one dangerous encounter at a time. Each episode gives the audience more insight into who these people are, what they are struggling with and how they fit into the larger story. Every new revelation fills in more of the world and shows how these unlikely heroes will eventually face forces far stronger than they can imagine.
“The Mighty Nein has room to breathe in ways Vox Machina’s 22-minute format did not always allow.”
But it is this friction and the struggle among the characters that carry much of The Mighty Nein‘s emotional weight and make the series feel fresh. The Mighty Nein operates in moral ambiguity, making difficult choices that blur the line between right and wrong. These characters do not avoid violence when they feel it is necessary, and their motivations stay personal rather than altruistic. The result is a story that feels grounded, even when magic and monsters fill the screen. Despite being some of the more troubling heroes we have seen in a series like this, they are also the most human.
Titmouse, the animation studio behind both Critical Role series, delivers striking visuals that bring the world of Exandria to life. The character designs in The Mighty Nein balance detail with practicality, allowing for smooth animation without losing personality. From busy cities to dangerous wilderness, each location feels lived-in and intentional. The series is always a visual treat, filled with violence, brutality and energy, which makes each new encounter or setting feel exciting and highlights the artists working behind the scenes to build this magical world.
The longer episode runtime is essential to the storytelling. At about 44 minutes per episode, The Mighty Nein has room to breathe in ways Vox Machina’s 22-minute format did not always allow. This added space lets the series explore character histories in more depth and show events happening elsewhere in the world. The pacing never drags, and viewers get time to understand why these broken people might eventually trust one another. The Mighty Nein is more of a slow burn than Vox Machina. It takes a few episodes to settle into the main quest, but that slower start helps establish the world, the characters and the stakes.
“But it is this friction and the struggle among the characters that carry much of The Mighty Nein‘s emotional weight and make the series feel fresh.”
As this is a Critical Role series, much of the original cast returns to lend their voices, including Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Liam O’Brien, Matthew Mercer, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel and Travis Willingham, which brings a real sense of authenticity to the performances. These actors created these characters over hundreds of hours of live gameplay, and that history shows in every line. They understand the nuances of personalities shaped through improvisation and collaborative storytelling. This cast knows these characters better than anyone, and that connection to the world comes through in performances filled with emotion, depth and complexity.
The Mighty Nein succeeds because it takes risks. Critical Role Productions and Amazon MGM Studios could have played it safe with another group of noble heroes fighting clear villains. Instead, they built a story about complicated people making messy choices in a world that resists simple answers. The result is a fantasy series that trusts its audience to accept complexity and moral ambiguity. It is a story that makes you want to learn more about each person’s past and understand what drives them.
It is this push to raise the bar and take risks that makes the series work so well. The Mighty Nein establishes its own identity while respecting what made The Legend of Vox Machina connect with viewers. It tests boundaries without losing the heart that makes Critical Role special. For viewers ready for a darker and more mature fantasy story, this season offers one of the year’s strongest animated experiences. I am not sure where the story is heading or how it will grow, but I can safely say The Mighty Nein is a series any fan of complex, dark fantasy should watch, and we can discover where it goes next together.
