I am on the latest episode of season seven and unfortunately, I am going to have to unsubscribe from the Critshow for a little while. Ever since you guys rush season six. I feel like you’re almost desperately trying to like this new model or something. I honestly don’t know but I found myself listen to you guys as background. I honestly forgot you were even playing a game. You lot were just noise and that was about it. Which I am very disappointed (mostly with myself). I can’t enjoy this show anymore. Hopefully after a month or a year I might remember and return. Hopefully whatever is wrong with me or the show will be fixed by then.

I just listened to all episodes and I absolutely love this show. The world is fantastic, the players are amazing and I just want to be best friends with them all!

This show has really improved my life over the past 4 years. It starts with a goofy and simple premise, and the cast & GM have managed to maintain a balance of captivating worldbuilding, laughter, earnestness, and drama throughout 5 seasons. The bonus content is even better!

I have recently found this podcast and I am on season 1 episode 51. The guys just got rescued, and I couldn’t be more invested in these characters, and their development, and the relationship with each other; the plot, and how you guys interact with each other in game, and OOC. I love the show, and I hope I have many more seasons to listen to. This has been the most I have laughed out loud in such a long time! You give me something to look forward to as I am working all day! Thank you! 💙

I’m only in Season 1 ep. 41, but it’s insanely suspenseful and the character development is amazing and the GM’s accents and voices are excellent and descriptions make it feel like you’re watching a movie

I am only on S1 E13 so I don’t know if this is irrelevant now. My favorite Crit roll (not really) was when me and my party mate were the last two survivors in the party he was an Arachocra so I asked him to fly over and out of the Wendigo Infested village and his wings broke when we were about to escape so I threw him down and like Mario and Yoshi used him to get over the perimeter wall and escape death killing him making me the only survivor of the campaign. It was hilarious :)

I’m couple seasons behind, still. But I’m catching up quickly. These guys are phenomenal, the story always has me on the edge of my seat. It’s like a audio book that’s alive. Won’t be much longer, and I’ll be up to date. I can’t wait.

I was first introduced to Monster of the Week by The Adventure Zone: Amnesty. And completely fell in love with the system. A player at my table told me to check out this podcast and I can honestly say it is THE BEST MOTW podcast there is. The perfect balance of humor and game mechanics, they really understand the system and it shows.

I started listening to the Critshow because I was interested in running MotW and had heard it could help me get a sense for the game. Not only did the folks at the Critshow expertly demonstrate the game and enrich my own nascent MotW campaign, they also so thoroughly entertained and pulled me in that I dropped my other actual plays (including a much more well-known D&D AP—yes, that one) in order to listen to their whole backlog. I’m now finally caught up, and instead of returning to others, I’m finding myself turning to Perilous Tides and all the other Critshow content that I haven’t listened to yet. I also must say that as an actor/director/improver myself, I have absolutely learned some great RP strategies from them and have enjoyed watching them use the system and their improv expertise to craft a fantastic, fascinating story. So, I’d say you should absolutely listen if you want to get to know MotW and other PbtA systems or if you just want a very enjoyable AP, but do so at your own peril. You might find yourself so delighted that you lose interest in other podcasts!

Found it. Mainlined the first 2 years(ish) of episodes. Eagerly wait the next episode.

Found this by accident and started listening to season one. Was hooked at episode one. I was not familiar with Monster of the Week or Powered by the Apocalypse. This was a great introduction. The chemistry of this group is awesome and makes for a great show.

I didn’t love this show was when I fell asleep listening to the show and I thought I was in the show and was very mad at Rev for skipping my turn at the table 😂. Love every one of these and wish I had been able to be in the Hawaii vampire episodes with Aurie.

Not worth the hype

I found the Critshow through their episode swap with Spout Lore and fell in love. I adore the Monster of the Week universe and mechanics, and listening to them play it makes me want to play more. With the stress of life right now, it’s beautiful to escape to new worlds with these awesome heroes. Thank you guys for bringing much joy to my life. PS I’m caught up finally and dying for the next episode!!!!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I’ve listened to quite a few actual play ttrpg podcasts (including what I had previously considered the best, The Adventure Zone). I’ve never listened to anything as hilarious, inventive, genuinely moving, and entertaining as this show. Bravo Critshow!

You know how some live play podcasts drag? It’s because they haven’t mastered “because-then” storytelling. GM Rev’s ability to add consequence to player action in a manner that doesn’t just lend agency but moves the story forward organically and dramatically is unparalleled. The premise, that they are playing fictional versions of themselves (people who we the audience likely don’t know) should be death to this kind of drama but due to next-level storytelling and the players’ commitment to dramatic choices, it thrives on that premise. Every cliffhanger in every episode is perfect: both inevitable and unexpected. Please start from episode one.

I love this podcast so much!! I’ve basically been listening to it non-stop for about a week and a half, and I love very minute if it. Because I listened to the show, I got around to joining my friends MotW game, and it’s so fun! Seriously, this show is definitely worth a listen. Enjoy!!

Found this show late and I am about halfway through season 2. It’s excellent in many ways, the cast is funny and works well together. Rev is an excellent gm who gives the players hard decisions to make. The production is excellent, very well edited and the music is all low key bops. I would definitely recommend this podcast for anyone interested in ttrpgs or any sort of improvisational story telling.

I am only up to season two, but so far every episode of this show is so captivating! I listen whenever I can. It is intense and action packed. If I get distracted by life, I always rewind to get all the details. And, oddly enough, the show also helps if I am trying to sleep. I set a timer for 12-15 minutes, and before time is up, I am rolling dice in my dreams. All the imagery overwhelms my brain and drowns out the day. But then I have to rewind in the morning. I love the way the team all focuses on contributing to the story rather than simply calculating how to win. They care about the NPCs! The fun and humor really comes across. And production values: first rate. Just the sound of the show without the content is a pleasure to hear. Hope some day to make it to a convention and see a live one!

Well played and entertaining!

Inventive ways to play MOTW. Has given me a lot of great ideas to put into my games as a keeper. Good and dynamic storytelling

Rev’s storytelling is phenomenal and TJ, Tass, and Jake play characters that are hilarious and thrilling to listen to. And they’re all so good at voice acting! I found this podcast through recommendations on the motw subreddit about a week ago and I’ve been basically binging this podcast nonstop since then (about to finish season 1!). With super-tight pacing and a story that doesn’t let up for a second, I just cannot put it down, it’s amazing! Not only that, but as an aspiring newbie Keeper myself, it’s also great as a learning tool about how to run motw, and especially how to handle failed rolls considering the terrible, terrible luck these guys are cursed with. Thanks for a podcast that consistently has me jumping to my feet, laughing out loud, actually shouting “NO!,” and making all manner of facial expressions while furiously pacing the floor. My family thinks I’m going insane.

I want to start of saying that my friend in Germany recommended this podcast to me; they were listening to The Eye of Horus chapter at the time and talking about it on Twitter. I had to learn what all the excitement was about. I can't thank them enough for recommending this podcast to me. My first D&D podcast experience was the The Adventure Zone, I really do love the content Griffin, Travis, Justin and Clint make and their podcast holds a special place in my heart. That being said, The Critshow has done a phenomenal job at matching their pace, character growth, story, emotional moments, and everything. It's not even fair to compare them because The Critshow is so unique and exciting on it's own level. Jake, Rev, Tass and Teej have done an amazing job through story telling and voice acting and I've caught myself so enraptured with the story from time to time I can't fall asleep. Going in and out of different games was an amazing addition to the story and really got me more interested while giving me a new game to explore with friends. The big moment for me that caused me to want to write this review was the end of season two; I was in the shower at the time and honestly I couldn't distinguish between the water from the shower head and my tears it was that good. Rev voices all the characters and more, imbuing each of them with their own voice, style, and, ultimately, soul. It speaks to Rev’s talent as an improvisational storyteller/voice actor that every character feels unique and lived-in. If Jake, Tass, and Teej wanted to interact with a character beyond a cursory level, Rev was happy to play along. Though the interaction might not have added to the story, it has added so much to the world. Jake's head strong and loveable personality meshes perfectly with the other two. Jake's constant character development, especially after I just finished season two is exciting to say the least. I can't wait to see where his character goes from here but I'm excited. Tass' problem solving and caring nature leads to a great character willing to put himself before others and he plays the role incredibly well. I also want to say I love when Tass says his exaggerated "okays" when being asked to roll, I find myself doing the same things when rolling my own dice now. Teej has played such a good motivating character, having a wonderfully hilarious person do the things he's done and solve every problem with science was always a high point for me. Just the, "I know I can do it, I'm doing it" attitude made for good game play and story telling. I'm sad to see that I'll be caught up in twenty episodes but I'll have all the extra time to check out the bonus content involving the rest of the cast. All in all, The Critshow is a phenomenal actual play podcast and I encourage others to listen just as I have. If you've come to their Facebook page trying to decide if you should or shouldn't, take a leap of faith and dive in. I assure you, you won't be disappointed by the world you discover.

I’ve been looking for a great MotW actual play, and this has been amazing! I’m catching up on the archive of episodes. It’s better even than the McElroys’ MotW storyline, in my opinion

I've spent 100s of hrs listening to rpg podcasts, and Critshow is one of my all time favorites! Listening thru it for a second time right now. 😊😅

Great job!

A good podcast with a good crew for a good time! Easy to listen to and funny as heck.

I eagerly await every new episode. The crew is engaging and funny, and kind. The story has twists and turns, and is an absolute delight.

I accidentally hucked my soda across my driveway once because of a reveal/scare. I don’t remember which scene it was, but I mourn my tasty beverage every day. Rest In Peace, my fizzy friend. Worth it, though.

Few groups have the audio setup, editing, and speaking chops to make a compelling Actual Play podcast. These guys do it. These are friends playing together. The audio is clean of noise. They cut out the dead air. But they know how to improv in enjoyable ways. They make they system work to their advantage, capturing the joy of Monster of the Week and the delight of the genre. The story feels natural and smooth because their Keeper doesn't try to force plot points. Always they are playing to find out what happens. This is one of those brilliant cases where players and GMs both can learn by proxy. This isn't a set of professional VO friends with gigantic budgets - it's tangible roleplaying like you want to find at tables everywhere. They are theatre folk, though, so it's still an idealized table. But it's a table I feel like I could emulate.

I absolutely love this podcast. The storytelling is great, the crew’s chemistry is genuine, and the end of each episode leaves me wanting more. If you’re looking for an RPG podcast, look no further.

One of the best actual-play podcasts I’ve ever heard. Funny, exciting, interesting, and has a great theme song. Not to mention an excellent intro to Monster of the Week.

I think the CritShow has ruined me for other actual play podcasts. Other ones just don't seem as good, and I've finally figured out why. Many actual play podcasts feel like a group of friends got together and just decided to start recording their game with no real modifications. The CritShow, it's very clear they're aware that they have an audience, and that they've made adjustments to make listening to their games more engaging. 1) It's clear in many other podcasts that occasionally the players/GM are making faces or gestures or indicating something on a map. Obviously, since it's a podcast, we the audience can't see any of these things, so we're missing out on these things. In the CritShow, they're careful to describe any gestures or faces they want their characters to make, so as not to exclude us from the experience. They also let you know what the die results are, so it's clear if they succeeded or failed instead of relying on, say, shaking their head or just letting someone see their dice. 2) In many other podcasts, people might try to talk over each other resulting in a chaotic mess of noise that's hard to follow. That's how normal tabletop games go. In the CritShow they do a very good job of making sure only one person is talking at a time. 3) Most tabletop games have a lot of random, unrelated chit-chat: inside jokes, random tangents, silly comments. Much of this tends to be funny to the people sitting at the table, but no one else. While I'm sure this table talk still occurs, thanks to, I assume, careful editing, the audio stays on point and we don't wind up with long, uninteresting side tangents. 4) Another thing that I really enjoy is that they're careful to make sure the audience knows mechanically what's going on even if they're not familiar with the system. A lot of other podcasts skip over that because presumably the players already know how to play. In the CritShow there's a short system overview, and when, for example, a player is picking some choices from a list of options, they'll read out what list they're picking from the first time the move comes up. That way you don't feel like you're completely in the dark about the mechanics if you're not familiar with the system. 5) This one I can't really fault other podcasts for, but the players/GMs all do great jobs with their character voices. It's hard to make sure each character has their own voice, but they do it very well. On top of these, the games are very story-focused, which makes for great listening, the Game Masters do great jobs running games, and the story is engaging and really draws you in and makes you want to find out what happens next. I would definitely recommend checking this podcast out for some great entertainment.

Fantastic stories

This is such an amazing podcast! I laugh so much and am so invested in this story. Thank you all!

listen. i’m 1/3 of the way through season one. tass is a professional and can kill ppl himself. jake? jake is in the “kill for teej” party babey. but teej? mans got -2 tough and maybe i have -3 tough, and am a whole foot shorter but i have a sword and am ready to FIGHT

I've recently gotten into Monster of the Week, and learned about CritShow from the MotW subreddit. I began listening to gain a better understanding of the game's mechanics, but I kept listening out of the pure joy of hearing these guys play. I'm about 30 episodes in, and Rev and the crew have crafted what has become a geniunely emotionally endearing narrative. Even more than that, it is an invaluable tool in learning about Monster of the Week, especially if you don't come from a table top RPG background. I can't wait to see where these characters and this story goes.

Hey this is a good show For days when you’re feeling low It brings good laughs in tow Fun times? Thar she blow! Will you skip past? Heck no!

After the first episode I couldn’t help but binge the entire first season!!! Working on season two now! Love the character banter and how relatable the struggles and choices are for both the player and their character. Very likable cast and DM! Absolutely worth giving a listen to!

These boys have great chemistry, character work, storytelling, production, and humor. It’s a pretty chill vibe since they just play themselves and are old friends, but they are excellent role players and Rev is a professional level game master. Monster of the Week is a super fun game to listen to also.

I have never played a PBtA game before, but I sure do want to try some after listening to Critshow. The fact that the cast plays versions of themselves means that you really feel like you’re getting to know them (or at least an idealized version of them) as they play. There are a lot of hilarious moments, but my favourite part of the show is that the players make it very plain to see how much they care about each other. Highly recommended listen!

Hands down

I originally started listening to tabletop play podcasts after stumbling onto The Adventure Zone. As TAZ wrapped up their Amnesty season, I wanted something kind of similar and happened upon The Critshow and I have loved it ever since! I work an office job and work anywhere between eight to twelve hours a day and this show has entertained me thoroughly during that time. I find myself laughing with the players, I’ve cried... the guys have done a great job with the story and it’s hard not to love all of the characters. The world that these guys have created together is just awesome. I love the monsters that the boys have gone up against and love the twists and turns — it’s definitely worth the listen! Great job guys and keep up the great work!

I was looking for another actual play podcast (after binging the Ballance arc of The Adventure Zone) and this show was recommended to me. It has been the best recommendation I have ever gotten! I started it hesitantly, and it is amazing! I binged all the episodes that I had available (around 30) in a few weeks and have been an avid follower since! I get excited every Wednesday for the new episodes and frequent additional mini-arcs in other games.

Half way through the first season and its a good show, love hostile takeover Greg

I’m so glad I picked them up and listened to them. Perfect podcast that got me even more into MotW

I was recommended the podcast by my mom’s friends who were telling me the Critshow was good and they were right! I’m glad I took their advice and listened to the podcast!!

Yo! These folks are some great nerds from the Midwest doing real good actual play podcast work!

I had been looking for a new actual play podcast, and this show has gone above and beyond filling that need. Love the story and characters and production, hopefully I get to a live show sometime!

An awesome show! We met the cast at GenCon this year, started listening on the ride back and haven’t stopped. Great storytelling that is both comedic and poignant in equal measure. (Shout out to Jake for running a great game at GenCon too!)