Ha! Bet you goobers didn’t see that one coming! What other tasty twists and turns await you in… The Adventure Zone!
Where can you find dog-free moon bases, a lodge that houses both Bigfoot and Mothman, a school of villains, an underwater metropolis, and an amusement park full of hyjinx? Why, The Adventure Zone, of course! This tabletop roleplaying podcast began in 2014 when brothers Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy gathered with their father, Clint, to record a filler episode for their comedy podcast My Brother, My Brother, and Me. This Dungeons and Dragons episode, however, became wildly popular, and they continued their campaign. Now, almost a decade later, they are onto their fifth long-form season, with each having their own distinct story and gameplay.
I have listened to many seasons of the show multiple times. This podcast was my first, and it got me through surgery recovery, heartbreak, and bouts of anxiety. How could some piece of audio made by random guys from West Virginia affect me so much?
Within this podcast, almost all of the hosts are new to the various table top role play games that they use, so listeners who don’t know these systems can learn with them. Their dynamic, perfected after years of weekly comedy podcasts, makes the content humorous. In addition to this, the stories that they tell are engaging, often making listeners like me cry by the end. Finally, an assortment of custom-made background music ties this content together. Considering all of these aspects, The Adventure Zone has a habit of bringing in listeners who just want a laugh and turning them into devotees, worshiping at the altar of Fantasy Costco and Amnesty Lodge.