Dungeons & Dragons is fun to play, and it’s equally fun to watch other people play—especially if they put a lot of stock into performing their hearts out during a session. The best Dungeons & Dragons shows elevate the actual-play format of tabletop roleplaying games to create high-stakes storylines, memorable characters, beloved ships, and heartwrenching moments that stick with viewers long after they happen.
Actual-play podcasts are perfect for when you’re on the go, but if you want to witness how people look and act when they’re in a session, there are a ton of filmed Dungeons & Dragons shows designed specifically to scratch that itch. Until the official Dungeons & Dragons live-action show premieres, here are some of the best Dungeons & Dragons shows to watch right now.
The Black Dice Society
The Black Dice Society is an official Dungeons & Dragons show set in Ravenloft, the terrifying home of the uber-powerful vampire Strahd von Zarovich. Six souls struggling to survive the infamous Mists must resist the call of the Domains of Dread. Meanwhile, Darklords plot their own escape from the Mists, which may lead to the heroes’ demise.
B. Dave Walters DMs this two-season horror series, offering a masterclass in how to run a Ravenloft campaign and providing plenty of chills and thrills for viewers who just want to go on the ride.
Critical Role
Famously, Critical Role stars voice actors and tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) performers with a ton of experience, and the company has produced multiple series including the mystery-horror limited series Candela Obscura, currently in its second season. Although the show started as a home game for a group of voice actors and friends, it’s since become a global phenomenon with books, merchandise, and more, including official tie-ins with Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast.
If you are looking for high-quality storytelling with a large budget, Critical Role is right up your alley. If you want to branch out from watching live humans play the game, you can also check out the Amazon Prime animated series The Legend of Vox Machina, which is based on the first Critical Role campaign. It was originally launched on Kickstarter as a single animated special, but the campaign raised more than $11 million and became much, much bigger.
Dimension 20
Dimension 20 is a long-form web series from Dropout TV that was created by DM Brennan Lee Mulligan. The show has more than 17 seasons under its belt, including the delightful limited series Dungeons and Drag Queens. Each season of D20 is different from the last, allowing the rotating cast to play in multiple worlds and portray several characters. Each episode is also tightly edited for length, making it easier to watch and digest than other shows that can run for hours at a time.
Legends of the Multiverse
Legends of the Multiverse is an official Dungeons & Dragons show that interweaves stories of several adventurers across multiple worlds. The core cast—B. Dave Walters, Todd Kenreck, Meagan Kenreck, Deborah Ann Woll, and Gina Darling—are joined in each of the series’s 20 episodes by a special guest, and each adventure arc introduces a new DM.
Relics and Rarities
Relics and Rarities is a limited actual-play series produced by Geek & Sundry and DM’ed by Deborah Ann Woll. In addition to the regular cast, each episode features a different guest star like Matthew Lillard or Charlie Cox. The show is set in a strange little curio shop, and each episode deals with arcane objects and the ultimate struggle between good and evil. The set is gorgeous, the storytelling is top-notch, and the cast commits 100 percent to every single moment, even if it’s utterly ridiculous.
If you like Relics and Rarities, you can also catch Woll DM the ongoing campaign Children of Éarte from Demiplane RPG on Twitch and YouTube.
Rivals of Waterdeep
Rivals of Waterdeep is a 15-season Dungeons & Dragons actual-play series that has adapted a number of classic adventures and modules. Its core casts rotates the DM each season, providing a slightly different vibe and experience throughout.
Transplanar RPG
Transplanar RPG is an all-transgender, POC-led actual-play set in an antioriental and anticolonial world. GM Connie Chang effectively rebuilds Dungeons & Dragons from the ground up in the first campaign, “The Second Stranger,” in order to create this world. Transplanar RPG is currently in its second main campaign, “The Chaos Protocol,” which utilizes a different RPG system for each arc. If you’re interested in long-form campaigns with LGBTQIA+ characters and intense, emotional scenes, add this to your list immediately.
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the work being covered here wouldn’t exist.
(featured image: Wizards of the Coast)
