Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney) and Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao) in Mythic Quest season 4
(Apple TV+)

Review: ‘Mythic Quest’ grows up in season 4

5/5 Everlight Stars

Mythic Quest is stronger than ever. The fourth season of the workplace sitcom on Apple TV+ about a gaming company run by two narcissistic creative directors, Ian Grimm (Rob McElhenney) and Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao), has as many jokes, genre-blending scenarios, and surprising uses of multimedia storytelling as you’d expect and more. My only fear is that as the characters mature in season 4, there won’t be any more story to tell. After all, role-playing games aren’t supposed to end—right?

Recommended Videos

Apple TV+ shared the first nine of season 4’s 10 episodes with critics. We don’t know how it ends, either! But in those nine episodes, each character faces their own arrested development. Dana (Imani Hakim) discovers that she’s no longer the gaming industry’s fresh new talent in a devastating way. Rachel (Ashly Burch) experiences a professional setting that’s not as lax as she’s used to, and they both take on financial responsibility for the first time. David (David Hornsby) learns how to make friends as an adult. Brad (Danny Pudi) wonders if corporate backstabbing is finally beneath him. And then there’s Jo (Jessie Ennis), who’s still trying to figure out who she is without a boss to assist and underlings to terrorize.

Meanwhile, Ian gets a taste of his own arrogant medicine, and our messy heroine Poppy finally reckons with her unhealthy work-life balance. Their relationship takes a blow that might make way for real growth. The show finds a new way to test Poppy and Ian’s co-dependent partnership without steering into romantic territory. (As it turns out, there are relationships between men and women on television where nobody wants to see them get together.) They put real work into setting and enforcing boundaries with each other when a lesser sitcom would smush them together for laughs. Poppy has a boyfriend this season named Storm (Chase Yi), and this does cause conflict, just not how you might expect. In fact, the way McElhenney and the writers figured out how this development in Poppy’s life could make Ian jealous is so inspired and obvious that I may have softly gasped.

However, fans of season 1’s “A Dark Quiet Death” can rest assured that Mythic Quest has not lost its romantic edge. This show can genuinely be quite sweet when you’re not laughing out loud at Brad’s latest evil scheme, Poppy’s terrible double entendres, and a parody of the game “Overcooked” you’ll never forget. I remain impressed with how this show blends snark and love without going the sickly sweet Ted Lasso route. (Few shows would joke about missing the days when quarantine had everyone locked down and gaming. But I digress!) And for those who enjoy a bit of romance, the season includes a new love triangle that causes some light tension in the second half.

What happens when they all grow up?

Workplace tantrums and the rise and fall of business at Mythic Quest are nothing new. Season 3 separated the crew, and while they’re back together in season 4, there’s always the threat of another schism. The team takes their dysfunction to a murder mystery party, an all-night gripe session, and even a congressional hearing in season 4. The former, which references everything from Murder on the Orient Express and Glass Onion to The Traitors, is a standout this season. The costumes alone are perfection. While previous seasons have tested the employees’ mental health, leadership skills, and life outside work, it does feel like some, if not all, of these characters are truly growing up this time.

However, maturing can also be negative if you become a worse version of yourself. With Poppy, one episode that expands on what we learned in the excellent season 3 episode “Sarian” hit me close to home as a woman prone to comparing personal milestones with others. There is no one right path for anybody. I’ve got my eye on a few potential dark turns in the season 4 finale.

This theme gets a hard underline in season 4, episode 8, “Rebrand,” a standalone story about Ian’s son turning 17. Brenden, also known as “Pootie Shoe,” sees getting older as reaching new levels in a video game. The reality is complicated, nonlinear, and not always fun. At the end of the episode, a character who shall remain identity-less for spoiler-free purposes tells him to “be grateful for what you have, while you have it. Don’t be in such a rush to grow up, because the world is still gonna be there in a year waiting to hit you in the face like a f*cking sledgehammer, man.”

I truly enjoyed this season. I’m curious to see how it concludes. But if characters like Poppy, Dana, and/or Ian and Rachel outgrow the company, what happens next? Could MythicQuest successfully rebrand? (A spinoff anthology series called Side Quest is coming to Apple TV+ in March.) Remember that television, especially sitcoms, requires a certain amount of static motion. There’s a reason that a lesser show would force Poppy and Ian together as long as possible. Characters can’t grow too much. Then there would be no show! But I don’t want to be without this show! I like this show! Great, now I’m the child.

Mythic Quest season 4 premieres January 29 on AppleTV+.


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Leah Marilla Thomas
Leah Marilla Thomas
Leah Marilla Thomas (she/her) is a contributor at The Mary Sue. She has been working in digital entertainment journalism since 2013, covering primarily television as well as film and live theatre. She's been on the Marvel beat professionally since Daredevil was a Netflix series. (You might recognize her voice from the Newcomers: Marvel podcast). Outside of journalism, she is 50% Southerner, 50% New Englander, and 100% fangirl over everything from Lord of the Rings to stage lighting and comics about teenagers. She lives in New York City and can often be found in a park. She used to test toys for Hasbro. True story!