Mythic Quest 3×04 “The Two Joes” is really leaning into the upcoming video game movie that is sure to be nothing but chaos. This format of pairing off the MQ team continues to work really well. It allows us to further delve into the quirks that make each of these characters so incredibly loveable. If the entire team can’t be together, it makes sense to pair them off, and see how the different dynamics play out. This is a turning point for a lot of the characters, and it’s fascinating to watch the dynamics play out and evolve. The jokes are dizzyingly fast, which leads to one of the most fun and tightly-scripted episodes of the workplace comedy.
Poppy the Funtime Gal
First, we have to remember that Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) has never done anything wrong in her life, ever. Her flaws make her perfect, and we love her. Her continued journey to examine and break away from needing Ian’s (Rob McElhenney) approval is a relatable one. Anyone who has ever desperately craved validation from a friend will see themselves here. Poppy and Ian are the MVPs of friendship. They make each other better. Their friendship can never come at the expense of Poppy fulfilling her destiny, though.
Relatedly, Poppy continues to be possibly the worst, most chaotic boss ever. We love her for it. Watching her treat the new testers like absolute garbage is a hilarious and cathartic role reversal, particularly in an industry filled to the brim with toxic men belittling everyone around them. The cliffhanger of this episode actually sets up Poppy’s further development in a really interesting way. We all know how fun Poppy is. She just needs to tap into it.
Mythic Quest Starring…Joe Manganiello?!
The MQ Movie is just getting zanier every episode this season. What makes it work rather than descend into boorishness is the commitment of everyone involved. Really, this is serious business. David (David Hornsby) has never been more out of his depth, and it’s lovely. Watching him flounder trying to secure True Blood star Joe Manganiello is breathtakingly hilarious. This is only matched by Manganiello’s sincere pitch for a black-and-white, Euro-noir arthouse film based on a video game.
What Mythic Quest 3×04, ‘The Two Joes’ really highlights, is, again, Jo (Jessie Ennis) in all her deranged glory. Simultaneously, she manages to be the best assistant who ever lived, and one who you’d be terrified to actually have to assist you in real life. On that note, one can’t help but feel bad for her, as she’s given responsibility for which she’s woefully ill-equipped. She’s given a chance to showcase her talents, however, even if it’s lying spectacularly. She gets the job done by any means necessary and makes Manganiello’s guest appearance infinitely better.
Brad Bakshi, Villain Creator
Brad Bakshi (Danny Pudi) is back, and it’s incredible. Even if he’s walking around in his little janitor’s outfit, he’s still creating villains and anti-heroes everywhere he goes, starting with Carol (Naomi Ekperigin). Importantly, Carol getting in on Mythic Quest’s NFT venture is kind of perfect. She’s clearly done putting up with everyone’s nonsense (as she should be), so why should she not partner with Brad in his misguided attempt to make a quick buck? If anyone deserves to benefit from this, it’s Carol.
Relatedly, what’s surprising is how well Rachel (Ashly Burch) is integrated into Brad’s plan. It shouldn’t be surprising that Brad listens to Rachel’s every word. If he’s as smart and above mere mortals, as he’s always claimed to be, he’d do well to listen to the smartest voices. He should absolutely listen to Rachel more often. She has fantastic ideas.
A Partnership We Always Needed
Finally, as much as Poppy and Ian have proved themselves as the ultimate friendship duo, Dana (Imani Hakim) and Ian are making a strong case for why they’re the friendship to cheer for. Not that there can’t be multiple friendships, of course. However, in just a single episode, Dana and Ian show how similar these two are. They bring out the best in each other, and are a beautiful pairing of creative minds.
In many ways, this makes sense. Dana is the best of who Ian is, minus all of the toxicity. Moreover, she has a lot to offer as a character in her own right. Given the right tools, she can bring her creative genius to fruition. She has such an incredible amount of potential. Ian can use his position to lift her up to a place where she needs to be. This would really bring their friendship to the next level, Ian using his place of privilege for good.
Mythic Quest succeeds again, in doing what it does best. As the halfway point of the season approaches, these characters are just becoming even more endearing, as if that was even possible. We are getting to know these characters on a deeper level, seeing them paired with their perfect partners. Hopefully, these relationships will continue to be explored for the rest of the season. In the meantime, as a possible movie adaptation approaches, we can all sit back and enjoy the anarchy.
Mythic Quest streams Fridays on Apple TV+.
