Mythic Quest Season 4, Episode 6, “The Fish and the Whale,” swaps video games for mind games. The episode, written by Brian Keith Etheridge and directed by Heath Collins, finds its framing in Brad’s narration. That device is particularly engaging because he is not the most reliable narrator in the ensemble. Even so, Brad voices some of the most revealing twists of the season so far. From game night at David’s house to Poppy’s baby shower at MQ, “The Fish and the Whale” keeps everyone locked into more than card tricks and diaper candy.
MORE: Check out our review of Mythic Quest Season 4, Episode 5, “Second Skeleton,” here.
Brad Gets Played by David and Dana
The back-and-forth between Brad and David is a cornerstone of Mythic Quest at this point. Likewise, Brad usually comes out of their conflicts as the winner. This season questions their usual pattern – Brad and David have evolved. “Second Skeleton” explicitly confirms that Brad thinks of creatives – Dana – differently than he does at the show’s start. “The Fish and the Whale” showcases David’s growing confidence post-Warrior Within Day through his new friends – albeit ones around whom he morphs his personality. So it’s understandable that Brad and David’s game is different now; they have changed after four seasons.
It’s also great for Brad to have the voiceover because “The Fish and the Whale” hones in on Brad until he realizes what’s different. Of course, Brad loses to David in that David gets to keep Twilight Forest and not pay either Brad or David for it. There is a silver lining in Brad getting Dana out of the contract, but it comes down to Brad playing himself. He goes against his convictions of not trusting creatives by believing Dana won’t jeopardize this game. Practically, Mythic Quest lets that all unfold naturally – the accidental laptop swap is as clever as holding off on revealing the photo. It never feels like a cheat.
MORE: Have you read our review of Mythic Quest Season 4, Episode 4, “The Villain’s Feast?” Here it is!
Is a Diamond Earring Ever Really Just That?
Likewise, this passive-aggressive animosity between David and Ian could feel shoehorned. “The Fish and the Whale” avoids that because of the disconnect between the characters over the last three seasons, especially during “Breakthrough.” David chases Ian’s friendship until Ian ices him out – now Ian is receiving that chill. Rob McElhenney plays that discomfort so well. The characters’ interpersonal relationships are fragile this season, and Mythic Quest keeps nudging them to new and often vulnerable places.
For instance, it speaks to the codependency of Ian and Poppy’s wonderfully chaotic dynamic, in that Ian doesn’t look for fulfillment in other friendships because he has her. That declaration sparks a memory of Poppy breaking Ian’s isolation in the hospital in Mythic Quest Season 2, Episode 8, “Juice Box.” Of course, that intimate yet funny scene comes after the moving sequence of Ian checking on Poppy in Mythic Quest Season 1, Episode 10, “Quarantine.” Poppy and Ian’s dynamic gives Ian the connection he can’t find elsewhere, which makes Poppy’s baby shower all the more critical.
MORE: Here’s our review of Mythic Quest Season 4, Episode 3, “Breakthrough.”
Poppy Finds Her Village
After Ian mentions her in “1000%,” Natasha Liu Bordizzo makes her debut as Poppy’s older sister, Tracy, in “The Fish and the Whale.” Mythic Quest’s script packs so much into Poppy and Tracy’s interactions that this episode clearly represents their sisterhood. Not to mention, it paints such a clear picture of Tracy. The show moves through Poppy’s lens of her sister to a more unbiased depiction of the character in only a few scenes. It’s also a testament to Charlotte Nicdao and Liu Bordizzo that both characters revert to (almost) their childhood selves as their confrontations escalate. Nicdao specifically captures that when Tracy doubles down on Poppy being a “freakazoid.”
Learning more about Poppy’s family after three seasons is exciting, and Mythic Quest pulls it off with an incredible misdirect. Tracy is a part of Poppy’s family; their relationship influences Poppy’s life. This episode confirms the same for the women of MQ. It’s so rare to see these characters share the screen – Jo has to demand it. Consequently, it’s easy to revel in whatever this episode throws at them, even a mean sister who makes her little sister’s baby shower about her. It’s thrilling to watch Jo, Rachel, Dana, and Carol rally around Poppy – candy diapers in hand. Any uncertainty around where Poppy and Storm stand becomes (slightly) less of a concern with “The Fish and the Whale.” While Ian has Poppy, Poppy has Ian and these fantastic women as her village.
MORE: Revisit our review of Mythic Quest Season 4, Episode 2, “1000%,” here.
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What did you think of Mythic Quest Season 4, Episode 6, “The Fish and the Whale?” Let us know in the comments below.
New episodes of Mythic Quest stream on Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
