Mythic Quest Everlight review: Another reason to sign up for Apple TV Plus

Apple TV Plus' Mythic Quest, a workplace sitcom that takes place at a video-game studio, drops its second season on May 7, but it's given fans a special treat to tide them over until then. 

A new episode, dubbed "Everlight," is available now on Apple TV Plus. Consider this a holiday special of sorts in which the show is having fun while touching on how many of us will be going back to the office soon.

While it wouldn't be a great introductory episode, "Everlight" is proof that Mythic Quest will continue to get better now that it's finished the world-building of its first season. Ted Lasso gets a lot of attention as being Apple TV Plus' best show, but Mythic Quest is slowly building itself up as another reason to get a subscription. 

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Mythic Quest goes back to work — with LARPing

A perfect premise for an episode, Everlight is also the name of a live-action role-playing (LARP) festival that the characters attend. But since not everyone understands what LARPing is, Mythic Quest walks us through the entire concept, with a mini-explainer as the optimistic David (David Hornsby) details it all to Jo (Jessie Ennis), who continues to be as twisted and mean-spirited as ever. 

While David wants to be merry and have fun, Jo wants to hack the bones of her colleagues with her foam weapons.

In this conversation, we learn that LARPing is how the staff of the in-show game-development studio are returning to work. 

While the show doesn't say the words "pandemic" or "Covid," a brief speech from Ian (Rob McElhenney) about how much people need something fun after a very bad year sticks the landing. This all happens without getting too corny, and the feels gained from the moment feel earned, not manipulated. 

The Everlight setting — the lobby of the office is taken over by set decoration making it look like a forest — is perfect for the series. 

Even more so is the fact that co-bosses Ian and Poppy (Charlotte Nicdao) are the king and queen ruling over the fantasy setting. This gives them plenty of moments for the episode (directed by McElhenney and written by Ashly Burch) to play with the still-awkward power dynamic of the two.

Brad the bad is a joy

While Danny Pudi's Brad has already had his moments as the erstwhile villain of Mythic Quest — he's the head of monetization, one of the most soulless positions possible — 'Everlight" shows how he's ascending to a darker and even more diabolical state.

Now Brad just wants to ruin everybody's fun. A bet he makes with Poppy and Ian almost seems cartoonish, but Pudi pulls it off in the ways that he (and arguably only he can) — with speedy delivery and sheer confidence. 

McElhenney and Nicdao also aid the believability, with the latter trying to psychoanalyze what drives someone to be this malicious. 

Throughout the episode, Brad continues to find ways to surprise the audience (and his coworkers) with skills we did not see coming. This is one of the best facets of a show once its first season is over. Now that the main cast has been introduced, you get to actually develop the characters and give them more layers.

Mythic Quest outlook: A taste of what's to come

Anyone who watched Mythic Quest season 1 knows that the show has a penchant for surprising its audience. While I can't say whether or not season 2 will have anything at the level of "A Dark Quiet Death," the amazing show-within-a-show from season 1, the last act of "Everlight" will remind you that Mythic Quest has more tricks up its sleeves. 

The show puts a toe into the fantastical, to terrific results. If Mythic Quest season 2 is anything like this teaser episode, I'm going to be harassing all my friends to watch it — just as I did with Ted Lasso. 

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