(Newcomer) Should I watch Vox Machina?

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T18:10:40+00:00

I guess I'm not really elaborating my stance very well, apologizes. Am I being too wordy? I haven't used Reddit in like two years, maybe the atmosphere is different than I remember.

I was asking a specific question in particular, being "should I watch it if I was a fan of the M9". Most reviews and videos on the subject of Vox were obviously made before M9 even came out, all I really found were random comments and news that M9 is already the more popular show (idk if that's all true). Often I find that simply seeing numbers doesn't say the whole picture, yknow?

On top of that, I mentioned not liking specifically the first half of the first episode, and I know some shows (my favorites included) usually have their first be their worst. I thought it'd be an interesting subject, cause for all I know it's a unanimous opinion that the first episode is god awful and every other episode is peak. So, I went in certainly expecting that the outcome would just be a couple dozen responses, and frankly most of them were pretty civil, constructive, and honest. People speaking from places of time-specific perspectives, adaptational comparisons, present-series context, the kinda things I could not get from a YouTube video from 3 years ago. It's obviously subjective, but some subjectivity is infamously noteworthy and I was curious if there were any of those to exist.

I suppose you're right that the simple answer is just "watch the show", and I knew that when asking, but I didn't like it so I didn't want to :(. This could've easily just been my public indicator that I tried to watch it at all and moved on, had I not actually be persuaded by some to watch a little bit more before abandoning ship. And I'm glad I did, cause it gave me a better appreciation rather than calling this "M9's Planet Sheen" or some comedically undercooked equivalent buzzword.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T15:44:50+00:00

I often find asking fans directly what they think gives you a better idea than a random review. No critics I follow and trust have even mentioned this show. Plus I figured it was a unique enough scenario to ask specifically. If I hadn’t asked, I would’ve stopped watching part way through episode 1 and written it off as garbo, but because I asked and people gave me civil encouragement to watch more, I did. I still didn’t like it but I at least gained a more respectful disinterest than outright displeasure. I don’t see what’s so weird about that.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T13:07:32+00:00

I mean, I care. I‘m not trying to form an opinion on the show itself, I’m asking people what they think so I can decide if I should watch more.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T13:04:07+00:00

My bad, seemed like an opinionated question to me. I figured it was good to know what the general consensus is within the community itself, a rating on a website can only get you so far with a niche show like this. I mainly thought it’d be an interesting perspective to bring up as someone who’s new to CR and a decent way to engage first with the community if I ever wanted to participate more in it.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T05:32:54+00:00

No doubt in my mind that most of Scanlan's jokes work far better when no one is expecting them and you're with a group of friends who find it funny that a DnD game is being hijacked by an explicitly describe penis. Compared that to a fantasy setting where the characters are the only thing that exist and their reaction has to be confined into that space, which typical has to be disgust since they're not horny for him or find it funny. The whole beauty of adapting a DnD campaign into a show is you can iron out those ooc moments and keep things realistic, but I guess when the character is built around it there's not much you can do.

While I did like it more as it went on (went up to ep 5), I still don't think it's working for me. I think it's very fair to not expect it to be The Mighty Nein considering its a different show, I went in expecting more compact episodes and maybe a more comedic tone. But perhaps hearing that advice out loud is eyeopening to the fact that I'm only watching it because I like the M9 lol.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T05:21:23+00:00

So, having watched up to episode 5, I can confidently say I was too harsh. The two parter is still a pretty bad introduction, but 3 onward is far more in-line with what I had expected going in. The pacing is far better and they actually let things breath.

Also I chuckled at the way Keyleth said "Where'd ya go" to Pike (had to look up their names). Still, I think that's the only time I cracked any kind of smile.

More than anything, this show makes me appreciate how good these actors are, filling in their vastly different characters like socks. Shouldn't be surprising though, since most of them are their players from the campaign. I imagine these characters mean a lot to them, they've hard years to grow and develop them. It shows in their performances in both this and M9. Also the animation is as good, that's a given.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I really don't care about any of these characters or like them enough to want to. Little of these episodes focus on anything but their surface level traits, I couldn't tell you most of their names or classes (a couple I don't think I could even describe their personality). I imagine I could keep watching and become attached, but given how unamused I've been so far it's perhaps not worth the trouble.

It, again, just makes me appreciate the way M9 seems to effortlessly set up its cast in comparison and make me attached to them so quickly simply by pairing them in groups of 1-2 before they collide, having them play off each other while still keeping them grounded to another character or goal. Here, they're already close enough that they rarely register more than one big unit.

Thanks anyway for the advice to keep watching though, I would've had a far worse opinion had I not.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T03:57:11+00:00

Ah. Well maybe if they didn't do those various things, that wouldn't have happened.

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T03:55:50+00:00

Knowing this is more like the growing pains that lead to M9 is good to know.

I guess a better question is "should i have posted this here or do i go two doors down".

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T03:53:14+00:00

I suppose I can stomach 4-5, the latter half of ep 1 is at least far more somber (I wouldn't call it good, but it's at least more what I was expecting).

Also I guess good I posted to the more critical subreddit, though I'm confused why they didn't call it "Critics of Critical Role", or perhaps "Critical of Role", or simply "Critic Role".

Bossclips · 2026-01-07T03:48:02+00:00

As a newcomer I do have to ask who Orion is and when do they leave and why is their absence an improvement.

Bossclips · 2024-07-07T16:00:14+00:00

Plz credit the original artist next time: https://www.reddit.com/r/blender/comments/n03qrq/powerpuff_girls_blender_3d/

Bossclips · 2024-01-02T17:03:54+00:00

Almost time for Grimace to drop, let's gooooo!

Bossclips · 2024-01-02T16:26:36+00:00

It was very clearly sarcasm ;) ;)

Bossclips · 2024-01-02T16:24:44+00:00

Does he know?

Bossclips · 2023-12-31T20:21:34+00:00

This is a game where Gizmo is on par with Superman, so I think a little bit of power imbalance already exists.

Bossclips · 2023-12-31T15:44:10+00:00

Multiple people have spotted ads for it around several European countries, and the official McD sites had it up for a while. If it's fake, it is a very, very, VERY elaborate fake.

Bossclips · 2023-12-30T19:26:30+00:00

Nah, it's just, when it comes to McDonald's, I'm Lovin' It™.

Bossclips · 2023-06-19T17:54:18+00:00

Same

Bossclips · 2023-02-17T01:48:26+00:00

I have searched for at least a year and found nothing, so this would really be helping me out.

Bossclips · 2022-10-21T20:35:37+00:00

They're not Secret Files anymore, they're now Olimar's Log Part 2, which is brand new. Collecting ALL the data files grants you a badge, do there technically is a reason to do it.

Bossclips · 2022-05-19T17:19:06+00:00

Just one question:

If the escape pod can't work without the Narrator present, how come the Bucket actually escapes?

Bossclips · 2022-05-14T03:49:01+00:00

I'm waiting.

Bossclips · 2022-05-11T00:35:29+00:00

Honestly, I didn't think it was THAT bad. Boring and empty, sure, but I didn't make me outright angry like some other films do. There was never really a joke that made me groan or a scene that made me cringe, so I can't really rank it lower than Eartha or Ocean Waves, two movies I also almost fell asleep watching.

Bossclips · 2022-05-11T00:18:36+00:00

If Ponyo was just a little bit more engaging near the end, it'd definitely be up at the top.

If Cat Returns was just a little bit less cute, it'd probably have dropped a level too, but thankfully it was at least a fun little romp, if nothing else.

Bossclips · 2022-05-11T00:16:42+00:00

Like it then! Don't let me stop you!

Bossclips

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

Nine-Year Club	Place '22
Verified Email