Television series
Dimension 20
Brennan Lee Mulligan hosts a rotating cast of comedians through elaborate tabletop RPG campaigns—think D&D crossed with a sketch show, where the story genuinely doesn't know where it's going. Wildly entertaining whether you've rolled dice before or never touched a character sheet. For anyone who loves improvisation, ridiculous scenarios, and watching smart people be funny under pressure.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you love improvised tabletop roleplay where the jokes come out of character choices and a long-running campaign slowly earns its emotional weight.
Skip it if you want a tight, self-contained story; with 29 seasons and episodes stacked by the hundreds, the commitment is real and the jokes lean on in-group rapport.
What it asks of you: Settle in for long sittings across many seasons, with improvised pacing that wanders before it builds, and a willingness to follow a rotating cast of personalities.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Critical Role2015
The gold standard of actual-play D&D. Exceptional voice actors, genuine world-building, and campaigns that unfold with novelistic depth. If you love the storytelling in Dimension 20, this is where it got its blueprint.
But Three-hour episodes, and there are hundreds of them. Starting feels like committing to a second job. The production value in early seasons is notably lower.
Community2009
The paintball and D&D episodes capture exactly that Dimension 20 energy: smart comedy about nerdy things, made by people who actually love them. Character-driven and genre-savvy.
But The show declines in quality as it goes. Those earlier season episodes you want? Peak-season viewing. After that, returning is optional.
Gravity Falls2012
A show about mystery and adventure with genuine heart and humor. Brilliantly plotted, funny without relying on cynicism, and genuinely moving when it decides to be.
But Kids' show pacing will feel slow if you're used to faster comedy. The mystery format demands patience.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Dimension 20
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
The Owl House2020
Both build worlds through episodic exploration and improvisation-flavored discovery. A character doesn't know their true place in the world until late-stage plot reveals, just like a campaign where the DM slowly reveals what's actually at stake.
An animated fantasy adventure with genuine stakes and a plot architecture that mirrors D&D campaigns—the protagonist has to learn magic systems, assemble a party, face escalating threats. Comedy and horror and real character growth live in the same space.
But Cartoonish aesthetic might read as 'for kids' even though the writing is sophisticated. Early episodes are lighter than the later, richer ones—some bounce off before it clicks.
More like this (5)
The Good Place2016
Not tabletop-based, but shares Dimension 20's DNA: clever high-concept premises that remake themselves, genuine affection for the characters beneath the jokes, and writers who understand both comedy and stakes.
But Requires you to keep track of increasingly complex plot threads. Not casual viewing—you'll want to rewatch from the beginning.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?1998
The ur-text for improvisation comedy. Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles are geniuses at saying something ridiculous while keeping a straight face. If you love watching comedians think on their feet, this is its purest form.
But Episodic format means no ongoing narrative. Some games are stronger than others. After a few episodes, the structure becomes predictable.
The Dungeon Masters2008
Matthew Mercer narrates actual plays, and the production values are polished. Good entry point if you want the storytelling without committing to long-form campaigns, though it's less focused on comedy.
But As a anthology it lacks continuity. Without a regular cast of comedians, there's no ensemble chemistry to carry weaker moments.
The Rehearsal2022
Both are fundamentally about watching someone run a scenario where ordinary people become characters in an improvised story. The comedy comes from watching real emotion collide with constructed situations.
Nathan Fielding builds elaborate roleplay scenarios to help people practice difficult conversations. Hilarious but increasingly strange and melancholic—it's a hybrid of comedy, documentary, and performance art that respects the vulnerability underneath the premise.
But Tone shifts violently. It's not consistently funny or consistently serious. Some find the production gimmicks self-indulgent. Ending is deliberately unsatisfying.
Battlestar Galactica2003
The structure mirrors actual tabletop play: a premise that spawns unexpected questions, characters forced to improvise solutions to problems the creators didn't predict, and narrative momentum that comes from uncertainty rather than a predetermined plot.
A sci-fi series that plays like a long-form campaign where the players never quite understand the world's rules and the stakes keep escalating unpredictably. Genuinely excellent ensemble cast, mythology that evolves, and willingness to let things be messy and weird.
But Later seasons lose the thread; the mythology becomes bloated. If you need answers, you'll be frustrated. Darker and more pessimistic than Dimension 20.
People
Cast
Writing
- Brennan Lee MulliganCreator
Production
- Carlos LunaCo-Executive Producer
- Michael SchaubachCo-Executive Producer
- Brennan Lee MulliganExecutive Producer
- Carlos LunaExecutive Producer
- David KernsExecutive Producer
- Sam ReichExecutive Producer