August 29th 2024.
Brennan Lee Mulligan, the creator of the hit show Dimension 20, has recently concluded the final episode of their latest season, Never Stop Blowing Up. As we sit down with Brennan, we can't help but acknowledge the explosive success of the show and the rise of online shows featuring role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons in recent years. Dimension 20, which first premiered in 2018, has been thriving and their latest season, taking a group of comedians on an adventure inspired by 80s action movies, is now available.
It's impossible not to draw parallels between the show's title and its meteoric rise over the past six years. This season marks a significant milestone for Dimension 20 as they have developed their own unique ruleset, building on the popular tabletop game Kids on Bikes. We were fortunate enough to chat with Brennan Lee Mulligan, the mastermind behind Dimension 20, just before the season finale of Never Stop Blowing Up aired this week. We discussed the new season and what lies ahead for the show.
Let's dive right in! Would you say that Never Stop Blowing Up is the most chaotic season of Dimension 20 so far?
Well, until someone tries to stab a character with two national monuments at the same time, I have to say yes. The cast for this season was intentionally chosen to be unpredictable and take big risks, especially since it was a full-blown comedy season. Working with these beloved comedians who are also familiar with action as a genre was a joy, and they brought so much to the table.
It's funny because I mentioned this to Rekha in an earlier interview, and she adamantly denied being chaotic. But that's just her own brand of chaos, going against everything we know about her. We all remember when she tried to brush a displacer beast in The Seven. Nice try, Rekha.
This season also marks Jacob Wysocki's first time in the "dome." How was it working with him compared to the rest of the cast?
Jacob actually has previous experience in actual play, having been a guest on Rotating Heroes podcast hosted by our very own Zac Oyama. But this was his first time in a "televised" actual play, and he was absolutely brilliant. Not only can he match the others in terms of over-the-top antics, but he also brought a lot of heart to his character, Dang. That scene with Wolfman Ann and Dang is one of my favorites in the season. He never lost sight of his character's core, and I have the utmost respect for him as a performer.
Speaking of characters, many beloved characters in D&D and role-playing games are elderly, eccentric wizards. Why do you think that is?
I personally can't wait to be old. There's a level of unhinged-ness that you're allowed to have as an elderly person that I am hungry for. During our UK and Ireland tour, there was a scene where two of my characters, the Baba Yaga from Never After and Plug from A StarStruck Odyssey, were both crew members on Arthur Aguefort's spaceship. It was then that I realized my love for the archetype of the old, kooky, magical being with unexplained powers.
I'll try to psychoanalyze myself here, but I think it has to do with my background in philosophy. There's a point where you realize how impossible it is to learn everything, and you have to embrace the chaos. I still want to learn as much as I can, but there's something appealing about the old mentor or wizard who just says, "who knows?" It's wild.
It's definitely a classic literary trope, like Merlin.
Absolutely. And for our UK live show, we even had a Merlin-inspired character. It was a blast.
Brennan Lee Mulligan, the mastermind behind the hit show Dimension 20, has just wrapped up the final episode of Never Stop Blowing Up. As we sit down to chat with him, it's clear that the rise of online shows featuring role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons has been explosive in recent years. And Dimension 20, which first premiered in 2018, has been a shining example of this trend, growing stronger with each passing season. The latest installment, now available, takes a talented group of comedians on a thrilling 80s-inspired adventure called Never Stop Blowing Up.
It's hard not to draw parallels between the show's name and its meteoric rise over the past six years, especially since this season marks a significant first for Dimension 20. This time, the show has developed its own unique set of rules, building off the popular tabletop game Kids on Bikes. I was eager to sit down with Brennan Lee Mulligan, the chief architect of Dimension 20, just before the season finale of Never Stop Blowing Up aired this week. We talked about the new season and what other exciting plans he has in store for the future.
Let's dive right in! Is Never Stop Blowing Up the most chaotic season of Dimension 20 thus far? Well, until someone manages to stab a character with two national monuments at the same time, I'd have to say yes. This time around, we definitely had one of the most unpredictable casts. And that was completely intentional. We wanted to choose people who we knew would go all out and give it their all. Especially since this was going to be a full-blown comedy season.
It was truly a joy to work with this beloved cast of comedians from Dropout, who bring a certain level of authority, familiarity, and comfort to the action genre. We knew they would be comfortable diving into the silliest of scenarios. I was blown away by each and every member of the cast and the unique contributions they brought to the table. It's funny because I mentioned this to Rekha in an earlier interview, and she was like, "Me? Chaotic? No way!" But that's just Rekha's brand of chaos, flying in the face of everything we've come to know and expect. We were all there when she tried to brush a displacer beast in The Seven. We remember, so nice try.
This season also marks the first time comedian Jacob Wysocki has entered the Dimension 20 dome. Was there much of a difference in preparing him compared to the rest of the cast? Well, I have to give credit where credit is due. Jacob has played in an actual play before as a guest on our very own Zac Oyama's Rotating Heroes podcast, which was delightful. But I believe this was his first time playing a "televised" actual play. And let me tell you, he is a genius! Not only can he match the others in terms of outrageousness and over-the-top moments, but he also brings such heart to his character. Dang was such a heartfelt character, providing emotional depth and a grounded perspective for the adventure. That scene with Wolfman Ann and Dang is one of my favorites of the season. As a new player, he never lost sight of his character's core, and I just think he's brilliant. I have the utmost respect for Jacob.
In D&D and role-playing, characters often reflect a part of ourselves. So why do you think a lot of your most beloved characters are elderly, eccentric wizards? I can't wait to be old. I really can't. The level of craziness you're allowed to have as an elderly person in your day-to-day life is something I crave. During our wonderful UK and Ireland tour last year, we had a scene where Baba Yaga from Never After and Plug from a StarStruck Odyssey were both crew members on Arthur Aguefort's spaceship. And it hit me - there's this archetype of the old, quirky, magical, unexplained being that I just adore. I'll try to analyze myself here, but I think it's because I've spent a lot of my life studying philosophy. And there's this realization, this tipping point of knowledge, where you go over the rollercoaster and realize how impossible it would be to learn everything. There has to be an acceptance of chaos. But that doesn't mean I don't want to keep learning as much as I can. There's just something about that idea that I really love. The old mentor, the wise wizard, the witch who says, "who knows?" It's wild.
It's definitely a classic literary trope. Like Merlin, for example. And speaking of classics, this was the live show when it came to the UK.
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