Critical Role isn’t shy about side projects, particularly talk shows. The company’s kookiest show, Weird Kids, is set to return exclusively on Critical Role’s subscription-based app, Beacon, with 24 new episodes in May.
Critical Role is well known for a decade of broadcasting Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, which thrust its founders into a level of success in the tabletop space that many could only dream of. However, as the return of Weird Kids proves, Critical Role is happy to engage its audience through other shows that are less about rolling dice and more about the cast and founders themselves.
In Weird Kids, an hour-long talk show hosted by Ashley Johnson (The Last of Us, The Mighty Nein) and Taliesin Jaffe (Hellsing, The Mighty Nein), the two deep-dive into strange, personal stories about growing up as child actors in Hollywood.
“Coming back for more episodes of Weird Kids feels a little like reopening the strangest scrapbook imaginable,” said Johnson in a news release. “We get to talk about the people, places, and moments that shaped us, and somehow it’s equal parts hilarious, surreal, and weirdly healing. I’m so excited to invite people back into our little world.”
The first season tackled many topics from Johnson and Jaffe’s childhoods, from classic toys to underground haunts and unexpected life lessons that make the series feel less like a talk show and more like a hangout between friends.
The second season seeks to do much the same, with new, interesting adventures and anecdotes that, like the previous season, will be presented in hour-long episodes. However, Johnson and Jaffe won’t be alone — they’ll invite fellow oddballs and outcasts along for talks about the bizarre reality of growing up on set.
“There is something deeply satisfying about taking all the wonderfully strange debris left behind by childhood and turning it into conversation,” said Jaffe. “This lets us dig even deeper into the beautiful absurdity of growing up weird, growing up in Hollywood, and somehow surviving with our sense of humor intact.”
The new season of Weird Kids will premiere on May 5. The second and first seasons (available now) will stream exclusively on Beacon, with new episodes rolling out every Tuesday.
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