Prime Video's new show feels like a darker, more mature version of 'The Legend of Vox Machina' — and I can't stop watching

"The Mighty Nein" was the show I was the most excited for coming out of San Diego Comic-Con 2025. Was it the biggest show to be unveiled or teased at the biggest event in Nerdom? Definitely not, but for fans of Prime Video's "The Legend of Vox Machina," getting a new animated series from Critical Role felt like a massive win.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with any the names I just threw out, let me catch you up to speed. Critical Role is a web series from a media company of the same name. It took viewers into a Dungeons and Dragons campaign created and DM'd (Dungeon Mastered) by Matthew Mercer. It became a huge hit, and that led to the first campaign being adapted into "The Legend of Vox Machina." That adult animated series is set in the continent Tal'Dorei in the fictional world of Exandria, and it's now about to have its fourth season on Prime Video.

So, given that Critical Role had already produced one hit for Prime Video, the streaming service said, "How about another?" Enter "The Mighty Nein," which is adapted from the second Critical Role campaign. It's set in Exandria as well, but in the continent of Wildemount, rather than Tal'Dorei. It also introduces an entirely new cast of characters.

Having watched the show's three-episode premiere for myself, I can tell you that there are a lot of similarities between the two shows. If you're a fan of "The Legend of Vox Machina," this new animated adventure is going to be a hit with you. However, it's clear after three episodes that "The Mighty Nein" is darker and more mature than its predecessor, and it's willing to take its time telling its story and building a new world.

What is 'The Mighty Nein'?

The Mighty Nein - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

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"The Mighty Nein" is a creation of Critical Role and adapted from the web series' Dungeons and Dragons campaign of the same name. Set in the fictional world of Exandria, the series begins as a band of mysterious assassins, known as the Volstrucker, steal a legendary relic from the Kryn Dynasty: the Luxon Beacon.

The Beacon is as important an object as exists in the Dynasty, and its theft prompts the Bright Queen of the Kryn (Lucy Liu) to threaten war against the Dwendalian Empire, which is more than happy for an excuse to attack the Kryn.

Of course, there's just one problem. The Empire doesn't have the Beacon. Instead, a shadowy group far more sinister is pulling the strings from behind the scenes. The only people who can stop this group? The Mighty Nein, an unexpected cohort of warriors, wizards and magic wielders, thrust together by fate.

This tale is far more mature than 'Vox Machina'

Now, for those who watched "The Legend of Vox Machina," you'll be expecting a show that has the flow and feel of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. To be fair, "The Mighty Nein" delivers on that front.

But unlike its predecessor, this show feels like you'd need to read at least one full D&D adventure book to understand all the complexities of Prime Video's new adult animated series. The world-building is just as compelling as it is in "The Legend of Vox Machina," but it's delved into with far more care.

The first Critical Role show, at times, felt like it was rushing through its storyline; "The Mighty Nein" does not. In fact, it shows incredible restraint. Through the three-episode premiere, we still have yet to truly meet all seven members of the Mighty Nein, and while the third episode brings six of the seven together, they still don't even all know who each other are.

Part of this is down to the runtime of the episodes. "Vox Machina" told its story in half-hour chunks, so speed and brevity were somewhat necessary. With each episode being billed as an hour-long (they clock in at closer to 45 minutes), the creative team can take time to set the pieces on the chessboard, build the storylines with care, and craft whole worlds to explore.

This ultimately produces a show that feels more mature than Critical Role's first attempt at an animated series, though it's not the only reason why this show feels more grown-up. There's still plenty of jokes, gore, and innuendo in "The Mighty Nein," to be sure, but this show, through three episodes, feels like it's taking itself more seriously, and therefore is producing more serious characters and stories.

The combination of longer episodes, deeper world-building, and a more serious tone produces an addictive end product, albeit a slow-moving one. I can't wait to continue watching "The Mighty Nein," which so far has proven to be a more than worthy successor to "The Legend of Vox Machina."

Stream "The Mighty Nein" episodes 1-3 on Prime Video now

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