By Louis Patterson
When I was in community college, commuting for an hour each day, I was lucky enough to come across the informative, engaging, and, thank the Forces That Be, free medium of entertainment known as the podcast. I would spend my drives listening to stories, comedians, lectures, and whatever else took my fancy, while cruising up and down the Island. In this dreary time of the semester, when the buzz of returning to school slowly fades into due dates and monotony, I present you with one of these treasured podcasts, one of which I wait for in anticipation every second Thursday: The Adventure Zone.
The Adventure Zone is a podcast started by Justin, Travis, and Griffin McLeroy and their father, Clint McLeroy, about a Dungeons and Dragons campaign they started two years ago.
Now, let me stop you here.
Because if you just cringed at the words, “Dungeons and Dragons,” let me explain. If your very soul leaped at the phrase, “Dungeons and Dragons,” let me still explain. The McLeroys play a very fast and loose version of the game, focusing less on the technicality, and moreso on the story telling and, most notably, the comedy.
I have never, in all my years of living, heard a funnier group than the McLeroy’s. Their comedy is quick, filled with cultural references, and has left me reeling with laughter. What’s more, the story telling is brilliant. Griffin, the orchestrator of the events and characters that Clint, (Merle Highchurch) Travis, (Magnus Burnsides) and Justin (Takko) encounter, forces talking trees, moral dilemmas and hilarious circumstances upon his family episode after episode, leaving both them and the listener engaged and laughing.
What’s more important is the reason why you should listen to it. I would recommend this podcast because of its—and I use this word with emphasis—uniqueness. It is able to strike a chord as something comedic and fresh, as well as engaging and deep. Their references and commentary as characters and podcasters are uniquely comedic, unlike any other speakers, writers, or YouTubers that I’ve heard. Their stories are unique in their production on both a macro and micro level, marrying strong archs and stories with well-paced episodes. It’s engaging, funny, while still remaining something of substance. It was worth listening to because it was able to keep me coming back, week in and week out, becoming something interesting that wasn’t my education.
If you jump into it now, you’ll have about 54-hour long episodes to work with (good thing binging isn’t a thing) for your breaks, days-off, or commutes. Put down your textbooks, my fellow students. Pull your gaze away from the seventh puppy video you’ve watched on Youtube. Download the Podcast onto your phone, put on a jacket, and go for an hour long walk. Or get some tea or something and relax. Enjoy one of the only good things that’s emerged from the internet in the past two years.
Check out maximumfun.org/shows/adventure-zone to listen to the best decision you’ll make all semester.