You Should Be Watching Dimension 20: The Unsleeping City

Author's Note: This article was originally posted on Medium on July 11th, 2019. It has been edited for readability and republished.

Last year, CollegeHumor surprised everyone when they came up with Dropout. As Sam Reich said in the service's announcement: "It's like Netflix, but cheaper."

Dimension 20 is one of the best shows on the service. Each season, a group of comedians play D&D. The first season, Fantasy High, has taken the world by storm. Today, live events add small adventures and introduce new guest characters.

The second season is a mini-series called Escape From The Blood Keep. It's only six episodes featuring villains as the main characters. And yesterday, the new season's first episode, The Unsleeping City, had aired. The show sees the return of the cast from Fantasy High with new and exciting characters.

Author's Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with CollegeHumor and/or Dropout. No one asked me to write this piece. I love it so much, and I'm not artistic enough to share fan art, so I use my words instead.

Dimension 20 Is Fun To Watch

The premise of the show is a clear indicator of two things:

1. The producers and cast love of the show.
2. Their dedication to their audience.

When Fantasy High ended, people demanded more. Brennan, the show's DM, made a video saying that Dropout has already shot season 2. While they edit it, Dropout will release a short sidequest. That side quest was Escape From The Blood Keep. They shot that six-part adventure during one weekend. The show introduces new characters via other cast members and guests.

While Escape From The Blood Keep lasted only six weeks, it was still a breather. Seeing people act out D&D characters around the table is something profound.

Each episode is about two hours, and it flies by.

More 'Produced With Love' Please

The thing I like the most about Dropout and Dimension 20, in particular, is that they make what they love to see. No ads, shady promises behind the scenes, and no handshakes in the dark. Dropout is a fun streaming service.

Fucking finally, am I right?

I like to call it 'produced with love.' It's that magic component that makes every TV show so much better. It's not the acting or the writing. It's the premise of doing something great that people enjoy watching.

There is a show on Dropout called Troopers, a parody of the Star Wars universe. It's a whole storyline with characters and a plot that is fun to watch and full of humor. I can guarantee that YouTube is the only place you may have found something like that. The episodes are only a few minutes each.

Troopers is only one example of what Dropout publishes besides Dimension 20.

The Unsleeping City Is Set In New York

I love New York. I've been to it a few times in my life. Revisiting it in the setting of a D&D campaign is like another visit.

Snow covers New York as it is almost time for Christmas.

Brennan famously loves New York, and you can see it from how he narrates the story. It's not just a setting. This person lived in the city and shared unique anecdotes because of that.

Besides, you imagine one thing when you play a D&D campaign and are in a city on the Sword Coast. But, when you're playing a D&D campaign set in NYC, and you've been to New York in the past, you're revisiting it. It's more a memory than a fantasy.

One of the scenes in the episode features an empty Times Square. Take a moment to digest that last sentence. It's cool to create those scenarios, and I can't wait for the next episode!

The scenery is one thing, but let's talk about the amazing characters.

The Characters Are So Interesting And Diverse

The characters in the show are a great conduit to describe the diversity of New York. One of the main characters, Pete, is a transgender man who underwent Top surgery a while ago. He also enjoys many Mushrooms daily.

Sofia is an incredible monk hairstylist whose husband left her. She doesn't read short stories; if you saw the first episode, you understand why it's funny.

Kugrash is a rat druid who takes care of society's invisible people. He gives food to poor people and can talk to animals.

Ricky is a firefighter Paladin, a cool jock with some selfie issues. He's the lawful good of the game, I guess.

Misty Moore is a fucking Broadway star Bard and is mysterious in more ways than one.

Last but not least, Kingston. An incredible man who takes care of magical and regular ailments. Kingston also gives his mom's food to others who need it more than him.

These characters are fantastic, and I can't wait to see what they weave together.

We Should Support More Shows Like This

Content like D20 is the best content in the world. I can't get enough of watching people play D&D for fun in a world they created.

I don't want to watch shows sponsored by companies with corporate goals. They usually have ads before, after, or in the middle. I want the real deal. So far, Dimension 20 doesn't disappoint.

Here's hoping that Dimension 20 will have many more seasons produced with love.

What do you think about Dimension 20? Let me know in the comments below!