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The Critshow

an actual play podcast

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Main Content

You wake up in the middle of the night, and before you can drift back to sleep… you feel something else in the room. You let your rational mind convince you there’s nothing there.

Well, I’m here to tell you, there is.

That’s where they come in. A group of friends whose lives are turned upside down when they’re pulled into a battle they didn’t know existed.

They are the last line of defense between you and what lurks in the darkness. Are they ready? No… but no one ever is.


The Critshow is an actual play podcast where the main story, The Other Side of the Coin, is set in a world using the Powered by the Apocalypse system (Monster of the Week, Dungeon World, and more).

Every Wednesday the gang tries their best to solve Rev’s mysteries, protect the innocent, and hunt monsters alongside their allies at the Indiana Paranormal Task-force (IPT). Their intentions are good, their dice rolls… not so much.

from John Rogers (@jonrog1) on Twitter…

I just started the actual play podcast @thecritshow and it’s very sharp… The players have good chemistry and table sense but special shout-out the GM @RevDeschain for keeping things moving, presenting smart hard choices, and illustrating how to GM a 7-9 result better than I’ve ever really understood it before.

from Sean Nittner, Evil Hat Productions

The Critshow has some of the finest Monster of the Week actual play you can find. They have the perfect balance of fidelity to the game, and production quality, and good times together.

from Michael Sands, creator of Monster of the Week

The Critshow is a fun show that gets right to the heart of what Monster of the Week should feel like.

from Baruch_LS on iTunes…

As an experienced player, this is the best Monster of the Week podcast I’ve found to show what real play looks like. The guys have a great group dynamic and know how to be interesting and funny while also advancing a serious storyline. If you want a good real play podcast or want to see what Monster of the Week looks like when it’s done right, this is the best podcast around.

from DemondDoes on Podchaser

This is the best actual play in my opinion. It combines the great stuff from Buffy, Supernatural etc with old style pulp storytelling. Memorable NPCs and loads of fun had by all. Cliffhangers abound!

from Tyl3r5tanl3y on Podchaser

The Critshow has been one of the best actual play podcasts since day one. Rev and the gang never fail to entertain and have kept me on the edge of my seat so long that my seat has no more edges.

from witkie on Podchaser

This podcast is a standard for all other actual play podcasts to live up to. They take great pains to tell a story that is interesting, funny, and genuine, and with exceptional production quality. Because the players play a game version of themselves, you feel like you really get to know them as they go on wild adventures that are still always somehow rooted in earnest, believable storytelling. You must listen!!

from LondonFiasco on Podchaser

The Critshow is hands down the best Actual Play podcast in the game. From the entertaining GM and cast, to the well-polished sound and editing, to the original score, and the gripping storytelling — everything is on point. Episodes go by quickly and end on cliffhangers, and I cannot wait to hear where the story goes from here. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Be a part of the CritCrew!

Building community with our fans is one of our top priorities, and Critshow fans are second to none!

Want exclusive discounts and behind-the-scenes goodness? Sign up for the IPT Dispatch and get us in your inbox 2-4 times a month!

If social media is your jam, come play with us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

If sharing fan theories and diving deep into the lore is more your style, find your like-minded fellows on our subreddit.

Enjoy hanging out with your friends and watching them play video games? Sounds like watching our Twitch streams and hanging out with fellow fans in the chat might be for you.

And if you love all of that rolled up into one, with a big helping of exclusive content and a side of emojis of your favorite characters, get thee to our Discord server – only available by supporting us on Patreon!

New Episode Every Wednesday

Listen to our most recent three episodes right in your browser! You can also subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Upcoming Events

Hang out with us in person or on our live streams! We’ve almost always got events and appearances coming up – virtual if not in person – and we’d love to meet you.

See our full up-to-date monthly Events Calendar here!

Twitch Streams
(all times in Eastern)
twitch.tv/thecritshow

Every Monday 8pm: Miscellaneous

Every Wednesday at 7pm: Game with Tass

Every Thursday 7pm: Mystery Detectives with Kim and Megan

Other Cons and Events

August 4-7: Gen Con! The gang will be running games each day, and you can once again join us for our live show and meetup on Saturday night – RSVP here today!

Do you know of any game-centric cons or events we should be attending to run games or try to be a part of panels on gaming, podcasting, or storytelling? Drop us a line through our contact form and let us know – we’re always looking for ways to build community with our fans!

Featured CritCrew Merch

Don’t miss the newest offerings in our ever-expanding selection of merch, now with FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING on everything in the shop!

The Critshow on Patreon

Just can’t get enough from the gang? Support our Patreon and get all the Critshow love you could ever want:

  • Tons of Patreon-exclusive shows: 68 issues of Hero Salad, a monthly deep-dive into lore in Investigate the History, explorations into other games and worlds via Tales from the Omniverse, discussions on the art of GMing in Hold 2, and our newest pirate tale, Perilous Tides
  • A Discord server where you can hang out with us and a ton of other amazing people
  • Monthly one-page RPG reviews from Jake
  • Swag or t-shirts (or both!) in your mailbox several times each year
  • Supporter-only wallpapers featuring scenes from the show shot by our awesome sponsor, The Portrait Dude
Become a Patron today!
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