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Dungeons & Daddies

Dungeons & Daddies is an actual play comedy podcast hosted by Matt Arnold, Anthony Burch, Will Campos, Beth May, and Freddie Wong. First aired in January 2019, the podcast features four main seasons, as well as some mini campaigns.

Description

Dungeons & Daddies is an unscripted comedy podcast recorded as an ongoing series of role-playing sessions. The first two seasons were loosely based on the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons; the third season uses the Call of Cthulhu game system.[7] The fourth season uses a science fiction conversion of the 5th edition of D&D called Dark Matter.[8] The podcast first aired in January 2019.[9]

Plot

During a trip to a soccer tournament, four suburban dads and their sons are teleported into the Forgotten Realms.[10] When their children are kidnapped, the dads begin a quest to rescue them.[11] Season two takes place 25 years later, in a post-apocalyptic version of San Dimas, California.[12] The teenage grandchildren of season one's characters are tasked with finding their fathers, who have disappeared with little explanation. The early episodes of season two loosely follow a "Monster of the Week" format.

Season three of Dungeons and Daddies is not connected to the characters or events of the first two seasons, and follows four citizens of Peachyville, a fictional 1950s suburban town. The season uses the Call of Cthulhu system, as opposed to D&D 5th edition used for the other seasons.[13]

Season four of Dungeons and Daddies, subtitled "Grandpas and Galaxies" is self-described as a "...grand space popera..."[14] and follows four grandfathers attempting to rescue their grandchildren who get abducted by aliens during a video game tournament.[15]

Cast

Being an actual-play podcast, the principal cast features not only players but a gamemaster responsible for game management and the portrayal of most minor characters. This role is taken by Anthony Burch in seasons one and two, and by Will Campos in season three. There are four other principal cast members, who play four dads in season one, and four of those characters' grandchildren in season two.[7] Both seasons one and two have had guest players, though not all guests have had characters with standard player classes. Season three departed from the characters and events of the first season and uses the Call of Cthulu game system.[13]

Campaigns

Major and minor campaigns are listed below. Includes Patreon-only campaigns as well.

Mini-campaign characters

Major and minor characters from the self-contained mini-campaigns.

Reception

In 2023, Book Riot rated Dungeons & Daddies as one of the "10 Best D&D Podcasts" alongside Critical Role and Not Another D&D Podcast.[31]

In 2025, ComicBook.com also ranked it among the "Top 10 Best D&D Actual Play Podcasts", comparing it favorably to Dimension 20 and The Adventure Zone as a comedic alternative to Critical Role.[32]

The website Collider wrote, "Dungeons and Daddies is an often hilarious, often heartfelt, and always entertaining podcast that manages to both be an insightful look at life and parenting, while also being silly, with characters who are both playing into the dad stereotypes and have an impressive depth. If you’re looking for a well-written, funny, and almost addicting campaign to listen to as you go through your daily tasks, this is the one."[33]

On the website Geekiary, Em Rowntree liked the podcast, noting that knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons was not necessary, the content was hilarious, and the technical production values were very high. Rowntree concluded, "Once you've listened to the podcast, you will feel the urge to share your love for it with others. You'll want to spread the word of its hilarity to your nearest and dearest."[9]

Durant Welsh of Grimdark Magazine gave Dungeons & Daddies a highly positive review. "The production is so slick and choreographed that one suspects it is scripted to a degree, with some room for improv, but that doesn’t at all detract from the enjoyment... And it is hilarious. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is the one of the funniest podcasts I’ve ever listened to." Durant concluded, "The chaotic humor of the series lends the show a realism that really makes you feel like you’re sitting around the table with a bunch of old mates. It’s just damn good fun, plain and simple. Thoroughly recommended, and not just for D&D buffs."[34]

Cast member Freddie Wong said that early in the COVID pandemic, the podcast, which earns money via subscription and Patreon donations, lost a significant number of subscribers, many of whom had been laid off. However, by July 2020, the podcast had regained subscribers and the audience grew beyond its initial numbers.[35]

As of April 2026, the podcast had over 36,000 paid subscribers on Patreon and Discord, millions of monthly downloads, and was in the Top 100 Podcasts by listeners on Spotify.[36][37][38]

Since 2023, the Dungeons & Daddies podcast has sold out multiple national and international live tours featuring actual play RPG comedy performances and music from the podcast.[39][40]

Awards

At the 2019 AudioVerse Awards, Dungeons & Daddies won the award for "New Improvised Production", and Anthony Burch won the award for "Player Direction of a New Production".[41]

External links

References

  1. Nakiesha Koss. Stepping into the Adventurous World of Podcasting with "Dungeons & Daddies" Adobe Blog, June 1, 2020, retrieved December 12, 2020^
  2. 'Alright' by Maxton Waller Bandcamp, April 10, 2019, retrieved December 12, 2020^
  3. 'On My Way' by Maxton Waller Bandcamp, January 25, 2022, retrieved April 4, 2022^
  4. 'A Hole in the Stars' by Maxton Waller Bandcamp, May 7, 2024, retrieved August 5, 2024^
  5. 'Conventional Wisdom' by Maxton Waller Bandcamp, February 11, 2026, retrieved February 11, 2026^
  6. Dungeons & Daddies Acast, retrieved December 12, 2020^
  7. Podcast/Dungeons & Daddies TV Tropes, retrieved 2021-01-10^
  8. Dark Matter - Sci-Fi 5E by Mage Hand Press Mage Hand Press, retrieved 2026-02-11^
  9. Em Rowntree. Dungeons and Daddies: 8 Reasons You Should Be Listening (And One Reason You Shouldn't) Geekiary, 2020-09-30, retrieved 2021-01-10^
  10. Interview with D&D Podcast "Dungeons & Daddies" Cosplay Realm Magazine, 2020-04-08, retrieved 2021-01-10^
  11. Dungeons & Daddies Dungeons & Daddies, retrieved December 12, 2020^
  12. S2 Ep. 1 - Dungeon and D.A.D.D.I.E.S. Dungeons & Daddies, retrieved April 21, 2022^
  13. S3 Ep. 1 - Strangers on a Lane Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2024-05-13^
  14. Season 4 Trailer Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2026-02-11^
  15. S4 Ep. 1 - Grandfather Paradox Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2026-02-11^
  16. Spotify open.spotify.com, retrieved 2024-02-17^
  17. Ep. 1 - A Man and His Handshake Dungeons & Daddies, retrieved 21 April 2022^
  18. S3 Ep. 13 - The Door Into Plumber Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2024-11-24^
  19. Ep. 34 - Dedicated Involved Loving Fathers (ft. Ashly Burch) Acast, May 26, 2020, retrieved December 12, 2020^
  20. I guest as Ratticus Finch, prosecutor and single parent to 40 beautiful mouse children, on this week's episode of @dungeonsanddads! 10 November 2020^
  21. Ep. 48 - Carry On My Wayward Son Acast, December 8, 2020, retrieved December 12, 2020^
  22. S2 Ep. 28 - King of the Hell Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2023-03-02^
  23. S2 Ep. 29 - S.O.C.C.E.R.: Shadow Of Scorenogoal Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2023-03-14^
  24. S2 Ep. 4 - Barf Bum Movie Men dungeonsanddaddies, March 8, 2022, retrieved March 8, 2022^
  25. Ep. 68, Pt. 2 - Hi "Going Home," I'm Dad! Dungeons & Daddies, retrieved 21 April 2022^
  26. At the Mountains of Dadness Dungeons & Daddies, retrieved 21 April 2022^
  27. Episodes - Dungeons & Daddies Dungeons & Daddies, retrieved 21 April 2022^
  28. Sons and Sonsability - Ep. 3 - The Time Traveler's Wife^
  29. S2 Ep. 53 - Urination (Friends Forever) Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2024-04-23^
  30. BONUS: DADHAMMER 40,000 Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2024-11-24^
  31. Emily Martin. The 10 Best D&D Podcasts for Everyone from DMs to Newbies BOOK RIOT, 2023-02-20, retrieved 2026-04-19^
  32. Amanda Kay Oaks. 10 Best D&D Actual Play Podcasts (Besides Critical Role) ComicBook.com, 2025-03-13, retrieved 2026-04-17^
  33. Sebastian Stoddard. 7 Dungeons and Dragons Podcasts to Listen to After 'The Legend of Vox Machina' Collider, 2022-02-26, retrieved 2026-04-19^
  34. Durand Welsh. REVIEW: Dungeons and Daddies Podcast Grimdark Magazine, 2023-09-26, retrieved 2026-04-17^
  35. Content creators look for more fan support as brands pull back ad spending marketplace.org, 2020-07-02, retrieved 2021-01-10^
  36. Spotify: United States of America: Top Podcasts Chartable, retrieved 21 April 2022^
  37. Dungeons & Daddies on Patreon Patreon, retrieved 22 September 2023^
  38. Muck Rack muckrack.com, retrieved 2026-04-04^
  39. Live Dungeons and Daddies, retrieved 2026-04-18^
  40. Dungeons & Daddies: The Areas Tour Apple Podcasts, retrieved 2026-04-18^
  41. 2019 Audio Verse Award Winners Audio Verse Awards, 2020, retrieved December 12, 2020^