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Once per season, “Mythic Quest” does a standalone episode that doesn’t feature the regular cast.
Warning: Spoilers for the “Mythic Quest” season 4 finale follow.
TOM’S GUIDE: How did you join “Mythic Quest” in the first place?
Was it always the intention that you would both write and star in it?
ASHLY BURCH:I don’t think it was, actually.
And they were looking also for someone who understood the gaming space.
I just got a cold call, basically, asking if I wanted to join the writers' room.
And I got very bold for some reason, and was like, “Could I audition?”
So, I went through the process of auditioning.
TG: “Side Quest” has such a wonderful range of stories.
It was your first time being a showrunner.
Did anything surprise you about that experience?
What do you think you learned?
It was just volume.
I remember talking to Rob once and him asking me if I wanted to be a showrunner.
And he was like, “Well, do you think you could run a writers' room?”
And I said, “Yeah, I think I could run a writers' room.”
And he’s like, “Then you might showrun.”
I do think that was part of it.
How long had you been thinking of doing a story like that?
Are there other pockets of underrepresented gaming or comics culture that you’d be interested in exploring?
AB:“Pull List” really came out of wanting to focus on the Black nerd community.
The co-writer of that episode, Javi [Javier Scott], is a Black nerd.
And it comes from such an authentic place.
And so that was such an interesting pocket of, you know, a niche within a niche.
It’s a self-contained bottle episode with characters that you don’t know.
What were we thinking?
But it turned out well.
TG: The episode also seemed like an homage to “High Fidelity.”
AB:It absolutely was.
It was definitely influenced by “High Fidelity.”
And Cherry’s character was in part influenced by Jack Black’s character in that.
TG: Janae, the store owner in that episode, talks about cosplaying.
Have you ever cosplayed?
AB:I have done one of the weirder cosplays.
That is, I think, maybe the only time I’ve cosplayed.
I was the farmer.
In that game, there are eligible ladies that you could possibly marry.
TG: What is the No.
1 thing people shout to you when they recognize you?
AB:They say, “Hey Ash, whatcha playin'?”
TG: On to “Mythic Quest.”
The Congressional hearing scene: What acting techniques did you have to access to deliver that masterful cringe performance?
And how did you stop yourself and the cast from laughing the whole time?
AB:(Laughs)Well, I do have experience with being cringe in my life.
I didn’t have to dig that deep to be cringey.
Also, I just feel like I have a handle on this character now, which is great.
I feel like that’s a good description for her.
TG: That’s a great description for her.
I keep wondering, does she keep failing upward, or is she some sort of savant?
AB:I think she actually is smart about monetization.
She does get gamers and what they will respond to and what they would pay money for.
And that is something that she’s actually competent at.
Everything else is complete incompetence and ignorance.
Like, “OK, we’re toxic for each other, but we’re going to keep trying.
We’re toxic for each other, we’re going to keep trying.”
And this crosses a line and shakes them up in a way that’s really interesting.
I think it was a smart way to take the show.
We did the kiss this is [my] director hat now multiple times in different ways.
And I think the thing that ended up being important to everyone was that it was very mutual.
So, Ian initiates it, but then they’re very much both in it.
AB:I did watch the first season, it’s awesome.
And I’m excited.
I don’t know if excited’s the right word.
If you know, you know.
TG: What other game that you’ve been a part of would you love to see adapted?
Oh, that’s a hard one.
There’s probably a way to do it, but it’s so, it’s very obsidian.
Which means it’s very player-driven.
So I’m just always curious how people handle stuff that’s player-driven.
So we played the most, and the most varied games.
But Imani [Hakim, who plays Rachel’s love interest Dana] also plays games.
So she had a bunch of friends over.
And when I came in, they were playing “Overcooked” and could not finish this one level.
You’re only going to wash dishes."
So (laughs) there’s a lot of “Overcooked” in our lives.
TG: What other projects are you working on right now?
It’s basically “Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood,” but for adults, so there are swears.
I think adults need way more support with mental health than we get.
Plus, puppets are funny and cute, and I like them.
TG: Do you watch TV?
What shows are you watching?
AB:I do watch TV.
I have recently, strangely, gotten back into an anime kick.
I don’t really watch a ton of anime; I haven’t historically.
I did it when I was in high school and then I kind of fell off.
And then I, for whatever reason, started watching anime again.
I’m watching a show right now called “Apothecary Diaries.”
TG: What about non-anime?
AB:I’m about to start the second season of “Severance.”
I haven’t been spoiled, and I wanted to binge it.
So I’ve just been saving it.
Like a little treat for myself.
TG: Which “Mythic Quest” character would youleastwant to be trapped in an elevator with?
AB:(immediately) Jo.
TG: What Muppet does Rachel think she is, and which Muppet is she actually?
AB:I think she probably thinks that she’s Fozzie.
But she’s actually Gonzo.
AB:I have always thought that it looked cool.
And I get a lot of compliments on my hair.
So I guess I’m right.
But in the quarantine episode, Dana compliments Rachel’s gray.
And I was like, well, then she’s never dyeing it again.
There’s no way.
If Dana likes it, then it’s staying.
