Dungeons & Daddies
Comedy podcast
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
adventure
roleplaying
Freddie Wong
Matt Arnold
Will Campos
Beth May
| Dungeons & Daddies | |
|---|---|
| |
| Genre | Comedy adventure roleplaying |
| Language | English |
| Cast and voices | |
| Hosted by | Anthony Burch Freddie Wong Matt Arnold Will Campos Beth May |
| Music | |
| Opening theme | "Alright"[1] (season 1) "On My Way"[2] (season 2) by Maxton Waller "A Hole In The Stars"[3] (season 3) by Maxton Waller "Conventional Wisdom"[4] (season 4) by Maxton Waller |
| Production | |
| Production | Freddie Wong[5] |
| Publication | |
| Original release | January 2019 |
| Provider | Acast[6] |
| Updates | Fortnightly |
| Related | |
| Website | dungeonsanddaddies.com |
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, two and four, 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]
| Player | Season 1 character | Season 2 character | Season 3 character | Season 4 character | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Burch | Gamemaster | Gamemaster | Francis Farnsworth | Gamemaster | |
| Freddie Wong | Glenn Close – Human Bard (Shifter stats) | Taylor Swift – Tiefling Ranger (Tiefling Rogue after se. 2 ep. 44)[16] | Tony Collette and Blake Lively | Ashley Birch – Human Gadgeteer | [17][12][18][15] |
| Matt Arnold | Darryl Wilson – Human Barbarian (Goliath stats) | Lincoln "Link" Li-Wilson – Human Paladin | Kelsey Grammar | Dale Elliot – Human Monk | [17][12][15] |
| Will Campos | Henry Oak – Human Druid (Wood Elf stats) | Normal "Norm" Oak – Human Cleric | Gamemaster | Ralph Estarellas – Human Sorcerer | [17][12][15] |
| Beth May | Ron Stampler – Human Rogue (Tiefling stats) | Theresa "Scary" Marlowe – Human Warlock | Trudy Trout | Herb "The Worm" Quigley – Human Barbarian | [17][12][15] |
| Ashly Burch | Dennis Anderson – Human Rogue | - | [19] | ||
| Jenna Stoeber | Ratticus Finch | - | [20] | ||
| Jimmy Wong | Jodie Foster – Human Paladin | Jodie Foster – Demon Oathbreaker Paladin | [21][22][23] | ||
| Elyse Willems | - | Erica Drippins | [24] |
Campaigns
Major and minor campaigns are listed below. Includes Patreon-only campaigns as well.
| Campaign | Episodes | Game system | Game master | Release date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1: Odyssey | 68.5 (69) | D&D 5th edition | Anthony Burch | January 22, 2019 – October 19, 2021 | [17][25] |
| At The Mountains of Dadness | 3 | Call of Cthulhu | Anthony Burch | November 1, 2019 – December 3, 2019 | [26] |
| Gungans and Daddies:
All That Jizz |
3 | Edge of the Empire | Anthony Burch | March 29, 2021 – June 22, 2021 | |
| Fetch Quest | 3 | D&D 5th edition | Will Campos | November 16, 2021 – December 13, 2021 | [27] |
| Sons and Sonsability | 3 | Custom-made
(Cross between The Good Society and Marrying Mister Darcy: The Board Game) |
Anthony Burch
Amanda Shuckman[28] |
May 7, 2022 – July 3, 2022 | |
| Season 2: Quest | 53 | D&D 5th edition | Anthony Burch | January 25, 2022 – March 26, 2024 | [12][29] |
| Season 3: The Peachyville Horror | 39 | Call of Cthulhu | Will Campos | May 7, 2024 – Dec 2, 2025 | [13] |
| DADHAMMER 40,000 | 3 | Wrath and Glory | Matt Arnold | October 22, 2024 – February 7, 2025 | [30] |
| Season 4: Grandpas and Galaxies | TBD | Dark Matter
(science fiction variant of D&D 5th edition) |
Anthony Burch | February 11, 2026 – present | [15] |
Mini-campaign characters
Major and minor characters from the self-contained mini-campaigns.
| Campaign | Player | Character |
|---|---|---|
| At The Mountains of
Dadness |
Freddie Wong | Meryl Streep
- Actor |
| Matt Arnold | Robert Wilson
- Line producer | |
| Will Campos | Hildy Russet
- Makeup girl / Journalist | |
| Beth May | Stuart "Stud" Stampler
- Carpenter | |
| Gungans and Daddies:
All That Jizz |
Freddie Wong | Beef Himbo
- Droid / Manager |
| Matt Arnold | Yap Yappa Yowza
- Yuzzum / Bass player | |
| Will Campos | Olp Mondez
- Human / Kloohorn player | |
| Beth May | Gurdy Vanda
- Pa'Lowick / Singer | |
| Fetch Quest | Freddie Wong | Mochi
- Cat |
| Matt Arnold | Donut
- Truck stop dog | |
| Anthony Burch | Beignet
- Influencer dog | |
| Beth May | Cookie
- Spy dog | |
| Sons and Sonsability | Freddie Wong | Fanny Mothman
- Piano player |
| Matt Arnold | Cynthia Nixon née Mothman
- Cowboy | |
| Will Campos | Eunice Mothman
- Sickly / Religious | |
| Beth May | Elizabeth Mothman
- Crazy / Dancer |
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]
Dungeons & Daddies in other media
Dungeons & Daddies has produced two music albums based on songs and comedy from the show. Released in 2020, Rocks Rock! purports to be a geology-themed educational rap-rock album written by the Season One character Henry Oak.[39] Released in 2023, Sophomore Slump is an angsty high school garage rock-inspired album from the perspective of the goth teen Scary Marlowe, a character from Season Two.[40] Both albums were released on vinyl and digital formats.
Since 2023, the Dungeons & Daddies podcast has sold out multiple national and international live theatre tours featuring actual play RPG comedy performances and music from the podcast.[41][42]
In May 2026, a forthcoming Dungeons & Daddies tabletop RPG sourcebook was announced.[43]
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".[44]
