Mythic Quest drops an origin story worthy of its heroes
In the revealing “Sarian,” we finally get a flashback episode about our two leads
TV Reviews Sarah Lindsey Kraft
For three seasons, Mythic Quest has indulged in something very few sitcoms do: origin stories. By nature, an origin that recontextualizes how we see characters can ultimately undo the episodic nature of the show. Sitcoms need to welcome new viewers every week, so if characters change too much or become too complicated, it can alienate first-time viewers. On the other hand, Mythic Quest is more than happy to see its characters level up.
In its first-season surprise flashback, “A Dark Quiet Death,” Mythic Quest dramatizes the origins of the “MQ” office, a mundane workspace that evolves into an institution for collaboration and creation, where caretakers shuffle in and out. Season two unpacks C.W. Longbottom’s eureka moment when he discovers the perfect medium for his unwieldy imagination: video games. The result imbues even the most cantankerous characters or bland spaces with new meaning, coloring all that came before.
However many contexts these episodes provide, all roads lead to Poppy and Ian. With “Sarian,” we finally get the origins of our two leads. Bouncing between adolescent Ian (played by Judah Prehn) in 1987 and Poppy (Isla Rose Hall) in 2001, the episode deepens season-wide themes of validation and support. When parenting isn’t enough, these two had to rely on themselves.
Opening on teacher conference between Ian’s mother, Sarah (Lindsey Kraft), and Principal Taggart (Star Trek’s Robert Picardo), Ian, we learn, got into another fight at school and did not complete another assignment for his science class. Instead of presenting a report on the assigned planet Saturn, Ian offers a detailed explanation of his imaginary planet “Tartarus.” He doesn’t understand why his imaginary planet won’t fulfill the assignment, but his mother is happy to indulge him. Right after telling the principal that Ian will “get what’s coming to him,” she hands her son a candy bar and validates his belief that the student he fought “is a dick.”
Present-day Ian drips with confidence, protected from lines in the sterile “Hera” office. Here, his life is a mess. His single mother suffers from mood swings that see her as supportive one moment and catatonic the next. Ian finds solace in his imagination, and it’s far more vivid than expected, filled with passions and ideas. But he’d rather read sci-fi erotica and build universes than write a report on Saturn. Sarah sees clarity when Ian talks about his creations. When she compares his scribbled handwriting to the vivid drawings lining his walls, she opts to reinforce the side of Ian that is firing on all cylinders.
Supporting a child’s gifts can be a bit of a crapshoot. Every parent hopes their child will find passions and interests of their own. Poppy, for example, has supportive parents, a father (Dionysio Basco) who nurtures her love for video games and a mother (Hayley Magnus) who wants to see her daughter create something that she understands. Young Poppy has a piano recital coming up that her mother encourages her to practice for. Unfortunately, Final Fantasy IX just came out. Poppy’s mom doesn’t see video games as a healthy habit, preferring the extroverted socializing of Poppy’s sister. She wants Poppy to get out of the house and make friends because Poppy’s antisocial tendencies aren’t getting any easier. Poppy even hid that she knew Tagalog from her mother for several months.
We see a split between parents, one that wants to encourage play, and another who just wants their kid to be “normal.” Poppy’s dad gives her a few minutes of Final Fantasy in exchange for some serious piano practice but quickly gives in to Poppy’s pleas for more screen time. He does find a way to motivate her training by turning the recital into “boss level.” If Poppy beats the recital boss, he will buy her something, and the only thing she wants is the internet, where she can indulge in her video games to her heart’s content.
Ian’s mother does something similar. Sarah slams Ian’s books and whisks him to a hobby shop to stimulate his creativity. She sprays paint, throws glitter, and unlocks Ian’s imagination, helping him visualize the world in his mind. From this vantage, it’s easy to see why Ian is so invested in the metaverse. The program that we saw Ian make his sales pitch in a few weeks ago resembles the 3D world that his mother conjures in the store. He could “see it,” as they frequently say on the show. Through the metaverse, he thinks he can make it. But after a day of pancakes and pipe cleaners, he awakes on the floor next to a syrup-crusted plate. The house is silent, and the stove is on, charring the flapjack remnants on the burner. Ian finds his mother in bed, gazing into the abyss, unable to take him to school. It’s another one of her “bed days.”
When Ian arrives late, he goes to the principal’s office for a late pass. Ian eyes the candy dish on his desk, signaling to Principal Taggart that he’s hungry for breakfast. The principal opens the jar and offers Ian a treat. “Am I in trouble?” Ian asks. “Not at all,” Principal Taggart responds, choking back concern. Ricardo strikes a gentle tone, comforting the boy while sensing the danger at Ian’s house. It’s an act of compassion that he calls Ian’s father, whom neither Ian nor Ian’s mother trusts. But Ian’s paternal grandfather knows this is for the best. Ian’s mother cannot care for her son in this state.
Poppy’s parents also suffer from the push-pull of parenting, when to be supportive and when to be stern. Still, Poppy comes from a much more stable household, growing up in a nice house on a nice block where kids freely ride their bikes without worry. Poppy’s dad’s tactic of using the recital to reward does the trick, and Poppy learns her piece, choosing the most expeditious way to her goal. Her mother beams with pride as she stands and applauds her daughter’s accomplishment, mirroring the “Playpen” presentation that caused Poppy to “see it.” She wants to cash in on the reward, but she doesn’t want internet, she wants a bike.
A bike is even more valuable because it affords Poppy independence. She rides her bike to the library, where she can use the internet while her parents assume she’s out playing. It’s in the library that she stumbles on “Sarian,” the game Ian built based on planets he included in his science project. The game totally blows Poppy’s mind. Ian, we learn, is the reason she got into coding. Suddenly, their relationship starts to make more sense. Unlike C.W., who struggled his whole life to collaborate or take constructive criticism, Poppy and Ian offer each other something the other lacks. Ian lacks structure, and Poppy lacks imagination. Together, they make a pretty good team.
While we leave Poppy at a moment of triumph and Ian at one of trauma, their roads met in 2009 at MIT, where Poppy studies and Ian teaches. We can assume that Poppy fulfilled her mother’s every wish by ending up in a Massachusetts Ivy League school. By this point, though, Ian’s had ups and downs, both professionally and creatively. Ian needs an editor, someone to tell him his code is shit, and Poppy needs someone to teach her what a joke is, to loosen up, and let some creativity in. Together, they start a two-player mythic quest that unlocks their potential and the potential of their players. Who knows how many young Poppys they’ve inspired?
Stray observations
- “Sarian” wasn’t the funniest Mythic Quest as these flashbacks tend to be more dramatic by nature. But the final scene was filled with great lines. My favorite is probably the way McElhenney says, “You’re fun.”
- I love that we got some payoff for Poppy’s sugar fiending this season. “That’s enough syrup, Poppy.”
- Poppy being obsessed with winning over exploration is a very sly bit of characterization. Her desire to get her eyes on a walk-thru says a lot about her gaming habits.
- Such a great pair of scenes from Robert Picardo. Wonderful casting throughout this episode.
- Speaking of which, all of Ian’s worst habits come from his dad.
- “I named it ‘Sarian’ because it’s our planet,” Ian tells his mother. A portmanteau of Sarah and Ian, his first game is a tribute to the world he lost but also his willingness to collaborate. However, Ian cannot fulfill both parents’ wishes and is sent to live with his father, with whom we know shockingly little (though we can assume has a complex relationship with Ian and Ian’s mother), but must not be supportive of the whole imagination thing (“His name is ‘Ian.’”).
35 Comments
How great was Isla Rose Hall as young Poppy? She absolutely nailed it, front to back, from the sly enthusiasm to the “eat shit”.
Haven’t watched it yet but as soon as i saw the pics i just thought they had just used some of that de-aging tech on Charlotte Nicdao. I’m amazed its actually a different actor.
Also great in S5E11 of “The Good Doctor.”
Omg I have to go rewatch that now!
Totally. Kudos to the casting dept for finding a) a good child actress b)who looks like Poppy C) and could nail an Australian accent
She was amazing. One of the only times I could totally believe a child actor would grow up to be their adult counterpart. And she nailed the poppyisms perfectly while also having that naive enthusiasmof youth. It was a perfect performance.Very strong episode. When Ian said ‘I don’t do family’ during the Christmas episode, it was a very good joke, typical of his narcissism hiding unpleasant truths beneath a veneer of invincible alpha masculinity. But after seeing this episode, it’s one of the most tragic lines uttered on TV this year. Unlike some others here, I’m immensely enjoying the season – I was afraid that splitting up the bunch would be a death knell for the series, but they have sidestepped that landmine perfectly with the Hera headquarters right below MQ’s offices, and the characters regularly commuting between the two. As far as I’m concerned, this is a much better show than Ted Lasso – granted, Lasso has a more unique vibe, but come season 2 they basically didn’t know where to go with it. MQ has a broad palette of really interesting characters and manages to keep finding new layers to explore in them.
She was so good and well cast. She even had adult Poppy’s adorable lopsided smile.
came out here to say this. I can’t think of another child actor that so nailed their adult counterpart.
It was pretty remarkable
I was honestly floored and had a moment of “is that just Nicdao?”. She was amazing.
When she did the hand flair thing Poppy does I thought they just went back in time
It’s a weird model for a show, to be frank. 90% workplace comedy that ranges from alright to very funny, and then one episode or so per season that just wrecks @Dr. Boots’ List’s shit and leaves them curled up on the floor weeping.Well played once again, Mythic Quest. Well played.
And they had the only pandemic remote episode I’ve ever seen of a show that was both moving and funny!
Yeah, that one’s definitely included in the list of tearjerkers for me. Head and shoulders above most pandemic-themed efforts.
I took an edible at the height of the pandemic and binged the first season of the series. It was, of course, the same night that their pandemic episode dropped. Messed me riiiiight up. In a good, cathartic way. Pledged myself to these writers and cast that day.
This show dares to say hell with the comedy formula which is large reason why it works. Beside the casting of course. Never would have worked on anything but Apple+ and only because Apple was so new that they had yet moved to algorithmic choices like all the other streamers have. Now I doubt it would have been greenlit.Other random thoughts. No way they cast Sam Witwer without intent to use him again in the future. I do like how they remind you that Poppy lacks imagination but thoroughly enjoys the imagination of others. Lot of people, including myself, are like that. They nailed the look and feel of each era to a remarkable degree. Kids today would look at Poppy riding off on her bike all the way to the library and probably think “you can do that?” since nowadays letting a kids leave their yard is tantamount to child endangerment by the very same generation that use to travel miles from home on their bikes.
Your last point is true with regards to American children, but I have it on good authority that Australian children still have to wrestle three crocodiles on the way to school every day, so they must be made of tougher stuff. (Probably Marmite.)
I was thinking the same thing about Whitwer.
idk, we didn’t get the DQD people again and it was Jake Johnson and Cristin Milinoti who are also pretty well known
That’s a fair point, although I’d argue they had bigger, meatier parts even if they were in a one-off. But who knows, maybe he did as a favor or for a paycheck (no shame) and that will be it.
Witwer seems like a guy who would jump at the chance to be in MQ, even if it’s a bit part.
Also very possible
We did get one of the Backstory! actors back the following week, so I could see him coming back as present day Ian’s dad maybe
We have all the info we need on Ian’s Dad. He was an abusive bastard. He stubbed a lit cigarette out on his arm when he was a kid, sued Ian for money as and adult. Very dark part of the episode indeed.
yeah this was fantastic, Katie McElhenney at this point has to be one of the greatest writers working in television. frankly it really threw into relief how anodyne and stagnant the rest of this season has feltalso this review seems to have forgotten the s1 detail that Ian’s dad used to burn him with cigarettes, and the pronunciation of our Ian’s name is a way to distance himself from his shithead father. no doubt Sarah couldn’t take care of him either, but that scene where he gets taken away is unambiguously devastating. that shot of Sarah in bed as her son was taken away nearly broke meI also think Poppy’s relationship with her mum is maybe a little more complex than how it’s stated here. it sure read to me like she (the name eludes me) was the kind of parent who was never satisfied and constantly pushed her kids to do more and more. this explains a lot about Poppy’s desperate need for validation from Ian in the present day and why she wanted so badly to succeed at something other than the codingultimately a really beautiful episode that showed us how Mythic Quest saved these two lost souls just how it saved CW in the end (the shot of Sarian reflected in Poppy’s glasses the same way the game did in CW’s in Backstory was perhaps my favourite moment of the episode if not the whole show). so many other great details I could mention, that absolutely killer Crowded House needle drop (very appropriate as Poppy’s family is from Melbourne), Sam Witwer out of nowhere being excellent as usual, “eat shit, Tracy!” 10/10 episode, more like this in s4 and less of… everything else we’ve had this season please
Plus, wasn’t there something about Poppy’s family not seeing her at Christmas, and not just because they were in Australia?
Obvious sister issues that we may see in the future. Tracy called her a freakazoid, which is how Poppy refers to her coder minions, and the mom was trying to reassure Tracy that she is also special rather than applauding Poppy after her performance. Between that and Brad’s evil brother, I’m guessing that the writers room have some dysfunctional sibling dynamics.
Sarian? As in: Space Quest I: Roger Wilco in the Sarien Encounter?(close enough)
Ooh, I hope it was a stealth reference.
Maybe, but more that the entire point to the game was to protect the planet named after him and his mother.
Well, another season, another “experiment episode” that floors me. This is why I tune into this show every week. It’s capable of surprising me.Well, that, and Poppy.
The look/pause after Poppy said it was Sarian that inspired her.
That was *chef’s kiss* acting by Rob McElhenney. That said so much without words in just a couple of seconds.
their roads met in 2009 at MIT, where Poppy studies and Ian teaches. We can assume that Poppy fulfilled her mother’s every wish by ending up in a Massachusetts Ivy League schoolMIT isn’t an Ivy
It’s fun how you only quoted one single line from the episode in your whole write up and managed to get it wrong.She says “he will get exactly what he deserves.” not “what’s coming to him.”
I went back and watched it again to make sure. It wasn’t difficult to do.
That was great. As everybody said, the child actor playing Poppy was just perfect, and I even cried when at the end Poppy said it was Sarian that inspired her seeing Ian’s reaction.
I loved young Poppy exclaiming “A bike!” just like “Dinner party!”