Saturday, October 22, 2016

Brothers Barbarian

Though only now reviewing it, this was the first D&Dish web series I encountered and got me looking for more. The story follows Art and Russ, a pair of dull-witted brothers who have been cursed by a witch. The witch, for reasons unknown, made them middle-aged sometime before the first episode. They are currently seeking the witch to restore them but are easily distracted from that task. The two prove to be amazing fighters who lay waste to any opposition with little trouble. There is a wizard (played by Larry Elmore, the great gaming artist and author of SnarfQuest) who likes to teleport himself and others but has trouble including clothing and gear. Awkward. Orcs are plentiful and the brothers kill the largest of them several times before discovering he is part troll and heals after every fight.  Classic. Perhaps the funniest part is the band of low-level adventurers who constantly find themselves in the brothers' wake. There is the too cool-looking fighter, a typical wizard, a cleric who is always in his helmet, and a dark elf who is obviously a rip off of Drizzt Do'Urden (aren't they all). Anyway, this band is always out looking to accomplish great deeds and no sooner do they arrive to save the day than they stumble upon the havoc wreaked by Art and Russ. However, the townsfolk inevitably discover the four heroes standing over the corpses shortly after the Brothers Barbarian have departed and thus give credit to the bemused four. It doesn't match the Dead Gentlemen stuff but it on par with Standard Action.

The best thing about the show is the theme song. Sure, these other web series have musical introductions but not a song. It is worth listening to the lyrics with such gems as "They look like they are fortyish and death is close at hand" or "middle-aged in Middle Earth, flat of foot and wide of girth." The song is a big selling point.

There are frequently bonus bits at the end or during the credits so it is worth watching all the way to the end. Besides, the song will keep you entertained.
The show went on to have a second season which was okay.  It too is posted on YouTube.
 

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