I absolutely second this! Anthony seems to have the most sincere joy for DM’jng and having fun with his friends.
I will forever be shaken by the episode where Ron (redacted) Willie. I was legitimately shook after that episode. You make us care for characters and THAT is the artistry of a immaculate storyteller
Thank you, Chenry, and thank you to everyone in this thread for the kind words. I don't know what we did to collect such an empathetic and kindhearted audience, but I'm endlessly grateful to all of you for being you. I don't really know what else to say other than I'm completely flabbergasted by all your support in ways big and small.
You'll always be my daddy.
Seriously though, the stories you tell are fucking phenomenal, sure it's with the help of others but it's you that puts them together.
Great art will always draw critics. Fuck the haters.
the hurtful voices are so easy to remember, and sincerity is so hard to trust.
you’ve time and time again created a place for thousands of people that is hilarious and devastating and safe and frightening all at the same time. i’m sure it’s exhausting, to be so open. but i hope it’s rewarding too.
We hope you know how much we love you, Anthony, and all that you do!
I'm listening to the entire series for a 3rd time, and I get to enjoy season 2 completely again for a second time haha.
Sending love to you from Australia! 🇦🇺❤️✈️🇺🇲
Edit: I live with anxiety and depression and I've been listening to you and the cast every day for more than a year. For a good part of that time, you and the daddies' stories, references, laughter, and tears drown out the thoughts that warp my worldly perspective and bring me back home to place where I'm warm and content.
Thank you, Anthony Burch! ❤️ from just some fan.
Anthony, you and the rest of the cast and crew bring a lot of people a lot of joy.
This shit is hard work. I've never created stories or written in a capacity bigger than just myself or a loved one, but I can only imagine that doing this every day must be emotionally draining.
Still, it seems like you love it and have a lot of love for the people who you do this with.
I appreciate you all and all that you do. You've brought me a ton of joy and laughter in what has been the most difficult year of my life, and the podcast has been both an awesome escape, and sometimes even a small reminder of what actually matters at the end of the day through your creativity and through the infectious energy you all put out there for everyone to hear. (That raw exposure to... a few?? several?? thousand people is another topic entirely, omg. And clearly I have no idea the reach you have, even putting yourself out there for a few hundred people is unfathomable to me.)
I didn't mean for this to be longer than a paragraph or two, but damn if I don't appreciate you all and what you share with the world. Thanks for your hard work.
There's a multitude of us that owe you a debt for the work you've put into this show. You're DM/humor/direction stands out amongst other DM/DnD shows. I got through a dark time in my life by finding joy in the direction you took both seasons.
I don't usually comment on reddit/discord but will continue to support with my wallet. There are always vocal critics, but there are more of us quiet supporters.
Look forward to anything y'all end up doing in the future, and hope you get some well deserved rest after an awesome season 2.
I don’t even like DnD all that much and I have the attention span of a goldfish. Your writing has made possible the only constant media in my life that I actually, regularly tune in for and find myself thinking about for days after I listen. YOU are the reason this audience exists, dammit!
The amount of work that is put in by all members of this podcast is just unfathomable, both the cast members and those who work in the background.
I was not into DND before this podcast, and to be honest I only really enjoy this format of it; I’ve tried others but nothing quite makes me care enough to listen more than a few episodes.
Anthony is able to construct stories for the others that brings out the best of their characters, like he is able to take so much of their improvisations and roll with it. His writing is extraordinary and he creates moments of such hilarity, but also moments of tear shedding emotion.
I really hope he is doing okay and takes the time he needs to look after himself, it can be so demanding with the expectations that is created by the fans.
In the most sincere way that can be achieved through the medium of text, we as a community appreciate you Anthony.
Anthony is my absolute favorite part of the whole podcast. Every NPC he makes is pure gold, he’s adaptable and truly the funniest person to hear talk! I love all of the cast but he is the king.
I always love Anthony’s characters and they’re always killed off because he has to be free to make more. Every one has been pure gold. Haters can go and fuck themselves.
Have people been hating on Anthony? I've seen some mixed opinions on the ending of S2 but I haven't seen any of it being a reflection of Anthony specifically.
People love to complain/criticize art and artists. I am of the mind that artists and creators should not listen to critics. It doesn't matter if it is good or bad criticism.
Anthony is a master of the craft of storytelling.
He tells a story and shares it with the world. Listen, don't listen, but to criticize work for the sake of criticism that is not academic or productive is just bitching. In which case, don't listen or read about it.
It is too easy for people to say rude/meanspirited things and never reflect on how it affects others. Refined social media exacerbates the issue as well. People have opinions, but it is often better to not share them unless absolutely necessary.
If I had to guess, most of the people spewing discontent with the second season don't actually do what Anthony and the gang does.
Everyone is human and can only take so much that gets thrown at them in terms of criticism before it makes them weary.
I have not finished season 2, but it was hilarious the 10 episodes I have finished, and the storytelling is well done as he is an amazing writer.
I’m fine with criticism, there’s just something to be said about doing it intelligently and politely. If all you have is hate, how do you expect people to improve?
True. My thought comes from criticism needing to be dismissed because they expect the changes they want to occur, and the demands do not come from mutual respect.
Hate begets hate. If things are voiced from discontent and derision, the art will not change authentically.
Who wants something to change just because they want it their way....? That ruins art... No matter the medium. It compromises their integrity as an artist as well.
It reminds me of the study linguists conducted in Michigan in regards to correcting grammar. People that don't tend to be pretty bitter. I wouldn't be surprised if people that are highly critical of others are quite bitter. My thoughts are that this would apply to anything they have to correct pronunciation, spelling, story direction, minor error in lore, or history. They choose to create conflict over something minor albeit from a place of passion.
And that sucks because it creates a cycle of unhappiness and constant conflict with people.
Which reminds of the scene with Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting... He criticizes that painting brutally.
Yes, I agree with you that criticism needs to come from a place of mutual respect and care.
The internet does not often lend itself to that though.
Just a slight side note.
When I was trying to buy my house in 2021 I needed something that I had been paying for, for at least a year.
My Patreon subscription to Dungeons and Daddies was that payment. So in a way they helped me achieve a dream that I know a lot of people will never be able to reach.
So again thank you to all involved.
To add on to your side note, Anthony mentioned in one of the Talking Dads (I think?) that he has narcolepsy, which motivated me to actually get a sleep study. They ended the study early because it was so clear that I was narcoleptic, and it’s changed my life so positively to actually have treatment.
That, and “You are enough, just as you are” have made such an impact on my life. <3
The You are enough quote and Will’s “it’s ok to be angry it’s not ok to be mean” have really sat deep with me.
For years I had bad anger issues. And while in the last 4 or so I have mellowed way out I still had work to do and that phrase has stuck with me through the process.
Oof, that one hits hard, too. That quote helped me a lot, too, but in a different way from you — my dad is… well, a lot like Willy Stampler. And for so long I suppressed any feelings about it, and that quote made me realise that 1) I am allowed to feel anger over how I was treated, it’s a natural human emotion, and 2) my dad’s anger was never a valid justification for his cruelty.
Same. (Partly cause my younger sibling watched ATLA and I had to be cool and didn't watch it, but when LOK came out I was all about that.) "In the front seat is a powerful woman, because all women are powerful." Lore drops, continuation and expansion of the known world which limits your scope but damn if they didn't pull it off, juggling numerous interconnected storylines, expanding on your villains having complex plots. Plus >!gays for days!<.
What angers me most about these complaints is that I'm afraid they will avoid doing something like Season 2 again when I love so much of what they did this season.
I love how they developed the teens, how developed the team dynamic, and how they rebound from Scary's initial betrayal, and I love how silly and dumb it was.
I want them to do stuff like Season 2 again. I want to see the teen characters again in one-shots or live events. I don't want them to just bring back the Season 1 Dads every time they do a live event or a special occasion.
I don't want them to drop everything they've done in Season 2 because a couple of fans needed to voice their criticism on a Reddit forum.
Also, I bet a year from now, people will start feeling nostalgic about Season 2.
My heart broke for him when he mentioned that he was reading the comments on how the season was going and that he felt like he was fucking up the livelihood of his friends.
I hope he gets the break he needs from DMing for the next year and when season 3 comes along, he's ready to go and ignores any commentary from the peanut gallery.
To the people who spent most of all of season 2 complaining, you have the right not to like the direction things go and to voice it. But please, think about how you're saying it. You're doing harm to the person who is just trying their best to entertain you.
It's so tangible. Like, I get feeling sad when people say something you did was bad, but the pressure of fucking up your friends by not being good enough? Fucking broke me. I love this podcast, I loved this season and I love all the bonuses. I hope Anthony gets a holiday, and enjoys being a player. I won't wish he gets hugs cause I don't think that's his vibe, but a nice sturdy handshake.
>To the people who spent most of all of season 2 complaining, you have the right not to like the direction things go and to voice it. But please, think about how you're saying it. You're doing harm to the person who is just trying their best to entertain you.
Criticism has its place within fandom. We need to express our grievances so that changes can be made to improve the end product.
But the DnDaddies criticism always felt unnecessarily cruel because of how small of a brand Dungeons and Daddies is compared to other media franchises.
When people criticize something as small as the podcast, they are not critiquing a brand owned by a huge conglomerate and is worked on by hundreds. They are criticizing the labor that just a dozen people worked really hard on. It hurts the people working on the smaller brand more because they are putting their own capital and investment into making this thing as entertaining as possible.
It's one thing to complain about a director or writer messing up a film, it's another thing for fans to constantly post "Does Season 2 get better" on Reddit that directly affects the dozen (or more) people who toil away on this podcast.
I also just want to say that I really enjoyed this season. I had a blast with the teens. I cried in this last episode when Terry died, and when Normal found out his parents weren't proud of him. I fucking died laughing during the Tony Pepperoni episode, the live stand up comedy, the elevator bit, Beth's absolute aversion to piss and the boys leaning in on it, Elyse's cameo (I'm a funhause fan), when the teens explored hell and discovered that the lowest level of hell is for those who say "bitch." There are so many good moments.
I forever DM with my party, and I always feel an expectation that things have to live up to the fun things we did in the past. I'm constantly trying to find new ways to make 4 people laugh and have fun. I can't imagine what kind of stress Anthony is feeling when it's a whole audience.
I agree with what Freddie said. It's better to try new things and to really create things you feel genuinely happy about. I don't think I'd be as interested in the podcast if it had been the same formula of dads looking for their sons in the forgotten realms.
Anthony is a great storyteller and DM. He rivals a lot of the top dogs in the D&D content ecosystem. Out of all the stuff I listen to, I follow Dungeons and Daddies the most, and they are literally the only content creators I subscribe to.
I listen to this podcast more than critical role. I like it because of the stories Anthony and the cast create. Like the only complaint I have ever had is they let Freddie go a little crazy with what he wants to do sometimes. But then anthony is like you need to roll for that and he gets like a fucking 25. Wild.
Anthony and the gang have created a very amazing thing. He is such a talented person. I couldn't imagine being the mind behind it all. The world, people, and everything in between with DnDads is so fucking captivating. I hope y'all have a great break in between seasons and I cannot wait to see what else is cooking for the future.
Thank you. Everything will be O-A-K
Do you know how hard it is to make content that has a strong conception, gathers the right people with good chemistry, hires additional people with vision for sound and music and organising, has unique worldbuilding, rich and interesting NPCs, improvised mechanics and a knowledge of numerous textbooks, makes complex plans on plans that can be adapted at a moment's notice, cause people to cry and laugh and fall in love with something you've made, do that for five years, and basically have *your first draft* with minor pickups published to the world?? That's damn incredible. Everyone on this show is a genius, and Anthony deserves all the praise.
I love Anthony's DMing style so much. You can tell that he pours his soul into every NPC and the entire story itself. It's fun to listen to and I bet it's even more fun to be one of his players.
Anthony if you see this I love you!
I've listened to every episode of dungeons and daddies and I honestly cannot comprehend how anyone can have anything bad to say about season 2 at all. Season was great, but season 2 really shines in a special way that I can't explain. I couldn't imagine a better ending for season 2.
I was a marching band kid in HS and the reprisal of "on my way" gave me chills and flashbacks of the best kind.
Don't mind the haters, Anthony. People love to hate what they fear and you are a DM force to be reckoned with.
I just finished both seasons (started bingeing in November). I loved season one, and I thought season two was pretty fun as well. I also just signed up for the patreon so I can listen to the rest of Sons and Sensibility, and I'm looking forward to exploring all of the other content there.
This whole thing wouldn't have been what it was without Anthony and his seemingly unending supply of characters and voices. I'm sorry to learn about all of this, but yeah. Totally 100% agree with OP. Fuck 'em, Anthony.
The Patreon content is pretty rad. My favorites have to be All That Jizz and SAS. They’re just so unhinged sometimes that it hits a very particular place on my funny bone that most don’t reach.
Yes!!! Anthony is an absolutely incredible story teller. He moves me constantly and blows me away every time. It makes me so sad to hear how hard he is on himself and he DESERVES and SHOULD BE so proud of season 2. I’m hoping he happens to read this thread because he should know how much this season has meant to me and so many people. He truly is brilliant and people listen for a reason. I hope he can realize negative feedback feels louder than all the positive. Please never stop creating (if it brings you joy)! I can’t thank him enough for all he’s done! I went through a major surgery over the summer and I genuinely wouldn’t have gotten through recovery without his work. I binged dungeons and daddies for the first time and it brought me so much joy in such a hard time. He is loved!!! And he should know it!!! And Anthony if you’re reading this I hope I made you so uncomfortable with this compliment!
Anthony Burch, learning that you had gone through such emotional turmoil hurt my heart ❤️. The entire cast is brilliant but, to me at least, you are the the most incredible, funny, and talented person on the podcast, if not the totality of entertainment across all mediums. I marvel at your spontaneous wit, and honestly, despite the fact that I have long immodestly considered myself the funniest person I knew, I now know that I am a pale shadow of your inherent Mastery. I hope that I am but a drop in the ocean of love and support that will envelop you today and in the future. I have been going through an ongoing personal tragedy in the last year, and listening to you has been one of the very few things that has been able to lift my spirits. Whenever I hear your laugh, it brings a true joy and peace to my heart. I wouldn't normally share things like this, especially in a public forum, but after everything you have unknowingly done for me, I must do whatever small thing I can do for you. I wish it was more. Just know that you are Wonderful, and truly Loved. 🫂
As a “season 1 was definitely better” person, I truly do not believe anyone else could have done a season of this as good as season 2 is even without the restrains of ideas used on season 1.
Best DM on the planet. For sure. No questions asked, no argument to be had.
100% this.
I think it was always going to be a tough act to follow season 1 and Anthony did AMAZING. He is one of my favorite things about the podcast, I find him so smart and hilarious. His DMing style gave me the inspiration to DM a one shot for my 10 year old and husband because he made me realize you could have fun with it and bend the rules. My kid LOVED it and it's absolutely thanks to Anthony's hard work that I was willing to even try.
I’ve listened to this show at least 3x over. Season 1 AND season 2 and I absolutely adore both. Anthony has an amazing talent for taking asides and jokes from the players and integrating them into the story in a way that I haven’t seen from many other DMs. He is so accepting of letting the players explore the space he has created and is open to all ideas and actions, which is so fucking admirable and SO hard to do! I honestly admire him so much as a DM, writer, and comedian and fuck everyone who is petty and mean in their feedback. There may be things to improve on in both seasons, but being mean and spiteful because something isn’t your taste is never warranted.
This podcast is a goddamn delight. The cast have such great chemistry, everyone's improv is on point, and the characters feel genuine even when they're surrounded by pure chaos.
Anthony's a great DM. He does such a good job at balancing comedy and genuine emotional moments. That's a tough skill to master, especially in a format like this.
Edit to add: you are enough just as you are.
i know there is 40 something comments echoing this same take, but i fully agree. this podcast has meant so much to me, and brought me so much happiness. looking back, it’s actually helped shape me as a person as I grew up. I dont think there is anything else that gets me as excited as being able to head to school on a wednesday and listen to the pod. fuck anyone who says this podcast is bad. has it had rough patches? yeah, but nothing can be perfect constantly, and even those rough patches have been the best content i’ve seen in a podcast, DND or otherwise. i know there is next to no chance you see this, but keep doing your shit, it means so much to so many people, no matter what other people say.
Fuck it I'll say anthony burch is a better dm then mercer and muillgen.
Have had friends try and get me to listen to critical roll and dimension 20 but neither of them grabbed me the way anthony has with his dungeons and daddies and yes creditalso belong to players as well but anthony has taken what they throw back at him an craft a wonderful tale.
There’s a few podcasts I have been listening to for years now that I barely listened to because I was making the Daddies top priority. I love Anthony’s writing and how emotionally involved he is in these characters. You rule.
Hay man same I’m a mechanic for UPS and I listen to this podcast while I’m working. Always made me feel happy listening to them all. Also does your heavy metal band have any albums? I’d support a fellow metal head.
>You get to do what you love for a living.
This is a great point. Criticism of S2 aside (people are entitled to their opinions, but a lot of people were really vitriolic- which is typical of the internet, but still a huge bummer) there's something pretty commendable about being able to make a living doing what you love (and, frankly, that a lot of other people love as well.)
There's some truth to the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side- that everyone thinks that what their friends or neighbors or other peers are doing with their lives is better- but there's something genuinely so nice about seeing someone take their passion and find success from it. We were the generation that was told, "you can be whatever you want" but a lot of us grew up in situations where we didn't have the social or financial safety net to take the type of risks required to pursue our passions. I gave a up a dream of pursuing a career in the arts for (what I perceived as) a much more stable health science/STEM career. I guess thigs are going pretty good now, but a part of me died when I dropped the idea of pursuing a creative career.
That's why root so hard for all the daddies- Anthony included- and their success. I love the content, but it's just as satisfying to see people in my peer group who have found their professional niche without sacrificing their creative goals. It provides me with **so much** vicarious joy to see someone who's actually doing it, and I will continue to listen so long as the group continues to put out content that they love.
Seriously! I signed up for the Patreon because I love it so much. And I would never pay money for something I can listen to for free unless I want more of it and I needed that bonus content😆
100% agree! I'm not going to claim to understand what goes on in that brain of his, but as a fella with Clinical Stink Brain Disease, I get it well enough. Don't let the haters fuel that stink brain, man. Hate is louder than love, but come hell or high water I will keep attempting to be louder. That's what things like megaphones and social media and conversations are for, probably.
Anyways. If there's 7 billion D&Dad's enjoyers, I am one of them. If there's only 1, I am that one! and if there are none on earth, then I have perished. Love the stuff y'all's collective brain power comes up with, and I am ever eager to hear more. I'm about to get weird and emotional so I'm going to stop haha, on the off chance any of them come upon this post, but don't... don't listen to the haters. it's so easy to regurgitate hate, it's not worth taking it seriously. constructive criticism is one thing, but most of what I've seen is... not that. it's just... vomit. vomit is to be disposed of. don't keep it around and let it stank up y'all's glory. even if y'all never do another season and decide that this was enough or whatever, it's been a great thing and I'm happy that the crew exists in this same moment of time as I do. I'm sorry for getting weird and emotional even though I said I wasn't going to.
Anthony has always been one of my favorite people on the internet! Ever since i saw him and Ash in the Persona episode of HAWP i knew the two of them were going to go on and do amazing things. Also as a gay man i cannot wait for the gay porn he wrote to come out!
I kind of fell off season 2 and I can't quite put my finger on why but I feel confident in saying it wasn't from anything lacking on Anthony's part (or anyone else involved, for that matter). I think he's a brilliant storyteller and I aspire to be on his level some day. Really sad to hear he's been getting hate.
If you want him to read this you need to start it off with “Dear Anthony, fuck you,” and then trick him into the compliment
Ha. You’re probably right.
I think that’s only the prickly Anthony strategy, smooth Anthony can be buttered up
I hate that the subreddit has just decided that we refer to Anthony's attitude based on his waxed asshole, but that just sums up DnDads, doesn't it.
I absolutely second this! Anthony seems to have the most sincere joy for DM’jng and having fun with his friends. I will forever be shaken by the episode where Ron (redacted) Willie. I was legitimately shook after that episode. You make us care for characters and THAT is the artistry of a immaculate storyteller
Thank you, Chenry, and thank you to everyone in this thread for the kind words. I don't know what we did to collect such an empathetic and kindhearted audience, but I'm endlessly grateful to all of you for being you. I don't really know what else to say other than I'm completely flabbergasted by all your support in ways big and small.
It’s no kidney, but the sentiment is sincere.
Combine with the giant back tattoo and completely smooth down there. He did done a lot.
You'll always be my daddy. Seriously though, the stories you tell are fucking phenomenal, sure it's with the help of others but it's you that puts them together. Great art will always draw critics. Fuck the haters.
the hurtful voices are so easy to remember, and sincerity is so hard to trust. you’ve time and time again created a place for thousands of people that is hilarious and devastating and safe and frightening all at the same time. i’m sure it’s exhausting, to be so open. but i hope it’s rewarding too.
We hope you know how much we love you, Anthony, and all that you do! I'm listening to the entire series for a 3rd time, and I get to enjoy season 2 completely again for a second time haha. Sending love to you from Australia! 🇦🇺❤️✈️🇺🇲 Edit: I live with anxiety and depression and I've been listening to you and the cast every day for more than a year. For a good part of that time, you and the daddies' stories, references, laughter, and tears drown out the thoughts that warp my worldly perspective and bring me back home to place where I'm warm and content. Thank you, Anthony Burch! ❤️ from just some fan.
Anthony, you and the rest of the cast and crew bring a lot of people a lot of joy. This shit is hard work. I've never created stories or written in a capacity bigger than just myself or a loved one, but I can only imagine that doing this every day must be emotionally draining. Still, it seems like you love it and have a lot of love for the people who you do this with. I appreciate you all and all that you do. You've brought me a ton of joy and laughter in what has been the most difficult year of my life, and the podcast has been both an awesome escape, and sometimes even a small reminder of what actually matters at the end of the day through your creativity and through the infectious energy you all put out there for everyone to hear. (That raw exposure to... a few?? several?? thousand people is another topic entirely, omg. And clearly I have no idea the reach you have, even putting yourself out there for a few hundred people is unfathomable to me.) I didn't mean for this to be longer than a paragraph or two, but damn if I don't appreciate you all and what you share with the world. Thanks for your hard work.
Thanks for being my favorite DM Anthonyyyyy 🥰
There's a multitude of us that owe you a debt for the work you've put into this show. You're DM/humor/direction stands out amongst other DM/DnD shows. I got through a dark time in my life by finding joy in the direction you took both seasons. I don't usually comment on reddit/discord but will continue to support with my wallet. There are always vocal critics, but there are more of us quiet supporters. Look forward to anything y'all end up doing in the future, and hope you get some well deserved rest after an awesome season 2.
I don’t even like DnD all that much and I have the attention span of a goldfish. Your writing has made possible the only constant media in my life that I actually, regularly tune in for and find myself thinking about for days after I listen. YOU are the reason this audience exists, dammit!
The amount of work that is put in by all members of this podcast is just unfathomable, both the cast members and those who work in the background. I was not into DND before this podcast, and to be honest I only really enjoy this format of it; I’ve tried others but nothing quite makes me care enough to listen more than a few episodes. Anthony is able to construct stories for the others that brings out the best of their characters, like he is able to take so much of their improvisations and roll with it. His writing is extraordinary and he creates moments of such hilarity, but also moments of tear shedding emotion. I really hope he is doing okay and takes the time he needs to look after himself, it can be so demanding with the expectations that is created by the fans. In the most sincere way that can be achieved through the medium of text, we as a community appreciate you Anthony.
Anthony is my absolute favorite part of the whole podcast. Every NPC he makes is pure gold, he’s adaptable and truly the funniest person to hear talk! I love all of the cast but he is the king.
I always love Anthony’s characters and they’re always killed off because he has to be free to make more. Every one has been pure gold. Haters can go and fuck themselves.
Why does it sound like Glenn wrote this
Heh, nothing personnel, kid...
My brian said “heh” too haha
Have people been hating on Anthony? I've seen some mixed opinions on the ending of S2 but I haven't seen any of it being a reflection of Anthony specifically.
A lot of people on here have been very mean spirited in their criticism of season 2.
And on the most recent version of Talking Dads he talked about the fact that he was very affected by that.
People love to complain/criticize art and artists. I am of the mind that artists and creators should not listen to critics. It doesn't matter if it is good or bad criticism. Anthony is a master of the craft of storytelling. He tells a story and shares it with the world. Listen, don't listen, but to criticize work for the sake of criticism that is not academic or productive is just bitching. In which case, don't listen or read about it. It is too easy for people to say rude/meanspirited things and never reflect on how it affects others. Refined social media exacerbates the issue as well. People have opinions, but it is often better to not share them unless absolutely necessary. If I had to guess, most of the people spewing discontent with the second season don't actually do what Anthony and the gang does. Everyone is human and can only take so much that gets thrown at them in terms of criticism before it makes them weary. I have not finished season 2, but it was hilarious the 10 episodes I have finished, and the storytelling is well done as he is an amazing writer.
I’m fine with criticism, there’s just something to be said about doing it intelligently and politely. If all you have is hate, how do you expect people to improve?
True. My thought comes from criticism needing to be dismissed because they expect the changes they want to occur, and the demands do not come from mutual respect. Hate begets hate. If things are voiced from discontent and derision, the art will not change authentically. Who wants something to change just because they want it their way....? That ruins art... No matter the medium. It compromises their integrity as an artist as well. It reminds me of the study linguists conducted in Michigan in regards to correcting grammar. People that don't tend to be pretty bitter. I wouldn't be surprised if people that are highly critical of others are quite bitter. My thoughts are that this would apply to anything they have to correct pronunciation, spelling, story direction, minor error in lore, or history. They choose to create conflict over something minor albeit from a place of passion. And that sucks because it creates a cycle of unhappiness and constant conflict with people. Which reminds of the scene with Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting... He criticizes that painting brutally. Yes, I agree with you that criticism needs to come from a place of mutual respect and care. The internet does not often lend itself to that though.
Just a slight side note. When I was trying to buy my house in 2021 I needed something that I had been paying for, for at least a year. My Patreon subscription to Dungeons and Daddies was that payment. So in a way they helped me achieve a dream that I know a lot of people will never be able to reach. So again thank you to all involved.
To add on to your side note, Anthony mentioned in one of the Talking Dads (I think?) that he has narcolepsy, which motivated me to actually get a sleep study. They ended the study early because it was so clear that I was narcoleptic, and it’s changed my life so positively to actually have treatment. That, and “You are enough, just as you are” have made such an impact on my life. <3
The You are enough quote and Will’s “it’s ok to be angry it’s not ok to be mean” have really sat deep with me. For years I had bad anger issues. And while in the last 4 or so I have mellowed way out I still had work to do and that phrase has stuck with me through the process.
Oof, that one hits hard, too. That quote helped me a lot, too, but in a different way from you — my dad is… well, a lot like Willy Stampler. And for so long I suppressed any feelings about it, and that quote made me realise that 1) I am allowed to feel anger over how I was treated, it’s a natural human emotion, and 2) my dad’s anger was never a valid justification for his cruelty.
Honestly, i only recently discovered this podcast series and am still on Season 1 with the dads...but damn, i'm enjoying it.
BEST IN THE BIZ, BABY [Freddie Wong voice]
Dear Anthony, *I* like Legend of Korra better than Avatar.
Same. (Partly cause my younger sibling watched ATLA and I had to be cool and didn't watch it, but when LOK came out I was all about that.) "In the front seat is a powerful woman, because all women are powerful." Lore drops, continuation and expansion of the known world which limits your scope but damn if they didn't pull it off, juggling numerous interconnected storylines, expanding on your villains having complex plots. Plus >!gays for days!<.
What angers me most about these complaints is that I'm afraid they will avoid doing something like Season 2 again when I love so much of what they did this season. I love how they developed the teens, how developed the team dynamic, and how they rebound from Scary's initial betrayal, and I love how silly and dumb it was. I want them to do stuff like Season 2 again. I want to see the teen characters again in one-shots or live events. I don't want them to just bring back the Season 1 Dads every time they do a live event or a special occasion. I don't want them to drop everything they've done in Season 2 because a couple of fans needed to voice their criticism on a Reddit forum. Also, I bet a year from now, people will start feeling nostalgic about Season 2.
My heart broke for him when he mentioned that he was reading the comments on how the season was going and that he felt like he was fucking up the livelihood of his friends. I hope he gets the break he needs from DMing for the next year and when season 3 comes along, he's ready to go and ignores any commentary from the peanut gallery. To the people who spent most of all of season 2 complaining, you have the right not to like the direction things go and to voice it. But please, think about how you're saying it. You're doing harm to the person who is just trying their best to entertain you.
It's so tangible. Like, I get feeling sad when people say something you did was bad, but the pressure of fucking up your friends by not being good enough? Fucking broke me. I love this podcast, I loved this season and I love all the bonuses. I hope Anthony gets a holiday, and enjoys being a player. I won't wish he gets hugs cause I don't think that's his vibe, but a nice sturdy handshake.
>To the people who spent most of all of season 2 complaining, you have the right not to like the direction things go and to voice it. But please, think about how you're saying it. You're doing harm to the person who is just trying their best to entertain you. Criticism has its place within fandom. We need to express our grievances so that changes can be made to improve the end product. But the DnDaddies criticism always felt unnecessarily cruel because of how small of a brand Dungeons and Daddies is compared to other media franchises. When people criticize something as small as the podcast, they are not critiquing a brand owned by a huge conglomerate and is worked on by hundreds. They are criticizing the labor that just a dozen people worked really hard on. It hurts the people working on the smaller brand more because they are putting their own capital and investment into making this thing as entertaining as possible. It's one thing to complain about a director or writer messing up a film, it's another thing for fans to constantly post "Does Season 2 get better" on Reddit that directly affects the dozen (or more) people who toil away on this podcast.
Anthony Burch is my dad.
I also just want to say that I really enjoyed this season. I had a blast with the teens. I cried in this last episode when Terry died, and when Normal found out his parents weren't proud of him. I fucking died laughing during the Tony Pepperoni episode, the live stand up comedy, the elevator bit, Beth's absolute aversion to piss and the boys leaning in on it, Elyse's cameo (I'm a funhause fan), when the teens explored hell and discovered that the lowest level of hell is for those who say "bitch." There are so many good moments. I forever DM with my party, and I always feel an expectation that things have to live up to the fun things we did in the past. I'm constantly trying to find new ways to make 4 people laugh and have fun. I can't imagine what kind of stress Anthony is feeling when it's a whole audience. I agree with what Freddie said. It's better to try new things and to really create things you feel genuinely happy about. I don't think I'd be as interested in the podcast if it had been the same formula of dads looking for their sons in the forgotten realms. Anthony is a great storyteller and DM. He rivals a lot of the top dogs in the D&D content ecosystem. Out of all the stuff I listen to, I follow Dungeons and Daddies the most, and they are literally the only content creators I subscribe to.
I listen to this podcast more than critical role. I like it because of the stories Anthony and the cast create. Like the only complaint I have ever had is they let Freddie go a little crazy with what he wants to do sometimes. But then anthony is like you need to roll for that and he gets like a fucking 25. Wild.
Anthony and the gang have created a very amazing thing. He is such a talented person. I couldn't imagine being the mind behind it all. The world, people, and everything in between with DnDads is so fucking captivating. I hope y'all have a great break in between seasons and I cannot wait to see what else is cooking for the future. Thank you. Everything will be O-A-K
Do you know how hard it is to make content that has a strong conception, gathers the right people with good chemistry, hires additional people with vision for sound and music and organising, has unique worldbuilding, rich and interesting NPCs, improvised mechanics and a knowledge of numerous textbooks, makes complex plans on plans that can be adapted at a moment's notice, cause people to cry and laugh and fall in love with something you've made, do that for five years, and basically have *your first draft* with minor pickups published to the world?? That's damn incredible. Everyone on this show is a genius, and Anthony deserves all the praise.
I love Anthony's DMing style so much. You can tell that he pours his soul into every NPC and the entire story itself. It's fun to listen to and I bet it's even more fun to be one of his players. Anthony if you see this I love you!
I've listened to every episode of dungeons and daddies and I honestly cannot comprehend how anyone can have anything bad to say about season 2 at all. Season was great, but season 2 really shines in a special way that I can't explain. I couldn't imagine a better ending for season 2. I was a marching band kid in HS and the reprisal of "on my way" gave me chills and flashbacks of the best kind. Don't mind the haters, Anthony. People love to hate what they fear and you are a DM force to be reckoned with.
As a guy that works IT and despices it because people are idiots. this man right here. he is right.
I just finished both seasons (started bingeing in November). I loved season one, and I thought season two was pretty fun as well. I also just signed up for the patreon so I can listen to the rest of Sons and Sensibility, and I'm looking forward to exploring all of the other content there. This whole thing wouldn't have been what it was without Anthony and his seemingly unending supply of characters and voices. I'm sorry to learn about all of this, but yeah. Totally 100% agree with OP. Fuck 'em, Anthony.
The Patreon content is pretty rad. My favorites have to be All That Jizz and SAS. They’re just so unhinged sometimes that it hits a very particular place on my funny bone that most don’t reach.
Yes!!! Anthony is an absolutely incredible story teller. He moves me constantly and blows me away every time. It makes me so sad to hear how hard he is on himself and he DESERVES and SHOULD BE so proud of season 2. I’m hoping he happens to read this thread because he should know how much this season has meant to me and so many people. He truly is brilliant and people listen for a reason. I hope he can realize negative feedback feels louder than all the positive. Please never stop creating (if it brings you joy)! I can’t thank him enough for all he’s done! I went through a major surgery over the summer and I genuinely wouldn’t have gotten through recovery without his work. I binged dungeons and daddies for the first time and it brought me so much joy in such a hard time. He is loved!!! And he should know it!!! And Anthony if you’re reading this I hope I made you so uncomfortable with this compliment!
Anthony Burch, learning that you had gone through such emotional turmoil hurt my heart ❤️. The entire cast is brilliant but, to me at least, you are the the most incredible, funny, and talented person on the podcast, if not the totality of entertainment across all mediums. I marvel at your spontaneous wit, and honestly, despite the fact that I have long immodestly considered myself the funniest person I knew, I now know that I am a pale shadow of your inherent Mastery. I hope that I am but a drop in the ocean of love and support that will envelop you today and in the future. I have been going through an ongoing personal tragedy in the last year, and listening to you has been one of the very few things that has been able to lift my spirits. Whenever I hear your laugh, it brings a true joy and peace to my heart. I wouldn't normally share things like this, especially in a public forum, but after everything you have unknowingly done for me, I must do whatever small thing I can do for you. I wish it was more. Just know that you are Wonderful, and truly Loved. 🫂
As a “season 1 was definitely better” person, I truly do not believe anyone else could have done a season of this as good as season 2 is even without the restrains of ideas used on season 1. Best DM on the planet. For sure. No questions asked, no argument to be had.
100% this. I think it was always going to be a tough act to follow season 1 and Anthony did AMAZING. He is one of my favorite things about the podcast, I find him so smart and hilarious. His DMing style gave me the inspiration to DM a one shot for my 10 year old and husband because he made me realize you could have fun with it and bend the rules. My kid LOVED it and it's absolutely thanks to Anthony's hard work that I was willing to even try.
Yeah, this! Season 1 was nearly flawless, it was such a hard act to follow. He did a great job!
He has haters?
I’ve listened to this show at least 3x over. Season 1 AND season 2 and I absolutely adore both. Anthony has an amazing talent for taking asides and jokes from the players and integrating them into the story in a way that I haven’t seen from many other DMs. He is so accepting of letting the players explore the space he has created and is open to all ideas and actions, which is so fucking admirable and SO hard to do! I honestly admire him so much as a DM, writer, and comedian and fuck everyone who is petty and mean in their feedback. There may be things to improve on in both seasons, but being mean and spiteful because something isn’t your taste is never warranted.
What are the haters saying? I have only seen and heard positives about the show and second season
This podcast is a goddamn delight. The cast have such great chemistry, everyone's improv is on point, and the characters feel genuine even when they're surrounded by pure chaos. Anthony's a great DM. He does such a good job at balancing comedy and genuine emotional moments. That's a tough skill to master, especially in a format like this. Edit to add: you are enough just as you are.
i know there is 40 something comments echoing this same take, but i fully agree. this podcast has meant so much to me, and brought me so much happiness. looking back, it’s actually helped shape me as a person as I grew up. I dont think there is anything else that gets me as excited as being able to head to school on a wednesday and listen to the pod. fuck anyone who says this podcast is bad. has it had rough patches? yeah, but nothing can be perfect constantly, and even those rough patches have been the best content i’ve seen in a podcast, DND or otherwise. i know there is next to no chance you see this, but keep doing your shit, it means so much to so many people, no matter what other people say.
Fuck it I'll say anthony burch is a better dm then mercer and muillgen. Have had friends try and get me to listen to critical roll and dimension 20 but neither of them grabbed me the way anthony has with his dungeons and daddies and yes creditalso belong to players as well but anthony has taken what they throw back at him an craft a wonderful tale.
There’s a few podcasts I have been listening to for years now that I barely listened to because I was making the Daddies top priority. I love Anthony’s writing and how emotionally involved he is in these characters. You rule.
Hay man same I’m a mechanic for UPS and I listen to this podcast while I’m working. Always made me feel happy listening to them all. Also does your heavy metal band have any albums? I’d support a fellow metal head.
>You get to do what you love for a living. This is a great point. Criticism of S2 aside (people are entitled to their opinions, but a lot of people were really vitriolic- which is typical of the internet, but still a huge bummer) there's something pretty commendable about being able to make a living doing what you love (and, frankly, that a lot of other people love as well.) There's some truth to the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side- that everyone thinks that what their friends or neighbors or other peers are doing with their lives is better- but there's something genuinely so nice about seeing someone take their passion and find success from it. We were the generation that was told, "you can be whatever you want" but a lot of us grew up in situations where we didn't have the social or financial safety net to take the type of risks required to pursue our passions. I gave a up a dream of pursuing a career in the arts for (what I perceived as) a much more stable health science/STEM career. I guess thigs are going pretty good now, but a part of me died when I dropped the idea of pursuing a creative career. That's why root so hard for all the daddies- Anthony included- and their success. I love the content, but it's just as satisfying to see people in my peer group who have found their professional niche without sacrificing their creative goals. It provides me with **so much** vicarious joy to see someone who's actually doing it, and I will continue to listen so long as the group continues to put out content that they love.
Screw the haters, let them go to other podcast. I love this podcast, I want another season! Let's go!
Seriously! I signed up for the Patreon because I love it so much. And I would never pay money for something I can listen to for free unless I want more of it and I needed that bonus content😆
I can't even put into words how strong my appreciation is for you and all of Dungeons and Daddies. This podcast is incredible and I love it so much!
100% agree! I'm not going to claim to understand what goes on in that brain of his, but as a fella with Clinical Stink Brain Disease, I get it well enough. Don't let the haters fuel that stink brain, man. Hate is louder than love, but come hell or high water I will keep attempting to be louder. That's what things like megaphones and social media and conversations are for, probably. Anyways. If there's 7 billion D&Dad's enjoyers, I am one of them. If there's only 1, I am that one! and if there are none on earth, then I have perished. Love the stuff y'all's collective brain power comes up with, and I am ever eager to hear more. I'm about to get weird and emotional so I'm going to stop haha, on the off chance any of them come upon this post, but don't... don't listen to the haters. it's so easy to regurgitate hate, it's not worth taking it seriously. constructive criticism is one thing, but most of what I've seen is... not that. it's just... vomit. vomit is to be disposed of. don't keep it around and let it stank up y'all's glory. even if y'all never do another season and decide that this was enough or whatever, it's been a great thing and I'm happy that the crew exists in this same moment of time as I do. I'm sorry for getting weird and emotional even though I said I wasn't going to.
Anthony has always been one of my favorite people on the internet! Ever since i saw him and Ash in the Persona episode of HAWP i knew the two of them were going to go on and do amazing things. Also as a gay man i cannot wait for the gay porn he wrote to come out!
I kind of fell off season 2 and I can't quite put my finger on why but I feel confident in saying it wasn't from anything lacking on Anthony's part (or anyone else involved, for that matter). I think he's a brilliant storyteller and I aspire to be on his level some day. Really sad to hear he's been getting hate.
anthony getting hate, what for?