The 2025 TV series "Side Quest" is an anthology set in the Mythic Quest universe, consisting of four standalone episodes that explore the lives of various characters connected to the game from different perspectives.

The series opens with Episode 1: "Song and Dance." Here, Phil, an art director at Mythic Quest played by Derek Waters, is on vacation with his fiancé. Despite this, he struggles to ignore Ian (Rob McElhenney), creating an underlying tension. This episode focuses on Phil's attempt to distance himself from a toxic relationship, showing emotional and comedic moments as he seeks peace away from work conflicts.

Moving into Episode 2: "Pull List," the story shifts to Janae, played by Shalita Grant, who runs a comic bookstore that only receives a single copy of a new Mythic Quest comic. This scarcity leads to conflict among the store's patrons, highlighting the passionate yet sometimes volatile fan culture surrounding the franchise.

The third installment, Episode 3: "Fugue," tells the story of Sylvie, a cellist in an orchestra performing the Mythic Quest soundtrack on tour. Portrayed by Annamarie Kasper, Sylvie is grappling with a loss of her love for music. This episode deeply explores her internal struggle and emotional rediscovery, delivering one of the series' most moving and artistically accomplished stories.

Finally, Episode 4: "The Last Raid" centers on Devon, who attempts to organize his squad for an in-game raid. Unbeknownst to him, tensions have developed within the group. The episode unfolds mostly in the digital world with a faux-Discord interface, capturing the drama of friendships fading and rekindling through gaming. It acts as a heartfelt tribute to the gaming community and friendships formed online.

Each episode stands alone with no plot continuity, except for subtle ties to the Mythic Quest universe. The tone balances comedy with moments of genuine pathos. While the series varies in quality across episodes, it concludes on a high note with "The Last Raid," praised for its emotional resonance and celebration of gaming culture.

From a viewer's perspective, the series offers a textured look at different facets of the Mythic Quest world—from personal relationships and fan interactions to artistic endeavors and gamer camaraderie—delivered in a visually engaging, narrative-rich manner.

Side Quest consists of four standalone episodes, each exploring different characters connected to the Mythic Quest universe: Phil, an art director struggling to ignore Ian while on vacation with his fiancé; Janae, a comic bookstore owner facing conflict over a limited Mythic Quest comic; Sylvie, a cellist who loses her love of music while touring with the Mythic Quest soundtrack; and Devon, who tries to organize his squad into an in-game raid amid rising tensions. These stories delve into themes of community, passion, and personal challenges within and around the Mythic Quest world.

Side Quest is an anthology series linked to Mythic Quest mainly through its setting and characters but does not maintain continuity between its episodes or with the main show, except for the first episode. Each episode stands alone, focusing on different aspects of the Mythic Quest universe without a continuous storyline.

Side Quest emphasizes themes of community, boundaries, passion versus profession, and the complexities of relationships both in real life and within virtual gaming environments. It also explores the emotional and social dynamics of gamers, musicians, and creators connected to the Mythic Quest universe, often blending comedy with moments of pathos.

The final episode of Side Quest is widely regarded as the strongest, taking place almost entirely within the Mythic Quest game world. It focuses on the formation, breaking, and reforming of connections among players who are not physically together, serving as a touching tribute to the gaming community and highlighting the emotional depth possible in virtual interactions.

The 'Song and Dance' episode follows Phil, the art director of Mythic Quest, who tries to escape work during a Hawaiian vacation with his girlfriend Maude. However, Ian is determined to get Phil to work. The episode explores Phil's mental health struggles, his tendency to overwork as an escape, and the tension this creates in his relationship. It also portrays how Phil's negative thoughts often do not reflect reality, highlighting the difference between perception and truth.

The TV show Side Quest (2025) is rated 15+, indicating it is intended for teenagers and older viewers rather than young children. It is a comedy series consisting of four standalone episodes connected to the Mythic Quest universe, focusing on lighthearted and sometimes quirky stories about players, comic shop owners, musicians, and art members.

Regarding family-friendliness and content concerns:

• The show contains mild humor and explores social and emotional themes such as community, success, love, working too much, assertiveness, respect, and pre-teen issues.
• It does not appear to have explicit or highly objectionable scenes typical of adult drama but may include mature themes and life lessons that might not fully engage younger children or very sensitive viewers, particularly around social dynamics and emotional struggles.
• The presence of pre-teen-focused storylines and realistic interpersonal issues might involve occasional scenes of mild conflict or emotional tension that could be upsetting to sensitive children, but these are handled without major spoilers or graphic content.

In summary, Side Quest is not a young children's show and parents should be aware it targets teens and adults with some mature themes and light comedic elements. It is generally suitable for older kids (15+) but may have moments requiring parental discretion for especially sensitive viewers due to emotional or social content rather than explicit or violent material.