Critical Role: What Is The Longest Episode (And Is It Worth Watching)?
If there's one thing longtime "Critical Role" fans are used to now, it's the occasional long night. Ever since it began in 2015, the popular online show has been broadcasting episodes in which its cast of voice actors sit around and play 'Dungeons & Dragons'" together. As veteran "D&D" players will be able to attest, game sessions typically aren't short, either. Consequently, most "Critical Role" installments usually run between 3 and 4 hours long. As a matter of fact, any episode that comes in below the 4-hour mark is often considered a shorter chapter of the show by fans.
To new "Critical Role" viewers, its episodes' runtimes may seem daunting, at first. Those same fans may, however, be surprised to learn that some installments of the actual play series have run longer than 5 and 6 hours. Those episodes, while rare, do come around every so often, and they usually end up lasting as long as they do because of major or unforeseen events in the ongoing "Critical Role" story. With that in mind, it's worth noting that the longest "Critical Role" installment to date is 7 hours and 2 minutes long.
The episode in question, titled "Fond Farewells," is the final chapter of "Critical Role" Campaign 2. As the last installment of its multi-year campaign, the episode is one of the most emotionally cathartic and narratively ambitious that the "Critical Role" team has ever put together. It is, therefore, absolutely worth seeking out and sitting through, though, its power may well depend on how familiar each viewer is with the various events that precede "Fond Farewells."
Critical Role's Campaign 2 finale is overflowing with major moments and confrontations
Set in the immediate aftermath of the Mighty Nein's confrontation with Lucien in the Astral Plane, the "Critical Role" Campaign 2 finale gives its heroes several well-earned moments of peace and also hits them with a few final challenges. While many "Critical Role" fans didn't expect the episode to pack in as much as it ultimately does, "Fond Farewells" delivers its first major turning point early on when it brings its campaign's last remaining antagonist back into the spotlight.
The confrontation that stems from that twist ranks as one of the most satisfying combat sequences featured throughout "Critical Role" Campaign 2. In case that wasn't enough, the episode also dedicates its second half to setting up the next chapter of its heroes' lives and resolving several lingering questions about their pasts and futures. While the massive, 7-hour episode spends a lot of time with every one of its central characters, too, it goes out of its way to give Caleb Widogast (Liam O'Brien) the emotionally intense last chapter that he deserves.
"Fond Farewells" is, in other words, a must-see episode for anyone who feels attached to "Critical Role" Campaign 2's heroes. By the time it's reached its final moments, the finale has brought nearly all of its cast members to visible tears, including "Critical Role" Dungeon Master Matt Mercer. In order to experience the full weight of the episode's events, though, viewers will need to have some knowledge of The Mighty Nein's previous adventures. If they don't, they may very well be confused by some of its callbacks and resolutions.
The same is true for the "Critical Role" Campaign 1 finale, which is another must-see episode that similarly requires some additional knowledge to be fully appreciated.