The Legend of Vox Machina S01E04: Shadows at the Gates Review

The Legend of Vox Machina S01E04: Shadows at the Gates Review

Medium: Television

Release date: 1/28/2022

Review date: 9/22/2024

Score: 6/10

I'm shocked, this episode was infinitely more competent than the previous episodes, it's like a switch was flicked or something. The limited setting of the group’s keep combined with their house arrest from their actions in the previous episode means Vox Machina (the group and the show) finally has some space to breath and develop the characters (though only just a bit, I don't want you to think the show's done a complete 180). We learn about Percy and his backstory with the Briarwoods, which is handled surprisingly well by the previous episodes' standards. This episode seemed to spend more time on character growth than humor, and was all the better for it. I also thought the fight with the Shades at the end, while lower stakes than the vampires and dragons, worked better because it was lower stakes, with some genuine moments of suspense during the fight that came because it looked like the characters were believably losing and being Shade magic-ed to death. The team departing the castle and keep at the end of the episode also hopefully gets us away from those sillier show elements and grounds the proceedings a bit more. I am genuinely interested in the next episode for the first time this season.