Four Underrated Animated Shows You Can Find Online

Doraleous and Associates

The past two decades were a golden age for fantasy. First, we were treated with several sprawling blockbusters including The Lord of the Rings as well as Game of Thrones. When the genre’s dramatic prowess began to tire out, it fell to the comedic writers to swoop in to take over the job. Tropes and traditions Aragorn and Eddard had taught us were now mocked and deconstructed by shows like Disenchanted, Harmonquest and Crossing Swords. 

Great as these shows are, however, none of them can hope to hold a candle to a little YouTube show called Doraleous and Associates. Essentially a polished animated adaptation of a group of guys’ prolonged Dungeons and Dragons session, this series manages to mock the fantasy genre while simultaneously relish in all that it does best. Some episodes offer slapstick comedy gold, others are nail-bitingly thrilling and exciting, but most offer a precarious but potent mix of both. 

The characters are the best part of any fantasy story, and Doraleous and Associates is no exception. The show’s titular character is a straight man who must keep together his band of unhinged mercenaries if they are to do good deeds and, more importantly, make money. Both goals are often offset by the annoyingly disobedient elf-archer, Neebs, and the perverted old wizard, Merdok. Only Drak, a high-pitched, overweight dwarf, sticks by his boss’ side, but his slow wits don’t make him much of a help. Other members of the band include Broof, a hulking barbarian who can make short work of any opponent, and Sir Walken, a knight whose manner of speech is modeled closely after that of actor Christopher Walken. 

Comprised of about half a hundred five-to-ten minute episodes that were released sporadically over the previous years, you can find each and every one of them for free on YouTube. Since the show appears to have gone on a permanent hiatus due its small following, your views may just help it get back on track, so definitely check it out.