Side Quest Season 1 Episode 1, “Song and Dance,” is a fun opening to this new anthology series. Phil, our favorite beleaguered art director (who we haven’t seen since Mythic Quest Season 3, Episode 9), finally gets the life he deserves. We see him go from a man lacking confidence and self-worth to a go-getter with a hot wife and an adorable dog. More importantly, he finally breaks free from Ian and the shackles of MQ to embark on his own business venture. It’s a breezy, cute outing.
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Side Quest, “Song and Dance”
We open with a series of sketches of game characters from our titular video game. The sketches seamlessly transition into drawings of a blonde woman in various styles. This is Maude. Suddenly, Ian (Rob McElhenney) calls Phil (Derek Waters) via MythiCom Video. Ian compliments Phil on his work for Mythic Dance, a Dance Dance Revolution-type game set in this mythical world. Ian gives Phil kudos for the disco ball effect, even though that was his idea. To be fair, Ian’s new earrings do strike inspiration.
Then, Ian acknowledges that it’s Phil’s day off, to which Phil corrects him. He’s on vacation in Hawaii with his girlfriend, Maude. Ian reminds him that Japan is a quarter of the market, and the Minister of Culture must allow the game into the country. Maude (Anna Konkle) turns off Derek’s iPad while Ian is mid-sentence. It’s Mai Tai O’Clock! Maude reminds him that Ian needs to respect his boundaries. “Boundaries” are the name of the game for Ian in Mythic Quest Season 4.
The World’s Greatest Art Director
Later, Phil serves Maude breakfast in bed, complete with a gorgeous sketch of her. Maude shows him Milton, a cute dog she wants to adopt. Phil claims they, unfortunately, don’t have the space for a pup. They would need a place with a backyard. Maude proposes they look for a house. She also pushes him to quit MQ and start his own design firm, which has always been his dream.
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Then, Ian calls Phil’s hotel room phone. He tells “the world’s greatest art director” that they must prepare for the Japan presentation. Phil hangs up on him. He tells Maude that Ian knows where all his employees are. She turns off the location on Phil’s smartphone.
After this, Phil and Maude learn to surf. They go hiking. At one point, Phil spots a shop window with engagement rings on display. He’s clearly pondering about popping the question to Maude.
A Dozen Mock-ups
They also partake in yoga together. An older couple asks if they’re married. Maude informs them that, while they’re not married, they’ve been together for three years. The couple remarks that they’re cutie patooties. Phil misinterprets the couple, though, only hearing them claim that Maude could find a partner better than him. Suddenly, Ian calls the yoga instructor’s phone.
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Ian tells Phil he needs a dozen mock-ups for hats. Ian gives him until 7 pm to send him options. Phil asks Ian if he’ll leave him alone if he does this. Maude orders Phil to hang up. After this, Phil tries to immerse himself in all Hawaii has to offer. Maude claims it’s almost a perfect vacation — all that’s missing is Milton. Phil spirals again, hearing voices in his head. They declare that Maude can do better than him.
Next, the waiter brings Phil and Maude their main course for dinner. Phil sees Milton (voiced by A.J. LoCascio) in place of his soup. “I poop better husbands than you,” Milton barks. Phil screams. Maude asks him if he’s okay as Milton vanishes. It’s safe to say that my dude is not okay.
Boundaries
That night, Phil tosses and turns in bed. He decides to create those mock-ups for Ian. Maude finds him on the balcony doing just that. Naturally, she’s upset. Phil calls Ian and orders him not to bother him until he returns to LA. Ian vows to honor his boundaries. Maude is proud of Phil, although it would’ve been better if he quit MQ altogether.
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Later, Phil and Maude attend a lūʻau. Phil is asked if he’d like to do the hula. He panics, feeling anxious about dancing in front of strangers. Maude decides to take his place. Phil watches as Maude dances the hula onstage. He smiles. She blows him a kiss.
Then, while Maude’s in the shower, Phil practices his proposal speech. He has a ring now. Phil looks up the listing for Milton, wondering if a grand, romantic gesture would do the trick. The Talking Milton reappears to put things into perspective (well, his perspective). Milton believes that, sooner or later, Maude will figure out that Phil isn’t good enough. Then, it’s smooth sailing for ole Milton. Why is he so mean?
Going to Japan
Next, a child, Jacob (Henry Witcher), appears on Phil’s doorstep. As it turns out, Ian paid this kid’s family a grand to let Jacob relay a message to Phil. Jacob is wearing an earpiece so Ian can feed him what to say. Ian’s ability to cross boundaries knows no, well, bounds. After Jacob goes rogue with a string of teen boy-loving words, he hands the phone to Phil.
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Phil remarks that Ian’s ear looks really infected. This is definitely a reference to Mac’s story on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia‘s Season 16 premiere, in which Mac incessantly chows down on peanuts despite having a severe allergy. His face is incredibly puffy by the end. Anyway, Ian brushes off Phil’s concern. They have bigger fish to fry. He reveals they must fly to Japan to do the whole song and dance for Mythic Dance in person.
Talking Milton rematerializes to insist that Phil is a great art director but will be a “sh*t husband.” Phil decides to meet Ian in Japan. After he hangs up, Maude confronts him. She has supported Phil’s high-stress job despite Ian’s penchant for overstepping Phil’s boundaries. However, this is their vacation. Phil insists he’ll be back in a day. That isn’t good enough, though. He must choose: Maude or Mythic Quest.
Mythic Dance
While Phil is on the plane, he gets a notification about an early checkout from his hotel in Hawaii. In Japan, Phil notes that Ian’s ear looks significantly worse. Ian admits he can’t remove the earring. He also can’t join Phil in the boardroom for the song and dance due to health and safety concerns.
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Oh, and “song and dance” isn’t a colloquialism — Phil will actually have to perform a dance from Mythic Dance for their Japanese friends. Ian gives Phil a pep talk, reminding the latter that he’s the best art director there is.
After this, Phil dances to a Japanese cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” It’s not great. He imagines he’s on a stage in a costume, though, with Maude, in a glittering gown, on the other end. He slides on his knees toward her, his arms outstretched. We see happy moments from their vacation in a montage. Phil embraces Maude. It seems he’s made his decision.
I Quit
Then, Phil sends Ian a resignation email, complete with a sketch of him lording over a begging Ian. He also gets his own design company, PhilCo Design Firm, off the ground. His first client? Maude. His first project? Designing their wedding invitations. The couple has also adopted Milton. He doesn’t talk, though.
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As of now, Phil’s company shares an office with their weight-lifting neighbor in a garage. Once PhilCo turns a profit, Phil will undoubtedly find a much, much larger space.
We see more sketches of Phil and Maude, including Maude in her wedding dress and Milton. The episode ends with an adorable color drawing of Phil and Maude in their wedding attire, with Milton front and center. We love a happy ending.
Side Quest Season 1 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: RACHEL
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
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