Brennan Lee Mulligan is a fascinating figure on Dropout because of the comical duality he's cultivated across the subscription streaming platform's shows.
On Dimension 20, a tabletop role-playing show he created, he's the mighty Game Master, in charge of dreaming up the fantasy worlds his intrepid heroes — or, in this case, a gaggle of improv comedians — traverse. In this role, he plays villains, love interests, gods, and an army of NPCs, all to build out the stories of his co-stars in collaborative play. There is no winning or losing. And through his many characters, Mulligan has shown incredible patience and empathy toward everyone, from an angst-ridden tiefling to a grief-stricken candy king to a vampire who sees himself as a superhero.
However, on Game Changer, where the game changes every episode, Mulligan's competitive side shines like a sword's edge, ready to cut down his competition. As the series enters Season 8, Mashable interviewed Mulligan about his work at Dropout. And when it comes to his role on Game Changer, he explained his on-camera dynamic with host Sam Reich.
"The me I play in Game Changer is most often the Daffy Duck to Sam Reich's Bugs Bunny," Mulligan said. "I don't beat Sam, right? Sam beats me, even in the Brennan revenge episode. Spoilers: Sam wins, right? I know deep down, people, there is no hunger in the world for a Brennan Lee Mulligan victory."
How "Samalamadingdong" could bring a win for Mulligan.
The "Brennan revenge episode" is officially titled "Samalamadingdong." The finale of Game Changer Season 7, this episode saw the contestants turn the tables on Reich, who was pranked with a fake photo shoot, then hauled off to a castle where a variety of puzzles awaited him. The episode featured scads of callbacks to past Game Changer gags, including those tied to Mulligan's wildest moments on the show.
For instance, the episode "Yes or No" from Season 2 had only one rule to discover: Brennan cannot win. Once Mulligan realized this, he unleashed a monologue that included this epic phrase, "The minotaur's escaped, and you're going to get the horns, buddy."
"Samalamadingdong" delivered on this promise, pitching Reich into a complicated labyrinth that culminates in him facing down Mulligan, dressed as a minotaur. And the only way out was for Reich to recall the declaration that Mulligan made in the very first episode of Game Changer, "Lie Detector." There, Mulligan gave a juicy personal confession, then declared, "There is no corner of my heart I would not turn over to the world for five points."
Of course, in the end of "Samalamadingdong," Reich wins, defeating the mighty minotaur that is Mulligan. But Reich, in a separate interview, joked that "Samalamadingdong" could give Mulligan an unexpected victory.
How could Brennan Lee Mulligan beat Sam Reich at his own game?
This Emmy season, Dropout has put forth several episodes of Game Changer and Very Important People for awards consideration. Reich spoke with Mashable about the difficulty of choosing which episodes to send to the nomination committee for consideration.
For Best Game Show, Reich was leaning toward "Rulette," where contestants had to improvise with ever-changing circumstances determined by a giant roulette wheel.
"'Rulette' is a pretty good bet," Reich said, "It's very funny, [a] very well-celebrated episode. It's very in the spirit of our show, despite even feeling a little bit basic for the show. It's like a great introduction to our show, and it's almost traditional enough that your average Emmy voter could look at it and go like, 'Oh, I understand how this is a game show like the game shows I'm used to, and how it's different.'"
In terms of production design, "Rulette" was considered, as was "Fool's Gold." For that Shark Tank parody, Dropout's team produced a string of aspiring viral videos that demanded a lot of creativity and craftsmanship, including the construction of tiny doll shoes for a video where Mulligan claims he's leaving the platform to become a cobbler for American Girl dolls.
"We did make those American Girl doll shoes," Reich noted, "Or is 'Rulette' [a better call] because, like, the big wheel and the Velcro costumes? The overall project feels a little bit more cohesive."
Then, asked if "Samalamadingdong" might be submitted for consideration, Reich answered, "I think it's such a strong contender in so many categories. On the other hand, if Brennan gets nominated for this Emmy before I do, I am going to lose it. I am going to lose my mind."
Reich then clarified, "The truth is, he's an executive producer on the show as well. So when he wins, I win, and when I win, he wins. I'm just saying metaphorically, in terms of sheer symbolism: If the episode that I had nothing to do with before I showed up on set [wins]?"
Emmy nominations will be announced on July 8.
