Critical Role to Return on July 2nd

06/25/2020 01:21 pm EDT

Critical Role will resume airing new episodes on July 2nd, with new safety protocols put in place due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier today, the popular Dungeons & Dragons streaming show announced that it would resume airing new episodes on its Twitch channel beginning on July 2nd. The show has been on hiatus for several months due to COVID-19, but it is returning to production using safety protocols recommended by several entertainment trade unions. New episodes, beginning with the current campaign's 100th episode, will be pre-taped but still air every Thursday at 7 PM PT.

In a "State of the Role" video, Critical Role creative director and cast member Marisha Ray explained some of the safety protocols being put into place. "The cast is now at individual tables that are anywhere from 7 feet to 20 feet apart," Ray stated in the video. "We are working with a skeleton crew in the studio with producers and other necessary employees continuing to work from home." Ray also noted that all cast members and crew coming into the studio will be tested every 1-2 weeks. She also noted that the show is moving towards pre-taped episodes to help ensure that proper safety protocols are being followed, and that they will comply by any further government orders about production, as Los Angeles County remains one of the biggest COVID-19 hotspots in the country.

Other programming, including the Virtual Telephone show that is recorded remotely, will continue to air weekly, and Critical Role plans to eventually bring back a remote version of its Talks Machina companion show.

To help ease fans back into the current campaign, Critical Role will release a recap of the entire campaign on their website along with new merchandise to celebrate the show's 100th episode. You can check out the full announcement in the video above.

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