Dropout's Brennan Lee Mulligan abandons American Girl dreams for Critical Role

Dashing hopes for American Girl enthusiasts, Brendan Lee Mulligan has signed a new Dropout contract and heads to Critical Role as Game Master.

By Matt Schimkowitz | August 3, 2025 | 1:32pm

(Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)

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Dropout's Brennan Lee Mulligan abandons American Girl dreams for Critical Role

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Earlier this month, Brennan Lee Mulligan, the host of Dropout’s Dimension 20, shocked the tabletop gaming world by announcing his retirement from rolling 20-sided dice to follow his passion: Cobbling adorable little shoes for American Girl dolls. However, Mulligan is putting those dreams on hold, yet again, to play more Dungeons & Dragons. According to Rolling Stone, during a live show in Indiana last night, the cast of fellow D&D-based series Critical Role announced Mulligan as their new Game Master. Mulligan is replacing long-serving GM Matt Mercer for Critical Role’s fourth campaign, beginning on October 2.

The news brings more Mulligan-related disappointment to the American Girl community. Variety reports Mulligan has signed a new three-year development deal with Dropout, where he is “cooking up multiple seasons” of his popular Dungeons & Dragons actual play series, Dimension 20. “Dropout is my home. [CEO] Sam Reich gave me that phone call and changed my life, so I’ll be there. They will have to drag me kicking and screaming out of Dropout, American Girl-doll-shoes jokes notwithstanding. Nothing could compel me to leave,” he told Variety. Still, Mulligan assures the American Girl world that he hasn’t given up doll cobbling, particularly shoes for “Josefina, and it’s because I learned how to pronounce her name correctly.”