TableTop

TableTop was a well-regarded web series that aired from 2012 to 2017. The show was produced by popular entertainment company Geek & Sundry, known for their digital content that spans the gamut from computer games and comic books to role-playing games and tabletop gaming. The company is the brainchild of renowned actress, writing and businesswoman Felicia Day.

The TableTop web series was a unique type of entertainment content centered on board games, card games, and miniatures games. The concept was relatively straightforward but incredibly engaging: in each episode, the host, Hollywood actor Wil Wheaton, invites several celebrity guests to play a tabletop game with him. The beauty of the show lies in its simplicity and the sheer joy of watching various personalities unleash their competitive spirit, all while having fun and sharing laughs.

The show has been praised for its creative approach towards showcasing tabletop gaming. Unlike most other gaming forms, tabletop gaming revolves around the physical presence of players. It tends to focus more on social interaction, storytelling, and strategy, making it an excellent theme for a web series that is as much a form of reality TV as it is a primer about the world of tabletop gaming.

Author's note: Wil Wheaton, a known figure in the pop culture world, especially for people familiar with the Star Trek universe or The Big Bang Theory, lends multiple layers of nuance to the show. His genuine love for tabletop games infuses the program with passion, charisma, and an irresistible zest. Wil's appealing hosting style, coupled with his detailed instructions and play-by-play analyses of each game, allows even the uninitiated to follow along and appreciate the diverse world of tabletop gaming.

Every episode of TableTop generally lasted around 20 to 30 minutes. The games featured on the series ranged widely in terms of complexity and genre. From quick, light party games like "Say Anything" or "Apples to Apples" to complex strategy games like "Small World" and "Eldritch Horror," TableTop managed to cater to a wide array of viewers with varying levels of familiarity with board games. However, regardless of the type of game being played, an air of friendly competition, humor, and camaraderie could always be felt, reflecting the essence of tabletop gaming.

There was an exciting range of guests brought onto the show. These included actors, authors, musicians, web developers, and more, thus ensuring a multi-faceted and dynamic ingredient to each episode. The diverse personalities and distinctive approaches to gameplay were thoroughly entertaining. Some notable celebrity guests on the show included Nathan Fillion, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, and Morgan Webb among a host of others.

Over its four seasons and 80 episodes, TableTop garnered quite a few accolades. It was not just a hit amongst fans but also critics, and won the Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming in 2013. A significant part of its appeal was its accessibility - making TableTop an excellent entry point for those new to tabletop gaming, as well as a delightful watch for seasoned gamers. The series was an online juggernaut of sorts and helped spawn a notable increase in sales for games featured on the show, dubbed 'The TableTop Effect.'

In addition to the main episodes, TableTop also had episodes of 'TableTop: Extended Editions,' which contained the full gameplay version of some previously aired TableTop games. These extended episodes were a treat for fans who are eager to see the in-between sections that didn't make it into the main session, providing a more immersive gaming experience.

Not just pure entertainment, TableTop was an influential force in changing perceptions about tabletop gaming. It illustrated how games could be fun, complicated, and mentally stimulating all at the same time. It played a significant role in the recent resurgence of popularity for tabletop games and is much beloved for it.

In summary, TableTop was an innovative web series introducing the concept of board games, card games, and other tabletop games to a wider audience while also serving as a great deal of fun and represented a new era of person-to-person interaction in the gaming world.