Dropout: The streaming service worth every penny
In a world post the longest writer’s strike in history (148 days to be exact), you might be feeling a little apprehensive about the many streaming services that took 148 days to agree with the wants and needs of the WGA (Writers Guild of America). While companies like HBO, Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu had to put many television shows and movies on hold while writers striked, there was one independent streaming service that could keep productions running: Dropout TV.
Dropout TV was formerly known as CollegeHumor, an internet comedy company run out of Los Angeles. CollegeHumor was created by Josh Abramson and Ricky Van Veen in 1999 and was owned by InterActiveCorp (IAC) from 2006 until January 2020, when IAC withdrew funding, causing the website to shut down. But fear not, because the CEO of CH Media, Sam Reich, a veteran performer and former Chief Creative Officer of CollegeHumor, bought the company in 2020 from IAC. In September 2023, the company successfully rebranded and dropped the CollegeHumor branding, changing it permanently to Dropout.
Dropout offers all original content, mainly in the form of television shows and podcasts. You’ve probably seen clips from shows like Dimension 20, a Dungeons and Dragons role-playing show, or Game Changer—a constantly changing game show where the game likewise changes every episode—on TikTok. These two shows are what Dropout is known for, but in my opinion, not the reason people stay.
Dimension 20 is currently on its 20th season titled “Burrow’s End,” which will start airing weekly on Oct. 4, and is Dropout’s most popular show. With recent guest stars like Hank Green, DND titans like Matt Mercer of Critical Roll, and dungeon master extraordinaire Brennan Lee Mulligan, the show garnered many viewers who have come to love the game—it’s clear why it’s so popular. However, Dropout’s other DND content, like Adventuring Party and Adventuring Academy, makes the streaming service worth the subscription. Dropout does an excellent job of using its amazing cast to its fullest potential, giving viewers behind-the-scenes looks at the bigger shows they are running. With Dimension 20’s talkback show, Adventuring Party, and an educational podcast, Adventuring Academy, Dropout is able to get people more involved with their creative process and DND as a game.
Game Changer is Dropout’s other significant source of revenue with an exciting game show that changes every episode (for the most part, they have done a few repeats over the years), but it is not the streaming service’s only game show. Dirty Laundry and Um Actually are two other game shows that are arguably just as enjoyable as Game Changer. Dirty Laundry is hosted by Lily Du, an actor for CollegeHumor like many of Dropout’s cast, and is a drinking-based show that prompts players to guess each other’s secrets; it is hilarious and leaves me needing stitches every time I watch an episode. Another streamable series is Um Actually, a show for nerds made by nerds. Host Mike Trapp reads statements aloud to contestants, who are prompted to buzz the correct answer to the prompt; it’s a very Jeopardy-esque show. Though it may surprise you, these shows are only a fraction of what the Dropout offers.
On top of great content, Dropout TV is cheaper than the bigger streaming services. With their yearly ad-free subscription costing $59.99 a year ($5.99 a month), Dropout is significantly cheaper than Netflix (around $185.99 a year) and Disney+ (around $109.99 a year). Plus, a lot of Dropout’s content is free on YouTube, from full episodes of most of their shows to the entire first season of Dimension 20—twenty-one full episodes!
As someone who often gets overwhelmed by the amount of content bigger streaming services have to offer, Dropout TV is a refreshing change of pace from profit-focused streaming services. Their cast is passionate about their content, and some of the funniest actors are currently employed. Make sure to check out Dropout TV on their website and YouTube.