Critical Role: "Toys and Tiny Things" | EP 2 | Weird Kids
Aired: March 31, 2026
Participants: Ashley (A) and Taliesin (B)
Episode Overview
In this nostalgic and whimsical episode of "Weird Kids," Ashley and Taliesin settle in to discuss the curious, unconventional, and deeply personal relationships they have with childhood toys. The conversation meanders from the tactile pleasures of play to the deep-seated need for control and comfort that collecting and interacting with toys can bring—both as children and adults. Along the way, they share hidden gems from their own collections, delve into the allure of tiny things, recall favorite moments from their child-actor years, and reflect on the special, sometimes healing, qualities of cherished objects.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Toys as Identity and Comfort
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Maximalism vs. Minimalism:
Ashley and Taliesin reflect on their mutual collector habits, embracing maximalism. Taliesin jokes about never being able to maintain a minimalist lifestyle due to his love for "stuff" ([03:22]). -
Nostalgia and Sentimentality:
Both hosts admit to a deep attachment to objects, admitting they seldom get rid of gifts or playthings for sentimental reasons. Ashley explains:"It was... I am a very... nostalgic. But I'm also a sentimental... I'm very sentimental, which is why I think I keep so much. Because I can't get rid of it." ([33:00] - Ashley)
2. Non-Traditional Toy Play
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Setting Up Scenes Over Playing Battles:
Taliesin describes creating elaborate scenes with toys, focusing less on action and more on set-up, negotiation, and sometimes avoiding battle to prevent damaging precious figures ([09:04]). -
Crossing Gender Lines in Toy Choices:
Both hosts touch on the freedom they found in playing outside gender expectations—Ashley shunned Barbies, while Taliesin collected Care Bears, Rainbow Brite, and My Little Pony ([08:04]). -
Weird Kid Tendencies:
The pair bond over being "weird kids"—preferring bath toys, scientific kits, and miniature worlds over mainstream choices.
3. Special Toys, Sets, and Play Philosophy
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Favorite Childhood Toys:
- Taliesin details his cherished Japanese toys, action figures, and a custom-built dollhouse ([19:01]).
- Ashley recalls bath toys like the Seven Dwarves and her pride in her Pee Wee Herman doll and Polly Pocket sets ([16:20], [48:04]).
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Tiny Things and Miniatures:
Both express huge love for things in miniature, Polly Pocket, and the sense of control tiny environments afford them."I love tiny things as well, and I feel like it's a sense of control over my environment." ([47:48] - Taliesin)
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Sensory & Tactile Joy:
The hosts delight in hands-on toys like Pin Art:"Listen, see, now I don't feel so bad about my—my picks for what I really wanted, because this is sensory. It's sensory. I'm big on sensory shit." ([42:36] - Ashley)
4. Toys, Control, and Emotional Health
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Toys as a Source of Control:
A major revelation: both discuss how play with toys, especially miniatures and set-pieces, gave them a sense of agency and psychological comfort as children coping with chaos or anxiety ([61:02])."Everything in here feels like control to me, like comfort." ([61:28] - Taliesin)
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Fear and Phobias:
Taliesin shares how phobias and anxiety colored much of his childhood, even fainting on rides like Pirates of the Caribbean; toys offered small zones of security ([59:15-60:20]).
5. Professional Toy Experiences
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Acting Gifts and Studio Perks:
Both reminisce about getting toys as gifts from studios during their child-actor days, such as Alvin and the Chipmunks figures and Thundercats action figures ([10:55], [12:18]). -
Japanese Toy Store Management:
Taliesin recounts his experience managing a Japanese toy store in Beverly Hills, his journey to Japan to procure collectibles, and how this shaped his obsessions ([24:29]).
6. Show and Tell: Favorite & Coveted Items
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On-Set Objects:
The episode features a "show and tell" of toys, from a Pee Wee Herman doll and a Mercedes Benz model car (from Ashley's grandfather), to a glowworm and a rare Japanese automata science kit ([46:36]-[56:59]). -
Polly Pocket Addams Family Playset:
Ashley's excitement is palpable as she reveals a modern Polly Pocket in the style of the Addams Family:"This is so cool. You guys have just made my dreams." ([50:02] - Ashley)
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Scent and Memory:
Both reminisce about scented toys. Taliesin mentions he has tracked down a perfume evocative of Strawberry Shortcake dolls:"I mean, I got a scent that's very close to the strawberry shortcake doll of, like, fake strawberry and plastic. It's 99% there." ([43:08] - Taliesin)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Roach Co-Habitants:
"Sharing it with roaches so together that they have their own SAG card." ([03:51] - Taliesin)
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On Battle Play:
"I would set everything up in these very complex ways and... it was very like pre-battle, like, battlefield negotiations. It would never actually get to the battle." ([09:22] - Taliesin)
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On Acting Studios' Gifts:
"I got a complete set [Thundercats] just by like throwing balls at targets. I felt spoiled briefly." ([12:18] - Taliesin)
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On Polly Pocket, Miniatures & Control:
"The more I think about it, the more I'm feeling like it's... a sense of control over my environment." ([48:17] - Taliesin)
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On Fear of the Dark:
"I fainted on Pirates of the Caribbean as a child. I got so scared. I literally... had to carry me out one of the emergency exits." ([60:02] - Taliesin)
Important Timestamps
- Collecting & Maximalism – [03:16]-[04:45]
- Animals & Spider Wrangling Stories – [04:45]-[07:00]
- Unconventional Toy Play & Setup – [09:06]-[10:10]
- Studio Gift Toys Memories – [10:10]-[12:28]
- Movie & Event Memories (American Tail, Indiana Jones ride) – [13:32]-[15:17]
- Set Show & Tell: Pee Wee Herman, Polly Pocket, Automata Kit – [16:20]-[57:06]
- Japanese Toy Store Tales – [24:29]-[26:34]
- Scent & Sensory Memories – [43:08]-[43:14]
- Exploring Control, Comfort & Toys – [61:02]-[61:51]
Tone & Style
Playful, nostalgic, honest, and gently self-deprecating, Ashley and Taliesin share deep personal stories with a mix of humor and sincere introspection. Their chemistry is warm and familiar, often finishing each other’s thoughts and making space for digressions into childhood memories, weird actor stories, and philosophical musings about the lasting power of childhood objects.
Conclusion
"Toys and Tiny Things" is a delightful, layered look into how and why we love the objects of our youth, and how those connections endure—even as our lives change. It’s as much about childhood comfort, identity, and coping as it is about action figures, bath toys, and Pin Art. For listeners who grew up a little weird, a little anxious, and a lot enamored with the magic of "stuff," Ashley and Taliesin’s stories offer empathy, laughs, and plenty of permission to stay cosmic, proud, and weird.