Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace

Carl's a galaxy-wide meme, Donut's got a new baby to wrangle, and the dungeon just dropped its biggest bombshells yet. We cover the final stretch of Book 1 — from Death Watch Extreme's aftermath to the stairs down to Floor 3.

(0:00) — The Carl and Maestro Snick
The "Pork Boy" moment goes intergalactic: Zev's news, the fake viral video, and Carl becoming the dungeon's most unwilling celebrity.

(7:26) — The Daddy Tax
Ralph the Frenzied Gerbil. The kobold boss chamber, the dingoes that didn't join the fight, and the dungeon itself groaning when Ralph goes down.

(13:51) — Welcome to the Party Mongo
Donut picks the pet reward — a creature best described as a skinless chicken with commitment issues — names him Mongo, and then it's a race to tame him before the floor collapses. Nose chomps included.

(21:00) — The Real Fun Begins
The epilogue: Carl and Donut on Odette's talk show, illegal Valtay tech in Agatha's shopping cart, Borant's money trouble and plan to end the crawl early, Donut's ninth-floor dread, and the class-selection cliffhanger heading into Book 2.

Things are getting weird in the dungeon.

In Episode 4 of Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace, Carl and Donut encounter some fascinating new characters, face one of the dungeon’s strangest threats yet, and get another glimpse into just how unpredictable this world can be.

I talk about meeting Audette and Zev, the terrifying experience of dealing with the Rage Elemental, and the introduction of the Maestro.

The deeper Carl and Donut get into the dungeon, the more I'm realizing that Dungeon Crawler Carl is willing to take this story in just about any direction.

Carl and Donut encounter Audette, giving me another opportunity to dig into one of the many unusual characters that make the dungeon such an interesting place.

The crawl introduces another memorable character in Zev. I talk about my first impressions and what Zev adds to the increasingly strange world Carl and Donut are trying to survive.

Things get dangerous again when Carl and Donut have to deal with the Rage Elemental. I break down the encounter, the chaos that follows, and just how quickly things can go sideways in the dungeon.

The episode wraps up with the introduction of the Maestro. I talk about this bizarre character and what his appearance adds to the growing mystery and weirdness of the dungeon.

I'm discovering Dungeon Crawler Carl one floor at a time.

Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace is a spoiler-conscious podcast from the perspective of someone experiencing the series for the first time. I talk about my reactions, favorite moments, questions, theories, characters, world-building, and everything else that makes this bizarre adventure so much fun.

And remember: please don't spoil anything!

Welcome to the Crawl.

(0:00) – Carl and Donut Meet Audette(12:26) – Carl and Donut Meet Zev(18:49) – Escaping From the Rage Elemental(28:09) – The MaestroAbout Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace

Carl and Donut are starting to figure out how this dungeon works. Unfortunately, the dungeon is also starting to figure out how to kill them.

In Episode 3 of Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace, the crawl gets considerably more dangerous as I encounter other crawlers, meet the Meadow Lark Crew, and dive into two of the strangest and most memorable fights so far.

I talk about the growing threat of the dungeon, the characters Carl and Donut encounter along the way, and how Matt Dinniman continues to balance the absurdity of this world with the very real danger surrounding them.

The dungeon isn't just dangerous because of its monsters. Carl and Donut discover that other crawlers can be just as deadly. I discuss the introduction of the Crawler Killers and what it reveals about the brutal world they've been dropped into.

Carl and Donut encounter the Meadow Lark Crew, giving me another look at the strange collection of people trying to survive the dungeon. I talk about the characters, their dynamic, and what their presence adds to the story.

Things get weird. And violent.

I break down the Juicer fight and the way Dinniman continues to balance the absurdity of the dungeon with the very real danger Carl and Donut are facing.

The crawl gets even stranger with the Ball of Swine. I talk about this memorable encounter and what moments like this say about the creativity—and sheer insanity—of the dungeon.

I'm discovering Dungeon Crawler Carl one floor at a time.

Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace is a spoiler-conscious podcast from the perspective of someone experiencing the series for the first time. I talk about my reactions, favorite moments, questions, theories, characters, world-building, and everything else that makes this bizarre adventure so much fun.

And remember: please don't spoil anything!

Welcome to the Crawl.

(0:00) – The Crawler Killers(13:50) – The Meadow Lark Crew(23:07) – The Juicer Fight(30:37) – The Ball of SwineAbout Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace

The crawl is officially underway.

In Episode 2 of Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace, we go deeper into Dungeon Crawler Carl as the story moves beyond its initial setup and starts showing us what makes this world so much more than a simple dungeon-crawling adventure.

We talk about how Matt Dinniman establishes the rules of the dungeon, why the world immediately feels so dangerous and unpredictable, and—most importantly—how the relationship between Carl and Donut begins to take shape.

Because the dungeon may be trying to kill them, but watching these two figure each other out might be the best part of the whole experience.

Setting Up The story

We take a closer look at how the story moves from its wild opening premise into the actual adventure. What information does Dinniman give us, and how does he keep us wanting to know what happens next?

Establishing the Dungeon

Now that we're inside, the rules start to matter. We discuss the dungeon's mechanics, the world-building, and how Dungeon Crawler Carl makes something as simple as figuring out where to go feel entertaining.

Carl and Donut's Relationship

This is where the heart of the story really starts to emerge. Carl and Donut are an unlikely pair, but their relationship is quickly becoming one of the most interesting parts of the book.

Carl and Donut Go Crawling

Enough talking. It's time to start crawling.

Carl and Donut officially begin their journey through the dungeon, and we're starting to get a better idea of just how difficult—and ridiculous—this adventure is going to become.

We're discovering Dungeon Crawler Carl one floor at a time.

About Carl and Donut's Crawlspace

Carl and Donut’s Crawlspace is a spoiler-conscious podcast from readers experiencing the series for the first time. We're talking about our reactions, favorite moments, questions, theories, characters, world-building, and everything else that makes this bizarre adventure so much fun.

And remember: please don't spoil anything!

Welcome to the Crawl.

(0:00) – Setting Up the Story

(14:38) – Establishing the Dungeon

(27:19) – Carl and Donut’s Relationship

(35:42) – Carl and Donut Begin Their Crawl

Carl and Donut’s CrawlspaceEpisode 1: Welcome to the Crawl

What happens when a couple of people who aren't normally LitRPG readers decide to jump headfirst into Dungeon Crawler Carl?

They find themselves in a dungeon. With a talking cat. And apparently, there's no going back.

In the first episode of Carl and Donut's Crawlspace, we begin our journey through Matt Dinniman's wildly entertaining Dungeon Crawler Carl. We talk about our initial reactions to the story, why the series works despite its completely absurd premise, the video-game mechanics that make the world so much fun, and why the audiobook experience has already become such a huge part of the appeal.

(0:00) – What Did We Get Ourselves Into?
We officially enter the crawl! We talk about our first impressions of Dungeon Crawler Carl, what surprised us most about the story, and whether we expected to become this invested in a book about a man, a cat, and a dungeon filled with deadly challenges.

(9:41) – Why Dungeon Crawler Carl Works
The premise sounds ridiculous on paper—but somehow, it works. We discuss the characters, humor, world-building, pacing, and surprisingly emotional moments that make Dungeon Crawler Carl more than just another LitRPG.

(19:18) – The Video Game Mechanics
Stats, loot, levels, achievements, quests, and dungeon floors—Dungeon Crawler Carl embraces its video-game DNA. We discuss how those mechanics make the story more engaging rather than getting in the way of the narrative.

(25:23) – The Appeal of the Audiobook
One of the biggest surprises of our introduction to the series has been the audiobook. We talk about Jeff Hays' narration, the different voices, and how the performance adds another dimension to Carl, Donut, and the world of the Crawl.

Carl and Donut's Crawlspace is a podcast about discovering Dungeon Crawler Carl one floor at a time. We're experiencing the series as readers—and fans—rather than experts, so expect plenty of first reactions, questions, theories, laughs, and probably a few things we're completely wrong about.

And if you're already a fan of the series, please don't spoil anything!

We're just getting started.

Welcome to the Crawl.

Time StampsAbout Carl and Donut's Crawlspace