If you’ve spent any time in the "Mythical" corner of the internet, you know Rhett and Link as the kings of unscripted chaos. They eat things they shouldn't. They play games that make no sense. It’s a formula that has kept Good Mythical Morning at the top of the YouTube food chain for over a decade. But there was this one specific moment in time—back when YouTube was desperately trying to become the next Netflix—where the duo pivoted hard. They decided to make a "real" TV show.
That show was Rhett and Link Buddy System.
Looking back at it now, it feels like a fever dream. It’s weird, it’s musical, and it’s surprisingly high-budget for two guys who usually spend their mornings comparing the taste of different brands of peanut butter. Honestly, it’s probably the most ambitious project they’ve ever touched.
The YouTube Red Era: A Weird Time to be a Creator
In 2016, YouTube launched "YouTube Red" (now YouTube Premium). They wanted original scripted content to compete with the big streamers. They looked at their biggest stars and basically said, "Here’s a bunch of money; go make a TV show." Rhett and Link didn't just make a sitcom; they made something that felt like a 22-minute extension of their weirdest comedic instincts.
The first season of Rhett and Link Buddy System premiered on October 19, 2016. It wasn't just a sketch. It was a serialized story about a mutual ex-girlfriend, Aimee Brells (played by the fantastic Leslie Bibb), who hacks their YouTube channel and forces them into a series of bizarre adventures to get it back.
It was a hit. Well, a "YouTube hit." Variety even reported it as the number one digital series in the U.S. at one point.
Why Buddy System Was Actually Good (And Not Just "YouTube Good")
Most people expected a glorified vlog. What they got was a meticulously directed comedy with original musical numbers that actually slapped.
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Think about the song "So Dang Dark." It’s a genuinely catchy track about being afraid of the dark, featuring things like a "man with a hook for a hand but he's actually a very nice guy." Or "A Whale is Gonna Die," which is as absurd as it sounds. These weren't just throwaway jokes; they were full-scale productions.
The Contrast of Season 1 and Season 2
If you haven't seen it, the two seasons are wildly different animals.
- Season 1: This is the "quest" season. It’s grounded (mostly) in the reality of their YouTube fame. They’re trying to save GMM. It’s colorful, it’s musical, and it feels like a love letter to their friendship.
- Season 2: This is where things get truly "Mythical." Released in late 2017, it takes place in an alternate universe where Rhett and Link never met as kids. Rhett is a professional food taster (ironic, right?) and Link is a lonely guy who just got fired. They meet for the first time as adults when Rhett is looking for a roommate.
Fans still argue about which one is better. Season 1 has the better "bops," but Season 2 is a much tighter piece of comedy writing. It gave us characters like Kenneth Kenneth, played by Link, who is basically a human personification of social anxiety and 1980s aesthetic.
What People Get Wrong About the Cancellation
People often ask why there wasn't a Season 3. Was it a flop? Not really.
The truth is more about the business of YouTube than the quality of the show. YouTube eventually shifted its strategy away from expensive scripted originals. They realized people weren't paying for YouTube Premium to watch "prestige TV"—they were paying to get rid of ads.
Also, it was exhausting. Rhett and Link have mentioned on their podcast, Ear Biscuits, that 2017 was one of the hardest years of their lives. They were trying to film a high-end scripted show while also maintaining the daily grind of Good Mythical Morning. Something had to give. You can only burn the candle at both ends for so long before you just become a pile of wax.
The Legacy of the "Buddy System"
In November 2019, YouTube finally took the paywall down, making every episode of Rhett and Link Buddy System free to watch with ads. It was a huge "thank you" to the fans who couldn't afford the subscription.
Even now, years later, you see the fingerprints of Buddy System in their current work. Their new semi-scripted series, Wonderhole, feels like the spiritual successor to the show. It’s that same "let’s see how weird we can get with a budget" energy.
What You Should Do Now
If you’ve never watched it, or if you only saw the clips on the main channel, go back and watch the full episodes.
- Start with Season 2: If you prefer "weird/surreal" comedy over "musical" comedy, Season 2 is actually a better entry point because of the alternate-reality plot.
- Listen to the Ear Biscuits episodes from late 2017: If you want the "behind the curtain" look at how stressed they were during production, those podcast episodes are legendary for their honesty.
- Check out the "Making Of" specials: They’re still on the GMM channel and show the insane amount of work that went into the talking, flying exercise bike and the "Power Nap" rap.
The show remains a weird, shiny artifact of a time when the internet was trying to prove it could be "real" Hollywood. Whether it succeeded is up for debate, but for a "Mythical Beast," it’s essential viewing.