"Dungeons & Dragons" (1983) TV series

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Writers:

Dave Arneson (game "Dungeons & Dragons") &
E. Gary Gygax (game "Dungeons & Dragons") ...

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

17 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Fantasy

Plot:

A group of kids are thrown into a world where they must search for a way home, armed with magic weapons that an evil tyrant lusts for.

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Sword And Sorcery | Dragon | Dungeons And Dragons | Alternative Reality

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Willie Aames	...	Hank the Ranger (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Don Most	...	Eric the Cavalier (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Katie Leigh	...	Sheila the Thief (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Adam Rich	...	Presto the Magician (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Tonia Gayle Smith	...	Diana the Acrobat (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Teddy Field III	...	Bobby the Barbarian (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Sidney Miller	...	Dungeon Master (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Frank Welker	...	Additional Voices / ... (27 episodes, 1983-1985)
Peter Cullen	...	Venger / ... (26 episodes, 1983-1985)

Runtime:

30 min (27 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7 | UK:PG (some episodes) | UK:U (some episodes)

Company:

Marvel Productions

Trivia:

Although many people claim there is a final episode, it was never filmed. The script, "Requiem", was finished and it is available on line courtesy of writer Michael Reaves. In addition, the DVD box set release of the series includes a performance of the script as a radio play style production.

Quotes:

Eric: Now what?
Presto: Now we find Tiamat.
Eric: How do we know which one is her?
Presto: Easy, dummy. She'll be the one who attacks us.

Movie Connections:

Version of Dungeons & Dragons (2000)

D&D cartoon is back on the air!

First off, for all you fanatics out there, the D&D cartoon is on the air, at least for the summer of 2000. It's on every Saturday on Fox at 11 a.m.! By the way, this is a national thing, not just some syndicated local station.

Why is it back on the air? I'd bet it's cuz of the Harry Potter mania going around and Fox (Who has a toon deal with Saban, who in turn owns the D&D cartoon, G.I. Joe and Transformers). Check out foxkids.com for more details.

Regarding my Harry Potter theory, all the advertisements feature Presto, the magician of the group, so that's why I'm betting it's their way to cash in on the hero of the English kids books.

Anyway, they've run two episodes as far as I can tell and they were "The Illusionist" and "The Day of the Dungeon Master." Both surprised me at how fast-paced the stories were, giving little time for establishing shots or explanatory information.

"The Illusionist" was the worst of the two, a story about Presto rescuing a girl from Venger's clutches. "The Day of the Dungeon Master" centered around Eric and how he inherited the Dungeon Master's powers for a day. "Day" was very entertaining, mostly because it was so character driven.

Regarding animation, it isn't as good as I remember it, but still passable when you look at "Pokemon" and "NASCAR racers." I would say it's just one step below "G.I. Joe" quality.

Don Most, the actor from "Happy Days", is by far the best voice actor and really carries the rest of the cast. But Willie Ames, Peter Cullen and whoever does the Dungeon Master are right on the mark.

Remembering my love for the series, I must say it's cool to see it again, because I so rarely saw it during it's original run. Why? Cuz they always preempted it for sports or decade-old repeats of "Land of the Lost."

But you know what disappoints me most? With nearly 15 years of better technology and computer generated effects at their disposal, they couldn't kill that damn unicorn!