dungeons & dragons
TSR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS IN THE MEDIA
Dungeons & Dragons is an American animated television series based on TSR's Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A co-production of Marvel Productions and TSR, the show originally ran from 1983 through 1985 for three seasons on CBS for a total of twenty-seven episodes. The Japanese company Toei Animation did the animation for this series.
The show focused on a group of six friends who are transported into the titular realm and followed their adventures as they tried to find a way home with the help of their guide 'Dungeon Master'. A final un-produced episode would have served as a conclusion as well as a re-imagining had the series been picked up for a fourth season. However, the show was cancelled before the episode was made. The script can be found from various sources online and was performed as an audio drama as a special feature for a DVD edition of the series
OVERVIEW[]
The show focuses on a group of friends aged between 8-15 who are sucked into the "Realm of Dungeons & Dragons" by taking a magical dark ride on an amusement park roller coaster. Upon arriving in the realm they meet Dungeon Master (named for the referee in the role-playing game) who gives each child a weapon to defend themselves with.
The children's main goal is to find a way home, but they often take detours to help people, or find that their fates are intertwined with that of others. The group come across many different enemies, but their primary antagonist is Venger. Venger is a powerful wizard who wishes to rule the realm and believes the power from the children's weapons will help him to do so. Another recurring villain is Tiamat, who is a five-headed dragon and the only creature Venger fears.
Throughout the show, a connection is suggested between Dungeon Master and Venger. The final un-produced episode would have revealed that Venger is the Dungeon Master's corrupted son, and would have explained that the children were brought into this realm to help redeem Venger and to restore balance to their world.
EPISODES[]
| SEASON 1 | SEASON 2 | SEASON 3 | OTHER MEDIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 THE NIGHT OF NO TOMORROW | THE GIRL WHO DREAMED TOMORROW | THE DUNGEON AT THE HEART OF DAWN | BRIAZILIAN CAR COMMERCIAL |
| 02 THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER | THE TREASURE OF TARDOS | THE TIME LOST | CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE BOOKS |
| 03 THE HALL OF BONES | CITY ON THE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT | ODYSSEY OF THE TWELFTH TALISMAN | THE UK ANNUALS |
| 04 VALLEY OF THE UNICORNS | THE TRAITOR | CITADEL OF SHADOW | MARVEL SUMMER SPECIAL 1987: PRISON WITHOUT WALLS |
| 05 IN SEARCH OF THE DUNGEON MASTER | DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER | CAVE OF THE FIRE DRAGONS | FRANCE: DONJONS ET DRAGONS |
| 06 BEAUTY AND THE BOGBEAST | THE LAST ILLUSION | THE WINDS OF DARKNESS | DC COMICS: TOUR OF THE REALMS |
| 07 PRISON WITHOUT WALLS | THE DRAGON'S GRAVEYARD | REQUIEM | DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (film; characters make cameos) |
| 08 SERVANT OF EVIL | CHILD OF THE STARGAZER | N/A | |
| 09 QUEEN OF THE SKELETON WARRIORS | N/A | N/A | |
| 10 THE GARDEN OF ZINN | N/A | N/A | |
| 11 THE BOX | N/A | N/A | |
| 12 THE LOST CHILDREN | N/A | N/A | |
| 13 P-R-E-S-T-O SPELLS DISASTER | N/A | N/A |