Dungeons & Dragons (TV Series 1983 - 1985)





 

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.

 

Characters



Protagonists
The main characters of the show are six friends, ranging from age 7 to 15, trying to find their way home. They are:

 

Hank, the Ranger (voiced by Willie Aames): At 15, he is the oldest of the gang, along with Eric, and a natural leader. Hank is a Ranger, with a magical bow that shoots magical arrows of glowing energy.



Eric, the Cavalier (voiced by Don Most): The 15-year-old cavalier is the spoiled child, originating from a rich home. On the surface Eric is the big-mouthed coward of the show, and he also fulfills the role of the comic relief character. Despite his egotism, selfishness, and snobbery, Eric is potentially also the most realistic character, complaining about the dire situations in which he is involved and voicing concerns which might be common to inhabitants of our world transplanted to the Realm. Despite his cowardice and reluctance, Eric has a well-hidden heroic core, and constantly saves his friends from danger with his magical shield, which can project a force field. Series developer Mark Evanier revealed that Eric's contrary nature was mandated by parents groups and consultants to push the then-dominant pro-social moral for cartoons of "The group is always right; the complainer is always wrong."



 

Diana, the Acrobat (voiced by Tonya Gail Smith): Diana is 14 years old. She is an acrobat, and an outspoken and tomboyish member of the group. She is skilled at handling animals, and is a self-assured, confident person. These qualities make her the natural leader in the absence of Hank. It is mentioned that Diana is chosen as the acrobat because in her real world she is an Olympic-level gymnastics practitioner.

Presto, the Magician (voiced by Adam Rich): 12-year-old Albert, better known as Presto, is the wizard. Presto fulfills a role of the well-meaning, diligent, but hopeless magician. He suffers from low self-confidence and nervousness, which manifests in the use of his magical hat. He is able to pull an endless succession of various tools from it; but often these will be, or appear to be, of little use. There are also numerous instances when the whole group is in danger, whereupon Presto will draw from his hat precisely what is needed in order to save all of his friends.

 

Sheila, the Thief (voiced by Katie Leigh): As the thief, 13-year-old Sheila has a magical cloak that, when the hood is raised over her head, makes her invisible. She is Bobby's older sister and therefore very protective of him. In both the Spanish versions of Spain and Latin America, Sheila is not a thief, but a mage or illusionist.



Bobby, the Barbarian (voiced by Ted Field III): Bobby is the youngest member of the team (he has his eighth birthday in the "Servant Of Evil" episode). He is the barbarian, as indicated by his fur pants and boots, horned helmet, and cross belt harness. He is Sheila's younger brother; in contrast to her, Bobby is impulsive and ready to run headlong into battle, even against physically superior enemies. He has a close relationship with Uni.



 

Uni, the Unicorn (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker): Uni is Bobby's pet, a baby unicorn, which Bobby discovers in the first episode and retains as his companion throughout the show. She has the ability to speak, though her words are not quite discernible; she usually is heard echoing Bobby when she agrees to his opinions.



Dungeon Master (voiced by Sidney Miller): The group's friend and mentor, he provides important advice and help, but often in a cryptic way that does not make sense until the team has completed the quest of each episode. It is the Dungeon Master who supplies the companions with their weapons and clues for their numerous opportunities to return home. As the series progresses, from his repeated displays of power, it begins to seem possible and later, even probable, that the Dungeon Master could easily return the companions home himself. This suspicion is confirmed in the script for the unmade series finale, "Requiem", wherein the Dungeon Master proves he can do just that, without any difficulty.



 

AntagonistsVenger, Force of Evil (voiced by Peter Cullen): The main antagonist and the Dungeon Master's son (as revealed in the episode "The Dragon's Graveyard" and again in the lost episode "Requiem"), as well as Karena's brother ("Citadel of Shadow"), Venger is an evil wizard of great power who seeks to use the children's magical weapons to bolster this power. Though described as an evil force, comparable to the devil, it is occasionally hinted that he was once good, but fell under a corrupting influence. This is later revealed to be true in the finale "Requiem", when Venger is restored to his former self.



Shadow Demon (voiced by Bob Holt): A shadowy demon, he is Venger's personal spy and assistant. He often informs Venger about the kids' current quest.



 

Tiamat (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker): Venger's arch-rival is a fearsome dragon with a screeching voice and five heads. Although Venger and the children both avoid Tiamat, the children make a deal with her in "The Dragon's Graveyard" to thwart Venger. She is named after the Tiamat of Babylonian mythology.

Episode Guide



 

Season 1

Season 1, Episode 1: The Night of No Tomorrow
Original Air Date17 September 1983

 

Season 1, Episode 2: Eye of the Beholder
Original Air Date24 September 1983

Season 1, Episode 3: The Hall of Bones
Original Air Date1 October 1983

 

Season 1, Episode 4: Valley of the Unicorns
Original Air Date8 October 1983

Season 1, Episode 5: In Search of the Dungeon Master
Original Air Date15 October 1983

Season 1, Episode 6: Beauty and the Bogbeast
Original Air Date22 October 1983

Season 1, Episode 7: Prison Without Walls
Original Air Date29 October 1983

Season 1, Episode 8: Servant of Evil
Original Air Date5 November 1983

Season 1, Episode 9: Quest of the Skeleton Warrior
Original Air Date12 November 1983

Season 1, Episode 10: The Garden of Zinn
Original Air Date19 November 1983

Season 1, Episode 11: The Box
Original Air Date26 November 1983

Season 1, Episode 12: The Lost Children
Original Air Date3 December 1983

Season 1, Episode 13: P-R-E-S-T-O Spells Disaster
Original Air Date10 December 1983

 

Season 2

Season 2, Episode 1: The Girl Who Dreamed Tomorrow
Original Air Date8 September 1984

 

Season 2, Episode 2: The Treasure of Tardos
Original Air Date15 September 1984

Season 2, Episode 3: City at the Edge of Midnight
Original Air Date22 September 1984

Season 2, Episode 4: The Traitor
Original Air Date29 September 1984

Season 2, Episode 5: Day of the Dungeon Master
Original Air Date6 October 1984

Season 2, Episode 6: The Last Illusion
Original Air Date13 October 1984

 

Season 2, Episode 7: The Dragon's Graveyard
Original Air Date20 October 1984

Season 2, Episode 8: Child of the Stargazer
Original Air Date27 October 1984

 

Season 3

Season 3, Episode 1: The Dungeon at the Heart of Dawn
Original Air Date14 September 1985

Season 3, Episode 2: The Time Lost
Original Air Date21 September 1985

Season 3, Episode 3: Odyssey of the 12th Talisman
Original Air Date28 September 1985

Season 3, Episode 4: Citadel of Shadow
Original Air Date12 October 1985

Season 3, Episode 5: Cave of the Fairie Dragons
Original Air Date9 November 1985

Season 3, Episode 6: The Winds of Darkness
Original Air Date7 December 1985