Dungeons & Dragons

From September 17, 1983 –Oct 26, 1985 this cartoon aired on CBS. A group of six friends from 8 to 15 who are transported to 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 magical item. are transported into the realm of Dungeons & Dragons, following their adventures as they try to find a way home with the help of their guide the Dungeon Master while combating an evil wizard Venger.

Cast[]

Hank, the Ranger (voiced by Willie Aames) - at 15 years of age, he is the leader of the group. gifted with supreb physical reflexes and a brilliant tactical mind. Hank is brave and noble, maintaining a focus and determination even when presented with grave danger. Hank is a Ranger, with a magical bow that shoots arrows of glowing energy. These arrows can be used in many different ways such as a climbing tool, to hurt enemies, to bind them, to create light, or to form temporary makeshift cages. Twice he does fail as a leader when he becomes a traitor to save Bobbi from Venger and when he gives Eric permission to open the Box of Balefire Venger regards Hank as his personel enemy
Eric, the Cavalier (voiced by Don Most) - the Cavalier, at the age of 15, is the spoiled child, originating from a rich home. On the surface, Eric is a big-mouthed comic relief coward. Eric has a heroic core, and frequently saves his friends from danger with his magical griffin shield, which can project a force field. Despite his aloofness and several instances of selfishness, Eric shares the common camaraderie of the group. He is the one who most hates and fears the Realm and Venger
Diana, the Acrobat (voiced by Tonia Gayle Smith) - a brave, athletic, and outspoken 14-year-old girl, she is an Acrobat who carries the javelin quarterstaff, which can change size to suit her needs and be easily reconstructed if broken. Diana is also known to provide inspiration, guidance and support for her friends at times of peril or worry and occasionally steps to the fore as a substitute leader in Hank's absence.
Presto, the Magician (voiced by Adam Rich) - the 14-year-old Wizard of the team, equipped with a magic hat. Friendly and fiercely loyal to all in the group, Presto fulfills the role of the well-meaning, diligent magic user/nerd whose spells frequently—though not always—either fail or produce unintended results. Ironically when he can concentrate his spells actually work as intended
Sheila, the Thief (voiced by Katie Leigh) - as the Thief, Sheila, aged 13, has the Cloak of Invisibility which makes her invisible when the hood is raised over her head. Although occasionally emotionally vulnerable and with a great fear of being alone in the realm, Sheila regularly utilizes the stealth attributes of her cloak at great peril to herself for the benefit of the common goals of her group. In one epsiode due to an accidental encounter with Dungeonmaster magic {In Search of the Dungeonmaster} Shelia can speak Fairy language, She also has a sharp quick temper when she is angry (The Traitor).There are hints she cares deeply about Hank but because of the peril they are in dares not let him known it.
Bobby, the Barbarian (voiced by Ted Field III) - the youngest member of the team at nine years old and the younger brother of Sheila. He is the Barbarian, as indicated by his fur pants and boots, horned helmet, and cross belt harness. Brash, brave and selfless but occasionally impulsive, Bobby's personality frequently puts himself and his friends in danger. His cudgel saves the protagonists from peril on numerous occasions. His deepest feat is becoming a helpless bady; of all the children he harbors the deepest anger and hatred for Venger when those he most cares about (Shelial Terri, and Uni) are in deep danger.
Uni (vocal effects provided by Frank Welker) - Uni is Bobby's pet, a baby unicorn. Markedly timid, Uni is closest to Bobby. She is remarkably intelligent, shown to be capable of using Presto's hat's magic on at least one occasion, and can teleport once per day. Beauty and the Bogbeast accidently shows Uni going with the kids to their world; in fact when the kids to try to use a portal to go home Uni must be left behind because she cannot survive in a nonmagical world.{The eye of the Beholder: The Day of the dungeonmaster; The Box)
Dungeon Master (voiced by Sidney Miller) - the group's friend and mentor, he provides important advice and help, but often in a cryptic manner that does not make sense until the team has completed the quest of each episode. Dungeon Master supplies the companions with their weapons and clues for their numerous opportunities to return home
Venger, the Force of Evil (voiced by Peter Cullen) - the main antagonist and the Dungeon Master's son, Venger is an evil wizard of great power sporting one horn, white skin, fangs, and bat-like wings. He hates the children for two reasons: without their weopons he cannot enslave the Dragon Tiamat or rule the Realm of Dungeons and Dragons;also the children are "pure of Heart"

Episodes[]

27 epsiodes were aired over 3 seasons.

*season 1:

The Night of No Tomorrow {Sept 17,1983) Tricked by Venger, Presto conjures up a horde of fire-breathing dragons to threaten the town of Helix. The kids must rescue Presto and save Helix before it is too late.

The eye of the Beholder (Sept 24, 1983) Led by a cowardly knight named Sir John, the children must seek and destroy an evil monster known as the Beholder to find a gateway back to their own world.

The Hall of Bones (OCt 1,1983) Dungeon Master sends the kids on a journey to the Ancient Hall of Bones, where they must recharge their magical weapons. As usual, trouble awaits them around every corner. Will Venger succed in enslaving Timat with the kids weapons?

Valley of the Unicorns (Oct 8,1983)Bobby and the others must rescue Uni when she is captured by a fiendish sorcerer named Kelek, who plans to remove the horns of all unicorns and steal their magical power. Will Kelek succed and destroy his master Venger?

In Search of the Dungeonmaster (Oct 15, 1983)Dungeon Master is captured by Warduke and frozen in a magic crystal. When the kids discover this terrible truth, they must try to rescue him before Venger gets there first.

Beauty and the Bogbeast (Oct 22, 1993) disobeying dungeonmaser Eric is turned into a comical but ugly Bogbeast when he sniffs a forbidden flower. Now he must help the others of this cowardly race defeat an evil ogre who is damming The River that Runs Upside Down; for a brief moment the kids use this river portal to return to their world

Prison without Walls {Oct 19,1983)The search for the gateway home leads the kids into the Swamp of Sorrow, where they meet a fearsome monster and the dwarf wizard, Lukyon, who guides them on a journey to the Heart Of The Dragon.-a portal which could let them go home

Servant of Evil (Nov 5,1983)Bobby's 9th birthday is ruined when Sheila and the others are captured and thrown into Venger's Prison of Agony. With Dungeon Master's guidance, Bobby and Uni must locate the prison, befriend a giant, and rescue their friends.

Quest of the skeleton warrior (Nov 12, 1983) A "servant" of Venger Dekkion, a spellbound ancient warrior, sends the kids to the Lost Tower as they seek the Circle of Power. However they must face their greatest fears (Hank fear is that he will fail as a leader; Eric fear is ridicule; Diana fear is old and useless; Presto fear is losing his glasses without which he is practically blind;Shelia fear is being alone; Bobbi fear is that he will become a helpless child)

The Garden of Zinn' (Nov 19,1983)When Bobby is bitten by a poisonous Dragon Turtle, he and Sheila must remain in the care of a strange creature named Solarz while the others seek out an antidote - the foot of a yellow dragon plant- in the mysterious Garden of Zinn. To save Bobby, Eric must become a king in the realm he hates so much.

The Box (Nov 26, 1983) After almost being trapped in a "Twilght Zone" Dimension, The kids find a way home at long last. But their return leaves Dungeon Master and the realm in great jeopardy as Venger seeks his chance to take over both the realm and the kids' home as well.

The Lost Children"(Dec 3, 1983) With the help of another group of lost children (from another world), the kids must brave the dangers of Venger's castle to locate a spaceship which, according to Dungeon Master, just might take them home.

P-R-E-S-T-O Spells Disaster"{Dec 10, 1983) Trying to save his friends from being captured by Orcs, Another one of Presto's spells misfires, this time leaving Presto and Uni to search for the others who are trapped in a giant's castle and pursued by a strange creature called a Slime Beast. (Loosely based on the story "Jack and the beanstalk")
Season 2:

The Girl Who Dreamed Tomorrow" (Sept 7, 1984) The kids meet Terri, a lost child like themselves who is also a clairvoyant who can dream the future and leads them toward their doorway home - where trouble awaits. Not only must the Children stop from going insane in Vanger's Maze of Darkness but Bobby must make a heartbreaking choice to save his soulmate Terri from Venger.

The Treasure of Tardos (Sept 15, 1984)Dungeon Master warns the kids that they are in danger from the monstrous Demodragon, a half-demon, half-dragon monster capable of destroying the entire realm. Now they must find a bit of dragonsbane in order to render the monster helpless while contending with Venger, Shadow Demon, and an army of orcs.

City at the edge of Midnight (Sept 22, 1984) The kids must seek out The City At The Edge of Midnight and save iBobby and other captive children from The Nightwalker, who steals little children to prevent a giant clock from striking the stroke of midnight.

The Traitor" (Sept 29, 1984) Dungeon Master warns the kids that they are about to face the most difficult trial of their lives. The others are shocked when Hank turns out to be a traitor, not only to them, but to his own courage and insight. Fortunately, it is this that leads him to redemption.

Day of the Dungeon Master (OCt 6, 1984)After Eric opens his big mouth and boasts about what he could do as Dungeonmaster,Dungeon Master decides to take a rest and gives Eric his Garb of Power, Venger goes after the Garb, and Eric's powers are truly put to the test. Can Eric send his friends home and defeat Venger?

The Last Illusion" (Oct 13, 1984) When Presto finds himself lost in a forest, he sees the apparition of a beautiful young girl named Varla. Dungeon Master tells Presto that by finding the girl, he may find his way home. Though Venger has plans to use Varla in his latest plot to claim the kids' weapons by framing Presto for causing harm to a local village.

The Dragons Graveyard" (Oct 20,1984)At the end of their patience with Venger ruining their attempts to return home with the latest attempt involving Venger attacking them with a frost giant, the kids resolve to bring the fight to him. The kids seek the help of Tiamat, the most dangerous dragon in the realm, who assists them in a confrontation with Venger. Will Hank choose to give into his anger and rage and destroy Venger?

The Child of the Stargazer (Oct 27, 1984)Kosar, the son of an astrologer from another country, escapes from the evil Demon-Queen Syrith and involves the kids in a battle against good and evil. Diana must make a personal choice regarding going home - her soulmate Kosar, or saving a community.
Season 3:

The Dungeon at the Heart of Dawn" (Sept 14, 1985) While in the Tower of Darkness, the Hank and Eric disobey Dungeonmaster instructions and open The Box of Balefire and let loose the ultimate evil called the Nameless One who is Venger's master. The Nameless One strips Dungeon Master and Venger of their powers. The kids must now venture to The Heart Of Dawn to restore Dungeon Master's powers while holding a truce with Venger and Shadow Demon when things get worse. Will the kids; Dungeonmaster and Venger be destroyed by the evil Nameless one?

The Time Lost" (Sept 21, 1985)Venger has been abducting military personnel from different battles in Earth, and his latest captive is a US Air Force pilot, whose fighter jet Venger commandeers. Venger then goes to the Second World War and captures a Luftwaffe pilot named Josef, intending to give him the modern fighter jet to make World War II an Axis victory, which would change Earth's history and prevent the kids from ever being born. Will Josef betray the kids and make Germany victorious?

Odyssey of the Twelfth Talisman" (Sept 28, 1985)The Dungeon Master assigns the kids to find the missing Stone Of Astra, the Twelfth Talisman, which makes the wearer invincible. An evil wizard named Korac, who also wants the talisman, wreaks havoc until Venger, who also wants the talisman, instigates a battle.

"Citadel of Shadow" (OCt 12, 1985) While fleeing an army of orcs, the kids hide in The Hills Of Never; Sheila helps a young woman named Kareena trapped by a spell; to their shock the children discover Kareena is Venger's sister and rival in evil. With two magic rings Sheila must make a personal choice-of either going home-or saving Kareena from being destroyed by Venger. (Last appearence of Venger in the series when he is trapped in a magical prison)

The Winds of Darkness" (Oct 19, 1985)The evil Darkling has created a purple fog that consumes all trapped in it, and the kids try to enlist the aid of Martha, an embittered former pupil of Dungeon Master, to save Hank from the fog and destroy The Darkling.

"Cave of the Fairie Dragons" {Oct 26, 1985)When they are attacked by giant ants, the kids are saved by Amber, a Fairie Dragon. Amber then asks them to help rescue the Queen of the Fairie Dragons, who was kidnapped by the evil King Varin. The kids must help the Fairie Dragons and find a portal that will take them home at last. True to form the kids help the friendly dragons escape and defeat King Varin-although to save the dragons Hank and Eric destroy the portal. After the kids reflect that another chance to go home is lost, the last words of the series are spoken by Dungeonmaster: "You are correct, Cavalier. You are closer to home, than you think. For home is a reflection of the heart. A reflection you are beginning to understand".

Note: In syndication the last two episodes are shown in reversed order

The intended final episode from the third season, and potential series finale, entitled "Requiem", was written by the series' frequent screenwriter Michael Reaves, but was not finished due to the show's cancellation. In this epsiode Venger bets Dungeonmaster that the kids can find their own way home without Dungeonmaster's help; later Venger tells the Kids Dungeonmaster could have helped them go home but has refused to. One Strength of the children is that they always stuck together. Now they quarrel and split up: two follow Hank and two follow Eric, Despite this, both groups end up in Venger's tomb. Eric has the key and opens it. Venger's goodness comes out and turns Venger into a normal person again. Dungeonmaster thanks the children for redeeming his son and shows them a portal to their world. A Cliffhanger ending is weather the Children will go home or stay to combat evil in the Realm.It would have served as both a conclusion to the current story as well as a re-imagining of the series had the show continued into a fourth season (In a twist ending the fourth season had the kids go through the portal to try to get home but instead end up in another magical dimension with a female dungeonmaster as their guide). Reaves has discussed the episode online, and published the original script on his personal website. The BCI Eclipse Region 1 DVD release includes the script recorded in the form of an audio drama as a special feature.by the cast. {A portugeuse Comic book version of the series story was "Requiem".] 35 years later A fan-made animated version of the finale appeared online in 2020. It includes the original audio drama, with animations mostly recut from the series. In a twist from the orginal script, the children deceide to go home with the exception of Presto who chooses to stay in the realm. Only two persons from the orginal cast were in this episode:Katie Leigh and Frank Welker reprising their roles as Shiela and Uni while Leigh voices Bobby. Ironically in The 2023 film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves featured adult versions of the children in live-action cameos with Edgar Abram as Hank, Luke Bennett as Bobby, Emer McDaid as Sheila, Moe Sasegbon as Diana, Trevor Kaneswaran as Eric, and Seamus O'Hara as Presto with the theme that the children are still trapped in the realm They are seen competing in a special tournament and have made it to a cage in the middle of a shifting labyrinth.

Trivia[]

In D&D Fandom story website "The Rip Van Winkle Children" the kids come back to their world after "Requiem" and Find things have changed! In the same message block "Destiny" the kids are back in the Realm and their ultimate fates and why they went to the Realm is revealed! The series was later acquired by Walt Disney Entertainment; ironically in a fantasy Disney Cartoon hero series of a group of Duck refugees who fight evil during the day and hockey games at night Aka "The Mighty Ducks" one episode "Dragons and Ducks" Showed the heros going to a magical Realm and fighting an evil Wizard who can change himself into a dragon....Although the series was only rerun on Telivision a few years after its cancelation, epsiodes of the series can be found on YouTube A parody of this series appeared in a epsiode of "Dexter's Labrotory" D & DD where to the delight of his friends (and to the horror of Boy Dexter) his sister DD is allowed to paly in their fantasty role playing game "Mazes and Monsters" Season 2 No 3 July 30,1997.

Non Cannical cameo[]

The noncannical Balders gate II has pictures of Hank and Bobby

Awards[]

For her work on the series, Tonia Gayle Smith (as "Diana") was nominated for Outstanding Young Actress in an Animation Voice-over at the 1984–1985 Youth in Film Awards. In January 2009, IGN ranked Dungeons & Dragons at #64 on its "Best 100 Animated Series" list