5
7
7
(one of the best of its kind)
(violence and scary creatures)
(magic, supernatural fantasy)
Saturday morning cartoons were a dime a dozen in the 80's. And now that they're gone does anyone really care? You bet they do! Ask any random child of the 80's about Saturday morning, and you're likely to get a list of all the cartoons they loved. Mention one of those old shows in a public setting and watch the ears perk up. You can almost hear the interest being piqued.
There are numerous shows I can somewhat remember, and others that I've forgotten about, remembering only when someone says "hey, remember Galaxy High??" Oh yeah! I used to watch that! But one of the shows that has stayed with me the most is "Dungeons & Dragons." I never expected to see it again, and while I didn't shed any tears over that, when the opportunity arose to revisit this gem I was all over it like a hungry dragon on a lost cavalier.
6 kids get on a Dungeons and Dragons ride at an amusement park. They are magically transported to another land where Dungeon Master bestows upon them items to help them survive. DM gives them guidance to help them find a way home, but he also makes them work for it so that they will grow as individuals rather than having the answers land in their laps. They end up helping many people get out from under the evils of the land often making great sacrifices in order to do it.
Their primary antagonist is Venger, a powerful and evil wizard bent on controlling the land. Other beings inhabit the land including lesser evils that need defeating, but they are pretty much all ultimately tied to Venger. One has to wonder if DM hasn't brought the kids to this world for the purpose of defeating Venger because there seems to be a god-like design behind what happens to them. The true method and reason for what happened to them remains a mystery, though, hinted at only briefly with comments like "everything has a purpose, including your being here."
The higher purpose aspect adds a level of maturity to the storytelling that a series of random, coincidental events wouldn't have been able to approach. I think the show would have really benefited from a linear story line. There is no pilot episode, the only way the viewer knows anything about how the kids got in their predicament is because of the opening titles sequence. The episodes are independent and can be watched in any order without changing the overall story with a few minor exceptions like a line about Uni teleporting which she couldn't do until a few shows into the series, but most events like the kids meeting Venger and Tiamat for the first time happen in the opening sequence not in an episode.
There are times when the characters do something unexpected that can be attributed to their past experiences, but it's a loose progression coming more out of refinement of the writers and characters than out of a continuing story where past events cause current consequences. Such a progression could have stepped this storyline up even more.
Speaking of doing the unexpected, this is one of the strongest points of the show. The characters are more complex than most kids' shows. Eric is the easiest to see. He was a spoiled rich kid on Earth and is constantly complaining and doing stupid things. Yet when the chips are down he steps up to the plate to be heroic and makes sacrifices for his friends. Presto is nerdy and not very brave, yet he finds it in himself to single-handedly save the day on a couple of occasions.
The impressive thing is when these guys do such unusual things it feels like a natural part of who they are. Eric isn't happy about his sacrifice and even complains about it, but he knows it's the right thing to do and follows through. Presto breaks down in tears at one point, but they are the noble tears of a hero not of a child, a growth of character seldom done so well in any TV show much less a cartoon.
In most shows the world is basically in harmony and the heroes are having to constantly thwart the megalomaniacal villain from taking over or doing some dastardly deed. So often the villain can't do anything right and is stopped by the heroes at every turn. In "Dungeons & Dragons" the villain already rules, and the heroes are way out of their league. If not for the guidance of Dungeon Master these kids would have been toast long ago.
They cannot stop Venger only chip slowly away at his total power, and that usually comes as a byproduct of trying to accomplish what they need to to get home. They are not always victorious either, sometimes getting captured or saved by some other force as they run for safety. There is a feeling that they will ultimately beat Venger, the whole good triumphs over evil thing, but they will first have to mature both in character and ability before that can happen. This approach gives the show a much stronger feel of peril than most cartoons have.
The designs are great. The creatures are actually scary looking and have menacing rather than comical growls. Tiamat, the 5 headed dragon is one of my favorites. The mix of dragon and snake-like heads and the fearsome growl convey much more danger than the average cartoon creation. I expected something more safely kid-friendly and was impressed that they took the chance to go with the more fearsome.
Acting is good if not terribly impressive. There are a few recognizable names like Peter Cullen and Frank Welker as well as some others that don't normally do cartoon voices. Eric is probably the most convincing overall which helps sell his occasional nobility out of a predominately sour attitude. Presto has a squeaky voice that is amusing and unique. Overall the cast can't match some shows for raw voice acting talent, but it's good enough to make the show worth watching.
Writing is pretty good. There is some cliché cheese, but for the most part we don't have to deal with lines like "impudent mortals!" There is some unnecessary exposition and overuse of the unicorn (to appeal to the younger audience most likely). My biggest complaint is that the dialogue is non-stop. There’s practically no dramatic pause or scene set-up outside of what is happening directly to the people in the scene. If they need to go to a place often they are there in the next instant without any sense of how far they had to travel. It makes the world feel very small. One second they’re complaining about the rain, the next second it’s dry and there’s no other mention of it. I guess this is a limitation of the half-hour timeframe.
Where the writing really excels is in creating difficult and unique situations for the heroes to face. There’s something new in each episode which does a lot to keep viewer interest alive. Though Venger is the force behind most of the episodes there are other villains confronted, and Venger’s immediate goals and methods often change – sometimes it’s full-on attack, sometimes a sneaky deception. This goes a long way in making the episodes feel like individual stories rather than the same-old-same-old.
I actually expected to get tired of the episodes after a while ready to put them down for a while to pick them up again later, but instead I found myself more and more eager to watch the next episode. The imaginative quality of the stories kept my interest alive to the end and wanting more after I finished.
Morality
This a G rated kids’ show. Not much questionable here. The monsters may be too much for the very young, but I must have been no older than 8 when I first saw it, and I loved it. Actually my two year old niece also loved it, but then again, she’s related to me (I was watching horror movies when most kids my age were still scared of the dark). There’s fighting, but it’s not at all intense or graphic.
Spirituality
I worry that Christians will have an issue with the series because of its attachments to the Dungeons and Dragons game. Most Christians are misinformed about the game, but that would take up far too much space to go into here. Keep in mind, though, that this has only basic, loose connections to the game (mostly in the name, the use of a Dungeon Master, and different abilities of the team). There is magic throughout, but it is an unrealistic, fantastical magic, not the occultic kind. If you like fantasy stories you should have no issues with what is in here.
Aside from the discussion of magic there are enough Christian parallels in this to make me think there could be a direct Biblical influence. Venger is essentially Satan ruling a fallen world. He wants destruction and power. He will do whatever he needs to, hurt whomever, to accomplish his goals. Dungeon Master is like God (except that he has direct, physical contact with the kids and appears to have some limitations though they are never fully explored). He pushes love and the resistance of evil while helping the kids become better, stronger people. He is slow to anger, in control even when it appears that he is not, and enacting a master plan that will show people the value of putting others before themselves.
It's not a perfect analogy. There are certainly differences from solid biblical doctrine, but many of the lessons the kids learn in the episodes would be appropriate for a Sunday School classroom. If you don't have an issue with the use of magic this is probably one of the best cartoons I've ever seen as far as its moral lessons outside of specifically Christian productions like "VeggieTales."
Final Thoughts
I really highly recommend this series. I've watched it multiple times since getting it, and each time I wish it didn't end when it does. If you remember watching it as a kid, it's worth revisiting. If you're looking for cartoons for your kids that are more intelligent and thought-provoking than a lot of the garbage currently on TV (keeping in mind that this one is not a comedy like many cartoons) this would be a choice to consider. And if you're not a kid but like fantasy and animation, and you don't mind the dated quality of this series it might be worth your time as well.
Buying Guide
Run a search for "Dungeons and Dragons" (the cartoon series from the 80's), and you may find a variety of results, but there are currently 2 editions of the complete series. The other results will be limited editions of these same releases or collections of only a few episodes rather than the whole series. These might be OK if you want a really cheap sampling of the series, but if you watch for deals you can get the whole thing for extremely cheap.
The one I will spend the most time on is the BCI release which has a dragon's wealth of extras. There are 2 exclusive versions of this release that I've found. One includes a dragon game piece while the other has 4 cards. The other complete series is offered by Mill Creek
The main element that makes some collectors want the Mill Creek set over the larger BCI set is the inclusion of the original score. This is said to contain all of the music as it originally aired whereas some of the BCI score has been altered. Some fans who have seen both say the original music is better. Unfortunately it has no extras at all as far as I can tell. The audio and video specs are the same so I suspect the quality to be about the same.
According to an Amazon.com review the exclusive cards I mentioned are “of Diana, Hank, Sheila, and Venger. They look to be around 4" x 6" each, postcard style with a bio & pencil-sketch on the back, and a glossy photo on the front.” This package will look to be in a dark box, but this is actually just a sleeve that fits over the standard red box. It's the same release as the BCI just with the bonus cards and an extra outer sleeve. This one is still around, but the aftermarket prices can be enormous.
There are options other than getting the entire series (just smaller groups of episodes), but they aren't worth any attention unless you can get them insanely cheap in which case I say go for it and get whatever you get. Otherwise the complete series is easy enough to find and affordable enough that I wouldn't bother with anything less.
Final Recommendation:
Between the two major complete series releases, you need to decide which is more important: price, the musical score as it originally aired, or the extras offered by BCI. The latter set is a little harder to find now and a bit more expensive, but it really offers a lot for fans. I've loved having mine both for the access to all the the episodes themselves and the great bonus materials. I highly recommend it if you like the series.
Episodes
The series consists of 27 episodes at almost exactly 22 minutes each. Each episode has four chapters. And here is my only other complaint about this set. If you’re going to give a 30 minute show four chapters why not put one of the divisions right after the opening? I really don't want to watch it 27 times in a row. You’re going to have to scan forward if you don’t want to watch the opening sequence each time. A chapter stop would have been so much more convenient.
There is a play all option.
The episodes below are the ones with extras specific to them.
1) The Night of No Tomorrow
-Commentary: Producers, writers: It is dry but informative.
3) The Hall of Bones
-Episode Teaser (0:25) A few select moments of the episode.
5) In Search of the Dungeon Master
-Script: Available in the DVD-ROM section.
6) Beauty & the Bogbeast
-Script
7) Prison Without Walls
-Script
8) Servant of Evil
-Script
9) Quest of the Skeleton Warrior
-Script
10) The Garden of Zinn
-Script
12) The Lost Children
-Episode Teaser (0:28) A preview of the episode.
-Script
14) The Girl Who Dreamed Tomorrow
-Animated Storyboard (21:51) This is the full episode. It’s presented with a comparison with the final video. Angle options control how they are displayed, and an intro explains it all. It’s also in PDF format in the DVD-ROM section (in a non-animated form, of course).
15) The Treasure of Tardos
-Script
16) City at the Edge of Midnight
-Animated Storyboard (21:53) It's basically a slideshow of storyboard panels for the entire episode with the episode’s audio track. See the summary for Kelek's Chrystal and the Easter Egg section for spoilers on how to access it. It’s also presented in PDF format in the DVD-ROM section (again, non-animated in this form).
17) The Traitor
-Script
18) Day of the Dungeon Master
-Script
19) The Last Illusion
-Script
20) The Dragon’s Graveyard
-Commentary: Writer: It is pretty slow and has a lot of stating the obvious, but it does have some interesting moments.
-Script
21) Child of the Stargazer
-Script
22) The Dungeon at the Heat of Dawn
-Script
Looking at the BCI release, The Complete Animated Series, this is a very impressive 5 disc TVD package. I’m amazed that a largely forgotten 80's cartoon has gotten such a well executed design. Most higher priced popular shows can’t compete with this. Whoever put this together had to have been on a labor of love which makes me wonder why they didn't include all the music as it originally aired. (Possibly a rights issue? But then how did Mill Creek get it?) I'll also be looking at the Best Buy exclusive version of the release.
Video
1.33:
The video looks pretty good considering its age, but it does have some trash in the image which also looks a little fuzzy. There has been a restoration effort here that makes a big improvement. You'll appreciate this if you watch some of the clips in the extras. So while it doesn't look perfect by current standards it still looks quite pleasing for a collection of old cartoon episodes.
Audio
2.0 Dolby:
I can hear a little white noise, but they've done a great job of dialing it back to a nearly imperceptible level. There isn't much bass in the mix, and the highs can be piercing. The sound is also sometimes slightly out of sync with the video. But while it may not be perfect it is clear and strong. Some fill audio comes through on the rear channels, but it's not enough to make a difference.
Packaging
The box is actually the type that has a lid instead of one that the DVD folder slides into. It’s made of sturdy cardboard.
The disc folder contains a lot of great artwork including an original promotional poster, Venger concept art, and a map of the land. The DVD’s themselves have colorful images of the kids on them. My one complaint is that the tray design is the type that stacks the discs on top of each other. I hate that as does every other DVD collector I’ve talked to, so I’m surprised this one uses that when it is otherwise so nicely designed.
Also inside the box is an episode guide. The cover of this guide will likely have you staring at its art details for quite a while. Inside is a listing of the episodes along with summaries, images, and such. 1 error: episode 14 is on disc 2 not 3 like the guide says. At the end is a list, with descriptions, of all the special features along with some images of them. The back has DVD and radio show credits. With printed materials becoming increasingly rare with DVD packages, it’s nice to see one with this much care put into it.
Put the disc in and you have to sit through a couple of too-loud logos but that’s all (no previews and other junk that I find on some releases). Unfortunately you have to sit through more at the end of each episode. I say “unfortunately” because the Fox Kids logo is exceptionally loud and annoying. I could do without that one at the end of every single episode.
Each disc has unique animation leading into and out of the main menu. The interface itself has a little original animation and some music making it fun to check out - yet another aspect of this release that has more creativity than the average DVD. The episodes list provides a video clip of the selected episode, details such as air date and writer, a brief synopsis, and other things. The chapters menu fits thumbnails of the chapters in a cool D&D themed window with a window full of trivia.
Extras
-Trivia: Each episode has a trivia section in its chapters menu. The trivia covers goofs and history and is overall very good.
-Commentaries: There are 2 commentaries that I will detail more in the episode list below.
-Animated Storyboard: I'll detail this with its applicable episode, too.
-Requiem Radio Play (35:33) “Requiem” is the original script intended to be the end of the series that was, for some reason, never produced. It is presented in a radio show format with a narrator and actors reading the parts. The script is displayed and advances with the acting. Katie Leigh reprises her role as Sheila and plays Bobby. It may not be as great as a fully produced episode, but it's still an exciting extra to have. A credits page and a short photo gallery slideshow bookend the main feature, and a brief intro plays as a modified episode title sequence.
-Choices (4:27) This is a live action fan film featuring a story with Hank and Sheila. The effects are very fun to watch. My complaint with it is that while it has a nice set-up of conflict there is no resolution. It feels like a prelude rather than an actual film though it does offer an original character moment with Hank as he gets discouraged and must wrestle with the value of life. The magic bow is pretty impressive.
-Entering the Realm of Dungeons & Dragons (33:06) This behind-the-scenes feature looks at creating the show concept, development, hiring actors, and story concepts.
-Character Profiles: The character profiles have detailed information about their subjects as well as a video clip for each. There are 30 covering all the main characters and most of the minor ones. I was surprised they left out Venger’s sister.
-Creature Profiles: The creature profiles are similar in setup and design and cover 10 creatures and species. These and the artifacts are found as separate tabs under the Character Profiles feature.
-Artifact Profiles: The artifact profiles are also similar except that there are no video clips despite the same button being present. There are 10 of these.
-Alternate Openings / Credits & Rare Footage (this contains different versions of the intro and end credits along with some teasers. There is a text intro for the group and writeups on each feature telling what is unique about it):
-Remastered Introduction (1:00) The new version of the season 1 intro.
-Introduction #01 (1:00) The original.
-Introduction #02 (1:00) A mix of the original and the new one.
-Introduction #03 (0:57) A completely different opening.
-Remastered End Credits (0:28) The newest digital version.
-End Credits #01 (0:28) The original.
-End Credits #02 (0:27) With added animation.
-End Credits #03 (0:27) A few additional credits.
-Episode Teasers: Lastly are 2 old episode previews (details in the episodes section). No text descriptions for these.
-Kelek's Crystal: This is a choose-your-own-adventure story although only 1 set of choices leads to the true conclusion. It’s text with a few simple graphics and some video clip segues including a few close-ups of the map that’s on the DVD folder. The downfall of the story is that when you take the wrong path you have to start from the beginning again. You have a 50/50 chance of making the right choice each time with a few longer branches that offer no right answer from that point on. Once you’ve made all the right choices to get to the end of the story you have to solve a couple of puzzles. Once those are complete you are treated to a silent movie type clip and a code that unlocks a hidden animated storyboard. And, no, I’m not telling you the code. Quit cheating, cheater. (Note: I can be bribed to change my mind – I accept monetary and culinary bribes.)
Bribe roll = 18: Tips on reaching the end can be read by highlighting below.
Select the choice highlighted by default each time except for who holds the hat, choose Diana for that one.
For the key puzzle choose the sword, then Uni's head, then the spiky dragon, then the hat.
The last puzzle is the same sequence as the one for the Easter Egg below.
End Spoilers.
-Galleries (Slideshows with decent sized, good quality images):
-Model Sheets: It provides a great look at numerous aspects of the characters, but features mostly facial guides.
-Memorabilia: This one is various printed materials from ads to comic book covers.
-Previews: There are tons of previews with a play all option. Actually they’re mostly openings to various shows. He-Man, New Adventures of He-Man, She-Ra, Flash Gordon, and Ghostbusters (not the “real” one) are just a few of them.
DVD-ROM:
The DVD-ROM portion is a folder full of PDF’s for your reading pleasure. You'll need Adobe Acrobat/Reader for these.
-Requiem Script: The script for “Requiem” is available on its own.
-Audience Scores: The audience scores are an unusual look at the process of judging an audience’s attention.
-CBS Notes: The CBS notes give insight into some of the things they were concerned about when developing the series.
-Series Bible: The series bible is referenced several times in the DVD. Here is the entire bible with lots of character info and unused story ideas. It mentions reading the pilot script, but that particular one is not included in the set. Kind of a bummer.
-Episode Scripts: There are 14 scripts available to read (I'll notate which ones in the episodes list below).
-Storyboards: PDF's for both animated storyboard features (including the Easter Egg) are included and will be detailed more in the Episodes section.
Easter Eggs:
-Storyboard: See “City at the Edge of Midnight” in the episodes list below for more details on this one.
Bribe roll = 20: Highlight below to learn the key.
While highlighting the first choice of the main menu (just go to the menu and enter the code without doing anything else) press down, up, right, right, left, up, down.
End Spoilers
-Commentary Session Photo: See an image of the commentary recording session. On disc 5 go to the DVD-ROM content page, once there hit the left button on your remote. The image will appear for a couple of seconds.
Physical:
-Handbook: The Animated Series Handbook is a hardcover, 30 page, beautifully illustrated companion for those that really want to get into the Dungeons & Dragons world. This is mostly for gamers, but any fan of the show will enjoy it. Inside are detailed stats and descriptions of each character as well as a breakdown of just exactly what the magical weapons can do. This includes the 6 kids, Uni, Venger, and Shadow Demon. There’s a playable adventure in here for you gamers including maps and other illustrations. Unfortunately this is not a game just anyone can pick up and play. You need to be familiar with D&D and already have the standard rule book and such. If you're into D&D the game, this extra alone is worth considering the extra cost of the BCI release.
-Dragon Figure: One of Best Buy's exclusives came with a silver dragon figure. Though it's plastic (just silver in color) it's a great design. It's a nice display piece for any dragon lover's computer desk or game piece if you're into table top gaming. I've never seen another one, neither at a store (I got the only one my store had) nor online so I'm assuming they're rather rare.
