In the parched desert of the post-apocalypse, with water highly controlled, children are indoctrinated into ‘the system’ by the authoritarian Eco-Protectorate. A young child, the mascot of the ‘skate ball’ team Solarbabies, uncovers an magical alien sphere which cures his deafness, and does vague magical things like showing the kids visions of a water-filled future. The evil E.P. eventually acquires the orb through their goons the E-Police, but the Solarbabies rescue it and release the water back into the world.
They should have called this Waterlessworld! It’s a messy, pointless mash-up of E.T., Maze Runner and Rollerball, but I was impressed with the production value and set pieces, especially Tiretown. Also kind of fun to see a youngish Charles Durning (Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother Where Art Thou) and the wicked Sarah Douglas (Ursa from Superman II) being wicked in oversize shoulderpads.
Tropes: secret green sanctuary, future slang lingo, stoic dude has a pet bird, smashing control panel causes facility to self destruct, robot goes crazy, dobermans, futuristic sport is hybrid of current sports.
This season the episodes begin to focus on individual characters a bit more, giving them connections with other kids they meet during their travels. There are 8 episodes.
14. THE GIRL WHO DREAMED TOMORROW
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly? I haven’t tried to run it but it seems problematic. AD&D Monsters: bullywugs, lizard men, hydra, cockatrice. Original monsters: bat-winged tentacle monster
Bobby’s true love episode. The kids meet another refugee from the D&D ride on Earth, Teri, with an ability of prophetic dreams. DM tells them a portal home lies within within the Maze of Darkness. Teri dreams that she will be reunited with Bobby in America and DM confirms it will happen. Venger wants the secret of Teri’s powers. For some reason Bobby destroys the portal after Teri passes through it.
Notes: Sheila spanks a lizard man, and We learn former pupils of DM died in the maze!
15. TREASURE OF TARDOS
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?No, for multiple reasons AD&D Monsters:plesiosaurus, orcs, shadow demon. Original monsters: demodragon
Venger has created a two-headed horror Demodragon in an effort to trick Queen Sulinara of Tardos Keep into giving up their treasured dragonsbane. Venger would use the plant against Tiamat, but DM sends the kids to help. Somehow they avoid dying.
16. CITY AT THE EDGE OF MIDNIGHT
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?I think this could work if you’re willing to separate a PC from the rest of the group. AD&D Monsters: hook horrors, possibly a modified Type III Demon
King Ramuud, posing as a caravan merchant from Kadish, has lost his daughter Aisha to a creature called the Night Walker, who enslaves kids in his city where time is stopped. When Bobby is also taken, the kids go to rescue him.
Notes: Schoolmate Jimmy Whitaker says Presto does stupid magic tricks. Ramuud is way nicer than Eric’s dad.
17. THE TRAITOR
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?Yes, the plot is quite simple, though I have not run it myself. AD&D Monsters: orcs, shadow demon. Original creatures: Cloud bears.
In this Endor/Ewok/Care Bears ‘ripoff/homage’, Hank and Bobby are captured by Venger, and Hank makes a deal to betray his comrades in order to save Bobby. Then he learns that the magic stones of the cloud bears are Venger’s kryptonite.
Notes: Venger uses orcs to attack the tree-dwelling cloud bears. He should have used his flying apes from episode 3!
18. DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER
Essential? YES! Game adaptation friendly?Not with any regard to power balance, no. AD&D Monsters:giant wasps, yeti, red dragon, roc, giant octopus (presumably)
Eric takes on the mantle and powers of Dungeon Master while the kids quest to the City of Darkhaven to acquire The Golden Grimoire.
Notes: They reference Star Wars. Eric has a selfless moment, Bobby is fine with leaving Uni alone in the realm this time. The animation during the climax is higher quality than the rest of the ep.
19. THE LAST ILLUSION
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly?Probably, but I haven’t run it personally. AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, orcs, giant squid
In this fairly dark episode, Presto connects with a natural illionist Varla, held captive by Venger in the Forbidden Tower. The kids must rescue her but Venger frames them as witches and townsfolk throw them in jail.
Presto’s love episode, with a happy ending, but we don’t know what happens to Varla for the rest of the series.
Notes: DM takes a bow at the end of the episode
20. THE DRAGON’S GRAVEYARD
Essential? YES! One of the darker episodes where the kids finally try to take control of their destiny. Game adaptation friendly? Not sure how you would do this. Would give the PC opportunity to gain new Weapons of Power. AD&D Monsters:frost giant, shadow demon, Tiamat
Remarkably this episode starts with the kids finding a portal home, and the kids are fed up when Venger thwarts them. The plan: to put an end to Venger, permanent-like, with the help of Tiamat.
21. CHILD OF THE STARGAZER
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly? No AD&D Monsters:doombat, demon
Diana falls for the extremely uncharismatic Kosar, recently escaped from a dungeon in city of Turad by the demon queen to prevent the fulfilling of the prophecy “On the Night of Starfall, the child of the stargazer shall come from a far away land to stand in the Temple of Light and the demon shall be banished.”
Notes: No Venger in this episode. Episode opens with Diana singing the end credits music. The animation is uneven in this episode, off model at times but more anime at the end
ESSENTIAL EPISODES FROM SEASON TWO: DAY OF THE DUNGEON MASTER
March 2, 2022. Time for a nice leisurely bike ride in Taitung Forest Park!
Egret Lake is quite nice! There’s a pheasant around but I couldn’t get a decent photo.
I got scared of a wasp!
Flowing Lake, accessed by a tunnel underneath the highway, is a man-made, very long rectangular lake for swimming and boating, We just biked around it and I looked at plants. At the far end you can take a short walk to the beach on the mighty Pacific Ocean.
We had lunch at a place called John John Morning, which I thought was pretty decent!
At dusk we went to the Railway Art Village which was pretty funky, but with the COVID happening, many of the art studios were not open.
Tiehua Music Village was a place to sit down and relax and listen to some live music, while jet fighters constantly did exercises over our heads! Kinda scary
In which I suggest only the absolute essentials for someone who might be curious about the show but not want to invest in the whole series. There are 27 episodes in total, and I’m going to suggest six, which together come to about the length of a feature film.
What are my criteria? Well written, not overly goofy, portrays the D&D game world reasonably authentically, and has heart.
The conceit of the show, explained in the opening credits, is that six American kids are transported to a realm of sword and sorcery via a carnival ride. There they are assigned AD&D classes (ranger, barbarian, thief, cavalier, magician, acrobat) and magical “Weapons of Power” by a Yoda-like character called “Dungeon Master.” Ol’ DM basically tortures them with riddles and teases them with quests that promise to lead them back to the good ol’ US. Naturally, they never escape the realm of D&D.
Oh, and because it’s the 80’s, the mandatory cutesy mascot is in this case a baby unicorn “Uni” voiced, of course, by Frank Welker. Peter “Optimus Prime” Cullen is the voice of the recurring bad guy, Venger, who we learn secrets about in later episodes.
The score is excellent, and shares some tracks with the contemporary Marvel Spider-Man and Hulk series. The animation also at times transcends typical Saturday morning fare, with some clear “money shot” sequences, such as when a castle crumbles into a volcano and Venger’s immortal spirit towers over the heroes.
As a Dungeon Master myself, I’ll be looking at this series with my DM hat on. Are some episodes D&D adventure-adaptation friendly? Could it be a playable scenario to run with your home group? I have adapted some episodes, which I detail at length in old 2005 blog entries here and here https://torenatkinson.com/2005/04/16/part-2-campaign-adaptation/
There are 13 episodes in season 1
THE NIGHT OF NO TOMORROW
Essential? It’s fine but you can skip it. Game adaptation friendly?No, too much of the plot is dependent on particular decisions a group probably won’t make. AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, plus wyverns that breathe fire.
Presto the nerdy magician is tricked into releasing a swarm of dragons that plagued the town of Helix 100 years ago. The kids defeat Tiamat twice because she is very dumb.
Watch my commentary as a storyboard artist, voice actor, and DM:
2. THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Essential? No. As much a fan as I am of beholders, they don’t really do the monster justice, and the episode drags somewhat. Game adaptation friendly? I can’t see how the kids could survive this in normal play, so I say no. AD&D Monsters: beholder, giant scorpion, blue dragon. Original monsters: giant snail people, hyena-like creatures.
The kids get mixed up with a cowardly knight, Sir John. DM leads the kids to a portal home, guarded by a beholder. The beholder disappointingly only shoots lasers or energy tentacles from its eyes. Venger shows up to kill John and the kids forego the way home in favor of saving John.
Notes: Frank Welker voices Sir John. My video commentary is here:
3. THE HALL OF BONES
Lolth demon queen of spiders
Essential?Yes, I recommend this episode. Game adaptation friendly? I think you could do it, but it relies on the PCs trusting Hector, which may not happen. AD&D Monsters: Tiamat, shadow demon, troll, orcs, misc townsfolk including a bugbear and lizard man or troglodyte? Lolth demon queen of spiders! Original monsters: “simian bats”
The kids’ weapons run out of magic and must be recharged at a tomb called the Hall of Bones. Hector the pantsless halfling guides them.
Notes: Frank Welker does the “don’t stop!” background voice and Hector the Halfling
4. VALLEY OF THE UNICORNS
Ponder the orb
Essential? Yes, the new villain Kelek is cool. Game adaptation friendly? If your group doesn’t have a unicorn buddy, probably not. AD&D Monsters: (dire) wolves; unicorns
Kelek the bad wizard wants to collect unicorn horns from the few remaining specimens. Uni learns she can teleport, although this seldom comes up in future episodes. Watch my analysis here:
5. IN SEARCH OF THE DUNGEON MASTER
Essential? It’s a run of the mill plot, but has some charm. Still, you can skip it. Game adaptation friendly?Yes, I did it successfully. For the ‘how to’ CLICK HERE AD&D Monsters: sprite, zombie, bullywugs, lamassu, earth elemental, orcs, giant snapping turtle, shadow demon. Original monster: giant snail, “Know Tree”
The mercenary Warduke captures DM to sell to Venger. In the quest to rescue him, the kids are captured and thrown in slave mines where they meet a dwarf who talks like Yoda.
Warduke was given an action figure, and years later was statted up in Dragon Magazine and given an official miniature
This was the only episode I could find on VHS back in the day
6. BEAUTY AND THE BOGBEAST
Essential? This is a decent character episode for Eric, so watch it if you like his character, otherwise you can skip. Game adaptation friendly? Possibly but I haven’t tried it. AD&D Monsters: giant metal golem, ogre mage. Original monsters: bog beasts
DM leads the kids to a portal home that opens once a year for 60 seconds, but Eric is transformed into a croaking “bog beast” by a magic flower. In order to break the spell they must seek out more bog beasts who are threatened by Kawamung the ogre mage. The kids actually make it home, but return to the realm to restore Eric’s form.
7. THE PRISON WITHOUT WALLS
A stone golem?
Essential? It’s pretty good, but I wouldn’t say it’s mandatory. Game adaptation friendly? Maybe, but the riddles are fairly obvious, and it requires a character to work a magic spell so probably one of the PCs should be a spellcaster. AD&D Monsters:: shadow demon, orcs, violet fungus, shambling mound, zombies, animated statues or stone golem,
DM tells the kids that a gnome wizard trapped in ‘a prison without walls’ can help them get home, but first they must release him and free his people from Venger’s enslavement.
8. SERVANT OF EVIL
This is a salamander maybe?Xill, AKA “the creature” AKA ‘slime beast’
Essential? Yes. I think this ep is emblematic of the show, showcases character, has heart, and portrays the quality of D&D. Game adaptation friendly? Yes, and I’ve run it successfully! AD&D Monsters: lizard men, a giant, xill. Original monsters: unidentified land tadpoles, lavender serpentine prisoner, lava hydra (possibly just a spell)
With the exception of birthday boy Bobby, Venger captures all the kids, takes their weapons and puts them in the Prison of Agony. DM gives Bobby a magic amulet, and sends him to rescue his friends, which he does with the help of the fighter Strongheart and the kind-hearted giant who serves as gatekeeper
Notes: Strongheart was one of the characters in the D&D action figure line
9. QUEST OF THE SKELETON WARRIOR
Essential? No. It’s got good qualities but is annoying in places. Game adaptation friendly?Not easily – the PCs are separated and subjected to their phobias, which can be tricky to run. AD&D Monsters: Grimlocks, swamp hags, giant eagle AKA war bird.
A powerful artifact called the Circle of Power lies within the Lost Tower (of the Celestial Knights), and DM says it can get the kids home. Dekkion, the last Celestial Knight (presently cursed by Venger), admits the kids into the tower where their worst fears of the kids are manifest.
10. THE GARDEN OF ZINN
Ridiculous
Essential? No Game adaptation friendly? I say no. AD&D Monsters: baby green dragon (?), phantom stalkers, bloodworm, choke creeper (?)
Bobby is poisoned during a monster fight and the only cure comes from the garden of an evil queen. The queen needs to wed a king to avoid losing her throne, and the successful applicant must survive the Trial of the Worm. The kids find an ally in the monstrous Sorlarz who has his own secret past.
11. THE BOX
Not sure about the perspective there…
Essential? A neat inventive concept but if you’re pressed for time it’s okay to skip. Game adaptation friendly? Yes I think so but I haven’t tried. AD&D Monsters: bullywugs, shadow demon, Tiamat, giant wasps
The kids must take the sorceress Zandora’s magical chest to Skull Mountain at noon and open it to find a way home. The kids actually do get home but Venger comes through as well and threatens to destroy Earth so they return.
12. THE LOST CHILDREN
Essential? This ep stands out from the rest because of the space stuff, which is cool. If you’re a Spelljammer fan you might check this out. Otherwise ok to skip Game adaptation friendly? Yes I think so! AD&D Monsters: shadow demon, orcs, lizard men, possibly a grimlock. Original monsters: some cloaked one-eyed humanoids and the creatures they ride
DM informs the kid about a ship and a group of kids from another planet, who they find and befriend. They must all rescue the groups elder and spaceship, held in Venger’s castle.
13. P-R-E-S-T-O SPELLS DISASTER
Essential? Definitely not AD&D Monsters: stegosaurus, orcs, a xill, a three-headed giant/firbolg? a giant and 2 gold dragons. Game adaptation friendly?Possibly
One of Presto’s spells backfires and sends the other kids to the house of a hairy giant, who torments his new playthings with his pet ‘slime beast’ Willy. He’s also been stealing eggs from a gold dragon’s nest.
SUMMARY: THE 3 ESSENTIALS FROM THIS SEASON: 1. Hall of Bones
Things you find at a B&B! Meaty breakfasts and ‘disposable’ bath towels that don’t do the job
I drove the car up the crazy, narrow, winding, treacherous often single lane roads to Taroko Gorge and got pinned down by buses for a bit. One thing about Taiwan is most often the sinks are actually OUTSIDE the washrooms.
I parked the car in a small lot and then we took the bus further to the Tunnel of nine Turns.
During the bus ride back the bus had to stop and the driver had to get out and direct traffic to get unstuck on a dangerous corner. To get a sense of the treacherousness, watch this vid:
Afterwards we went to Qixingtan Beach and rented bikes to cycle along the path. There’s a military base nearby, and we saw some defenses.
Even though driving in Taiwan is stressful, the drive along the East coast from Kaohsiung to Taitung was lovely. I drove my wife, her older sister (jeijei) and crazy niece.
There are many giant fiberglass fruits on the road
The stray dog problem and the plastic problem in Taiwan
gatchas in the 7-11 along the highwayBe careful if you get gas here7-11s are everywhere… and can get anywhere!Stopping to stretch the legsWarm and breezyalmost there…Make sure you get your welcome punch
We had dinner at a Korean bbq place and then for a special treat we went for bubble tea at Ding Go and fried chicken at Blue Dragonfly
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