Dragon's Lair (cartoon)

[Edvarius]

[url]https://sfdebris.com/videos/animation/dragonslair1.php[/url]

I... had no idea this was even a thing. I mean, I knew about the games, but I never even heard of the show. Oh well, it's nice to get introduced to something new-ish. And as for what was here, I do think that the idea of asking the kids at home to try and pick the right action is a clever call-back to the games, even if they're ludicrously unfair... like the games. Still, for all that the various characters are a gaggle of imbeciles, it could be worse. The kingdom could have to rely on somebody like Sir Eric the Unready.

Also, thinking on it it's weird how "bonk on the head equals confused identity" in fiction sometimes. Just off the top of my head I can remember seeing it in the Super Mario Bros Super Show, Powerpuff Girls, and Ranma 1/2. Just how'd that trope get started anyway? Somebody has to be responsible for that mess.

[AllanO]

I had heard of this when another video reviewer (Marzgurl) covered some eps. I don't think I ever saw the show but it reminds me of other cartoons from that era that I did watch as a kid in the 80s.

Note the bonk on the head confuses identity dates back at least to the Flintstones as Fred has it happen a couple of times I think (although he would just think he was some outrageous human personality, there was a call back to this in Harvey Birdman). Also a blow to the head restores King Tut to his civilian identity (I want to say a harmless college professor?) in the 60s Batman on one occasion I seem to recall. I suspect you could find much earlier examples, but I can not think of one now. As Edvarius suggests it shows up in fiction a fair bit more recently I feel like it probably has older precursors.

A variation is that an amnesiac becomes incredibly suggestible and so adopts whatever identity is suggested to him by others or circumstance. Off hand the example I am thinking of his Kermit the Frog in the Muppets Take Manhattan who gets mixed up with some Madison Av. advertising frogs after being released from hospital with total amnesia and comes to think he is just one of them and does not understand what the other muppets are on about trying to recruit him (until Ms. Piggy karate chops him back to normal). I would not be surprised if that kind of thing evolved into the instant personality change by head trauma trope.

This Dragonlance story avoids the percussive maintenance solution to such personality changes and amnesia (ie where a second bonk to the head returns a character to normal, one hopes no one ever attempted this cure in real life).

[Mecha82]

Well this was unexpected. I never imaged that Chuck would review this one but here we are.

[Deledrius]

I really enjoyed this one. I don't know why, but for some reason this review got more laughs than usual (which is saying something). Thanks, Chuck. I know you've been having a hard time lately (and even this video's placement in the schedule was unplanned) but this video was great!

[King Green]

My God, this first trilogy was bad to insulting. I don't have the DragonDragon's Lair game but I do have Brain Dead 13 with Lance "the Lunatic" Derik who could be Dirk's decedent from inbreeding.* sigh* I miss hand-drawn characters, they had a lot of literal color with them.

[TGLS]

So the king wants to go on a quest. A quest of kings, if you will. Eh, who would want to play some kind of King's Quest, anyway?

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I kinda wish Chuck would review the Ruby-Spears Mega Man cartoon now. Two seasons, lotsa stoopid. At least the main characters aren't annoying.

[planescaped]

1st episode: This actually shows promise
2nd episode: ...that they're completely squandering
3rd episode: the fuc...

[Chaltab]

Honestly the latter two episodes is the quality I generally expect from 80s cartoons and the first episode seems to be the outlier.

I also don't get the point of making Daphne (literally the only female character in these three episodes) completely incompetent like that. Like I'm not saying she has to be some sort of hyper competent badass like Arya Stark, but she could at least not be Jar Jar Binks in a blond wig.

Also in Episode 3, how did she even get into full plate?! That requires assistance! Even Dirk seems to just wear chainmail.

[Robovski]

I did catch several episodes of this when it was first aired; I was 10 and had been introduced to Dungeon's & Dragons fairly recently so this was trending that way too. Did not get to catch this all that regular as I had to compete with my sisters over what to watch usually, but it seems to be about as dumb as I recall.

[CrypticMirror]

I think George stole more than just the Phantom Menace, I mean in the climatic battle of the episode Dirk won the battle on stilts because he had the High Ground!!