D&D 5E Dungeons & Dragons Radio Show Pilot from the 80s Played in Podcast

[alienux]

The latest DnD podcast contains the pilot episode of a D&D radio show that was created in the early 80s. It obviously never became a thing, but it's interesting to see that it was considered.

Here's a link to the podcast. The actual radio show pilot starts around 25:00:

http://media.wizards.com/2016/podcasts/dnd/DnDPodcast_11_23_2016.mp3

 

[alienux]

Ok, not gonna lie. It's pretty bad. I listened to the whole thing in my car on the way home from work. I know TSR was trying to bring D&D to the masses, and I still love the D&D cartoon (yes, I have the series on DVD), but it's probably a good thing this radio show didn't get the green light. I don't think it would have helped.

However, as a D&D fan/player since the early 80s, I have to say I did enjoy listening to it, even though the acting was pretty atrocious.

 

[darjr]

Hmmm... I didn't think it was that bad. I actually enjoyed it. Interesting.

I had heard a bit of it but I think this is the first time the gentleman on the show has aired the whole show. I'm glad I got to listen to it and I do wonder how it might have gone over.

 

[flametitan]

Even as it cropped out the mechanics, there were some moments where it seemed to be a little heavy on rules discussions (especially the introduction where it does everything it can to advertise the game, when really you could sum it up more quickly) and inconsistent in terminology (They alternate between the term Stirge and Bird, for instance)

That said, it had the potential to be interesting. A bit more work on the production values, a bit more grip to the story (it ends before it gets anywhere, really), and it could have worked.

 

[alienux]

Hmmm... I didn't think it was that bad. I actually enjoyed it. Interesting.

I had heard a bit of it but I think this is the first time the gentleman on the show has aired the whole show. I'm glad I got to listen to it and I do wonder how it might have gone over.

I'm also looking at it through a 2016 filter right now. If I was listening to this as a kid/teenager in the 80s, it wouldn't have seemed as cheesy as it does now. Like I said, I did enjoy it myself, and I agree, it would be interesting to see where it could have gone.

 

[darjr]

Yea, I see that. I wonder if I'm too biased.

 

[Parmandur]

I enjoyed it, as an artifact of old timey radio dramas that is simultaneously ahead of it's time in foreshadowing Twitch streaming play sessions.