Wizards and Warriors

I really enjoyed this show and I wish I remembered more about it, but the 17 intervening years, its short run, and the fact that I was just a youngun when it was on conspire so that I remember very few details.

I do remember how well written and acted the deliciously evil Dirk Blackpool was. I don't remember if this was a catch-phrase or if he only said it once, but one of his threats that stayed with me was "[Stop that] or I'll chain you to the floor and walk all over you in my spiked boots." Another tidbit is that baseball player Pete Rose always reminded me of Blackpool, appearance-wise.

I believe the line above was said to Blackpool's comedically bumbling assistant Marko. I've seen actor Walter Olkewicz in a few things and this is the role I remember him for.

I imagine this show must be a bit of a holy grail for tape-traders. If anyone has it, let me know. :-)

I remember seeing this one episode where arch-enemies Jeff Conaway and Duncan Regehr had to rely on each other to get out of a cursed cave. Regehr tried to kill Conaway at every turn but Conaway kept reminding him he needed his help to escape alive. This came out when Dungeons & Dragons was peaking in popularity and Dragonslayer had just hit theaters. This was a predecessor to Hercules and Xena.

I remember watching this show as an 11 year-old and LOVED IT. I'd look forward to it each week and would not miss it for the world. It seemed like it was preempted ALL THE TIME by something in the news, just like the other reviewer said. Of course, I'd tune in the next week and get to watch it. No problem. But this kept happening. A week on the air, a week off the air. Finally, it was "preempted" by another show. It took several weeks before I realized it was never coming back. At least I still had "Tales of the Gold Monkey". The best way to describe this show would be as follows: Wizards & Warriors was to the Dungeons and Dragons genre as "Sledge Hammer" was to cop shows. A true classic that needs to be released on DVD.

Its a shame that this sitcom gem was lost to us due to constant preempting. I've never thought the rating system was all that fair. They should not include moments when prime time shows fall victim to breaking world newscasts, presidential addresses, special mini-series broadcasts, and holiday specials...its just not an accurate assessment of a show's viewer base. That said, maybe some reviewers are right that the audience wasn't 'there' yet, as the D&D gaming crowd was still mostly a little young to fall into the demographic they were shooting for...but I certainly loved it! And pay no heed to the comments of 'Oh Dear, Oh Dear'...that person obviously had no idea that the show wasn't there as a serious attempt to promote D&D to the masses...it was a COMEDY...a silly, camped-up comedy (like "Men In Tights' was to the Robin Hood franchise). And a good one at that! Julia Duffy was so memorable and funny as the spoiled, self-absorbed Princess Ariel that when she re prised that type of role as Stephanie on the 'Newhart', for the first season she was on that show I just saw her as The Princess...and that alone kept me watching 'Newhart'! I was never much a Jeff Conway fan, but the show gave me a better appreciation for him. And the villain stole the scene (or at least what part of it he could pry away from Duffy) every time he took the screen. I always thought his name was Derek Blackpool..to me that seems funnier somehow than Dirk (maybe because it rhymes with Eric?). Perhaps after a couple of decades of having seen it, its like Dark Shadows...you remember it as scarier (or in this case, funnier) than it actually was (and we'll sadly never know now how good it could have been), but I would love to go back and watch it again. I don't recall if it had a laugh track, but I don't think it would have needed one if it is indeed as funny as I recall. I was sad to see it go, and like another poster, didn't realize it was gone until it didn't come back. As a baby-boomer, I'd like to see more pop-culture related sitcoms like this revived rather than more waste-of-time reality shows.

Though it was a short run (only 8 episodes) in 1983, this TV show made a lasting impression on me. Why? I can sum it up in two words - Dirk Blackpool. However, the cast, the characters, the crew and the special effects combined to make it a fun, fantasy series with current day ('83) humor. Thankfully, folks on-line still remember it and talk about it.