D&D, better known as Dungeons & Dragons, has found its way into countless forms of media over the years. With its ever-increasing popularity, D&D is sure to find its way into more media in the future. After all, it is easy to apply the basics of the game into anything with enough practice.
The game has tons of lore, mechanics, and is more recognizable than any other tabletop game. But what shows have already attempted to implement the D&D into their shows? We are about to find out. Warning: Spoilers will be present.
10 Gravity Falls - Dungeons, Dungeons, And More Dungeons
With nobody to play his favorite game, "Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons" with, Dipper is sad until his uncle Ford walks by. The two of them end up playing the game together. Ford brings Dipper down into his workshop where he shows him an item he found in his travels, an Infinity Sided Die. After their game stretches into the living room, Ford and Stan have a heating argument about who should get the room. Stan ends up grabbing Ford's dice pouch and the Infinity Sided Die rolls out. This causes the game to become real and they must defeat Probabilitor. This was one of the more interesting episodes of Gravity Falls and really brings to life the fun and annoyance of D&D.
9 Community - Advanced Dungeons And Dragons
Community is one of Dan Harmon's best shows and one of the best episodes has the cast playing D&D. In the episode, Jeff hurt Neil's feelings. To make it up to him, the study group decides to play D&D, but ultimately decides to leave Pierce out of it. The group gathers around their usual table and the quest proceeds. When Pierce discovers the game, he decides to play against the group and become the villain by stealing Neil's sword. The group must retrieve it, but Pierce has summoned the great dragon Draconis. This episode really brings to life the geeky side of its creator while at the same time being great to watch.
8 The Big Bang Theory - The Love Spell Potential
It's no surprise that D&D found its way into the Big Bang Theory. The whole series focuses on a group of geeks after all. This episode has the girls, Penny, Bernadette, and Amy entering in on a game of D&D that the boys are playing because they couldn't get to Vegas. Meanwhile, Raj is on a date with Lucy. During the game, Bernadette casts a love spell on Sheldon and Amy's characters. This makes Amy upset and she storms off. The episode then leads to relationship issues with Sheldon and Amy. They debate about whether their relationship is a joke or not. It is a more emotional episode of The Big Bang Theory, but a good episode nonetheless.
7 Futurama - Bender's Game
This is one of those straight to TV movies. Bender's Game was a different take on D&D where the whole cast gets teleported into the game when Bender's imagination runs wild. While in the game, the Planet Express crew must defeat the evil Momon. In reality, this is a stand-in for Mom who the crew discovered has control over the Dark Matter Mines.
Bender leads Fry and Leela across the land of Cornwood on their journey to defeat Momon. Fry possesses the item known as the Anti-Backwards crystal. This acts as a D20 dice and, when rolled, has various effects that can occur. The quest takes a turn into Lord of the Rings territory when they learn that the dice must be thrown into the molten plastic from which it was made.
6 Stranger Things
Let's be honest, the whole series uses Dungeons & Dragons elements from the start. At the very beginning, we see the characters playing D&D and going up against the dreaded Demogorgon. After that, Will disappears. The rest of the boys continuously state that the Demogorgon captured him. In later seasons, they call the other monster the Mind Flayer. Another popular D&D monster that fans could easily recognize. D&D in this case not only sets the tone but functions as a storytelling tool as well.
5 Rick And Morty - Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty
Dan Harmon really loves D&D and it becomes obvious outside of Community. Not only did they do a spinoff game where they combined the show with D&D, the episode "Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty," features tons of D&D elements. First off, Morty gains a dragon companion by signing a contract with a wizard. Later on, Rick ends up soul-bonding with the dragon to Morty's disgust. The dragon is then taken away by the wizard and Rick, along with Summer and Morty, must travel to the realm of magic to rescue him. Rick despises magic but reluctantly brings in science so that he can use it. This episode has Summer become a magical archer and Morty a wizard. It's obvious that the whole episode was a play on a D&D style quest.
4 Harmon Quest - All Of It
Even more proof of Dan Harmon's love for the classic tabletop adventure game. Harmon Quest is a show literally about them playing a D&D style game. The entire questline revolves around the group of players trying to stop the Manticore. The show has multiple seasons of hilarious content. Each episode brings in a new celebrity guest who tries to help the group on their quests. The show features Dan Harmon, Erin McGathy, Jeff Davis, and the all-important Dungeon Master Spencer Crittenden.
3 Freaks And Geeks - Discos And Dragons
Freaks and Geeks was a great show that upset fans when it didn't receive a second season. Despite its limited run, it managed to squeeze some D&D into it, specifically in the episode "Discos and Dragons." In this episode, Daniel ends up trying to pull the fire alarm to avoid failing another test.
His punishment is join the AV club with the geeks. They end up inviting Daniel to play Dungeons & Dragons with them. While he has a rocky start, he eventually ends up liking the game and forming a bond with the geeks.
2 My Little Pony - Dungeons And Discords
My Little Pony has even attempted a D&D episode where Discord joins Spike and Big Macintosh in a game of "Ogres & Oubliettes." Discord doesn't immediately take a liking to the game and tries to get the others to do something else. When Spike and Macintosh want to continue playing, Discord decides to magically put them into the game. They gain the abilities of their game characters along with coming face to face with real danger.
1 The IT Crowd - Jen The Fredo
In another great episode of The IT Crowd, the cast plays D&D to help Roy get over a breakup. Throughout the session, Roy seems disinterested for obvious reasons, and it isn't until Moss decides to speak to Roy like his ex-girlfriend that he becomes interested. It is an interesting take to have an ex-girlfriend appear as an NPC in a game of D&D, but they did it wonderfully. In the same episode, Jen tries to impress out-of-town businessmen. They join in on the fun and end up having a blast playing D&D as well.