Posted by Random Scribbles
on 9/15/2008, 6:29 am, in reply to "Re: 25th Anniversary - Episode Rewatch - "Night Of No Tomorrow""
I seem to remember hearing that 'In Search of the Dungeon Master' was supposed to be the first/pilot episode, which would explain the introduction of a few elements that weren't continued such as Sheila's Sueish ability to understand the irritating gibberings of fairies, animals, etc for no reason whatsoever.
It makes much more sense from a storytelling point of view that this should come first, though - ISotDM has a situation where their Mentor is in peril right from the start, without setting up why he is important and why it's vital that they free him. It would introduce the DM as being a little dude in a tree who is easily imprisonned and Venger as having to rely on bounty hunters to get stuff done, which is a bit rubbish. The reveal of 'Merlin' as Venger is a brilliant way to introduce him - he's powerful, he's tricksy, he's frightening. Plus at the start, DM warns the kids about Big V and shows them what he looks like, suggesting they haven't seen him before (or have already forgotten the intro sequence!)
Re Diana, yes I'd say she was definitely 2nd-in-command throughout - even in WoD she gets right in there saying that she doesn't feel she can lead them, as though she felt the kids would naturally defer to her straight away with Hank gone.
Scribbles