The Trap Door
U1986•5m•7.6/10
AnimationComedyFamilyKids
Ratings
🎬TMDb
7.6/10(19)
The Trap Door is a claymation-style animated television series, originally shown in the United Kingdom in 1984. The plot revolves around both the daily lives and the misadventures of a group of monsters living in a castle. Although the emphasis was on humour and the show was marketed as a children's programme but also for family entertainment, the show drew much from the genres of horror and dark fantasy. The show has since become a cult favourite and remains one of the most widely recognised kids' shows of the 1980s. Digital children's channel Pop started rerunning the show in 2010.
Production
CMTB Animation, Queensgate Productions
Language
EN
Status
Ended
First Aired
October 6, 1986
Last Aired
July 28, 1990
Networks
ITV1
Created By
Charlie Mills, Terry Brain
Where to Watch
Region US · Lang EN
US
No providers available for this region.
Seasons & Episodes
Select a season to view episodes. Reddit links may contain spoilers.
Season
E1
Breakfast Time
Air date: 1986-10-06
A long-necked monster emerges from the Trap Door and eats the breakfast that Berk has prepared for the Thing Upstairs. Afterwards, a big, angry red monster chases Berk and Berk has a hard time getting rid of it again.
E2
Slither, Wriggle and Writhe
Air date: 1986-10-07
Berk is trying to put up some shelves for his master and is using Boni as a prop to hold up the shelf. Looking for more wood, Berk opens the Trap Door and a huge octopus-like creature emerges, creating havoc in the kitchen.
E3
Food for Thort
Air date: 1986-10-08
Berk is instructed to take care of the garden. He goes out to feed the plants, especially Thort, his master's favourite vegetable, an animal-like plant with a beak that tries to bite Berk. Some wasp-looking things also attack him.
E4
Lurkings
Air date: 1986-10-09
Berk, Boni and Drutt go down to the swamp outside the castle to do some fishing. Berk has left the Trap Door open and is soon surprised by an enormous pink monster who creeps up behind them.
E5
Gourmet's Delight
Air date: 1986-10-10
Berk is cooking again, when something invisible comes out of the Trap Door and starts throwing things about. Berk scores a direct hit in retaliation with some yellow goo and the little creature, Bubo, becomes visible for him to fight.
E6
Creepy Crawly
Air date: 1986-10-13
A many-legged creature comes out of the Trap Door and scuttles off down the corridor. Berk goes in search of it and finds an enormous black spider dropping down in front of him.
E7
The Big Thing
Air date: 1986-10-14
Boni is bored, but Berk doesn't have time to talk to him. Then Rogg appears from the trap door and throws Boni from the top of the castle. Berk is then left talking to himself.
E8
Ghoulies
Air date: 1986-10-15
Berk and Boni are going through things in a room that's been left untouched for a long time. Berk finds an old book of spells and reads one out, summoning up the Ghostly Ghoulies.
E9
The Dose
Air date: 1986-10-16
The Thing Upstairs has a cold, so Berk makes him some of his special medicine. Meanwhile, a green lump comes out of the Trap Door and drinks all the medicine - with rather strange results.
E10
The Thingy
Air date: 1986-10-17
Berk is trying to nail the Trap Door down, but it's no good - a large peculiar looking creepy thing comes popping up and changes Berk, Boni and Drutt into all sorts of different shapes.
E11
Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite
Air date: 1986-10-20
Berk goes to sleep, but a giant monstrous hand opens the trapdoor, grabs Boni and takes him down below. Now Berk must venture into the spooky strange area beneath the Trap Door to find his friend.
E12
Fester Rancid
Air date: 1986-10-21
Boni is pestered by Bubo, who has returned again to cause havoc. Berk goes to the rescue, but ends up in the swamp, menaced by swamp creatures. This time, Berk plans to teach Bubo a lesson.
E13
The Pain
Air date: 1986-10-21
The Thing Upstairs has tooth ache and Berk is summoned to administer to him. Once he finds which head the bad tooth is in, Berk pulls out what he believes to be the rotten one. Meanwhile, a giant muddy thing goes after Drutt.
E14
The Little Thing
Air date: 1986-10-23
While the Thing Upstairs is asleep, a little thing comes out of the Trap Door and zooms about so that Berk cannot catch it. Each time it stops it emits a loud fog horn. To Berk's horror, it goes upstairs and into his master's bedroom.
E15
Don't Open That Trap Door
Air date: 1986-10-24
Berk is tidying up and finds an old radio which starts to a familiar tune. As it plays, Rogg and other assorted creatures come out of the Trap Door to dance about. The Thing Upstairs, however, is not amused.
E16
Junk Food
Air date: 1986-10-27
Berk is told to throw out the rubbish and decides to throw it down the Trap Door. But Rogg appears and eats it all up with relish. He then climbs into the dumb waiter and wonders into Him Upstair's boudoir, which lands Berk in trouble.
E17
Yechh!
Air date: 1986-10-28
A creature comes out of the Trap Door and lays some eggs which hatch into green exploding creatures. Berk concerned with the mess decides to push it all down the Trap Door.
E18
Flyin' Wotsit Fingy
Air date: 1986-10-29
Berk is trying to take some photographs of his friends, when a flying creature comes out of the Trap Door. Berk has seen it before and knows that it gives the Thing Upstairs pimples if it gets near him.
E19
Strange Goings On
Air date: 1986-10-30
Boni has been complaining of boredom again, but Berk has planned a picnic at the swamp. First though he has to see the Thing Upstairs. Meanwhile, a tentacle pulls Boni down the Trap Door.
E20
Midnight Snack
Air date: 1986-10-31
Berk is asleep. Three monsters, called the Big Mouths, appear out of the Trap Door. They eat everything in sight and make a complete mess of the place.
E21
Nasty Stuff
Air date: 1986-11-03
Berk makes some medicine for his headache, but after drinking it, he becomes a monster.
E22
Sniff That
Air date: 1986-11-04
Something with a lot of eyes sneaks up on Berk while he is trying to unclog a drain. An Elephant Bug that sucks things into its trunk climbs out too, and in the end solves both his problems.
E23
Vile Pile
Air date: 1986-11-05
All the rubbish Berk keeps throwing down the Trap Door comes to life and starts spitting slime at him.
E24
Slightly Weird
Air date: 1986-11-06
Berk tries to pick mushrooms to feed the Thing Upstairs for breakfast, until one of them runs off.
E25
Bye Bye Berk
Air date: 1986-11-07
Fed up with running around after the Thing Upstairs, and fending off the trap door monsters, Berk leaves.
Cast
William Rushton
Berk / Boni / The Thing Upstairs / Rogg (voice)
Nick Shipley
Drutt (voice)
Terry Brain
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