Writing About All Things Pop Culture
At it’s core, DuckTales isn’t about adventure. Well, it is, but there’s something much more important. Family. Family has been at the heart of DuckTales from the start. Whether it’s the family that you’re born in, or the one you choose, family is what makes DuckTales great. And even amidst a finale that’s not afraid to give payoffs to things we didn’t even know know had payoffs, it never forgets that.
When you spend your life accumulating enemies, you have to wonder: is it them, or are you part of the problem? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen a cartoon make a famous hero deal with this dilemma. The Batman:TAS episode “Trial” did a great job with this concept. Still, given how many enemies Scrooge McDuck’s made, you have to wonder if he’s egging them on. That’s why this episode sees Scrooge taken to karmic court. Is he responsible for making his worst enemies? Spoiler alert: they were all jerks before he met them.
As word breaks about the impending ending of DuckTales!, I take to Twitter to remind people the difference between cancellation and ending a show.
Sometimes, TV gives something that comes at just the right time on the right day to really stand out. Today, DuckTales managed to do just that. Their latest episode, which is about family matters, isn’t just conviently coming out the week of Thanksgiving, but it also marks another important day. Today, November 23rd, marks the 57th birthday of the famous sci-fi franchise Doctor Who. Scrooge McDuck’s played by David Tennant, famous for being the 10th incarnation of the Doctor. And then there’s the fact Michelle Gomez, who played The Master on Doctor Who for three years, guest stars in this episode. And the episode airs on her birthday.
What do you when you fire someone from a job because they’re not good at it, or because they’re jerks? You look for people to replace them. As it turns out, the same thing can happen with Gods in the Disney Afternoon-verse (that’s right, that’s the name now.) When a position in the Greek Pantheon suddenly opens, the kids find themselves competing to be the new Olympian Idol.
The major theme to the third season of the reboot of DuckTales! has been the idea of legacy. Since the start, Huey, Dewey, and Louie have been following in the legacy of those that came before them: Scrooge, Donald, Della, and many others. And without even realizing it, they’ve become incredibly badass as a result of all their adventures. As the race against F.O.W.L. is on in this episode, we get to see just how far the Duck Boys have come, and I love it!
Last week, Disney XD’s amazing reboot of DuckTales up-ended itself with F.O.W.L. being forced into the open. Worse still, they learn that it’s led by a member of Scrooge’s own Board of Directors. That revelation has rocked the Duck Family to its core, and left them a paranoid mess. And when you consider the lengths that Scrooge will go to keep those he loves safe, that’s a recipe for disaster. And nothing but a good time for us.
DuckTales! Season 3, Darkwing Duck Special Review Last year, I said that the debut of the DuckTales! reboot’s version of Darkwing Duck could end up leading to a reboot/spin-off. Then … Continue Reading “Let’s Get Dangerous” Opens Door to Darkwing Duck
Ahh, the Fountain of Youth; that mythical wellspring of water that’s said to restore the youth of those who drink it, granting nigh immortality. As such, it’s easily one of the most popular tropes found in adventure stories, and a perfect fit for the likes of DuckTales! Especially when you have the likes of Scrooge and Goldie and their love/hate relationship in play in this week’s episode.
Ahh, Halloween. Next to Christmas, it’s the holiday that people in America get into the most, especially when it comes to TV shows. With Halloween specials all but an unspoken tradition, it was only a matter of time before the reboot of DuckTales! did one themselves. And while it won’t make into my list of memorable Halloween episodes, it was still plenty entertaining. But hey, that’s DuckTales!
More than a year after we last saw her, Penny the Moonlander returns in the new episode of DuckTales! And so does Glomgold!
Good news, everyone: DuckTales is back for more adventures! With The Owl House between Seasons and Amphibia on hiatus, the timing could not be better for me. I needed some sort of cartoon to review, and since I love DuckTales, this is perfect!
I don’t remember where I read it, but a big theme to the third season of DuckTales is legacy. Huey, Dewey, and Louie are starting to realize that, for better or worse, Scrooge will have to pass the torch down to them one day. While that is awesome, it makes wonder if they’re capable of stepping into Scrooge’s shoes someday. And what prompts this question, you may ask? A trip to Valhalla to fight a world-eating snake in a wrestling match. It’s one of those episodes of DuckTales.
Huey and Astro BOYD in DuckTales Season 3, Episode 6 “Astro B.O.Y.D.” 2
I may not have liked last week’s episode, but I loved this week’s episode of DuckTales. Mainly, because it touched on an important life lesson in a hilarious fashion. That lesson being the importance of telling the truth, no matter how hard it may be. And, I might add, it does it while referencing some of Disney’s past work.
It is now official. The new DuckTales may be known as the Disney Afternoon Universe, or DAU. Why? Because most Disney Afternoon shows are now in it.
