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DuckTales (2017)

emopines
Sep 5, 2017
3 min read

What's the title? DuckTales

Who created it? Francisco Angones, Matt Youngberg

When did it air? 2017 – Present

What’s it rated? TV-Y7

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Granted, I’m not coming into this reboot with any nostalgia baggage, but I imagine even those deeply enamored with the original DuckTales will appreciate this fresh take on the series. The animation is crisp and classic. The characters are familiar and expanded. The plots are fun and lighthearted but genuinely adventurous and engaging. It’s family friendly in all the best ways and is still very smart to boot.

What's it about?(non-spoilers) This remake of the beloved series from the 80s finds Donald Duck struggling to care for his three trouble-prone nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. With nowhere else to turn, Donald reaches out to his unbelievably wealthy and difficult uncle, Scrooge McDuck, for help. Trouble, hi-jinks, and family fun ensue.

What did you think? (spoilers) Like I said, I don’t have a deep connection to the DuckTales cartoons. I have vague recollections of watching late night reruns of DuckTales along with Darkwing Duck, TaleSpin, and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, and the images of those shows all kind of mumble together in my memory. The point is that I went into the reboot knowing the names of the characters and that was pretty much it.

I went into this reboot with only the slimmest of nostalgic attachments, and I still loved this show. The animation is vibrant, popping from the screen in the beautiful way that only 2D animation can. The characters are well rounded and compelling. Donald has his characteristic temper, but he’s also a doting and beleaguered guardian in a way that typically is reserved for maternal figures. Even with his ridiculous voice (that admittedly was at times nearly incomprehensible) Donald’s character had real pathos and depth. Scrooge maintains his miserly ways, but his lust for adventure, loyalty to his staff, and his fear of the vulnerability that comes with family relationships make for a remarkably complex character. The boys each have unique personalities this go around, and their newfound characterization is only enhanced by the actors hired to play them.

Beyond the animation and the characters, the thing that impressed me the most about the new DuckTales was the writing. It’s so smart, you guys. At one point we are introduced to a magical sword that will not stop until it defeats its intended target, and it’s called Deus Excalibur. That joke alone killed me. My viewing buddies didn't understand why I was laughing, so I explained to them about Deux Ex Machina and how having a flying sword that has to kill its intended target being named after that story device is hilarious.

Okay, yes, it's a nerd joke & not everyone will get it, but that's fine, because while my viewing buddies may not have appreciated the sword, the show still provided them with plenty of laughs. This is the kind of show that will cater to everybody's sense of humor. You know when Shrek came out, how it had the fart jokes and slapstick for kids but it also had pop culture references and innuendo for adults? DuckTales is kind of like that only the humor is much more mature at both the kid and adult audience levels. The truly remarkable thing about this show is that it manages to be wildly accessible while never speaking down to its audience. DuckTales is heartfelt and sincere in a back to basics storytelling kind of way, and it’s way more clever than it has any right to be.

If you’d like to check it out – and I highly, HIGHLY recommend that you do – the first episode has been released in its entirety and you can check it out here: