As mentioned in the last post's Comments Section, I am finally in possession of the complete series of DuckTales 2017 on DVD, thanks to my favorite "private label physical media dealer".
And, as I've done many times in the past when discussing such purchases, I once again emphasize that, if the Vast Many-Tentacled Media Giant Conglomerate that owns, or presently holds the copyright to, the property in question would release AUTHORIZED COMPLETE SERIES SETS of said intellectual property (or properties), on DVD, Blu-ray, or dare-I-dream 4K, I would be first on line (or online, as the case may be) to purchase it! ... But, since you don't and, apparently have no intention to do so... well, here we are!
Still slowly wending my way through this long-coveted collection as if it were "The Spear of Selene" itself, I've since battled in "The Shadow War!", played "The Most Dangerous Game... Night!", and am next primed to see what an animated version of Fethry Duck is like!
SO, NO SPOILERS ON ANYTHING PAST FETHRY... OKAY?!
Also, in the previous post and its comments, I've discussed the many differences between the 2017 series, its 1987 predecessor, and the comics by Carl Barks and those who followed in his wake...
...Which brings us to the BACK COVER of the "10-DVD set" that I hope to complete before our country's next civil war... but that's another story - and an off-limits topic at this friendly and humble Blog!
If you can't read all the descriptive text touting the series, fear not... I shall parse it out for you - and verify the veracity of each hyperbole-an paragraph as we go! ...Hyperbole-an? Ahh, let's dive in!
"Scrooge McDuck is back in this reboot of the late-'80s animated series. He gains guardianship of grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie when Donald Duck reluctantly takes them to McDuck Manor, the wonder of which enthralls the mischievous triplets."
CHECK!
"While living with their trillionaire relative, the boys learn long-held family secrets and unleash symbolic artifacts from Scrooge's past."
CHECK! Except Scrooge as a "trillionaire" seems a bit of a comedown from Barks' proud and boastful self-made "fantasticatillionaire"! ...Scrooge wouldn't be..., uh, um... "undervaluing his assets" to avoid taxes, would he? Naww... that's someone else! (Of course, I mean GLOMGOLD here, no references to any actual person living or dead is intended - as those disclaimers used to say!)
"The threesome's antics send the family on a number of adventures, which include Webby Vanderquack, the granddaughter of Scrooge's housekeeper, Mrs. Beakley."
CHECK-A-ROONEY! Three-for-three, so far!
...And finally...
"The show's animation style is inspired by the classic comic designs of animator Carl Barks."
WAIT... WHAT, NOW?
"The show's animation style is inspired by the classic comic designs of animator Carl Barks."
AH-OOO-GAH! TILT! REJECT! YOU ARE FIBBING, FIBBING, FIBBING!
(...Or as our title says, "One DuckBridge too far!")
"The show's animation style is inspired by the classic comic designs of animator Carl Barks."
TIME FOR SOME SERIOUS FACT-CHECKING HERE!
"The show's animation style is inspired by the classic comic designs of animator Carl Barks."
True, Carl Barks *was* a Disney "animator", who worked on Donald Duck theatrical shorts...
...But that was ancient history! Then again, DuckTales is all about... "rewriii-ting hist-treee", isn't it?
However, the Carl Barks we all know and love became an all-time historic figure by working in the field of COMIC BOOKS!
Indeed it was THOSE VERY COMIC BOOKS created by Carl Barks that formed the basis for anything bearing the name "DuckTales" - 1987, 2017, and anything in-between or after!
And, in those fabled comic books, Carl Barks drew his cast of game-changing characters LIKE THIS...
He never drew ANYTHING that looked like THIS...
Aww, but when ya enter the crazy, mixed-up (but now needed more than ever) world of "private labels", ya gotta expect occasional missteps... as long as the discs themselves are of high quality - and these are!
...Just like the many wonderful works of Carl Barks himself!
27 comments:
I will wait until you have finished watching the series to tell you what plot developments were a bridge too far for me... I stopped watching sometime in the second season. But I will say that my favorite episode was The Missing Links of Moorshire--liked the visual design of the setting (mostly I missed a sense of place in the various locales--right off the bat, Atlantis was a big missed opportunity), liked the "My Little Pony" kelpies-in-disguise, liked Webby's kelpie knowledge, liked the pairings of triplets with adults. Though overall I didn't approve of how *overly* differentiated the boys were (they're not even all Junior Woodchucks!!), in this episode I thought the differences were well used and not exaggerated.
Also, I bought the DVD "Destination Adventure!" of episodes including Moorshire, mostly because it includes the first-time-on-DVD Original DuckTales episode "Ducky Mountain High" as a bonus, and I definitely wanted that on DVD!
Elaine:
I, too, bought the “Destination Adventure” DVD, immediately, in fact, per my declaration to support any and all authorized releases over the “private label” type.
However, I waited patiently, and waited more patiently, and waited “patiently-er” still for any follow-up, which never came. So, as I said in the post, “well, here we are!”
The same holds true for the 2018 Nexflix version of Lost in Space. One authorized Blu-ray release of the first season only, which I bought just as immediately, with Seasons 2 and 3 apparently still … um, “lost in space”. Since the final episode aired in 2021, I therefore safely assumed those “lost to physical media” seasons would REMAIN SO! Thankfully, my “private label guy” came up with that one too… and in Blu-ray, no less!
I must add that, on the “Destination Adventure” DVD, “The Missing Links of Moorshire!” (especially due to some great dialogue by the “my little ponies”), “The Spear of Seline!” (thanks to Storkules), and of course “The House of the Lucky Gander!” and its most audaciously unique use of Gladstone Gander were far and away my favorites! …But now, I’ll be able to (eventually) take it all in, and the do same for Lost in Space 2018!
It will be interesting to see if your “bridge too far” is the same for me…
Yeah... that's a weird claim on the part of the "private label." They could have said that the show itself is inspired by Carl Barks, and they would have been correct. But to say the show's animation style is inspired by Barks's designs is really pushing the envelope. It almost reads like an AI "hallucination," of the sort regularly served up by Google's Gemini, and, less frequently, ChatGPT. They should have consulted Gyro Gearloose's Helper instead!
Sergio:
…As long as it’s Gyro’s original Barks-born Helper, and not the evil bulb-head from DuckTales 2017!
To that inaccurate caption, it’s the typical type of mistake made by persons (or maybe by now AI) unfamiliar with the property they are peddling. Sometimes even the proper studios, copyright holders, or licensees make similar blunders and that, to me, is even more displeasing, because they are paid to KNOW this stuff!
DuckTales, in whichever incarnation, is inextricably linked with Carl Barks because, as we all know, the primary characters and concepts of the series were either created – or notably enhanced – by Barks, even if they diverged from the Duckman’s visions a little… and sometimes by quite a lot! And it’s likely that who-or-what-ever was responsible for that back-cover copy had never even seen a Barks comic but merely knew of the association of the characters with their creator.
…But, hey… So far the discs are perfect – and that’s what really counts!
2017 Gyro seems to exaggerate about how many of his inventions have "turned evil"... Helper in the later episodes doesn't really seem all that bad.
(2017 Gyro is generally a crankier, fussier character—Angones himself mentioned to me that he was based *specifically* on the grumpier, more short-fused Gyro from a few of his first appearances, bringing up "The Talking Dog" and "Gladstone's Terrible Secret" off the cuff... I may not like that version most myself, but at least he provenanced what he was trying to do.)
Well, they DID get Scrooge back in his correct color scheme anyway! And Iwhile I do appreciate attempting to reboot the show (nostalgia only goes too far), this reboot was fine. David Tennant was great, lots more Donald always fantastic, but turning our HDL Greek chorus into three diff personalities was a bust. Plus sometimes they were profoundly stupid in their actions just to serve the plot. And I don't like the need to turn everything into some overarching continuity (*cough* Della *cough* and at least one other character by the end of the series).
I heard that the series bombed big time in Europe because it was such a departure from Carl barks' stories so they had to wrap things up sooner than expected because of ratings. Is there any truth to that?
David:
In "Gladstone's Terrible Secret" I always regarded his behavior as frustration over his physically taxing experiment not working. Who among us has not felt that way at times? I give him a pass on that, especially considering the stage his character was at in that story.
I sure don’t see the crankiness of the 2017 character as a connection to Barks’ early version. …Maybe if I hold my breath and squint… HARD? Naaah! Don’t see it!
That was *too much* of a departure for me. Not that DT 1987 got him right either, but at least the basis was there! …And we needed more Helper! Certainly HD&L were also a great departure, but at least (like it or not – and I DON’T) they gave us some great dialogue and funny bits. 2017 Gyro did not! And even an old hand like me could not/did not see the connection Angones cites. Unless this Gyro contributes something profoundly good – or funny – in future episodes (I’m up to very early Season 2, right now - so no spoilers), the 2017 version of the character is a (not quite epic) fail!
“ Helper in the later episodes doesn't really seem all that bad.”
Um… should I consider that to be a spoiler?
JoeC:
Essentially, your views are also my own on this series. Laud ‘em on the good and great things they did, an’ hit ‘em on the other stuff!
As someone who writes “Duck dialogue” for (something that falls quite short of) a living, I have to admit that 2017 is far better written than was 1987. More characterization, more laughs, more more…
…Yet, considering where TV animation WAS in 1987, in terms of originality, humor, toy-based series, pro-social messaging, etc., the original DT was an amazing breath of fresh air… and will always be to yours truly!
Doctor Who’s David Tennant grandly succeeds where I thought that NO ONE could replace Alan Young! The proof of that is that yesterday I was reading a 1960s Gold Key comic… and “heard” Tennant as the voice of Scrooge as I read!!! First time THAT ever happened, after decades of “hearing” Alan Young!
I hadn’t heard the rumor (?) you cite, and so have no insight as to its veracity. But, just one comment up, David claims contact with one of the show runners… perhaps he can shed some duck-light!
If true, it goes back to what I’ve been saying since I first heard that there would be such a show… YOU HAVE (had) A CHANCE TO DO BARKS RIGHT! ISN’T THAT A NO-BRAINER?! …Or, to paraphrase a plethora of Scooby-Doo villains… They might have gotten away with it, if not for those meddling executives!
…And thanks for the NON-spoiler regarding the “one other character by the end of the series”! I’m going to take a wild guess and say it’s not… Gyro’s Helper! :-) I think he's already been spoken for!
It’s funny that you posted about DuckTales 2017, as I’ve recently been reading “The Art of DuckTales”. The book is chock full of production art and commentary by the people who worked on the series, and it gives some insight into the thought processes behind the scenes on the show. Rewatching the episodes, this version of DuckTales works best when I look at it as its own thing rather than an update of the 1987 show or Barks and Rosa’s work. Without spoiling any plot points, the biggest problem I had with the show is when they’d refer to something from Barks or Rosa’s stories when their idea would have worked better if they hadn’t. The show works best when they’re reveling in the new ideas they thought up versus slapping an old name on a new one. While he’ll never replace “Classic Glomgold”, “New Glomgold” is often the funniest thing in any episode he’s in.
It’s funny that you posted about the 2017 DuckTales series at approximately the same time that I got a copy of the 2022 Art of DuckTales book. It was the last one Bud’s Art Books had in stock, so I got a $49.99 book for $14.99 plush shipping. Uncle Scrooge would approve of such thriftiness! Looking at the earlier designs and production art as well as reading what the cast and crew had to say about the shows gives a bit more perspective on the series, although it really doesn’t explain why they changed so much of it. That said, I do like their take on Glomgold. True, Barks’ Glomgold is definitely more of a genuine threat, but 2017’s Glomgold is a riot to watch.
Deb… and Deb… Or, did Mervin get hold of your phone once again?
You (or Mervin?) write: “Rewatching the episodes, this version of DuckTales works best when I look at it as its own thing rather than an update of the 1987 show or Barks and Rosa’s work.”
That’s a tall order, Deb/Mervin… Or, if you’re speaking about the DT 2017 Glomgold (as both of you did?) perhaps it’s a “short-and-squat” order. I know that sort of separation’s not an easy thing for me to do. How, say the rest of you?
That said, and despite its visual and conceptual differences, the *writing* on 2017 continues to be both better and funnier than 1987. It’s got a lot of “what-I-would-do” in it! That’s also why I so enjoy the writing of Sholly Fisch – but, since he did ‘em first, I’ll say that I tend to do “what-he-would-do”!
I’ve already cited (somewhere?) “The House of the Lucky Gander” is IMHO the best thing ever done with Gladstone Gander… and that even includes Barks and Rosa! And I’d go as far as saying that “The Ballad of Duke Baloney” (… a seemingly non-sequitur-y reference to Barks’ “Duke of Baloni” story – but perhaps related because Barks’ Duke was supposedly the “Second Richest Duck in the World” until Glomgold came along later?) is ONE OF the best things ever done with Glomgold!
And while Barks’ first two stories with Glomgold, as well as Rosa’s “Son of the Sun” are the definitive Glomgold classics – as was the occasional story that also perfectly hit the mark like “Meteor Rights” in the second IDW issue of UNCLE SCROOGE (…Yes, I worked on it but it was great before I did!), the DT 2017 Glomgold is very different but, as you (or Mervin?) say, “a riot to watch”!
Whereas his proportions have notably changed (that “short-and-squat” thing I mention above) as a possibly purposeful gesture to make him lesser in stature to Scrooge, it is also clear that he’s contracted a severe case of what I’d like to coin as “Sideshow Bob Syndrome”!
A serious affliction among animated villains, “Sideshow Bob Syndrome” (named after its “patient zero” from THE SIMPSONS) is manifest when a character descends from an evil, and most often vengeful, villain into a self-destructive, self-parody of itself – with said self-destructiveness and self-parodic behavior becoming more and more over the top with each succeeding appearance.
Glomgold 2017 suffers from a most acute case of “Sideshow Bob Syndrome” separating him definitively from his “source character”, yet simultaneously making him a very entertaining comedic foil. Another well-known case of “Sideshow Bob Syndrome” would be Plankton from SpongeBob.
Alas, there is no remedy or cure for “Sideshow Bob Syndrome”… and we hope there never will be!
Finally, great price-score on that DuckTales book! I hope it was YOU, Deb, and not Mervin who scored it… he’s already too spoiled as it is! :-)
Gosh, that's a LOT of italics in my reply up there! This new version of Blogger doesn't let you preview as well as it once did and, as a result, mistakes like this are bound to creep in. Sorry!
Mervin didn’t buy the book or double-post almost the exact comment…that was me because I wasn’t sure it took it the first time. You (understandably) have quite a good perspective on both the differences between both series and characterizations, which is no surprise since you’re not just a long-time fan, you localize the doggone things! Upon my second viewing of these episodes (I’d often watch them twice, once by myself and a second time with my partner’s son), I’d often find that the things that would bug me the first time with continuity and characterization were things that didn’t bug me as much when watching it with someone who didn’t really know the older series and just enjoyed it all on its own merits. The best of them are more concerned with character interaction over keeping true to some decades-old comic book their core audience most likely never read.
As regards "the best things ever done with Gladstone Gander", I must admit that I haven't watched new "DuckTales", but nevertheless I have some doubts whether their take could measure up to "Gastone e la solitudine del quadrifoglio", which in my opinion is a really interesting story. It's not easy to create a comic where you identify with Gladstone and actively root for him, sympathise with him and view him as an overall likeable guy, but Marco Nucchi managed to do just that, aided by splendid drawings of Stefano Zanchi. Moreover, the story explains why Gladstone IS an essential part of Duckburg - just like Donald, Scrooge and other characters :) Great stuff.
Here's the INDUCKS link: https://inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+3405-1P
I agree that “House of the Lucky Gander” is a great use of Gladstone. My personal favorite story with Gladdy, even including Barks and Rosa, is “The Fastest Pest in the West” from Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #327 from 1967. In my personal favorite depiction of Gladstone he actively sabotages himself, giving Donald his race car and helmet, solely because he knows his luck will pan out and he will win the race regardless. Gladstone is always so self-serving even in spite of his luck, so it’s great to see him sabotage himself , knowing he’ll win anyway. I love the way his luck is depicted in the story as well, as it harms every other person in the race, causing lightning bolts to hit their cars and for them to fall down bottomless pits! This is definitely the most malicious I’ve ever seen Gladstone’s luck! While the story is not perfect, and the denouement was used in a billion Barks stories (ho Ho! Gladstone wins the race but he’s partnered with an UGLY girl instead of Daisy! Lol!) this story still lets Gladstone and his supernatural luck, literally rending the heavens to get his way, shine the best I’ve ever seen. Also Fun Fact: every single illustration in this issue, including the cover, was drawn by Tony Strobl! Hardest working man in the business!
Anon:
Well, knock me over with a Golden Goose Feather and call me Fanny Featherbrain!
I’m both surprised and delighted to see someone throw some love at “The Fastest Pest in the West”, a story I really enjoyed when I read it and one that was becoming increasingly rare among post-Barks issues of WDC&S – a good and funny Donald Duck ten-pager! Around that time, the lead Donald Duck stories were becoming less “funny” but, at the standard ten pages, were too short to be full-blown adventures. While still enjoyable, they were something of an “awkward in-between”.
Of course, kudos goes to Strobl (more about him later in this comment), especially considering that, within two years, the art on new Donald Duck stories would largely become atrocious with the coming of Kay Wright in 1969 eventually followed by Bob Gregory – a really good writer who should never have picked up a pencil! The only exceptions being the few remaining stories by Strobl and/or Larry Mayer… and that odd one-off by the coincidently-named Harry Gladstone!
WDC&S was thankfully spared their, um… “talents” by going “all Barks reprint” for well over a decade, and that was a huge win for my Silver/Bronze Age generation of readers because it was the FIRST TIME we saw those true classic early 1950s Barks ten-pagers ANYWHERE!
But, back to “The Fastest Pest in the West”, the humor in that was SO Barks-like I thought this would have been one of those “Barks-wrote-but-did-not-draw” stories like its 1967 contemporary “Pawns of the Loup Garou”. Of course, I knew nothing of “who-was-who and who-did-what” in 1967, but this was part of my analytic surmising that began in the early 1980s.
The writing is credited to Carl Fallberg, but he didn’t often show that level of humor in his work. And, since it was not by Barks, it seemed more likely to me – and STILL DOES – that it was written either by Bob Gregory, or Bob Ogle (the latter at the very tail end of his short but wonderful stay at Western Publishing, before returning to animation writing).
As for Tony Strobl penciling this entire issue of WDC&S, the ONLY such artist ever to do so, I’m way ahead of ya… as I noted at GCD HERE!
Deb (…and NOT Mervin):
Thank you for the kind words on perspective! They are much appreciated, just as perspective itself is so appreciated when writing on subjects such as these. Would that other Bloggers (…or might that simply be “Blogger” singular?) had that all important perspective to match their considerable writing talents – but I subjectively digress.
You write: “I’d often find that the things that would bug me the first time with continuity and characterization were things that didn’t bug me as much when watching it with someone who didn’t really know the older series and just enjoyed it all on its own merits.”
A truly excellent point, Deb!
DT 2017, as well as DT 1987, Quack Pack, and other comics that fall outside (…sometimes WELL outside) the Barks Boundaries are best viewed when “taking off your Barks-Colored Goggles”! I’ve mentioned that, for me, it’s not so easy a thing to do, having come up when I did, and that must surely hold true for others as well.
But, I suppose, that if something doesn’t sink to the dismal depths of “Bird Bothered Hero” or that thing that gave us the punchline-of-a-phrase “Legendary Super-Pickax”, it’s all good to one extent or another.
And one important thing I’ve long advocated for is to read, watch, or listen to something MORE THAN ONCE! You learn and discover new things each and every time you do! Just as you, Deb, are doing so with those second viewings!
It’s a perspective-adding practice that can be great fun and offer up some true surprises when you do!
When, at my Thursday Night Film Group, I see a movie that I already *think* I know well, I’ll always note or spot something I hadn’t noticed before – to my great delight! Same when I listen to a DVD commentary track and not only “see-it-again” but get the additional perspective of the film scholar or historian providing the commentary. It’s even true when I index an old comic for GCD, or research a text article for Fantagraphics!
It’s a wonderful feeling, and I wish I (and all of us) had more time to do so!
T. (…way up there, thanks to the way Google now arranges comments and the replies to them):
DT 2017, like anything else, is hit-and-miss, but some of the hits can be pretty amazing! It wasn’t easy for me to watch the series until running into my “private label guy” who made it (and this entire post) possible but, if the opportunity presents itself, please do so! Even considering the things you might not like, you won’t regret it!
The Gladstone story you cite, “Gastone e la Solitudine del Quadrifoglio”, is something I am very unlikely to experience, unless Fantagraphics finds a place to run it, but I have a feeling that once I have, and once you’ve seen “The House of the Lucky Gander!” (which prominently features Donald, I might add), we’ll have something VERY CLOSE to a tie!
Both seem to be things never before done with the character… and I like that!
a href= https://inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+3405-1P >HERE is T.’s link to that Gladstone story! Anyone else who has seen it is encouraged to comment… especially if you’ve also seen “The House of the Lucky Gander!”! It would make for quite an interesting comparison!
Sorry, but I can't seem to make that link work under the new way that Google does things! Try copying T.'s link into your browser and see what happens!
I also want to THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU for all your comments, and injecting some serious life back into this humble Blog! Please keep it up! I’m enjoying it immensely, and am inspired to (despite a goodly number of things that I can’t discuss yet – from multiple publishers) ramp things up right here for 2025!
I can add that apart from that Gladstone story, Marco Nucci has created some other superb yarns during the last few years, becoming one of the stars of Italian "Topolino". Just as for Gladstone, he also managed to present a great story from the viewpoint of Rockerduck ("La ballata di John D. Rockerduck", INDUCKS link: https://inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+3439-1P ) and - what might be especially interesting to you, Joe - spearheaded the recent revitalisation of the Phantom Blot, returning the character to his original, menacing and ruthless roots. In the first story in that Phantom Blot cycle, "Io sono Macchia Nera", he actually managed to present a genuinely very scary scenario concocted by the Blot - which is no mean feat considering Disney's recent clampdown on subjects raised in their comics.
Let’s try that link one more time… “ Gastone e la Solitudine del Quadrifoglio”
YES! Perseverance always pays off! Now, go read it, after all my trouble!!! :-)
T. (…whose comments are also further up; thanks to the way Google now arranges comments and the replies to them):
You write: “Just as for Gladstone, [Marco Nucci] also managed to present a great story from the viewpoint of Rockerduck ("La ballata di John D. Rockerduck", INDUCKS link: https://inducks.org/story.php?c=I+TL+3439-1P ) and - what might be especially interesting to you, Joe - spearheaded the recent revitalization of the Phantom Blot, returning the character to his original, menacing and ruthless roots.”
Okay, T., now you’ve got me REALLY INTERESTED!
Obviously so for the Blot, but also for Rockerduck, for whom I helped shape a localized characterization that more sharply set him apart from Flintheart Glomgold. So, I would certainly like to guide the character through that story as well!
The Rockerduck story is drawn by Giorgio Cavazzano, as an additional plus! Let’s hope THIS link works… La ballata di John D. Rockerduck
And, the best part of being in a position of VERY LITTLE (in fact, downright microscopic – but a salt-grain is better than nothing) influence at Fantagraphics is that I can make a (emphasize: very humble) request that these stories be considered for future publication!
…So, ya never know!
Now, just to “keep on hitting” the “hits that keep on coming” we’ll look in on “Where Joe Happens to Be in the Grand Scheme of DuckTales 2017” – December 15, 2024 Installment!
I continue to move along through the series, courtesy of my Private Label Physical Media Source, to the best extent that my (…all together now) Horrifically Busy Life allows. Fits and starts, hurry-ups and waits… that sort of thing!
Last night/early this morning I found myself up to S2E5 “Storkules in Duckburg!”, and I said “Oh, Joy! More Storkules!” recalling how much I enjoyed his over-the-top antics in his debut episode! But, here I found him more annoying than funny, and didn’t care for the manipulative paces that Louie (NOT “Jr. Woodchuck Louie”) put him through.
Then, following in episode order with no idea what is to come… I find IT! “Last Christmas!”… and a mere ten days before THIS Christmas, too!
If anyone wants to see what DT 2017 does at its ABSOLUTE BEST, this is THE ONE!
Barks classic story references to “Christmas on Bear Mountain” in a cleverly repurposed way, and what could be viewed as a “prequel moment” for the Duck Man’s greatest story “Lost in the Andes” are just rather incidental occurrences in this amazing tale.
Yes, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future visit Scrooge – but in a totally unique way… and for a “kind-of-expected-but-just-as-UN-expected-reason”. Webby even geeks-out when Scrooge (bowing to his inevitable namesake-typecasting) says “Bah, humbug!”!
However, this is ANYTHING BUT just another Dickens “Christmas Carol” recasting with contemporary characters! It goes to some AMAZING PLACES from its unconventional ghosts to seeing Donald and his sister Della (HD&L’s mother) as adolescents… with Young Donald actually voiced by the late Russi Taylor in THE SAME VOICE SHE USED FOR HD&L IN DT 1987!!!
It also helps move along the ever-advancing plot of Della Duck’s (presumed) eventual return to her family!
I can’t say enough about this one (…and have tried SO VERY HARD to suppress the spoilers, even though most of you reading this have already seen it) and Elaine may be interested to know that it will now be added to my regular Christmas Viewing List – joining “Christmas Flintstone” (the original one from 1964), Lost in Space “The Toymaker”, Bewitched “A Vision of Sugar Plums”, and Justice League Animated “Comfort and Joy”!
…Believe me, that IS a complement!
Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed the Christmas episode! I had tears in my eyes when I heard Russi Taylor's voice coming out of young (his grunge era look that makes sense for the timeline) Donald. What great casting.
JoeC:
YES! It was a VERY delightful surprise!
At first, especially given that I tend to watch these somewhere between midnight and 2AM, I didn't quite believe what I was hearing!
My reaction was more of a “WAIT… WHAT?”. It took a moment for it to sink in. Then, I thought… “That CAN’T be Russi Taylor!” because she sadly passed away not all that long ago. I checked my Blog and found that she left us in 2019, causing me to think… this might be one of the very last things she’d ever done! …And, if so, what a wonderful way to close a wonderful career!
No matter how much justifiable grousing we might do about the miscasting and/or mis-rendering of certain beloved characters, something like THIS makes it far more worthwhile than I could ever have imagined!
…And I still can’t get over the random coincidence (…or the coincidental randomness?, or whatever?) of just running into this episode ten days before Christmas! …My own personal little Christmas miracle, perhaps?
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