Reboots. A word that been used time and time again in the entertainment industry. Incase you don't know what this means, a reboot is essentially when a film or television series is revived after a decade or so. Within the last 3 years, there have been many reboots including film series like Spiderman, television sitcoms like Fuller House, and animated cartoons like Teen Titans Go.
Even though there have been great successes with these revivals, I have been underwhelmed by the quality of some of these shows.
Growing up, I loved sitting down with my brother watching shows like Teen Titans, The Powerpuff Girls, and Ben 10. Animated tv shows were one of the key factors that made me want to become a writer. To create interesting and lasting stories that can touch my audience.
But with the cheap tactics of incorporating modern elements to franchises and trying to dumb down to the memes of the new generation, I was appalled. Everything felt like a joke with these revived shows, and it was really hard to associate it with the original shows that I loved.
However, this idea that reboots were just nostalgia click bait changed when Disney revived one of their most loved classic series, Ducktales.
Disney first premiered Ducktales in the fall of 1987. This series followed the adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his three great-nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie as they traveled on many adventures in their town of Duckburg and around the globe. A show that can only be described as a mix of Modern Family and Indiana Jones.
Granted, this show did end about 8 years before I was born, but I was glad to stumble upon this show in my early middle school days as I was also watching The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and Darkling Duck on youtube. (Not to mention the other Disney Afternoon shows like Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers, Tailspin, and Goof Troop that were still broadcasting reruns on the Disney channel.)
The first time I heard that catchy theme song, I fell in love with the show. So, as soon as Disney announced the reboot, I was beyond hopeful. Will the theme song sound as good? Will Scrooge still swim through gold? Will it live up to the legacy?
Skip ahead to August 12th, 2017. Ducktales premiered with a TV movie that ran the entire day. 24 hours. Every hour on the hour. (It must have made quite an impression because I have never heard of a show running for 24 hours straight.) And I can tell you without a doubt that this reboot did not disappoint. It was fantastic!
The art style had a more comic book feel than its predecessor (an ode to the Carl Barks Ducktales Comic Books.) It explored each of the characters and added layers to their personalities and who they are. The triplets are no longer the same person in different colored shirts.
They each have their own interests and personas. Huey is the oldest, intelligent, organized and an excellent junior woodchuck. Dewey is adventurous, daring, inquisitive, and likes to be noticed. Louie is laid-back, mischievous, and loves treasure. Now with each duckling having a separate personality, the boys have a greater chance to go through some intriguing character developments.
Donald is still a little hard to understand at times, but instead of being the short -tempered duck we all love, he is even more relatable as we get to see his relations to the triplets of an over-protective parental figure in the boys' life. Scrooge is still "the richest duck in the world" with his same grumpy attitude in the beginning of the episode, but eventually, warms up to his family after nearly getting killed twice by the recklessness of the kids. Launchpad remains to be the lovable and goofy pilot he is, Mrs. Beakly is tough and doesn't play around, and then there is Webby.
In the original series, Webby Vanderquack (the granddaughter of Mrs. Beakly) was an innocent young duckling. Mainly added in as a female sidekick to the daring trio. She didn't really contribute much to the show, to be honest, but in this new series, Webby is an adventurous and insecure girl who doesn't get out much and is looking for acceptance. This brings a whole new level to the character of Webby. No longer the "damsel in distress," but an independent lady who can hold her own against the bad guys.
Overall, the premiere of Ducktales was an absolute blast! The music was great, the art was beautiful, the characters were funny, and the plot was astounding.
I was on the edge of my seat through all the twist and turns. If you were like me and almost given up on reboots, you should watch this show. It will restore everything that is good in the world after recent events. It easily integrates old and new audiences with a good origin retelling and modern technologies.
I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has to hold and how season 2 will work out. Especially with appearances from Darkwing Duck and Lin Manuel Miranda who will be playing Fenton Crackshell (aka Gizmoduck).
Ducktales the series continues on September 23rd, 2017. The premiere episode is available for free now on Disney XD, the Disney XD you channel, and the Disney XD App. Starring David Tennant (Doctor Who), Danny Pudi (Community), Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation), Bobby Moynihan (SNL), Beck Bennet (SNL), Kate Micucci (Steven Universe), Toks Olagundoye (Castle), and Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck.
