Ep. 53: DuckTales (Woo-oo!)

DuckTales
The new iteration of DuckTales tracks the globetrotting adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, Louie and granddaughter, Webby. Donald Duck, Launchpad McQuack, and Mrs Beakley also make their returns to round out this this star-studded and entertaining cast.  Also to return? Hijinks! But the plot is much more substantial.

Did they Sing It?
Kara has never been more excited to sing a theme song and the ladies sang over half of this one. If you’ve never seen this DuckTales theme animal mashup by Insane Cherry, please watch. 

The Positives
Talented voice acting cast and a witty, well-written show. The best-written and funniest show we’ve watched so far. 

 The female character Webby, voiced by Kate Micucci, becomes a much more substantial and contributing character this time around.  The hosts discuss Hollywood’s penchant for “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” tropes or token characters like Chip N’ Dale’s Gadget, and why Webby defies these stereotypes to become one of the most interesting characters on the show.

Scrooge’s character is much more lovable and adventurous, while still maintaining the grumpy, opulent traits that make him the iconic feathered friend he is today.  

The boys have very distinct personalities, as compared to the original where viewers could only distinguish them by their t-shirt colors. 

Nostalgia!  If you are a fan of the original DuckTales, you can rest assured that this version will not only entertain you with a combination of reminiscence and refreshment, but it’s also a show you can enjoy with your children.

Fluffy or Educational
Fluffy as a duck feather, but very fun for adults and kids. 

Potentially Problematic
Some cultural references are for adult audiences and could fly over your children’s heads, like the show’s reconceptualization of the headless horse/man. 

Our trio of adventurous youth are not what you would call role models.  Therefore, expect to see defiant behavior, lying, sneaking out, and pretty much unsupervised. Given what we know about a child’s inclination to mimic defiant behavior, the fact that it’s cartoon animals doing on pretty extravagant (beyond realistic belief) adventures, we think it’s unlikely to cause issues, and concerned parents could just have a conversation with kiddos about what is and isn’t appropriate behavior. Caillou on the other hand….

Will parents like it?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

 Both ladies loved the nostalgia and laughed like crazy. The writers clearly targeted the parents when writing the show with some pop culture references and throwbacks to the original, which is appreciated. 

Should They Watch It?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Side Conversations
TV has changed significantly with binging becoming the norm. Block programming and delayed gratification that came with TGIF, after school shows, and Saturday morning cartoons is all but gone. 

Kara and Laura discuss workplace inequality after Kara experiences a blatant career opportunity oversight because of her gender. Kara, a 25-year voice acting veteran, points to examples of how gender inequality has impacted her industry. Laura and Kara discuss examples of misogyny in the entertainment industry and the ladies agree that Kara should make some phone calls to address the issue. 

 We are happy to see more female roles, more diverse roles, and truer to the part casting. We loved to see Nope star Keke Palmer