Ducktales (2017)

[huttj509]

Blame Long John Silver. No, really. Refreshing my memory some from http://dialectblog.com/2011/05/24/pirate-accent/ .

Robert Newton played Silver and Blackbeard for Disney in the 50s, popular films. He was from the area of England where Edward Teach (Blackbeard) was reportedly from, and so used a modern accent from the area as a nod. It was distinctive, and stuck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEKcll7AvSE

[Rogar Demonblud]

The southwestern area of England (esp Cornwall and Devon, plus South Wales), produced many of the most famous pirates, including Teach and Morgan. Black Bart Roberts (the original Dread Pirate Roberts) is sometimes stated to have come from there as well.

As for the show itself, Scrooge is back to ignoring everyone and Dewey pulls off a Louie-scam at the end (again, see Infernal Internship). Also, Webby drops action-adventure girl to run a long-con on Louie.

I think the episode next week might be the last for season 1.

[huttj509]

I think the episode next week might be the last for season 1.

Nah, there's 3 more weeks. The Secrets of Castle McDuck, The Last Crash of the Sunchaser, and The Shadow War (parts 1 and 2 both on 8/18/18).

[Ramza00]

New Episode and it is a mixture of Gilgamesh, The Fisher King, and Meet the Parents.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Half a season late Dewey finally learns the lesson that keeping secrets is wrong.

[Ramza00]

Half a season late Dewey finally learns the lesson that keeping secrets is wrong.

Dewey is an extremely emotionally mature person if he were a 10 year old human, yet since he is a 10 year old anthropomorphic duck, we expect him to be much more emotionally evolved as if he were a human teen or adult.

[Darkseal]

Disney just released their first look at the Ducktales cartoon! Quick, let us gather around and complain bitterly about the ruining of our childhoods!

I'm going to be Commander Contrarian and say I like the nephews' voices, but David Tennant as Scrooge sounds a bit off.

I really don't like the new character design: bring me back the old Ducktales!

[Rogar Demonblud]

And in what is supposed to be the season one finale, Mrs Beakley has it graphically rubbed in her face just how exceedingly stupid it is to entrust children to a guy who doesn't seem to bother to think about risk.

Also, I'm now firmly convinced that Launchpad is not a licensed pilot (just as he was not a licensed driver when Scrooge hired him as such), which I guess counts as further proof that Scrooge doesn't care about doing anything safely.

Everything else is spoilerish, so I won't comment on that for a few days.

[huttj509]

And in what is supposed to be the season one finale, Mrs Beakley has it graphically rubbed in her face just how exceedingly stupid it is to entrust children to a guy who doesn't seem to bother to think about risk.

Also, I'm now firmly convinced that Launchpad is not a licensed pilot (just as he was not a licensed driver when Scrooge hired him as such), which I guess counts as further proof that Scrooge doesn't care about doing anything safely.

Everything else is spoilerish, so I won't comment on that for a few days.

There's 2 eps next week. Is this a known "out of order" episode?

[Reddish Mage]

There's 2 eps next week. Is this a known "out of order" episode?

Dewey mentions learning something about his mom aboard the Sunchaser that he didn’t share with his brothers. If this episode includes that subplot it would certainly be out of order.

I’m not sure what Dewey was referring to in last week’s episode.

Also, airing the stuff out of order is getting more and more annoying. This show has a lot of potential, but if they remove every serial subplot it will both get boring and basically require gutting the show’s writing.

[brionl]

Dewey mentions learning something about his mom aboard the Sunchaser that he didn’t share with his brothers. If this episode includes that subplot it would certainly be out of order.

I’m not sure what Dewey was referring to in last week’s episode.

Also, airing the stuff out of order is getting more and more annoying. This show has a lot of potential, but if they remove every serial subplot it will both get boring and basically require gutting the show’s writing.

Oh yeah, this is definitely out of order. I guess they wanted to end with a 2-parter though. "My Little Pony always has 2-parters for the season ending!"

[Calemyr]

Oh yeah, this is definitely out of order. I guess they wanted to end with a 2-parter though. "My Little Pony always has 2-parters for the season ending!"

On one hand, I find it easy to believe - out of order episodes, an unannounced hiatus, selling the season as a whole season and then quietly redefining it to a half season, they've done a few crappy things with this fledgling reboot. But I find it a bit hard to believe right here...

Spoiler: Last Crash of the Sun Chaser

Show

First off, I don't believe they ever mentioned any comments that take it out of order. Webby and Dewey reference the library and the temple of Selene, but nothing that wasn't in previous episodes. I do have to say having them chase "the Great MacGuffin" was wonderful - they never find it and what it is doesn't matter in the least, it's just something to get the plot moving. This show does love to call 'em as they see 'em. And it's good to have Darkwing Duck's opening acknowledged for the earworm it is.

Secondly, the way this episode ends, showing it out of order would be obvious. Everybody hates Scrooge right now. Even Duckworth is leaving and he came back from the frickin' dead just to keep serving Scrooge! If the "official" finale has them back as one happy family with no explanation, it will be jarring and stupid.

Third, this isn't the right tone to end a season on. A sudden reveal, a sink-or-swim cliffhanger, an "the adventure continues"... there are a lot of good tones to leave the fans wanting more. As a final episode, this would be the final episode. There wouldn't be nearly as many folk waiting with eager anticipation for a return to Scrooge's second-worst day, stretched into months over the season break. It is, however a perfect low point to start a rousing finale. The fellowship broken, Scrooge left alone... perfect opportunity for something to go wrong in a way it couldn't possibly when the gang is united. Lena and Magicka strike me as the most logical - Scrooge is broken, and Webby isn't there to play morality chain for Lena. Then again, without Beakly it looks like open season for Ma Beagle, and Glomgold only tries to sabotage Scrooge on days that end with "y"... Really, it could be anything from a new threat to Scrooge's entire rogue's gallery in one go. The "everyone" angle could be fun, watching them trip over each other to hit McDuck while he's hurting. Then the gang gets together again and thwomps the threat, deciding that post traumatic stress is worst for being "post" - before that, it's just excitement. Or Della will return and things will resolve. Or the now experienced adventurers will prove too competent and/or bored to remain on the houseboat. However this season ends, it is almost assuredly going to end in a way that the next season doesn't start with everyone hating Scrooge - they'd have too much work to unravel that knot before getting back to the fun that the show is designed to promise.

All that said, I thought this episode was beautiful. Scrooge makes the mistake of reminding himself of his adventures with Donald and Della, which puts him in a bad frame of mind when things go south - it drives him to become even riskier, harsher, and more fool-hardy than usual, made even worse by Beakly seeing him in this state, challenging him constantly and assuming this is the status quo. Everyone starts making assumptions that, while reasonable in their ways, lead to ever-increasing hardship and hard feelings, until Scrooge is left more alone than he started - even Beakly is gone, now. Maybe Launchpad and Fenton as well, perhaps. Though Fenton is more of a sponsored superhero than a bodyguard this time, so he isn't as close to Scrooge as his accountant days. And how does it end? By showing every assumption wrong: Scrooge went mad trying to get Della back, spending what looks like two thirds of his treasury in attempts to find her and still clawing to stay in the command center as his board drag him bodily away. He cared. He really, really cared. But nobody believes it and he's left sulking in a dusty room.

Rock, meet bottom.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Beakley's constant jabs throughout the episode were setting up the Della reveal--Scrooge never thinks through the risks to the probable outcomes. And then we see that play out with Della. Della sees someone telling her 'No' as a challenge (like Dewey in Atlantis)--say no, but do nothing to enforce it. Della is determined to ditch the kids before they're hatched for another adventure--build her the exact thing she wants to go adventuring in. Della refuses to respect other's privacy and tear into anything they're trying to hide (Dewey again)--well, let's just make a big mystery for her to find out about.

The only thing that wasn't easily predictable from Della's character was the mysteriously appearing storm, but Scrooge still went ahead anyway.

Also, mad props to Donald for stepping up like he did with the boys.

[Calemyr]

Beakley's constant jabs throughout the episode were setting up the Della reveal--Scrooge never thinks through the risks to the probable outcomes. And then we see that play out with Della. Della sees someone telling her 'No' as a challenge (like Dewey in Atlantis)--say no, but do nothing to enforce it. Della is determined to ditch the kids before they're hatched for another adventure--build her the exact thing she wants to go adventuring in. Della refuses to respect other's privacy and tear into anything they're trying to hide (Dewey again)--well, let's just make a big mystery for her to find out about.

The only thing that wasn't easily predictable from Della's character was the mysteriously appearing storm, but Scrooge still went ahead anyway.

Also, mad props to Donald for stepping up like he did with the boys.

So no spoilers. All right.

Okay, I'll grant that making the Spear for Della was a dumb move - he knew her well enough to know that she was going find out about it before it was ready and steal it regardless of his warnings. But he didn't "go ahead with" anything. She was in the air before he found out and in the command room ASAP. He didn't encourage her to go into that storm and gave as much ground support as he could. His expressions when the storm is happening made it pretty clear (to me, at least) that he didn't want her to do it, but was confident that she had the skills to get through all the same.

And, yeah. Donald continues to be the unsung hero of the show - a veteran adventurer who takes responsibility for infants that are not his, and makes their safety and happiness his absolute priority. A duck who has seen firsthand how anything and everything can gone wrong, and personally suffered through all of it, and is adamant that the kids are kept safe from that. He's got the biggest heart in the show, which is amusing since he's also a tempermental and at times violent old bird prone to going into unintelligible fits and tantrums.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Well, you want the big heart, you need to accept the high emotions that come with it.

But I meant Scrooge went ahead with the space plan instead of just saying "You know what, I haven't checked up on that plant in Spoonerville for a few years. And practicing my golf game so I can beat Glomgold even more heinously this year would be a good idea too."

[Calemyr]

Well, you want the big heart, you need to accept the high emotions that come with it.

But I meant Scrooge went ahead with the space plan instead of just saying "You know what, I haven't checked up on that plant in Spoonerville for a few years. And practicing my golf game so I can beat Glomgold even more heinously this year would be a good idea too."

You mean going ahead with the plan to build the Spear in secret? Agreed, dumb idea. But he cared for Donald and Della and wanted to give his niece what she always dreamed of, she just stole it before he could the bugs out. I've heard of worse motivations for monumentally dumb actions.

[brionl]

On one hand, I find it easy to believe - out of order episodes, an unannounced hiatus, selling the season as a whole season and then quietly redefining it to a half season, they've done a few crappy things with this fledgling reboot. But I find it a bit hard to believe right here...

I'll bet you 500 quatloos, that at the beginning of the Shadow Wars episodes everybody is in McDuck Mansion with no mention of the events in this episode.

Oh, BTW. Pretty sure that is supposed to be his brooding chair, not his sulking chair.

[JadedDM]

There was a trailer posted awhile back that showed several scenes from upcoming episodes of season 1. Here it is.

If you aren't worried about spoilers, you can see at the 30 second mark:

Spoiler: Season 1 spoilers

Show

Scrooge rolling around in his own filth, clearly in a bleak depression. We also see a scene of Donald and the boys preparing to move away. And at the end, stuff about Magica.

Spoiler: Not spoilers, but my own theories on the finale

Show

So I'm willing to bet the next episode opens with that. Scrooge has fallen to pieces, Donald and the boys are preparing to move away, Launchpad and Webby panic, and then Magica strikes which causes everyone to band together to fight her, and along the way realize they need each other after all, and so they end up reconciling at the end.

[Calemyr]

I'll bet you 500 quatloos, that at the beginning of the Shadow Wars episodes everybody is in McDuck Mansion with no mention of the events in this episode.

Oh, BTW. Pretty sure that is supposed to be his brooding chair, not his sulking chair.

I would have taken that bet (and raised you 10 holy coins) if JadedDM hadn't spoiled the game. Heh.

That said, outside of one instance (Mark Beaks), the writing of this series has been consistently clever and quality, up to and including incorporating references to older shows in ways work well in the new setting (such as portraying the Gummi Bears as an ancient magical species with devastating secret, aka "just another day for Scrooge"). I really have trouble believing that they would ever have considered ending a season on this episode. You want the audience to spend the break giddy in anticipation, not depressed and dreading it. Heck, even a character flat out dying in the finale works well, because the upcoming reaction (and potential reversal) is stuck in the audience's mind for months. Here, there's no promise of anything to look forward to, except the inevitable regrouping. It's not a crash, it's a thud.

Setting the stage for a rise from the ashes, however, ending the season on a high note... that would be a perfect use of an episode like this.

[lord_khaine]

Having though about it a bit, then i think 100% of the blame lies on Della.
She were the fool who stole a rocket that for all she knew could still be in the beta stage.
When she had a group of triplets on the way.

[Reddish Mage]

I think the kids did a good job of showing Scrooge’s own role in enabling Della and encouraging her right up to the end.

I’d like to note, though, we saw the bottom of Scrooge’s money bin in that last scene before they pulled him away, literally kicking and screaming from Scrooge’s command room, still displaying no signal from Della.

So how far do you think we’ll go into season 2 before they figure out where Della is and retrieve her?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Two separate questions there. Finding out where she is? In a normal show run by competent people (frex, not scrambling the episode order), I'd say that sounds like maybe season finale stuff.

Actually getting her back? Frankly, that sounds like series finale stuff, because it will NUKE the entire format.

[Calemyr]

Scrooge is definitely responsible for turning Della into an adrenaline junkie, same as the boys. (Webby never had a chance in hell of being anything else.) His enthusiasm is infectious, his intelligence gathering provides limitless opportunities, and his skill reliably makes even the most dangerous circumstances generally survivable. Fittingly enough, he's kinda like the Doctor from Doctor Who: spend enough time with him and you start to think nothing really bad can happen to you and you just keep pushing your luck until your fate stops pushing back...

But, yeah, Della is to blame here. Scrooge's charmed life can only protect you when you follow his lead - act independently and your fate is your own. Fortunately for the boys, Donald, Webby, and Beakly are there to protect them when Scrooge can't.

Two separate questions there. Finding out where she is? In a normal show run by competent people (frex, not scrambling the episode order), I'd say that sounds like maybe season finale stuff.

The final piece of the puzzle, maybe. But it is almost certainly going to be a breadcrumb trail throughout the season, much like the Spear was.

Actually getting her back? Frankly, that sounds like series finale stuff, because it will NUKE the entire format.

Maybe, maybe not. I could certainly see her return and prove to simply be a bad parent - as in risks on par with Scrooge without the "everything turns out alright" magic to go with it. Possibly without even any real consideration for the boys. A couple adventures with her, with their lives only being saved by Donald's intervention, could easily lead to the boys wanting to stay with Donald (and Scrooge) with the reality of their mother being a cold disappointment compared to what they thought she'd be.

Or, even worse, the revelation that Della could have returned home at any time but opted to pursue adventure over family. Maybe even her stealing the Spear being an escape from the responsibilities of parenthood (particularly single parenthood, since their father isn't in the equation either).

The simple fact of it is that Della doesn't have to be a good role model, and could easily play a destructive counterpoint to Scrooge and/or Donald. Thus, the show goes on.

[Rogar Demonblud]

You honestly think Disney would have the spine to make Della a villain? You're saying she can't be a hero, and in their schema that just leaves one option.

edit: although now I'm picturing her as that bird Maisie in Horton Hears a Who.

[Zmeoaice]

Meh I dont think being "adventurous" qualifies one as a villain. I think wanting to avoid parenthood is a sympathetic motive. Kids are a big responsibility that not everyone can handle.

I dont know if Disney has the balls to pull of Della being a bad parent. Like they already kind of implied that but didnt go all out. They'll probably have a mushy gushy reunion with her kids with no effect on her sanity being in space for over a decade.

[Calemyr]

You honestly think Disney would have the spine to make Della a villain? You're saying she can't be a hero, and in their schema that just leaves one option.

edit: although now I'm picturing her as that bird Maisie in Horton Hears a Who.

Oh, no. I'm not saying she can't be a hero. I'm saying she doesn't have to be, and that this would allow them to include her without destroying the show. And I'm definitely not casting her as a villain. Unless Gladstone is a villain, I guess, as the portrayal of her that I envision is closer to him than anyone - not a bad guy, really, just a selfish and inconsiderate soul whose myopic empathy leaves them largely blind to the damage they leave in their wake.

And, yes, I could buy Disney having the spine to make her a darker interpretation. This show has surprised me multiple times, including having Duckworth being undeniably dead and using that terminology. More to the point, however, we have the kelpies - My Little Pony-esque mythical creatures who not only own up to their mythical origins, but gleefully pursue their goal without remorse (or, thankfully, success). Webby even outright calls them "Murder Ponies"*, which is something I never in my life expected from a Disney show. This show definitely has loose enough reins to adopt a bad mom.

* A phrase I adore, and happily apply to the Kirin in the game Monster Hunter World. It more than lives up to the moniker.

EDIT: Additionally, to extend Zmeoaice's remarks, the boys' parents being irresponsible has been a running joke for decades - as the idea of leaving children in the wings of Donald Duck seems to indicate either tragic circumstances or willfull negligence. Granted, the reason they were made to be his nephews was just to dance around the idea of Donald procreating, but it creates a number of other dark avenues that people have explored since.

[Reddish Mage]

You honestly think Disney would have the spine to make Della a villain? You're saying she can't be a hero, and in their schema that just leaves one option.

Della as an adventurer and irresponsible parent who will ditch the kids the minute something interesting shows up? I'm having a hard time thinking of her as anything else. Everything we know of her character is that she is happy-go-lucky, and she even shows up in the comics, only for this to not fundamentally change anything.

We see Donald with the eggs as Della steals the rocket. That's enough to get a feel for her parenting style.

Now does that mean she has to go into Column B? No. I reject the hero/villain dichonomy: Gyro Gearloose, and a host of one-shot characters (so far) don't really fit in. Gladstone, Storkulease, Selene, these background characters can be either.

Moreover, its totally possible for Della to be an irresponsible parent and a heroine who occassionally goes off on her own. She has Scrooge and Donald to babysit. Its more of a problem of just how involved and big the show can get before its too unwieldy.

[lord_khaine]

After having though about it a little, then i can see two main scenarioes that at least partly saves Della as a character, as well as the status queu.
One is that she has been frozen in time somehow. She dont even know her eggs has hatched yet.
The other is that she has spend the last years adventuring in space trying to find her way home.

And another thing i really look forward to see if it will get explored. Is that its as such Donald who are the actual parent to the triplets in any way that matters.

[Reddish Mage]

After having though about it a little, then i can see two main scenarioes that at least partly saves Della as a character, as well as the status queu.
One is that she has been frozen in time somehow. She dont even know her eggs has hatched yet.
The other is that she has spend the last years adventuring in space trying to find her way home.

And another thing i really look forward to see if it will get explored. Is that its as such Donald who are the actual parent to the triplets in any way that matters.

I think your demands on parent characters to be good parents is a bit idealistic. As far as what she is doing:

Spoiler: Della in Comics - potential season/series ending spoilers

Show

In the comics, Della's just hanging around on the moon. She's completely cool with it, and not worried about her kids at all. She enthusiastically receives her kids when they finally find her. Her attitude is that she always knew Donald and Scrooge will take care of them.

I doubt they'll depart too much from the comics, everything we know about her is consistent with this portrayal.

[Jeivar]

I have to admit it's a reeeal peeve of mine when people decide without evidence what someone "probably" did, and use it to justify anger at them. Someone smack those idiot kids.