DuckTales

The fundamental problems with living in an age of seemingly endless reboots, remakes and re-treads is the simple fact that people get burned out. And when people get burned out, they begin to dissect, dismiss and demean those rare but invaluable examples of reboots done right, just out of a misplaced sense of moral superiority. Case in point- 2017's "DuckTales", a retelling of the classic cartoon series that started thirty years back in 1987. Having grown up alongside the original series, I get it. Our nostalgia is a beloved part of our lives, and nothing could ever possibly measure up to sky-high expectations... Especially not in this case... right? ...right?

Well, I'm here to tell you. In every single imaginable way, Disney has pulled it off, with a loving and clever reboot that captures the essence and magic of that original run, while making necessary and valid updates when needed. "DuckTales" is an absolute joy, boasting strong and stylish animation, a wonderful voice-over cast that nails the tone, and some extremely clever writing that took me by a surprise more than once, even as a man quickly approaching his 30's. And it's frankly shocking seeing the plethora of highly critical reviews here... and even moreso shocking to see many of the reviews containing blatant and overblown exaggerations of minor issues or even outright lies about the content of the series, just so they can smugly slap it with an unfair one or two outta ten score and bemoan how their childhood has been "ruined."

Just take it from this fan... go in with an open mind, and you'll be thoroughly charmed and thrilled with the results!

Grouchy trillionaire Scrooge McDuck (voice of David Tennant) is surprised when his estranged relative Donald (Tony Anselmo) drops off the triplets Huey, Dewey, and Louie (Danny Pudi, Ben Schwartz, Bobby Moynihan) one day, demanding he watch over them while he leaves to be interviewed for a new job. While Scrooge initially ignores the boys, a series of strange events brings them together as he re-discovers his old sense of adventure and excitement. And so, they team up, along with pilot Launchpad (Beck Bennett) and the headstrong Webby (Kate Micucci), and embark on a series of strange and peculiar new adventures in search of fame and treasure. Along they way, they fight fearsome creatures, encounter old enemies and begin a search for the elusive Della... the long-lost mother of Huey, Dewey and Louise.

To start with one of the more publicized aspects of the series, I absolutely love the entire cast. Obviously Tony Anselmo is a complete joy as Donald... after all, he's been voicing the character for over thirty years now, including in the original run of the series. Pudi, Schwartz and Moynihan are all excellent as the lead trio, and though they might not sound as childlike, all nail the characters quite well and have that delightful, young sense of glee to their performances- you can tell all three are trying their hardest, and are infectiously engaging. I also really adore Miccuci, and I very much appreciate how Webby has been updated to be a more proactive and academically intelligent character. But the revelation here is David Tennant as Scrooge McDuck. He knocks it out of the park. Absolutely perfect turn as the beloved character.

The animation style has been a source of much love and much controversy, but I really dig it. It's stylized to be a bit more stark, contrasted and simplistic... almost like an animated comic book, which is appropriate as comics were the inspiration for the '87 series. Yes, there is a degree of stylistic whiplash going from the old to the new, but stick with it. It grows on you quickly, and it serves the material very well. And the writing is fantastic. It has the same tonality as the original, but brings it a bit more up to speed for modern times. Though don't worry. It's not bogged down by needless references or contrived self-aware meta-humor. It's very much just geared towards things children in this day and age will understand. There's a bit more gadgetry at play, passing nods to modern popular culture, a few jokes about current trends and that sort-of thing. But its never to the detriment of the series, and it's always in the service of the story or world-building.

Over the past few days, I've watched the first six episodes, and I have to say... I'll probably keep watching. I adored the original run of the series growing up and was constantly viewing reruns and video-taped episodes on a daily basis. And now, a beloved part of my childhood has returned, as good as it ever was. Though there will sadly always be doubters and those who can't let go of the past and embrace the future, I would highly recommend the new "DuckTales" to open-minded fans old and new alike! It really is as good as the original in every single way. And it easily earns a perfect 10 out of 10 from me! Woo-oo!

Looking at the kid's cartoon of the 1980's, I believe that this website lists "DuckTales" as having the highest score of any cartoon of the entire decade and looking back, I certainly agree. I remember owning VHS tapes of the original show when I was really little. I recall seeing the new intro for the show which fortunately kept the same theme song which is among the catchiest of all time. The animation style is all brand new but it's still authentic to the original series. Having seen just the first two episodes, I'm blown away at how amazing they are. Thank you, Disney XD for another great show!

If "Star Vs. The Forces Of Evil" was the next "Gravity Falls", is this the next "Star Vs."? This may in fact be even better than the original. In the original, the character Webigail wasn't really that interesting. She wasn't bad, she was more like a stereotypical little girl. This version, on the other hand is way smarter and is an action girl all the way! Thank you for improving this character! We even get more screen time with Donald Duck which was oddly lacking from the original show a lot. We even get some new villains or henchman of Flintheart Glomgold.

My only complaint is that Huey, Dewey, and Louie's voices are a bit too mature. We even get shout outs to locations in other Disney cartoons from around the same time period. A new universe they're creating, perhaps? I just love all the constant movements and action. They're not doing that much to make the show relevant again by changing any personalities and it's working perfectly! Everyone is in character or better than they were before and I see the beginning of an awesome show! ****

Even though I've only seen 10 episodes of the original series, I really enjoyed watching them. So when watching this reboot I did have high expectations unlike everyone else, and I was also afraid that it might suck badly because most reboots in recent years have been borderline trash. This reboot is not trash, not even close. It stays faithful to the original series, has great writing, and the jokes constantly hit. I've seen a few people complain about the art style and honestly, it's actually really good and fits well with the new comic book style the series is taking. The voice acting is better than the original (although Alan Young as Scrooge in the original is still brilliant) and I love David Tennant as Scrooge. He fits the character so well and does such a great job. Even though we only have two episodes so far, they are two episodes that I adored and I'm pretty sure fans of the original series will love this just as much, if not more than the original. The animation is gorgeous as well. It isn't choppy and is actually really fluid and the original Pac-Man shaped black eyes for the pupils are a very nice touch. Overall, this is a great reboot and you should watch it right now. Great job all around, can't wait for new episodes!

When my kids were little, there were some really good cartoons that I enjoyed watching with them, such as "Pinky and the Brain", "Animaniacs" and "Freakazoid". Watching these cartoons with them wasn't a chore like it was when they watched the likes of "Muppet Babies" (uggh!!) and many of the more insipid cartoons. Why do I mention this? Because I see the reboot of "DuckTales" to be similar...a cartoon that adults AND kids can both enjoy. This is because the show is exquisitely well written--with many clever references to various Disney shows and some very intelligently written plots. I particularly love seeing the Glomgold episodes...especially the one where he took over the show (complete with his own theme song). Overall, a clever and fun show...and one you should try to get your kids interested in seeing, as otherwise you might have to watch it alone.

Ducktales reminds me what I want my life to be like, adventure and family! It's fun, and my whole family adores it. We always tune in for new episodes.