They're here to solve the mystery and rewrite history.
It's been almost 30 years since the world got a new episode of DuckTales but that is all about to change with this strong reboot of the series, coming to Disney XD.
DuckTales, much like the original series, follows the exploits of Scrooge McDuck (David Tennant), a retired treasure hunter and the world's richest duck. Tennant’s take on Scrooge lines up fairly with the previous version. He’s an old Scottish man in search of the thrills of his youth, which he’s able to chase with his nephews -- Huey (Danny Pudi), Dewey (Ben Schwartz) and Louie (Bobby Moynihan) -- as well as Webby (Kate Micucci), the little girl who lives in his house with her grandmother, Scrooge's maid Mrs. Beakley (Toks Olagundoye).
That voice cast has been one of the most talked about aspects about the show in the eyes of many fans, and thankfully they all work really well in their roles. Tennant leans heavily into his Scottish accent, which feels right at home for Scrooge McDuck. Meanwhile, Pudi, Schwartz and Moynihan all have distinct voices as the nephews, which fit right into the world. They have all dropped that signature Donald sound, leaving the famous Disney Duck -- voiced in the series by Tony Anselmo -- a unique sound all his own. While this is a newer and more modern DuckTales, complete with a big name cast, the heart and adventurous spirit of the original is intact.
With the distinct voices comes the way DuckTales is framing the personalities of its characters. In the original series, Scrooge's three nephews were largely interchangeable; they all looked, sounded and acted similar. While the differences in their looks are minimal in the reboot, the three all sound and act very different from one another. Huey is the planner, Louie is the optimist and Dewey is the troublemaker who shares far more personality traits with his elderly uncle than either would like to admit. Giving the three nephews their own personalities makes their interactions with anyone they come across far more entertaining and gives the opportunity to tell more detailed stories in future episodes.
Scrooge himself also went through a bit of a personality overhaul. In the old DuckTales series, he was driven, first and foremost, by money. However, Tennant’s Scrooge isn’t really searching for money. He has that. Now he’s in it for the adventure, adrenaline and the chance to discover something previously thought unfindable. Then there's Webby. In the original series, the young female duck was there, but she didn’t really play an important role. Now Webby is an adventurer in her own right that has been studying the McDuck family and is quite capable at handling herself in times of extreme peril. This shift is a smart choice for the character and one that the show benefits from; now she’s a strong and very independent little girl that’s as much of an asset as anyone else.
Another new facet is the inclusion of Donald Duck. While Donald made sporadic appearances in the first series, it looks as if he’ll be a more regular fixture this time around. He’s a welcome addition to the proceedings as it seems this iteration of the character is somewhat a voice of reason. When you have Scrooge taking his young nephews on adventures that could easily end in death, that may be exactly what DuckTales needs to keep things a bit grounded or at least to tell audiences not to try what they’re doing at home.
Still, DuckTales is not perfect. While the new personalities injected into the ducks adds a lot of depth to the characters, there are a few times when the nephews of Webby show a level of aggressiveness that was nowhere to be found in the old series. The younger ducks can be brash and loud, while Scrooge has a couple of moments in the one-hour pilot where he seems a bit mean. Some of this can be chalked up to these characters getting to know one another. However, audiences have changed in the three decades since the first DuckTales premiered. As times have changed, so has DuckTales, and the different tone should not deter you from watching.
Another significant shift is in the animation style, which shifts from hand-drawn to computer animated. To put it plainly, this show looks great. It's full of vibrant colors and moves at a nice pace -- it's quick but not too quick to appreciate all of the detail put in. While it's easy to tell this is not hand-drawn, the style does keep the show a 2D adventure, rather than aiming for something similar to the 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. Keeping the show in 2D should help to bridge the gap to those that grew up watching the first DuckTales and might now be watching it with their kids, especially given how good the animation is.
The Verdict
The new DuckTales could have been a disaster. Instead, it's introducing a brand new audience to the crazy adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews. While the new series can be brash, the spirit of the original is intact and thriving. The A+ cast, including David Tennant and Danny Pudi, brings these characters to life like never before, giving them individual personalities that will engage you in ways the original never did. As the show continues to uncover new mysteries and treasures, this is a journey fans -- whether new or not -- should be ready to take.
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