EPISODES 71-80
71.
Mutancy on the Bouncey Episode 89 November 21, 1992 Animation: Hanho Heung-Up Co., Ltd. Gosalyn, as a school news reporter, is investigating the connection between fighting mutants Cement Head and the Rubber Chicken. She wants to know of their exact connection to businessman Swenlin Swine, whom the Rubber Chicken seems to be targeting with destruction of his property. A play on comic book mutants such as the X-Men. As with those comics, the episode is about how you should not judge and generalise those who appear to be different to you. The central twist is very well set up and handled. The anxious and elasticated Rubber Chicken is a great character, like a fun mix of Cuckoo Man and Rope Man from Ralph Bakshi's The Mighty Heroes. There are some delightful comic panel montages explaining the origins of the various mutant characters. These include one where we see Rubber Chicken’s family photo, with a framed picture of a cooked chicken behind them. The episode ends with a great team of mutants assembled to help Rubber Chicken face Cement Head: Banana Boy, Glue Girl and The Amazing Sneeze Master. Ultimately, their presence is pointless, but their assembly as a team is great fun to watch. Swenlin Swine's father is revealed to have been the "great actor" Marlon Hambone, dressed as a pig version of The Godfather character Don Corleone (who was of course performed by Marlon Brando). As was standard with the ABC season 2 episodes, a lot of important story information is delivered in very quickly spoken dialogue as opposed to visually. Given the school reporter newspaper framing device, which is never paid off, it makes for even more dialogue. Also, typical of ABC Season 2, any moments visualising on screen text (for example on newspapers) are not legible, even in close up. 72.
Whirled History Episode 58 May 1992 Animation: Wang Film Productions Co. Ltd. Gosalyn has a history homework assignment due for the next day, but has been wasting her time watching TV hero Astroduck fight the Cosmic Overlord. She falls asleep in her school book, and teams up with Astroduck (who now heavily resembles Honker Muddlefoot) to discover the fountain of knowledge across time. Gosalyn learns there’s no shortcut to achieving knowledge. It is fun to watch Darkwing, Launchpad and the Muddlefoots role-playing the various characters across time. We see them portray historical figures such as Leif Erikson, Marco Polo, Dr David Livingstone and Robert Peary. The episode has an inventive framing device with clever transitions between the various stories, advanced by Gosalyn sleepwalking. There is a standard sequence in which Gosalyn walks blind across a construction site, then a walk atop a train and a scrapyard that are all very well executed. Similarly to episode Comic Book Capers, Megavolt becomes embroiled in the adventure. As with that other episode, he also becomes the villain, this time in the guise of Cosmic Overlord, in the story within the story. AstroDuck, Prince off the Universe, is a fun melding of Astroboy by way of 1950s Japanese superhero Prince of the Universe. There is a running joke with Christopher Columbus turning up and christening the wrong country, culminating with the moon. 73.
Disguise the Limit Episode 38 November 26, 1991 Animation: Sunwoo Animation Crimes are being committed across the city by Negaduck in Darkwing’s name. With a $1 million reward being offered by the St. Canard mayor, SHUSH uses Dr. Sarah Bellum’s Molecumorphic disguise array machine to help change his appearance. However, it turns him into a temporary clone of whatever subject he is looking at. Perhaps one of the closest times Darkwing Duck got to emulating the relentless, Looney Tunes shorts style of humour. The gags escalate fast and furiously, more as a series of short form comedy impressions than as a long form narrative. The voice talents of Jim Cummings exceed themselves in mimicking many of the shows characters, including variations of some he usually voices himself. At one point, the episode incorporates the influence of consumer branding into the story. The first time is when Launchpad and Darkwing as Launchpad sing the Hamburger Hippo jingle. The second time Darkwing turns into canned fish mascot Wacky Mackerel, and recites his slogan. Curiously, Wacky Mackerel is a parody of Starkist’s then discontinued mascot, Charlie the Tuna. This idea isn’t explored further. There is a bold moment of political humour that is especially uncharacteristic of Disney. An angry mob of people hold shotguns to Darkwing in the street. He then casually remarks how he wished he had voted for gun control. At the time this was within five years of the Firearm Owners Protection Act. Cleverly, once Darkwing explains his transformative situation to Gosalyn and Launchpad, our expectations are treated to a very well executed twist, involving a dog whom they cross paths with. Some of the many great gags include a Mr. Potatohead style visual simulation when Sarah Bellum demonstrates the Molecumorphic disguiser Ray. Another involves a Looney Tunes style showdown of escalating oneupmanship between Darkwing and Negaduck, in which warheads and an aircraft carrier are eventually brought out. A great moment has Darkwing morph into Launchpad, only to impulsively fly off at maximum speed across St. Canard in the Thunderquack, before transforming back into a terrified Darkwing. There is a beautiful visual of Negaduck stood atop a building in the opening. Oddly, along with episode Ghoul of My Dreams, the image quality is quite murky. It appears to have been sourced from a duplicate film negative. 74.
Steerminator Episode 83 October 10, 1992 Animation: Hanho Heung-Up Co., Ltd. FOWL, under the supervision of Steelbeak, creates a cyborg body for the recovered remains of Taurus Bulba. They intend for him to be their finest agent. Bulba escapes from FOWL and Steelbeak, and spots Darkwing Duck, who is now using a wheelchair following a recent skiing accident. Remembering his nemesis and the events of their previous encounter, Bulba heads to capture Darkwing’s weakness: Gosalyn. There are some truly breathtaking, monochromatic views of St. Canard against a dark, stormy looking sky. Refreshingly, this setting at times feels more Don Bluth than Disney. An ominous backdrop for what promises to be an epic follow up to Darkly Dawns the Duck; the climax of all climaxes. It is even complete with a Sherlock/Moriarty style finale on an overlooking waterfall. Fittingly, a couple of moments have the Thunderquack circling the St. Canard Tower, much like the balloon chase around Nelson's column from Disney's Sherlock inspired The Great Mouse Detective. Darkwing Duck creator Tad Stones had told me this resemblance wasn't actually intentional; the series already had an homage to that film, with the statue of Basil in Drake Mallard's living room. With FOWL, Steelbeak and Taurus Bulba, as well as an appearance by J. Gander Hoooter, Steerminator promises a lot. The episode hints at how this will be about turning a disadvantage into a strength, but then becomes about breaking trust to protect those whom you love. It doesn’t really focus on either. Darkwing’s skiing accident happens off screen, prior to the events of this episode. He appears in a wheelchair and we are introduced to his new but unfinished mini-tank called the Hoverquack, which hints at assistive technology to rival Bulba's new cyborg form. The Hoverquack fits the duck faced branding of Darkwing's other vehicles (The Thunderquack and The Ratcatcher), yet it's introduced as new equipment ordered by Darkwing from SHUSH. We never get to see Darkwing use it properly, or discover its precise function. Instead, Gosalyn and Honker take it for a brief spin, where it fires a cannonball of confetti and a few laser beams. Unlike episode Duck Blind, Darkwing’s temporary condition here is inconsequential. Despite becoming a new wheelchair user, he is the most athletic and agile character in the episode, performing acrobatics and able to travel over any of the mostly mountainous terrain, without question. Stealbeak disappears 6 minutes into the episode and does not reappear. Aside from the sombre atmosphere, the tone is quite dissimilar to Darkly Dawns the Duck. One joke has Bulba engaging in bullfighting on all fours and another has him sliding on a banana peel. Brief archive footage from Darkly Dawns the Duck is used to recall the events of that episode and allow Bulba to remember Gosalyn’s involvement in a flashback. Curiously, the Hoverduck also contains a selection of coloured buttons, similar to the Waddlemeyer Ramrod from that episode. The two are not tied together in this, nor is there reference to the colour lullaby. 75.
It's a Wonderful Leaf Episode 41 December 23, 1991 Animation: Sunwoo Animation Shocked by the mean spirit of Christmas shopping, Bushroot brings an army of Christmas trees alive to bring misery to the holidays via Operation: Bah, Humbug. At the same time, Gosalyn is eager to open her presents before Christmas morning. This episode does a great job of contrasting mean-spirited, seasonal consumerism with the pure spirit of Christmas. Early on, the monstrous mob of consumers call Bushroot a monster and chase him with torches and garden tools as pitch forks. Ultimately however, he is driven to become, uncharacteristically, a maker of misery. The selfish citizens of St. Canard are seen as victims, rather than responsible for their self-centred actions. It is only Gosalyn who learns that giving and sharing is better than receiving. The chase scene involving the Ratcatcher adapted as a Ski-doo, pulling Darkwing and Launchpad atop a novelty Santa sleigh decoration, is a thrilling sequence. The Shopping Mall and street settings, drenched in gaudy decorations, help create a truly authentic Christmas experience. The episode also opens with a spectacular greeting card style title card. Cleverly, the episode focuses on Christmas as an event and not the existence of Santa Claus. This makes for a very satisfying coda. 76.
Hot Spells Episode 86 October 31, 1992 Animation: Sunwoo Animation Morgana is asked to present a groundbreaking paper at the supernatural Eldritch Academy. Her family as well as Darkwing and Gosalyn are in attendance. Gosalyn is interested to learn magic, and the evil Bezelbub, posing as a janitor, introduces her to a forbidden book of spells, with a plan to take advantage of her and capture Darkwing Duck. The infamous “banned” episode; it was not broadcast after its initial release and wasn’t included on DVD or the Disney Plus streaming service in the UK or USA. The controversy may have concerned Gosalyn unknowingly selling Darkwing’s soul to devil-substitute Beezlebub, who was by now a recurring character on the show. It also contains a scene transition of dripping blood, as well as Darkwing hung by his feet in a gallows noose. The episodes central theme is solid: We need hard work to achieve things and these can’t be quickly cheated without a cost. However, Morgana’s paper happens entirely off camera, in a tiny room, as this is Gosalyn’s episode. The set up is slow with a lot of exposition, and the stakes aren’t raised until three quarters in with a twist. There are some great moments, including Beezelbub, bored and looking to pass the time, viewing an image of a politician and saying “Politics? No, not enough challenge”. Another is a running joke in which whenever the words “Library of forbidden spells” are spoken, the music swells in horrific fashion. The gates of fire are impressively rendered, and raise from the ground like Chernabog from the Night on Bald Mountain segment of Fantasia. Another wonderful moment inspired by that film features an unexpected cameo by the broomsticks from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Bezelbub screams them off the screen, disappointed in their desire to clean windows. When Darkwing is taken through the gates of fire into the pit, we see a sofa with a devil version of Herb Muddlefoot, watching Pelicans island for all eternity. It recalls the inverted brilliance of Life the Negaverse and Everything. There are lots of great ideas, but only enough episode time to develop one. Early on we are promised patriarchal rivalry between Morgana’s father and Drake over each other’s daughter. The plot ends abruptly with a scene transition to the protagonists stood outside the academy grounds. 77.
Easy Come, Easy Grows Episode 12 September 20, 1991 Animation: Sunwoo Animation Money vaults are disappearing throughout St. Canard. Gosalyn happens upon a money growing tree, which she takes advantage of. Eventually Drake catches on and greed gets the better of him too, before they realise that the money tree isn’t what it seems. A simple episode centred around the evils of materialism and greed. For fans of the show familiar with the cast, the plant themed subject matter points to the villain obviously being Bushroot, but he is not mentioned and does not appear until over two thirds into the episode. Easy Come, Easy Grows has two particular highlights: A subplot, involving Herb Muddlefoot anxiously hiding money in his garden, unknown to wife Binkie. It is also especially entertaining to watch Drake Mallard reduced to a cackling miser with an evil laugh, who then indulges in expensive and bad taste. His entrance in a limosine with a red carpet is the episode highlight, as is his fashionable suit and “Gucci-Gu” keyring. Another great visual gag has Herb Muddlefoot hiding behind a stick thin tree trunk, and being totally obscured. There are some fun surreal visuals, such as Gosalyn’s piggy bank made mobile by the vine like fake money. The puns are smart too, especially a scene involving a policeman, investigating the counterfeit currency. Herb Muddlefoots burying his money in his garden soil whilst Binkie waters the ground makes for a very funny set piece. The set up with the counterfeit money tree is also intriguing. Grown in Drake’s garage with artificial light, it appears similar to a cannabis tree. 78.
The Incredible Bulk Episode 45 February 12, 1992 Animation: Sunwoo Animation Bushroot uses a new fertiliser that makes flowers grow into giant, muscular creatures. They prove too much of a challenge for Darkwing, who then tries to gain strength, and uses the fertiliser for himself which gives him an overly muscular form. However, Honker warns it is highly unstable. Darkwing summarises the lesson here: brains win over braun. However, with his use of the fertiliser on himself, it becomes more about how hard work and knowledge create results, and that there are no shortcuts. Honker’s laboratory rats, turning from bodybuilders to abnormal shapes, are clever visual aids for the audience. A lot of time is spent in a tea factory, run by two Brits in white coats: one a Victorian gentleman with a monocle, the other has a Beatles haircut and a Liverpudlian accent. The finale, in the city park, in which an oversized Darkwing battles an oversized flower, is very entertaining and executed with a tremendous sense of scale. The closing image is enjoyably surreal. 79.
Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlatan Episode 15 September 25, 1991 Animation: Sunwoo Animation Tuskernini has become a reformed filmmaker, directing movies for mogul A. F. Errett. After a mysterious on-set accident, Darkwing decides to investigate A. F. Errett Studios, where a phantom has been sighted. An episode with much cinema send up, including a thespian character named Gloria Swansong. A real superhero second guessing the filming of a superhero movie is an amusing notion. There’s a fun exposition montage where Launchpad and Darkwing perform in a period romance, a boxing movie and a swashbuckler, whilst they simultaneously exchange information about the case. The Agatha Christie style summary of events through flashback is very entertaining. The Phantom, in it’s multiple, masked guises, makes for great play on Scooby Doo style mystery. However, this secondary villain isn’t seen or mentioned until halfway into the episode. The elaborate, surprise twist is pure whodunnit, although it has nothing to do with Tuskernini’s plot to take over the oil-rich studio grounds. 80.
My Valentine Ghoul Episode 46 February 14, 1992 Animation: Sunwoo Animation During a valentine date with the now reformed criminal Morgana, Darkwing’s mind is preoccupied with the disappearance of diamonds across St. Canard. When Morgana offers to help him with the case, Darkwing tells her that people never really change. This causes upset, which jewel thieving Negaduck takes advantage of, pretending to be a reformed maker of valentine candy. Morgana then invites Negaduck to her next date with Darkwing. Darkwing’s relationship with Morgana has evolved from episodes Fungus Amongus and Ghoul of My Dreams. The episode asks an interesting question about whether people can reform and change from their bad ways. The episode has great potential for a fun love triangle between Darkwing, Morgana and Negaduck, especially as the villain is a largely indistinguishable, negative clone of Darkwing himself. However, this isn’t explored and the episode instead mixes two tonally different genres: a love potion romance with a straight forward jewel smuggling plot. The latter is also an uncharacteristically creative and quiet crime for Negaduck. There is a lot of dialogue in the episode over action. We also know from the start that the villain is just playing along to take advantage of Morgana. Gosalyn is also present in the episode, chiefly to create a love potion from Morgana’s “Quackranomicon” spell book. However, the character is a highlight of the episode; an anthropomorphised book with a voice reminiscent of classic Disney actor Ed Wynn . The most interesting locations are a graveyard that hosts a date with a tentacled egg yolk meal, and a carnival with a tunnel of love. There is a great moment where Darkwing, under the spell of a love potion, literally jumps off a cliff at Negaduck's request. |