Quackarooni! It's Ducktales on DVD!

I can't tell you how excited I was when I originally heard that Disney was going to release this series on DVD. This was without a doubt one of those shows that just begged for a box set and thankfully there was enough interest in the franchise to put it out on the market. Ducktales was the best that Disney had to offer for TV back in the 80s and it really raised the bar and paved the way for future animated series.

The show originally aired its first episode in September of 1987, ran for a total of 100 episodes and had its own theatrically released movie. Ducktales represented a change in pace for the way that Disney produced their animated TV series and the studio took a gamble on increasing the budget. Fortunately the gambit paid off and the quality animation, story telling, and overall production values made the show an instant success. I suppose it also helped to have some familiar characters added into the mix.

In the quant metropolis of Duckburg, Scrooge McDuck finds himself living with his vast fortune and his grandnephews Huey, Dewey and Louie. The boys were staying with Donald, but being the sailor that he is, he decided to join the navy and see the world. Each of these characters had been Disney staples for a long time, though the show doesn't run on familiar faces alone. There are quite a few characters that were introduced when Ducktalesaired that helped add depth to the concept and gave the McDuck universe some fresh material.

Scrooge and the boys live in a large mansion, so obviously they can't take care of everything themselves. Mrs. Bentina Beakley is the nanny and Duckworth is the butler, but they add much more to the show than just being space filler. Other new additions to Ducktales included Beakley's granddaughter Webby Vanderquack, Scrooge's personal pilot Launchpad McQuack, and Doofus Drake. In the sets to come we'll be introduced to more characters like Gizmo Duck and Bubba the Caveduck, but for this review we're focusing on the first selection of episodes for the show.

Several characters from Carl Bark's original comics also make appearances on Ducktales. Some fans may have never realized that the show was based strongly on comics from the 1940s. Many characters like Gyro Gearloose, Magica De Spell, Flintheart Glomgold and the Beagle Boys had actually been around for nearly half a century before the cartoon found its way onto the airwaves. Some things may have changed in order to make the transition to the television, but there is definitely a rich history surrounding the characters.

This collection that has just been released by Disney offers up the originally airing episodes on three discs, but diehard fans may recognize that something is missing. "Treasure of the Golden Suns" was actually the first arc that started the show and when it originally aired it was broken down into a five episode adventure. It set up the series and introduced the basic idea of the show and how the nephews came to be living with Scrooge. It's a little strange that it is absent from this set, but what follows are the subsequent 27 episodes.

There isn't a whole lot of continuity between the episodes, so branching story arcs are a rare thing. For the most part each episode is broken down into a stand alone adventure where everyone stops the bad guy, makes a discovery and has a few laughs along the way. It's a lighthearted show that at times has an appropriate amount of sentiment and many times there is often a moral to the story.

I have to say that it has been a long time since I have been able to watch Ducktales. I don't think I have seen the show since it originally aired aside a few scattered reruns here and there. While I don't recall many of these episodes, there are some here that are absolute classics. What's most surprising to me is how well the quality of the series withstood the test of time. Often when you go back to look at a show from your childhood you'll walk away with a feeling of embarrassment or thinking "I can't believe I used to watch that". That show isn't Ducktales, because the series is every bit as good today as it was 18 years ago.

Some of the episodes I remembered most fondly are available here. "Master of the Djinni" was easily one of my favorites both when the show originally aired and now. The episode features Scrooge and his arch nemesis Glomgold in a race to nab Aladdin's lamp before the other does. Once the genie is out of the bottle though they both get more than they bargained for when they are sent back in time to the days of the Arabian nights.

Another gem from this box set is "Where No Duck Has Gone Before" which is a blatant spoof of Star Trek. Scrooge invests some cash in a movie studio, but instead of getting a refund he winds up with the deed and title. His first mission is to have Gyro build a realistic set for a show featuring Major Courage's journey through space. The only problem is that Gyro built a real ship that launches into space. Fortunately, even though Huey, Dewey and Louie are on board, Launchpad is there as well, so at least someone can (kind of) fly the thing.

There really wasn't a bad episode among the bunch, and like I said, the show is every bit as endearing now as it was when it was first broadcast. I for one am pleased to see Ducktales being released, though I'd like to have "Treasure of the Golden Suns" at some point on DVD.

Ducktales is presented with three thin cases, each with a nine episode disc enclosed. The packaging artwork is mediocre, though I thought it was smart to color code the individual cases by Huey, Dewey and Louie's colors. The DVD menus are rather boring and uninspired, though I did appreciate the ability to skip chapters and the opening animation.

Originally broadcast in 1987, the Ducktales Season 1 DVD set is presented with a 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. For a series that saw production nearly two decades ago, the print has been kept in fairly good condition. It may not be a technical marvel like more current animated series, but the restoration of the image translates well to DVD. There are a few moments where the image goes a little soft and in many cases there is a fine layer of grain, but I didn't really catch any major aliasing or edge enhancement. It is not the best looking image in the world, but it is quite better than those old VHS tapes lying around in the closet and acceptable under today's scrutiny.

Much like the image quality, the audio is reminiscent of a television show from the 80s. That means you can expect to listen to the show with a flat mono soundtrack that does little to impress audibly. The show sounded as good as I remembered with some terrific voice acting and music, but since it comes across with no directionality it can't really compete with today's current titles. Fortunately I didn't encounter any distortion or flaw with the transfer and even the English subtitles are very accurate.

Poor Scrooge must have spent all of his money on just getting the DVD set released, because there is absolutely nothing available on any of the three discs that could be called bonus material. Something regarding the creation of the show or a documentary about Carl Barks would have been definitely appreciated, but we unfortunately get left out in the dark.

Ducktales is easily one of my favorite animated TV shows of all time, so naturally I am very pleased that it's on DVD. The 27 episodes here are all highly entertaining and even by today's quality standards they remain fresh and original. I am confused (and a little disappointed) by the decision not to include the "Treasure of the Golden Suns" story arc, and even though it starts off the series, it's not entirely crucial to see it to understand what's going on.

The image and sound quality is very good for a show of this age, but pales in comparison to many DVDs on the market these days. No bonus material is also kind of a bummer, so fans looking for a more personal touch to their collection will be out of luck. Ducktales is a perfect example of a show that doesn't need to use violence or adult humor to be entertaining for viewers of all ages. In its day it was an intelligent show with a great sense of adventure that wasn't afraid to take risks. Whether you were a fan of the series or just never got the chance to watch it, I recommend picking up this box set.

Check out more of my reviews here. Head on over to my anime blog as well for random musings and reviews of anime, manga, and stuff from Japan!