Darkwing Duck Volume Two and The Empire Strikes Back Reviews (Spoilers)

[matt_zimmer]

Darkwing Duck Volume Two:

It's true that Darkwing Duck hasn't aged well. I think the reason it was so highly regarded among fans and kids during the nineties was because a LOT of cartoons in the eighties were dreck and Darkwing is DEFINITELY a step up in quality than most of them. But considering it was followed by great cartoons like Gargoyles, BTAS, Pinky and the Brain, Futurama, King of the Hill and ESPECIALLY Golden Age Simpsons in the early and mid-nineties it simply pales in comparison to them.

That said, I was a teenager when Darkwing premiered so I had no real problem being able to be objective and realize it's failures at the time. I knew going in that this particular set contained the best episodes of the show's run and I remembered correctly. I'm going to review the episodes. Keep in mind that I review each different TV show by it's own standards so a ***** of Darkwing is approximately say, a *** of Buffy. Keep that in mind if you watch the set and think the grades are too high. Set overall: ***.

All's Fahranheit in Love and War: Awful episode. Simply awful. Unappealing villain, lame jokes, cruddy animation and witless story. Not good. 1/2.

Whiffle While You Work: This episode is pretty overrated among the fanbase in my opinion but then I've always found Quackerjack annoying. The Kennedy Cartoons animation doesn't help much. **1/2.

Ghoul of My Dreams: Intriuging set-up is botched by bland animation, a boring story and a cheat ending. **.

Adopt-a-Con: Decent episode but that's probably because I find Kenneth Mars as Tuskernini amusing. ***.

Toys Czar Us: Probably the best Quackerjack solo ep but that's because the animation is pretty swell more than it's a good story. Some of the jokes are funny though. ***.

The Secret Origins of Darkwing Duck: Okay, some of the jokes are obvious and lame but I really like the fact that Darkwing was the kind of show that wasn't afraid to do a random out of continuity episode for absolutely no reason other than that it was funny. ***1/2.

Up, Up, and Awry: Not the best episode but I have always liked Megavolt and despite my protestations that Gizmoduck was a disaster on DuckTales I really like how he was used as Superman to Darkwing's Batman on this show. ***1/2.

Life, the Negaverse, and Everything: Considered by most of the fanbase to be the best episode of the show. THAT may be going a bit overboard though it IS really good. The Negaverse was a cool concept but I'm bummed they never returned to it on the series. I'm equally bummed how they never explained the differences between the Negaduck on the Disney Afternoon from the Negaduck from the Negaduck episode on ABC. Good episode though. ****1/2.

Dry Hard: The best Kennedy Cartoons animation the show has ever done in my book. The only solo Liquidator episode is somewhat ruined by Darkwing's callous behavior towards him almost offing Buddy Flood and turning him into the Liquidator. But Gosalyn's lemonade scheme is pretty cute. ***1/2.

Heavy Mental: Fun animation and funny Launchpad stuff. And this is the only Disney cartoon I've seen with a brain that explodes on-screen. Gross. ***1/2.

Disguise the Limit: Pedestrian episode. The power of Darkwing turning into other people doesn't even make any sense. And Jim Cummings does a LOUSY Gosalyn. **.

Planet of the Capes: The second and last Comet Guy episode isn't as good as the first because despite a funny concept the gags are old hat, the animation bland, and the ending abrupt. **1/2.

Darkwing Dubloon: I've heard this called by fans the absolute worst episode of Darkwing but it's not even in the bottom twenty. Yeah, Stegmutt is annoying but at least he doesn't say much. It's just pretty ordinary, not bad. **1/2.

It's a Wonderful Leaf: As the Christmas Special this episode should have been MUCH better but it wasn't. **1/2.

Twitching Channels: Meta-Darkwing! Lots of fun, self-referencial jokes (I loved the kid asking Darkwing how Drake Mallard pays his bills) with a lot of cool inside gags. The concept of Darkwing going into OUR universe and the helmet that picks up universal frequencies was great as was the Rescue Rangers voice-over cameo. ****.

Dances With Bigfoot: This was my favorite episode back in the day and it still is. Not a particularly imaginative story or great animation, but the episode simply contains the funniest jokes of the entire series, one right after another. Excellent. *****.

Twin Beaks: Yeah, I know it was the early ninties but name ONE other cartoon back then actually doing a pretty faithful Twin Peaks parody. Add in the references to The Far Side and Fantasia and you have yourself a keeper. *****.

The Incredible Bulk: Not that good, but I don't think Bushroot really works as a villain in the first place. His heart is just not in it and you can tell. **1/2.

My Valentine Ghoul: Silly episode with some cute gags but not much else in it to recommend. **1/2.

Dead Duck: Marty Ingles as the Devil is funny but it's Tony Jay as Death who steals the episode. I felt kind of ripped off by the "It was all a dream" resolution until that closing shot of the Devil in the oven. Every time I see that episode I try to do that wiggle thing with my fingers too. ****1/2.

A Duck By Any Other Name: Some funny bits but the episode never really paid off Launchpad being mistaken for Darkwing that well. ***.

Let's Get Respectable: St. Canard is FILLED with absolute morons and it's kind of annoying seeing Darkwing working so hard to get those nimrods' approval. The commentary on focus groups was pretty spot-on though. ***.

In Like Blunt: One of my favorite episodes from back in the day. Aside from from a cool performance from Peter Renaday as Derek Blunt the episode is notable for cameos from the Beagle Boys, Magica De Spell and Flintheart Glomgold. The fact that there was never a REAL crossover between DuckTales and Darkwing Duck is probably one of the biggest missed cartoon opportunities in the nineties. *****.

Quack of Ages: Am I the ONLY person who finds the idea that the Muddlefoots are probably in-bred REALLY creepy? **.

Time and Punishment: EASILY the most overrated episode of Darkwing of all time. The fact that the fanbase drools for this sort of thing does not speak well of them. What's wrong with it? Where to begin: The episode's dark themes are totally not in the spirit of the show and it's pretty much shown that without Gosalyn Darkwing would become a total monster. And it's NOT a Mirror Universe episode or a Justice Lords type deal, this is what would actually happen. And we are supposed to feel good at the end that Darkwarrior is unable to murder his ten-year-old daughter? Yay! Not. There are some cool things in the episode (like all of the villain cameoes in the Flashback) along with some funny Megavolt stuff but this episode truly does NOT deserve all of the acclaim heaped on it by the fans. **1/2.

Stressed to Kill: Boring episode with stupid jokes. Darkwing was supposed to have IMPROVED from the lame and unfunny jokes as it went on. Not this episode. *1/2.

The Darkwing Squad: This episode was sorely needed to show that Agent Grizzlykoff is NOT an incapable agent and that his methods work. It was a really good idea to get in a win for him especially considering how much J. Gander Hooter lovingly slobbers all over Darkwing despite his absolute incompetence. ****.


Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition:

Random thoughts:

This is the special edition that bugged me least because they didn't monkey around with enough for me to actually notice too much (with the exception of Ian MacDiarmid being the Emperor).

I loved Chewie throttling Lando and Leia egging him on.

I have to say, that this is really the only instance of the wise old counsels being completely wrong. Usually in fiction they can do no wrong but Luke going to the cloud city instead of finishing his training jeopardized NOTHING and actually turned into a net positive in the long run if only because he brought Artoo along. It was obvious in the three prequels that a LOT of Jedi ideas were misguided at least and I like that Luke actually brought BALANCE to the Force by USING his emotions but not allowing himself to be seduced by the Dark Side. If there's ANYTHING I appreciate the prequels for, it's making this obvious to the audience upon rewatches of the original trilogy. And I mostly DON'T appreciate the prequels.

I loved Han and Leia's last moments before he is frozen and I love how hard it hit her. The music in this movie was just as good as the original and perhaps even better because they used the Empire theme more.

All in all I was satisfied with the Special Edition of the movie. *****.

Comments

[style92.livejournal.com]

I liked Episode III, because it finally, clearly spelled out that the Jedi brought on their own undoing by being a bunch of dogmatic narrow-minded assholes, even if they did have good intentions. I mean, that's the crux of it all: Even Anakin as a 10 year old was "too old to train," because we finally understood that THAT meant "too old to totally brainwash." Even so, they were able to brainwash him better than luke, who truly had discernment. Anakin, caught between a Rock, (Padme's impending death,) and a hard place, (Dogmatic Jedi who'd expell him if they even knew he was in love with her, let alone married and expecting a child) had to finally reject his faith by killing the whole church. Fortunately, Luke was able to find a better solution.

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

Episode III was pretty awesome. I had problems with the prequels but episode III pretty much laid it on the line and showed that the Jedi masters were almost signing their own death warrants. That Luke going after his friends turned out to be the right thing to do and ultimately led to the redemption of Anakin shows that Obi-Wan and Yoda despite being Luke's teachers were ultimately wrong about the Force and what it would take to stop the Empire.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

I don't think comparing most of those shows to Darkwing is fair. No matter what era, some cartoons are always going to be much better than others. I think Pinky and the Brain might be the only thing in DW's League (which is better than Darkwing).

A bit about the villains. I always like Quackerjack and am still upset he never got a toy. I liked Bushroot because he's a reluctant villain, and sometimes that can be put to good use (like Blockbuster with Batman).

Life, the Negaverse, and Everything - It still bugs me they never really reconciled the Negaduck stories. What exactly did they have in mind when they first created him?

Darkwing Dubloon - I actually really like this episode. I can't hate anything with the Fearsome Five.

Dead Duck - Oh dear, it seems you've half-awakened a memory of something from my childhood. What was the finger thing? I get the feeling I used to try it all the time.

Quack of Ages - It's implied they're inbred? That is creepy.

Time and Punishment - I wouldn't call it the best episode, but I really enjoyed it because it sent shivers up my spine. Not an alternate reality, no, but remember "Brave New Metropolis". DW wasn't Justice Lords Superman, he was just like the Superman who was too late to save Lois. You also mentioned in your last entry that you liked "Future Tense". Granted, that wasn't a true future, but Lexington went through a similar transformation.

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

ALL of the cartoons I mentioned were better than Darkwing. And that's not rose-colored glasses on my part.

Life, the Negaverse and Everything: They were supposedly going to reconcile it in Darkwing's third season but the show got canceled. I was also bugged that they set Cyborg Taurus Bulba up as the new Big Bad but Darkwing never got to confront him again due to being canceled.

Quack of Ages: Stand-ins for Herb and Binkie fall in love. It's really kind of disturbing.

Time and Punishment: Disagree. STRONGLY. Darkwing isn't the kind of cartoon that's supposed to send "shivers up your spine". And In Brave New Metropolis Superman was NOT a monster, just misguided. He didn't even know half of the things Lex was doing to the people behind his back. Darkwing here is a murderous thug and it's inexcusable. And what happened to Lexington was irrelevant because as you said it wasn't real in the slightest. Time and Punishment shows an alternate future and it's made clear that Darkwing's choices were his own.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

They were better than Darkwing, but I think they were too better. Like if you compare Darkwing Duck to Futurama, poor Darkwing doesn't have a chance. There are shows closer to what Darkwing was aiming for that you can compare it with, I just think your examples are of shows that were much much better.

So they really were expecting a third season, huh? Shame. Taurus Bulba was in two episodes, right (counting the premiere as one episode)? I liked that guy.

Darkwing Duck isn't supposed to be that kind of cartoon, but the fact that they went there in "Time and Punishment" was kind of ballsy, so it should get some credit for that. Unfortunately, it's been at least ten years since I've seen the episode, so I didn't remember him being a murderous thug. I thought he just put a mandatory curfew on the city (and changed his look), which is why I said he was like BNM Superman.

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

Point taken about my comparisons.

It's such a bummer Darkwing was canceled when it was. Like Gummi Bears and Gargoyles it seemed like there was much more story to tell. Conversely Rescue Rangers and DuckTales ended at about the right time.

His idea for defacing a statue of himself was the death penalty. He almost killed Launchpad until Gosalyn talked him out of it. It was appalling.

[90scartoonman.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on those shows which seemed to have more life in them. Darkwing needed more Morgana!

Now that you mention the punishments, it seems a little too extreme. Did they actually say it or was it implied? How did Disney even get away with that?

[mattzimmer.livejournal.com]

They actually said it. It was also said that Darkwing believed minor traffic infractions and such deserved the death penalty. It was supposed to be a joke, I think but it came across as more horrifying than funny.