“DuckTales: Destination Adventure!” DVD – Maggie’s Thoughts
On DVD today is “DuckTales: Destination Adventure!“, collecting six episodes from the first season of the 2017 reboot of the classic Disney cartoon. Added to the classic trio of Huey, Dewey and Louie is Webby Vanderquack, a capable but awkward friend of the brothers. This collection is a selection from the first season, including episodes 4 and 8-12, as well as a bonus of two classic “DuckTales” episodes: “New Gizmo-Kids on the Block” and “Ducky Mountain High.”
First in the collection is “The Beagle Birthday Massacre!” where Webby, abandoned by the brothers for their own adventure, joins her new hip duck friend in crashing a beagle birthday party. This is the only episode taking place in the Ducks’ home of Duckburg.
In “The Living Mummies of Toth-Ra,” Huey, Dewie, Louie and Scrooge (voice by David Tenant) explore the pyramid of Toth-Ra, guarded by locals who dress as mummies to protect his tomb. When the crew is separated from each other, they encounter the Pharaoh Toth-Ra (voiced by Bassem Youssef, also known as Egypt’s Jon Stewart).
Next is “The Impossible Summit of Mt. Neverest!” where Scrooge, Huey, Dewie, Louie, Webby and Launchpad spend Christmas attempting to finish a climb Scrooge McDuck failed at 75 years before.
“The Spear of Selene!” provides the most backstory for the family. While visiting Ithaquack, the Greek island of the Gods, the Ducks search for a clue to their mother’s disappearance.
The Ducks return to Scrooge’s homeland in “The Missing Links of Moorshire,” where they compete in a golf tournament sabotaged by ancient spirits, spooky mists and devious kelpies.
Finally, in “Beware the B.U.D.D.Y. System,” Darkwing Duck makes his return (the likely reason for why this episode, which aired as the 11th in the season, is placed after the 12th on the DVD). The episode deals with self-driving cars and advanced technology, and features Lin Manuel Miranda as the voice of Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera aka Gizmoduck.
This show is a real delight. This show reboots the show with nostalgic warmth and fresh humor. The dialogue is consistently and casually funny, with modern banter that can be enjoyed by children and adults. As an added bonus for adult viewers, since the original “DuckTales” was a favorite of the generation, this show has a lot more notable voice guest stars than expected for a Disney XD show. The sole bonus features on the DVD are two classic episodes from the shows original run, a nice addition since finding the series on DVD or streaming is a little tricky.
“DuckTales: Destination Adventure!” is a worthwhile purchase for any kids who are already fans of the show, for young adults seeking a fresh spin on a childhood favorite, or for parents looking for a show for both them and the kids.
