"Quack Pack" (1996) TV series 1996-1997

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Writers:

Kevin Campbell (4 episodes)
Steve Cuden (2 episodes)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

2 September 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Adventure

Plot:

This cartoon follows on from the 1980's cartoon "Ducktales", continuing the adventures of Huey, Dewey and Louie...

Plot Keywords:

Uncle | Duck | Huey Dewey And Louie | Triplets | Fictional City

Cast

Tony Anselmo	...	Donald Duck (26 episodes, 1996)
Jeannie Elias	...	Huey Duck (26 episodes, 1996)
Elizabeth Daily	...	Louie Duck (26 episodes, 1996)
Pamela Adlon	...	Dewey Duck (25 episodes, 1996)
Kath Soucie	...	Daisy Duck (21 episodes, 1996)
Roger Rose	...	Kent Powers (12 episodes, 1996)

Runtime:

30 min (39 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-Y

Company:

Walt Disney Television Animation

Trivia:

Originally to be titled "Duck Daze," hence the references to "Duck Daze" in the theme song.

Movie Connections:

Follows Sport Goofy in Soccermania (1986) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Quack Pack

A Bit Silly, but Well-Written

Quack Pack did something truly shocking and revolutionary for the world of cartooning--it allowed their characters to -age-! Huey, Dewey, and Louie are now teenagers rather than the little tow-headed tykes they've always been, and their long-suffering "Uncle D" appears to be middle-aged. Everybody has gotten a much-needed makeover, and when I say the boys are teenagers now I'm NOT kidding...they are -definitely- teenagers. As in...well, they chase girls. Constantly.

The best thing about Quack Pack, in my opinion, is how they write the main characters' personalities. They really do seem like the SAME people, only evolved. Making Donald into a frantic, and (rightfully, considering the boys) suspicious, but still very -loving-, "parent", really gives him a lot more depth. Daisy is a very modern '90s woman with some rather odd quirks, and the boys? They kick...tail-feather! Their main personality traits (Huey=the leader, Dewey=the smart one, Louie=a bit clueless, but sweet) are all much stronger now--mixed with hormones, to add a bit of extra spice to the proceedings. They now have individual "hair" styles and outfits, rather than matching...they're now their own, individual, -people-. They are emphasised as individuals first, identical triplets -second-.

Also, they don't talk or act in unison or one after the other anymore...they would rather go their own ways, and often FIGHT each other! And frankly, considering the almost saccharine cuteness of before, a bit of hot-blooded rivalry is really quite -refreshing-...

The show's other main good point is the humour--biting, sarcastic, witty, and very intelligent, containing even references to classic literature and so forth that I'm sure the little kids in the -ostensible- target audience would NOT get. (Example: In one quick "throw-away" line, Huey paraphrased George Orwell's "1984".) No, this show is--as were DuckTales and Darkwing Duck--written BY adults, FOR adults. It just happens to be G-rated enough so that little kids can come and play if they -want- to...It may be a cartoon, and it may even be Disney. But it is NOT kiddie-fied or dumbed down...

Quack Pack's WORST points are that it's rather silly, and often the plots make little or no sense, stuff just basically...happens. Also, this show is hard to fit into the continuity of DuckTales, even though it -claims- to follow it. There are humans everywhere in Duckburg...though they weren't there before...and they're drawn VERY exaggerated, which makes it hard to suspend my disbelief. However, Quack Pack doesn't care, it has the flippant attitude of: "Hey. It's a cartoon. That means we can do ANYTHING WE WANT! BWAHAHAHA!"

Despite the silliness and slapstick, however, the show is rather more adult than you'd expect. Between the intellectual humour, the boys' obvious lusting after any female who crosses their paths, Donald's very real parenting concerns, and some (implied) rather nasty violence occasionally, this show has an...-edge- to it, a bite, that's unusual for a "children's cartoon".

From the very first ripping electric guitar chord of the theme song, to the very last biting, sarcastic, intelligent quip, Quack Pack SCREAMS one consistent message at the viewer:

THIS AIN'T YOUR FATHER'S DISNEY! ...and sometimes, that's a -good- thing. :)