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Nothing to Fear
Reviewed: 10/25/2009
Except for Richard Merwin writing this episode.
Knowing Richard Merwins' attempts to write homages to Scooby Doo; and trying to hide himself behind a ghost writer name, I'm not exactly trilled by the appearance of this episode. Nevertheless; we are at the end of disc one and I must go on. So let's rant on shall we...?!
This episode is written by Richard Merwin, Tedd Anasti and Patsy Cameron. The story is edited by Tedd Anasti and Pasty Cameron.
We begin this one with the STOCK FOOTAGE OF DOOM and zoom in to a far shot of Louie opening the window and saying Quackeroonie in seven seconds flat; a new record for that mark. We finally go to the close up shot at the window as Louie is spinning a Frisbee on his finger and thinks the weather is good for flinging it. Huey and Dewey are inside some more doing homework as it's homework weather according to them and a certain teacher named Mrs. Quackenbush (Joan Gerber) and they a report on gravity to drop on her by tomorrow morning. Eh; that sounds a little bit like teaching Mrs. Quackenbush guys. Or maybe not. Louie jumps from the window and proclaims that the best way to talk about gravity is to see if the Frisbee stays in the air for a long time. Huey and Dewey call that their kind of homework. They drop the books and grab their blue Frisbees (Um; shouldn't Louie have a green one; and Huey the red one Louie has to keep with the psychology of them being color coordinated?) and run out as we cut to Duckworth outside in the driveway washing the hood of Scrooge's limo like he usually does these days. He ducks the Frisbees as Louie grabs the red one with his foot and spins it. He then flings it into the air and catches it on the rebound. O
kay that was pretty impressive as the wind howls and the black cloud reaches Scrooge's mansion which of course is always symbolic of the destruction of friendships and allies alike. There is thunder and lightning and rain as Duckworth is still wiping the limbo (more to the point; the dollar sign coin on front) and he blows off the rainstorm. The nephews use the frisbees as a shield and run back inside. They decide to try to do their homework (I thought the Frisbees WERE part of homework?) so we cut to inside the nephews room as they play video games with Flash Mallard on the old television. Ah; you know it's the 1980's when the video games look like something from Atari. The shooting continues as the nephews cheer Louie on who has the phillac symbol...ERRRR..I mean joystick as the screen flashes red and Ducks of the Galaxy video game is underway...There was voice acting (Frank Welker) in video games? In 1987? And then the screen flashes banana yellow as the nephews cheer. I'm all for colors in video games; but banana yellow is BAD COLOR guys. Then we see a pixelized version of the hero Flash Mallard as Louie plays the role of hero, naturally. He gets to fight Commander Gander the evil pig (Weird since Gander would imply that the guy is a goose; but I guess Commander Pig is either copyrighted or too offensive even for Disney. Gander is also voiced by Frank Welker) and try to save the universe and everything else within. Louie calls it a tough job; but he's game to do it.
So we head to Scrooge's Garage as Duckworth has finally put the limo into storage to dry it off while still being pelted by rain. Call me crazy; but that raincloud hasn't moved an inch and it's clear everywhere else. Do you suppose that...? Nah; couldn't be. That would be like listening to the Worldnetdaily. We go to the close up shot and the limo begins to growl. Seriously. Duckworth is SHOCKED by this and turns around but sees nothing. Duckworth wonders if the limo was growling at him. Short answer: yes. It growls and it turns in a big ass panther (from the Jungle Book only with yellow eyes) complete with laser sound effect. It growls at Duckworth (Frank Welker, DUH!) and Duckworth turns around, panics and runs like a scalded dog stage left (Oh; the irony!). We get the Panther/Duckworth chasing sequence on the lawn to burn some time.
So we return to the pixielized Commander Gander on the television growling against a blue background and I betcha he turns real and goes through the television set to scare the nephews. I check the DVD....Not quite as the thunderclap flashes the television on the boys and they all say Quackeroonie and Disney Captions misses that! Even though they clearly yelled it in the audio. Louie claims that he has jumped straight to level 12 and damn; I'm good...Even more so; Flash Mallard is in the room too with the laser gun set on profits. Dewey blows off Louie because there is no level 12 and Louie is scared of this. Well; there is a level 12 now and it's going to be rated M for Mature for animated blood and violence if you don't get out of the room now. The nephews hide in the bunk beds as lasers are shot and they destroy a wall in the process as Huey comments on the special effects. If only they were guys....
Joey Styles: We just fixed that wall!
More laser shooting as the dressers get destroyed (along with an innocent picture of Donald Duck. You bastards!) as Dewey is hiding behind it and hopes to not get blamed for this. Short answer: You will Dewey; you will! Flash Mallard gets MURDERED into pixels of course as the nephews are screaming now. Old flash went flash. Good pun there Louie; now let's see if you are too young to fry. Commander Gander proclaims that they all lost and does his evil laugh as the nephews open the door and scream and run like scalded ducks. Hmmm..scalded ducks...SLURP! POW! OUCH! Ummm.... The door blasts open and out comes Commander Gander with laser gun. The nephews run down the stairs as they proclaims the galaxy of ducks have landed as Commander Grander continues to stalk the nephews laughing badly. He shoots and destroys the pictures proclaiming that he is going to conquer the planet of Quackeria and start with Scrooge's mansion. Ooookkkkaaayyyy. I think Richard Merwin is on some sort of illegal substance tonight. He's shooting to kill as we head to a front shot of the mansion and it's still raining hard as Doofus skips to his lou through the gates proclaiming that he's eating in the rain in singsong. Oh goody; this should be fun.
Doofus singing is so bad that it's on par with Binky's singing. Imagine those two in the same room with Drake Mallard. AHHAHAHAHAHA! BLAM! HEE HEE! Missed again Drake. YOU ARE NOT WORTHY! Doofus get onto the grass and takes out a banana. And if you cannot guess what happens to said banana then you have no business reading this rant. HEE HEE! The banana pleads for mercy (Frank Welker) as Doofus wonders who said that. Doofus showing mercy to a banana? In your dreams Hoppo. AHHAHAHAHAHA! POW! OUCH! Ummm... The banana pleads for mercy and then turns into the BLOODY THIRSTY BIG ASS BANANA OF DEATH~! Damn; I'm so good. The banana wants to eat him (Frank Welker again) as Doofus begs for mercy and swears on his bloody honor never to eat three banana splits in one day. HAHA! Now that is being so modest of him. Too bad the killer banana is not going to buy that bundle of goods Doofus.
Doofus manages to run past the banana off-screen and into the house slamming the door behind the killer banana. This is like the climax to Feats of Clay; only less offensive and a lot more creative. The killer banana wants to make him out of a banana split and Doofus foolishly answers the door asking for what kind of ice cream. HAHA! Nice to see Doofus making good use of his scare sequence. He's officially tougher than the nephews and Duckworth combined. He closes the door and runs into the first door he sees which is the book/drawing room which Scrooge often uses on casual days away from the Money Bin. Doofus hides underneath the desk as we see the nephews pop up from the inside door closing the desk shut and they ask if he's hiding from Commander Gander. Doofus claims that he's hiding from a big banana. I betcha the nephews laugh him off on that one. Duckworth arrives and sees the place full up; so he tells them that he'll be in the closet and he runs up the steps towards one of the closets and opens it to see the killer vacuum cleaner of death. Now this episode really sucks. HAHA!
Ron Sparks: It sucks more than Shaun Desmond.
Duckworth shuts the door as the killer vacuum cleaner hisses at him and Duckworth is scared stiff. So he decides to go to the hall closet and runs off. So we cut back to the gates as Scrooge is walking into the driveway as he complains about the weather as it was sunny at the bank. Now you know something is up. Scrooge runs to the front door as it is raining still; but when you have that MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH; it's always sunny. Scrooge walks in proclaiming that warmth comes from a happy home as he walks in and goes to the hall closet and opens it to see Duckworth inside. They greet; Duckworth takes his top hat and Scrooge closes the door. And then he gets the LIGHTBULB OF BLOODY CLAIRTY (complete with ding sound) and opens the closet door again. Scrooge asks why he is standing in the closet. Duckworth stammers and pulls on his bow tie telling him that there is no limo monster in here.
Scrooge closes the door and wonders about the limo monster and then recoils on that one. Scrooge then wonders if Duckworth has lost his mind as the nephews and Doofus open the door and wonder if Scrooge is here. Scrooge proclaims that he is here and the nephews breathe a sigh of relief. Doofus and the nephew explain that they though he was the killer banana and Commander Gander and the limo monster (as Duckworth comes out of the closet for a second); depending on whose mind was poisoned at the time. Now I would think that when four kids and one butler have been scared out of their wits at the same time, I would not throw this away as a mere freak event. At least not out of hand. Which I suspect Scrooge will do exactly: Dismiss it out of hand as them having a nightmare; or worse, accuse them of scaring Duckworth with their childish games. And he demands what is going on as the nephews go to show as they exit stage left (shouldn't it be stage right since the stairs are to the right?) as Doofus looks right and sees the killer banana on his case again. Doofus panics and runs away stage left.
So we cut to the hallway as Scrooge and the nephew walk towards the nephews' room. Dewey thinks Commander Gander is hiding in his room even though the Commander Gander they saw was firing on all lasers at that; so I doubt he's hiding. And I betcha Scrooge doesn't see it either. Louie tries to make it more scary and Scrooge's not buying it either as he's already dismissing it out of hand before he even enters the room. He opens the door spitting and he looks in and he is PISSED off now as the room is a mess. The nephews try to grab him so they could run but Scrooge stands his ground on this one because there is no one inside the room. Scrooge complains about the television set being turned on because of the electrical bills. Louie gets off Quackeroonie #2 for the episode after 7 ½ of Quackeroonie free action. They cannot believe that there is nothing in the room other than their usual junk. Doofus runs in and proclaims that he was probably scared off by the killer banana. You know; Baloo said killer snack in Balooest of Bluebloods so I don't see why Doofus cannot say killer banana. And I doubt that a fat pig with killing tendencies would be scared off by a monster banana anyway. Scrooge sighs as Doofus grabs Scrooge's arm and they exit stage left to go scare off the killer banana. Oh boy; this would be fun if it wasn't in Doofus' head.
So we go to the hallway (I think) as Doofus looks behind a fern plant pot which I'm sure would be murdered if it ever comes within 50 yards of Stephen Colbert. Doofus doesn't find it as Scrooge consoles him since the mind is playing tricks on him; especially with a mind like his. I cannot argue with that overwhelming logic there Scroogie. Doofus asks if he could have something to eat and Scrooge agrees to it; as long as it doesn't eat him first. And Doofus runs to the kitchen which makes little sense as that laugh should have scared Doofus away. Doofus must be really hungry for that quirk to not be used. Scrooge wonders about the imagination and then the door bell rings. So Scrooge goes to the door and chuckles as he's hoping that it's not a killer banana or a limo monster. And the door slams open and there are three bill collector dogspersons (I guessing Chuck McCann, Frank Welker, Hal Smith and/or Alan Young.) with enough late bills to drive Scrooge up a wall..And he almost does here by the way. He gets everything from checks bouncing, overdrawn accounts, late bills. Do they have the right person here?
I think they got Scrooge confused with Baloo and Baloo's Air Service. Scrooge is going to have to pay up three times fold as Scrooge runs away and hides in the closet with Duckworth. And if you want to talk about how someone is owned (Codeword: You are my bitch!) and where it came from: Start with this episode as one of the bill collectors actually states that he owns Scrooge. Duckworth turns on the light bulb inside as Scrooge orders him not to answer the door while pulling on Duckworth. So we cut to outside as Huey is knocking on the door asking for Scrooge and Scrooge orders him to go away. Wow; this is really starting to turn into a mental illness episode; and quite frankly, those episodes are not really funny anymore. Louie calls themselves their loving nephews and Doofus calls himself a loving neighbor as Scrooge comes out and of course the bill collectors are gone. Scrooge asks if he owe the nephews money and the nephews say that they don't. Huey wonders what Scrooge is talking about as Scrooge now admits that something strange is going on around these parts. And then the thunderclap beckons from inside as we do a far shot of the rainy mansion as June Foray laughs her ass off. Take one guess who is behind all this as we return to Magica's lair as she is using her crystal ball as she proclaims that they are all finding their worst fears. And it will get worse and worse as she laughs with an evil laugh of course.
So we return into the hallway as Scrooge apologizes for not believing about Commander Gander or the killer banana. Of course he still doesn't believe in the limo monster as Duckworth is reminded not to push his luck. Duckworth accepts that one and closes the closet door again. Dewey and Huey want to split up and search for clues. And now you know this is a Richard Merwin written episode when the old Scooby Doo split up to search for clues spot beckons. Sadly; we already know Magica is behind this thing well in advance (even if they don't) so it makes everything in the rest of the episode not look as good as it could be. The nephews go one way; Scrooge goes another way, Doofus gets the kitchen and Duckworth will search the closet while giving Scrooge his top hat and cane. Scrooge agrees to that and he will start with his study. He tells them that any sign of trouble; to return to Duckworth's closet as the rest of the babyfaces split up and we go to the zoom out shot of Scrooge's Mansion outside. So we logically cut back to Magica's lair as Magica has her crystal glowing red ocean and things couldn't have been any better for her. Now that I really think about it; didn't Magica try this before...In Magica's Shadow War? And that ends the segment 10 minutes in. Just an average episode thus far...
After the commercial break; we go to a close up shot of Magica's left eye and we see a shot of Scrooge's Mansion raining inside said eye and then eyes when the face shot zooms out. Okay; that is too freaky to be shown on a TV-Y episode guys. Magica proclaims that all their worst fears are coming true and there's nothing they can do. So they must run and hide when she sezs Boo. Okkkkkkaaaayyyy. So we head to the kitchen inside as Doofus walks inside and then he hears a voice mocking his weight. Doofus turns and looks at the kitchen table to see a dogperson with greasy hair, a red shirt, blue pants and sneakers flipping a coin. Doofus addresses him as Bully Beagle (Pat Musick) and I say this again: The Beagle Boys are one sick family of criminals. Bully stalks him as Doofus is scared like a bunny rabbit and pleads for him not to pick on him. Bully rolls up his sleeves proclaiming that worms like him were born to be picked on. That is one fat ass worm he's talking about. I'm guessing Mrs. Quackenbush for the nephews is next; knowing Richard Merwin. Doofus begs and pleads for mercy and Bully Beagle wants his lunch money.
Doofus actually stands up to him and no sells. So Bully wants to wring his chubby little neck. So we get the thrilling SCOOBY DOO CHASE SEQUENCE THE BULLY EDITION around the table for a while as Doofus gasps for air. They run out as Doofus gets cornered against the wall and then screams. Oh crap; Brain Cummings attempt to scream is worse than his bawling. I like Doofus; but it's clear he got the short end of the stick casting wise. So we head inside the nephews' room as Huey is on the joystick and proclaims that the video games are perfectly normal. I guess they cleaned up the room as well judging by the lack of mess on the floor now; lamp notwithstanding. They decide to unplug it and then Joan Gerber's voice beckons and Dewey addresses her as Mrs. Quackenbush in a panic as we go to the window and see a vulture furry with red hair and a purple dress blowing off the nephews for not doing their homework. You know something is truly wrong when your teacher looks like a psycho (check the eyes) and is at the window instead of AT THE DOOR. Sure; Bully Beagle broke in and entered; but at least you would expect that from him since he is a Beagle Boy after all. She looks like Satan with that look as she hates people not doing their homework. And you thought Teaching Mrs. Tingle was offensive? Louie asks who's idea was it to not do your homework. Short answer: You, Louie. Louie responds with the old logical fallacy of: You shouldn't have listened to my idea and then the nephews run away out of the room.
So we logically go to Scrooge's Study/Book/Drawing Room as Scrooge looks around for the bill collectors and finds nothing of course as the bills fly around onto the floor. And then the Money Bin Alarm of Pain beckons and now Scrooge panics because some one is in the Money Bin now. So Scrooge leaves the room as we cut to the hallway with Doofus and Bully Beagle fighting each other and Doofus managing to hang in there. I wonder if Toon Disney would cut that one out; knowing the school shootings in 1999. Scrooge opens the door on the top of the stairs which is logic break #1 for the episode since the room was supposed to be downstairs with the first door on the left. Well; it took Richard nearly 12 minutes to screw up which is good for his standards. Scrooge then blows off Doofus who is flopping on the floor like a fish out of water. HAHA! I'm calling the finish and solution to beat Magica's plan now: They huddle together and the nightmares die with them. Doofus claims that Bully Beagle is making fun of him. That's underestimating the obvious there Doofus as Scrooge proclaims that he's doing a good job of it too. Scrooge helps Doofus up and Doofus cries like a little baby because he hates it when he picks on him.
Scrooge opens the closet and asks for Duckworth to prepare the limo; but Duckworth no sells because of the limo monster see. Duckworth wants Scrooge to drive himself and he'll give up a month's salery for it. And it's Duckworth's of course as Scrooge slams the door in his face and proclaims that he'll drive it himself for free. And now Dewey runs in and proclaims that there is a really big clue. Apparently; Mrs. Quackenbush was...and Scrooge tells the nephews to fill it in during the drive to the Money Bin as we cut to the pathway towards the Money Bin and the raincloud is following them which signals that something fishy is going on. Scrooge parks the car in front of the Money Bin and tells the nephews to stay put along with Doofus as he jumps out and heads inside. Louie locks the doors for good measure as we cut to inside the vault as Scrooge runs into the office and to the vault door. Scrooge opens the combination lock and opens the vault.
He goes inside and panics like a madman because there is no MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH inside the vault. Scrooge wonders how worse it can get and of course here comes the bill collectors as they threaten to take the nephews away from him. Scrooge's reaction to it is priceless (and CONTINUITY from Magica's Shadow War) and he runs out of the vault and the Money Bin and heads into the limo. Scrooge looks in the rear view mirror and panics as the bill collectors are after him as we get the thrilling SCOOBY DOO CHASE SEQUENCE THE NIGHTMARE EDITION~! And it's like buying an Xbox 360 bundle; the nephews get Mrs. Quackenbush, Doofus gets the Bully Beagle and Scrooge gets the bill collectors as a free pack in. But none of them get all three chasing them; just their custom nightmare. To top it off; the nephews get Quackenbush throwing a basket of apples at them; Doofus gets the bully on a motorcycle throwing rocks, mud or manure at him. Quackenbush is really fit for a teacher that is a science teacher. They run towards Duckberg as all three nightmares are after them and that ends the segment 14 and a half minutes in. Wow; that was one short segment as we got eight minutes of mayhem left to give.
After the commercial break; we see the limo pull into Scrooge's Mansion as Duckworth looks out and sees the limo pulling in; so he heads back into the closet no doubt. Somehow; this is getting more disturbing as this episode wears on. Scrooge, the nephews and Doofus (who has some great difficulty) pop out of the limo and run into the house and Scrooge slams the door and locks it good. Scrooge and Huey breathe a sigh of relief as Scrooge wonders if there is some sort of explaination for this. Of course the audience knows why in advance. You know; I wish they waited until Scrooge and the nephews figured out who it was BEFORE they showed Magica Despell instead of blowing her cover for the audience about nine minutes into this thing. That would have created some real good dramatic tension here. Scrooge and the boys cannot go on like this; so Scrooge decides to let the nephews and Doofus stay in the same room along with Scrooge. So we cut to Scrooge at the window telling the boys to finish their homework while he calls the weather service to see about the storm.
We cut to inside as the nephews are at the books (almost color coordinated; Dewey's should be blue and Huey's should have Dewey's red book) and Dewey asks Scrooge to check on Doofus. And Louie tells Doofus to save some for them too. So we head to the kitchen again as Doofus fisks the fridge. Nice shadowing from the animators there. And I'm shocked that the fridge magically appeared out of nowhere too as I didn't see one in the earlier adventure in the kitchen with Doofus. Doofus goes for a banana; but then puts it back as he is off the banana diet for now. So we get the scene changer as Huey and Louie are at the books as Huey proclaims that he was always afraid Mrs. Quackenbush would get really mad at them for not doing their homework. Dewey admits that he was always afraid of Commander Gander. So this is the Face Your Fears plot line. Where have I heard that one before? Oh yeah; Magica's Shadow War (Note From The Future: no you didn't Mr. Weagle.). They wonder how someone would figure out their worst fears and turn them against them.
And then the door breaks open and here comes Scrooge looking absolutely PISSED off. Now there's a red herring for ya. Good show there Richard Merwin; even if the suspense is muted somewhat. Scrooge really does a Grade-S blow off on the nephews for being leeches because he never wanted them around and that Donald dumped them on him. Now that is good CONTINUITY from Golden Suns Episode #1. And he shatters the glass picture right at the feet of the nephews. OUCH! That is going to leave a mark. On Donald Duck. Scrooge scared them to get them out of his life and the nephews cry on cue and Scrooge blows them off on that one. OUCH! That is really, really cold of him as Scrooge does the rich greedy promo and would be richer if the nephews were gone and then he storms out. Now that was just plain nasty...
So we logically go to Scrooge's study room as Scrooge is calling on the phone informing the weather service about the rain cloud and the weather service blows him off. Scrooge puts the phone back as he hears the thunderstorm again and then looks to the stairs to see the nephews looking PISSED OFF now. Can you say red herring #2/poisoning the well #2? In a Richard Merwin written episode? Scrooge proclaims that he has figured out the who is doing this and the nephews are PISSED on that one. The nephews laugh like evildoers on speed and call Scrooge a fuddy-duddy. See; they created the rain cloud with the Junior Woodchuck chemistry set. Yeah right?! Even I'm not buying this one. At least Scrooge's blow off sounded believable. This is not however. Louie even brings out his jack knife for the special occasion as that makes two kids using knives in DTVA; the other being Kit in Louie's Last Stand. I'm still waiting for one of them to drive a steamroller. Huey proclaims that they did it to ruin his day. That is thinking way too small there lads. Louie actually vandalizes the wooden door on the far shot with his name as Scrooge cannot believe this. I cannot either as the nephews blow him off again as it was all an act just to get his money.
HOLY CRAP?! Magica just gave Kit Cloudkicker the template to turn on his family in Plunder and Lightning Part 3 with this scene; only Kit was acting on THAT. This is simply a red herring in comparison. So Len Uhley now has to pay royalty checks to Richard Merwin of all people. They get down the step and knock Scrooge right off the chair, and then grab his ankles and shake the money right out of him. Now that is quite nasty in itself. They are leeching off of him and they want more money from him to leech off. If it were a six year old girl being assaulted; that would never make television in a million years. Huey and Dewey aren't done yet as they grab Scrooge by the arms and they have a parting song for him as they do the jolly fellow song in the most negative way possible and throw him out the window into the rainy ground below with a good bump. The nephews laugh at his expense as they throw Scrooge's top hat at him and then shut the window.
Scrooge cries his eyes out as he walks to the driveway and then the nephews join him with their clothes on a stick claiming that they are leaving as he ordered. Scrooge is surprised as this scene is really touching and Russi Taylor is trying hard; but again, it's a middle age woman acting here and it just doesn't have the same effect as if it were voiced by a real kid. Scrooge's end is really good though as he thought that they were trying to get rid of him and calling him a fuddy-duddy (bad Woosley script alert!) and the nephews proclaim that they would never say that. Scrooge and the nephews have a really good bonding moment and then the gang finally deduces that it's the work of magic and Magica Despell. The thunderclap beckons as Magica appears from the cloud on her black cloud and an umbrella thanking them for figuring it out and that it is useless because they will haunt them for the rest of their lives until they give him the number one dime. Magica floats down as Scrooge is amazed that she went through all that trouble just for the McGruffin...ERRR...I mean dime. Magica then threatens them with complete damnation from their worst fears if she doesn't get the dime as the fear cloud turns into a black ghost which looks like a heel henchmen from recent Casper productions. The nephews think they will be troubled teenagers for life (I guess so if Disney Captions continues like this); but Scrooge won't let it happen anymore. He's had enough of running away from his fear.
It's time to face them now as the nephews hide behind Scrooge as Magica is game to play and invokes the magical zap and out pops some smoke and Commander Gander which is Dewey and Louie's worst fear. And then EVIL SCROOGE, PSYCHO QUACKENBUSH and the EVIL NEPHEWS pop up from the smoke on the left pan. We then cut to Magica on the black laughing and ordering Scrooge to run like the wind. The wind blows on our heroes; but Scrooge wants everyone to stand their ground; or their fears will stay in them forevermore. Huey gets the party rolling and blows off Mrs. Quackenbush because they did their homework. Psycho Quackenbush realizes that they did and she apologizes and disappears. Magica is screwed stiff as she free falls into some mud puddle. Wait; didn't she have a black cloud to travel on before? Logic break #2 for the episode. The nephews then throw mud at EVIL SCROOGE and blow him off as he disappears as a 1 cent piece and then disappears completely. Dewey and Louie blow off Commander Gander as a video game and he gets digitalized into the void. What a wussy way to go there as Scrooge calls that spirit. And then Scrooge blows off the evil nephews because the real nephews love him as the evil nephews go all small like Donald Duck during the finish of the smoking short. Oh; that is so ironic on SO MANY LEVELS! And they disappear along with the fear cloud as the sun is shining upon thee once again. Say; what happened to Doofus? Don't tell me Richard Merwin left a loose thread and never gave a chance to let Doofus face his fears. That is really bad form there Richard; and sad because you were doing so well too.
The babyfaces cheers in a circle for victory as Magica sulks and whips mud off her wondering where it went oh so wrong. She blows them off for being so smart and the cloud comes to her and makes her eat rain water. HAHA! Magica then tries to use the umbrella to zap them; but it explodes right on cue. Okay; this is overbooked guys. Magica is screwed big time as the FEAR CASPER HENCHMEN CLOUD OF DEATH sprays water right into Magica's face. Why? I don't know. Magica has a worst fear of spells turning against her as she runs away into the meadow as the Capser Heel Ghost from Hell zaps her with lightning as many times as BS&P will allow. Which is about three times as we cut back to the nephews and Scrooge as Scrooge blows Magica off as a fuddy-duddy who got what she deserved. They hug each other as Scrooge proclaims that from now on they would have to face their fears no matter how scary they are. Louie of course cracks a joke on that one and claims that he was only kidding of course. Scrooge grabs Louie and puts him on his right shoulder as the babyfaces look at the mansion. We zoom out to see a rainbow and seagulls flying in formation to end the episode and disc one at 21:17. Very good redo episode of Magica's Shadow War; but the suspense was too muted to make it awesome. Writing out Doofus didn't help either. Still; another very good episode with Magica Despell as a heel. *** ¾ (75%).
THE REVIEW LINE
So we end disc one on a somewhat muted; but really good episode from Richard Merwin of all people. I really did like this episode although I think Magica's Shadow War was the better version of it and I'll explain that when I get to that point. I will explain Nothing To Fear's fault as I felt that the whole suspense was muted the moment Richard Merwin decided to show Magica Despell in certain scenes before Scrooge and company were supposed to know who was behind all this. And really there was no excuse for it because they could have took their scenes and have it show Doofus Drake facing his fears if they wanted to pad the time more. Instead; Richard wrote him out the moment Doofus went to the fridge and that was it for him.
There were some minor logic breaks; but the animation was excellent. Naturally; the big scenes with the red herring nephews and Scrooge was absolutely nasty as it was supposed to be and it made the bonding moment later on really good; but as I said several times, the effort was really there, but the pathos don't completely catch since the nephews are voiced by Russi Taylor. It would have been more effective if the nephews were voice by real children. All the fears were pretty creative at first; and then they got nastier as they went on. Very good finish and it was the right booking decision (I like the irony of how the evil nephews died). Magica was Magica in her little time on the screen. In the end; I came out liking this episode; but it could have been better if they took the Magica scenes at the crystal ball and replace them with Doofus facing his fears. I believe this is Richard Merwin's best episode thus far.
So that ends Disc One of Volume 3; so we end with 4 thumbs up, 3 thumbs in the middle and one thumbs down (and a really interesting one at that considering the response I got from Chris Barat.). So next up is disc two and next week it's three more episodes to rant. So.....
Thumbs in the middle pointing up for this episode and I'll see you next time.