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Duckman of Aquatraz
Reviewed: 01/01/2010
Cue The OZ Jokes!!
It's hard to believe this; but we are now finally turning the bend on the Ducktales DVD....and we continue this disc set with a really interesting one in that Scrooge goes to prison for stealing a painting. Allegedly.....So; let's rant on shall we...?!
This episode is written by Francis Ross. The story is edited by Patsy Cameron and Tedd Anasti. I have nothing for Francis Ross (other than his Ducktales credit); unless he was the USS Nimitz Crew in the movie The Final Countdown in 1980. I doubt that seriously; so I'm guessing another ghost writer here.
We begin this one at the ice cream shop inside Duckburg as Scrooge and the nephews come out with peppermint ice cream cones. I like the red flag waving in the background. Scrooge loves triple mint ripple and even more so when it's free. Scrooge chuckles as Dewey points out that he had to buy three of them to get one free. Scrooge walks away as he thinks that a deal this sweet should be against the law. And here comes Officer Parolski from The Money vanishes (Hal Smith) and handcuffs Scrooge. Wow; Francis is not screwing around here. Scrooge thinks it's a joke he cracked that was against the law. Parolski states that it isn't a joke and blows the whistle to bring in the police car. Scrooge is put in as the nephews panic and try to explain to the officer that he didn't break any law. And then Louie makes an ass out of himself by blitzing and splattering ice cream all over the officer claiming that he forgot to return a library book.
In any other universe; Louie WOULD be arrested for aiding in resisting arrest; but I doubt Louie will get anything other than a blow off. Parolski puts him down and claims that it's a lot more serious than that as he gets into the car and finally explains the charge as grand theft. The police car drives away with Scrooge watching his nephews from the rear seat. The nephews are SHOCKED of this because Scrooge is supposed to be the richest duck in the world. What does he need to steal as Dewey would ask. So we return to the STOCK FOOTAGE OF DOOM as a police car is at the driveway as we go inside as Parolski unwraps a package and it reveals a painting done by Pablo Piquacko's Duck A L'Orange. Parolski takes the painting out of the house as Mrs. Beakly proclaims that it's possible that Scrooge would steal it. And everyone else of course as the nephews come in and think this is a mistake as Dewey asks how it got in Scrooge's cellar.
So we go to the SPINNING NEWSPAPER sequence as the off-screen newsboy voice (Joan Gerber) states that Scrooge is on trial according to the Duckburg Tribute. We then go to the steps of the courthouse as the PRESS OF FRAUD is taking pictures of Flintheart Glomgold (while giving us a chance to get a closeup shot of his ass) as Flint explains the painting that Scrooge stole from his gallery. He also has his staff and a video tape in his hand as evidence. The green coated, red hair dogsperson with the microphone (Peter Cullen) asks how he knew and he shows the foolproof proof on video tape. Remember that for later on. We then head into the courtroom as Scrooge is led into court in handcuffs by the officer from Hero for Hire. Scrooge is placed on the stand (I guess this is how TMS does trials since that is not what the American system is based upon despite Duckburg being in America.). We cut to Mrs. Beakly and Webby sitting down and Webby asks why the handcuffs are on him and Mrs. Beakly states that they are proper accessories when you stand on trial for grand theft. We then go to the shot of the judge (a pig furry balding with the black robe) pounding the gavel at his desk and calling for order. Can you smell the obvious joke from Launchpad coming at six o'clock? I knew you could as Dewey is not amused by that one. I am though because it breaks the really nasty pathos that the writers have been shooting for thus far. This is why I waited until well after Christmas to do this rant. I probably would be in a really foul mood if I ranted on it too soon.
Mrs. Beakly acts fussy all over LP's ass. Launchpad laughs it off because LP is as innocent as Mr. McDee. That could be a good sign although Hero For Hire DOES not help Scrooge's case in any way. The judge wants the first witness which he addresses the prosecutor as Mr. Prosecutor. And that's the name I will give him as the gray weasel furry (the late Edmund “Baloo Mark II” Gilbert) in a green coat rises up and calls as his first witness: Launchpad McQuack! Okay; this is going to be great. Everyone gasps on that one as we go to the scene changer as Launchpad takes the stand on the left (next to the painting on the stand) as Mr. Prosecutor asks if it is true that LP crashed Scrooge's helicopter in the neighborhood of Glomgold Galleries on the night of the robbery. Launchpad's knees are knocking big time and LP proclaims that he crashes Scrooge in all kinds of places. Some of them might be his own body. AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! POUND! OUCH! Ummm..Okay; I'll be quiet your honor. Mr. Prosecutor reminds him that he is under oath as Launchpad stammers around as Scrooge nods his head (a sign of guilt in the eyes of the judge) and Launchpad covers his eyes and proclaims that he crashed him there and dares the prosecutor to sue him. When it comes to lawyers; don't give them any ideas. The prosecutor doesn't do a witty retort though as he pushes on asking what the purpose was of Scrooge's visit. Launchpad claims that he went to pick up a painting and it was a big secret and Launchpad then catches himself. Scrooge sulks right on cue as Mr. Prosecutor decides that no further questions are required.
So next on the stand is Mrs. Beakly as Mr. Prosecutor asks her when was the last time she saw Scrooge on the evening in question as we zoom out. Mrs. Beakly proclaims that she saw him sneaking in the back window with that painting in his arms and wonder he had an honest reason to do that. Mr. Prosecutor laughs his ass off on that one as Mrs. Beakly does the Gruffi pose on cue. Okay; that is pretty funny as Scrooge breaks logic by being in the jury box stating that he was at Glomgold Galleries to hire an artist to paint a family portrait. He wanted it to be a surprise; but the judge rules him out of order since Scrooge doesn't have the right to the floor right now. Scrooge keeps talking as the Judge is getting pissed off and you don't piss off a judge as Scrooge claims that Pierre L'Oink (and Disney Captions has zero clue how French grammar works I see) is in the neighborhood of Glomgold Galleries. The judge blows him off because Pierre L'Oink doesn't exist see and one more outburst and he is removed from the court. Launchpad thinks that they are getting somewhere. So we get another scene changer as Mr. Prosecutor (and the stand Scrooge was standing in is gone now) shows the tape to the jury as he shows the tape to remove any doubt that Scrooge would stoop to burglary.
We pan over to the television and he puts the tape into the VCR and asks for the light. We zoom in and we see the room of Glomgold's Art Gallery AFTER HAPPY HOUR (after dark) and then we see Scrooge McDuck himself walking in with his cane and then he steals the painting and walks out. The tape ends there. Remember that for later on as Mr. Prosecutor asks if there is any doubt now. And since the evidence is against him; the jury finds him guilty as charged. We get another spinning newspaper to force the point. We then go outside the courthouse as the PRESS OF FRAUD is taking picture while Scrooge is being brought out wearing prison gear and put into the police prison van. Wow; I thought that you went to the prison and dressed THERE like that? This courthouse came prepared. We then cut to Flint on top of the steps near the door mocking the living hell out of Scrooge McDuck. Webby and Mrs. Beakly cry as they wave goodbye as we pan down to the nephews as they are PISSED off. They want to play detective to solve this case and get Scrooge out of jail. Scrooge waves goodbye as he's glad that they believe him as the prison van drives away with it's sirens on. And that ends the really depressing part of the episode and the rest is all downhill stuff. Lucky for us; this was only six minutes long; the last episode I have to rant on is much longer and even sadder from a historic view.
So we head to the STOCK FOOTAGE OF DOOM and head to the nephews' room as they smash open a piggy bank with a hammer and they realize that they don't have enough money to hire a private eye. Dewey proclaims that he knows that Scrooge didn't steal the painting because according to Louie, he only likes paintings of presidents on dollar bills. Dewey proclaims that it's up to them to prove Scrooge is innocent. So we logically head to Glomgold's Art Gallery AFTER HAPPY HOUR as the nephews hide at the side of the building as a dog police officer guards the front. So the nephews look for a back door and they see a red metal door with steps on the left side. The nephews see a barred window and some boxes. And then we see Flint at his office writing a check to a pig furry with a red French cap, purple cape and violet suit with brown gloves. This is Pierre L'Oink (the late Edmund Gilbert again) as he grabs the check and Flint won't let go.
See Flint wants him to depose a painting that he doesn't want anyone to see. It's force of habit as Flint claims that the painting will save Scrooge's hide and he wants him to rot in prison so Flint can make big deals and that MONEY, MONEY, YEAH, YEAH. Pierre is thankful for it and he'll drop the painting into Duckburg bay tonight to get rid of the evidence. Flint tells him to take the back door as the nephews run away to hide. The back door opens and Pierre isn't too sure about there being no one around to see them. Flint blows him off and orders him to not let anyone SEE him dump the evidence. Flint slams the door behind him as he enters and then opens the door and tells him not to cash the check until next week. Nice rat animation from TMS as we cut to the dumpster as the nephews open it and see Pierre walking out from the alleyway. Huey wants to follow him of course. Quick logic break: Why did Pierre go left when the guard is in front of the building that way? The nephews run out and see that Pierre leaves by taxi. Okay; that reduces the logic break quite a bit. The nephews decide to cut him off at the bridge as they go east and we get some running as they need to get that painting back; or Scrooge will be in prison for 15 years....And the prison cell is in Aquatraz the toughest prison there ever was as the nephews run on the street over the hill.
So we head to a far shot of Aquatraz as a motorboat with a prison cell holding Scrooge McDuck rides towards the docks. We finally see the boat stop near a dock where the warden is standing (a dogsperson wearing a suit and is balding (Hal Smith). We then see Scrooge walking out with a ball and chain now as he drops it onto the docks with a thud and somehow the dock doesn't crack. SOMEONE FIRE THAT DOCK! Another logic break: The sailor on the motor boat was wearing a white sailor uniform like the FCC Navy does; and now he looks like a prison guard wearing brown and black. Or worse; the guard appeared OUT OF NOWHERE since we didn't see him with the warden. The warden proclaims that no one escapes Aquatraz alive and he should keep that in mind. And he no longer needs the ball and chain as the guard uses the golden key to unlock it. Unless of course Scrooge needs the ball on the prison bowling team. Scrooge shudders in fear. So we head inside Aquatraz's Prison Cells as a prison guard (I believe the same one from Super Ducktales #4) leads Scrooge into the cell and it closes on Scrooge as he begins his sentence for real at 8:47. Scrooge sulks about being the richest duck in the world stuck in prison for 15 years. He should only be so lucky. He only allegedly stole a painting while many other CEO's like him stole billions from customers and employees. When Scrooge is the honest one; you know being a CEO is like signing a death sentence. What is worse than that? Try a large dogperson with a badly shaved beard who hates rich ducks named Mad Dog McGurk (Peter Cullen) stalking you and that should do it in for ye. This ends the segment nine minutes in.
After the commercial break; we go to an outside shot of Aquatraz with the oceans churning and the spotlights on as Mad Dog proclaims that he hates rich ducks because they are rich and he's not. Remember that for later on because his real reasons actually make him sound a lot more justified than his answer here. Scrooge is bashed against the prison bars as Scrooge apparently cannot help it if crime doesn't pay. Mad Dog is impressed by his spunk for a rich little runt who he is going to MURDER his beak within the next thirty seconds. Scrooge wants him to let go; but prison guard #2 uses his club on the prison cell bars to tell them to stop the horseplay since it's lights out (Terry McGovern for #2). Mad Dog states that he was only introducing himself to his new room mate see. Prison guard #2 tells him to wait until morning and it's lights out. Mad Dog throws Scrooge onto the bottom of the bunk bed with a decent bump; and then he climbs on Scrooge's back (OUCH!) and gets onto the top bunk which sags so badly that Scrooge gets squashed. HAHA! Mad Dog proclaims that Scrooge better get some sleep; because he will be less friendly then he is now in the morning. He has a really impressive laugh though as Scrooge proclaims that it's going to be a long night and 15 years of long nights. NO?! REALLY?! Having your back cracked like that?
So we head to the Duckburg Bay Bridge (which looks similar to the one in Saint Canard in Darkwing Duck which Drake uses as a hideout) and then we head to the bridge itself in the fog as Pierre arrives with the painting tied to a big ass rock. He throws it overboard and it sinks into the bay easily. Pierre leaves as we go to the underwater shot as the nephews in scuba gear grab the painting and release it from the ropes. I see Huey's knot busting skills finally came in handy again. We then go to the dock in front of the bridge as the nephews are out of the water with the painting and they rip the covering off to reveal...the family painting Scrooge proclaimed that he was buying. And it's water based paint apparently as the paint is washing away and pretty much ruining what little evidence they had left as the paint goes down into the ocean. So they foolishly go to the judge's office to show it and it's not even close to being good enough. Huey claims that this is the painting that Scrooge thought he was picking up as Louie shows the family and the fat ass blob Mrs. Beakly. POW! OUCH! Ummm...The judge states that they need real evidence that Scrooge didn't steal the painting in the first place. Dewey goes over to the VCR and asks about the tape of the robbery and the judge states that it is. Dewey asks if he can borrow it to give it a full fisking. The judge agrees to it; but he tells them not to give their hopes up as the evidence is against Scrooge in this case as the nephews run out.
So we go to a far shot of Aquatraz from the edge of Duckburg as we head inside to the prison gym as the prisoners, Mad Dog and Scrooge are inside. Mad Dog proclaims that Scrooge has made the prison bowling team. As we see a lane with bowling pins on it. Now there's a rookie bowling lane if I ever saw one. And so we see the prisoners clamp on the ball and chain to Scrooge's leg and Mad Dog uses the ball to bowl a perfect strike and Scrooge takes a MAN-SIZED bump right into the wall off screen. The prisoners laugh their asses off in unison. So we go to a scene changer and into the play room as Scrooge is using the SHANE DOUGLAS MOP OF DOOM and swabbing the wooden floor like Donald Duck in the FCC Navy. HAHA! Donald has got to be loving this even just a little bit. And then the prisoners come in with Mad Dog as Mad Dog wants to challenge Scrooge to a friendly arm wrestling match. Scrooge accepts that as a dare and goes over to the table on the right side and places his elbow down ready for the arm wrestling challenge.
Every prisoner sits down and Scrooge basically squashes them all in less than five seconds apiece. HAHA! Mad Dog and company hold their wrists in pain as Mad Dog asks how he became so strong and Scrooge claims that he lifts money bags see as he squashes another prisoner. Even Superstar Billy Graham wishes he could do that in five seconds. Even in his prime. The high pitched con (dogperson with a higher pitched voice – Terry McGovern) talks about lifting money bags once and then he got prison time for armed robbery. So we go to another scene changer as we head into the mess hall as the prisoners are all eating grub at the tables. Scrooge goes to the table with his grub on a tray and sits down in front of Mad Dog and the high pitched con and then they steal Scrooge's meal while Scrooge sulks about liking an over-priced meal now. Mad Dog claims that they gave him one pea so he won't lose his girlish figure see. Ooooooo...those are fighting words Mad Dog. And they steal even that one as now Scrooge is pissed as the cons laugh their asses off again. Mad Dog then steals his hat and wipes his mouth with it! Oh snap! Mad Dog puts it back on his head and Scrooge proclaims that a meal would not be complete without a little after dinner drink.
So he grabs the pitcher of water and pours it over Mad Dog's head. It's too bad BS&P is here to stay because Scrooge would be probably smashing the water pitcher in his face to boot. And the high pitched con gets it too as we get chatter that gets the pig prison guard (Terry McGovern- I'll number him #3) with the whistle and he blows him. He demands answers to this outrage as Mad Dog and high pitch con decide to stop choking and MURDERING Scrooge before something really goes wrong. Scrooge explains to him that the prisoners were just teaching him a new dancer. I would call it the Soap Drop Dance of Death. AHHAHAHAHAHAHA! They call it the Jailhouse rock as the prisoners demonstrate the dance...and it is crappy as hell. Scrooge tries to carry it; but Mad Dog keeps screwing up as Prison guard #3 isn't amused and walks out stage left. Scrooge storms off stage right as Mad Dog is impressed by Scrooge not ratting him out. The high pitched con thinks he isn't a bad dancer either. I should point out: Terry does not do high pitch voices well since he sounds flat. I was expecting more of a high C voice than that.
We then go back to the hallway of prison cells as prison guard #2 blows the whistle outside and orders all the prisoners to clean up their cells because it is visiting day. The high pitched con in the cell asks if he can visit Brazil. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That is really funny as we see Mad Dog and Scrooge laughing their asses off in their cell with has a clothesline of clothes. Scrooge of course is doing Donald's usual punishment from the FCC Navy of course. I don't want to know what Mad Dog is doing. And then we hear Mrs. Beakly, the nephews and Webby as Scrooge swears in DUBBED SCOTTISH STYLE (bless me bagpipes) as the whole family embraces in that symbolic family painting from earlier. Webby then provides evidence that she can swim through the LAW OF HEAVY METALS since she claims that she swam in the Money Bin to keep it happy while Scrooge was gone as he missed his Money Bin. Mad Dog feels really bad about something as Mrs. Beakly wipes a tear and this probably is the second best emotional scene Ducktales has done next to Nothing To Fear. Mrs. Beakly gets all fussy about the gloom in the room and asks the nephews to bring in the care packages. The kids run out as Mrs. Beakly proclaims that they will have the place cozy in no time. So we go to the scene changer and see that the prison window has purple curtains, there is a lamp hanging from the ceiling; a vase with flowers in it on a wooden ledge against the stone (Huh?) .
The beds are made up with fuzzy animals (Scrooge gets the bunny; Mad Dog gets the elephant), fuzzy slippers on the floor and a lamp with a dollar sign on the lamp shade. There is also a neat rug on the floor as we cut to Mrs. Beakly with a tray of homemade fudge bars just for Mad Dog. Mad Dog dislikes bars; but he likes fudge so he kindly accepts the tray as Mrs. Beakly calls him such a nice man. Mad Dog blushes on cue when Mrs. Beakly pets him. Aw; how cute! We then see Scrooge in the love seat with Webby on his knee as the nephews exchange notes on the situation. Scrooge thanks them and wants them to take no more risks for him as he has decide to resign himself to his fate. We then go to the prison door as prison guard #2 comes with the keys and tells them that visiting hours are over. Scrooge kisses Webby on the cheek and is HAPPY that he could see his family again for one time. The nephews hug Scrooge and tell him that they are not giving up on him that he was innocent all along. Mrs. Beakly kisses Scrooge again and then kindly states that it was nice meeting with Mad Dog as he blushes again.
The kids and Mrs. Beakly leave the prison cell and it locks as Scrooge watches the family walk away from him. Mad Dog tells him that he's a lucky man; and Scrooge claims that he's as lucky a man can be when he's in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Remember that one for later too. Then we see Mad Dog sniffle as he has a picture of her mother in his hands (wears all purple with a blue necklace and earrings and very plump – Joan Gerber). Mad Dog explains that she is so poor she cannot come to visit him anymore. Scrooge wants to help him and Mad Dog blows him off because he's merely a jailbird now. Scrooge tells him not to underestimate the power of a jailbird more so one named Scrooge McDuck. So we fade to black and return back to the hallway of prison cells as prison guard #2 blows the whistle and orders the prisoners to clean up their cells since it's visiting day again. High pitch con asks if he can visit Fort Knox. BWHAHAHAHAHA! Seriously; who does this high pitched con man think he is: Launchpad's student?! If so; no wonder Launchpad looked like a fool on the stand earlier. Everyone laughs as prisoner #333 beside him proclaims that it's a good one too (he has the mustache – voiced by Peter Cullen since he has Mad Dog's voice).
We head to Scrooge's cell as Scrooge makes the beds while Mad Dog is at the mirror doing his hair and making himself look handsome actually. He actually shave properly this time as he asks about Mrs. Beakly and fudge bars. Scrooge proclaims that it's not today since Scrooge arranged another kind of surprise. Scrooge turns around as the cell doors open from prison guard #2 and here is Mama McGurik as fat as Hoppo can be. AHHAHAHAHAHA! POW! OUCH! Ummmm... Mad Dog turns around and he is SHOCKED and GRATEFUL to embrace his real mother (all decked out in blue I might add). He spins her around as Mama hasn't seen him since the arm wrestling championship and Mad Dog proclaims that he is proud of her as they go to the table and they arm wrestle each other. HAHA! This contest is a lot closer and apparently it ends in a draw as Scrooge watches on as Mad Dog proclaims that no one has ever done anything like this for him before. He thanks Scrooge for all this and shakes his hand harshly as Scrooge wobbles. Notice how Mad Dog has been tempered (in a very similar manner to Kit Cloudkicker actually) by Scrooge....and notice why it plays into the real reasons why Mad Dog hates rich ducks later on. So we go to Aquatraz outside AFTER HAPPY HOUR as the searchlights are on again. We head into Scrooge's prison cell and see Scrooge in his seat reading the newspaper. Then Mad Dog grabs him out of his chair and Scrooge demands to know what is going on. Mad Dog proclaims that Scrooge helped him out and now he is going to help Scrooge out by busting out of Aquatraz tomorrow morning. Scrooge is SHOCKED and APPALLED as we end the segment nearly 17 minutes in. Now witness the downfall of Flintheart Glomgold for all to see...
After the commercial break; we go to nightfall with a crescent moon as we pan down with Scrooge protesting that he doesn't want to escape. And then we head to the prison walls as Mad Dogs uses the white sheets as a rope to take Scrooge down with him. Mad Dog proclaims that Scrooge is merely scared and the guards will not know that they are missing. And then we see the spotlight and the alarms wailing in the background. D'OH! We see the guards yelling in the prison tower that the prisoners are escaping (Terry McGovern) as Scrooge swears in DUBBED SCOTTISH STYLE (bless me bagpipes) as Mad Dog tells him to relax because the guards are a lousy shot. Mad Dog slides down as we see up another tower prison guard #6 (who looks like a clone of Parolski) with the guard dogs. DAMMIT! Those damn guard dogs are in EVERY DTVA cartoon it seems. They make more cameos and more appearance in DTVA than even Max Goof and Launchpad put together. And that doesn't include the crossovers of recent DTVA shows. Mad Dog is worried about them as they are at the end of the white sheets. Mad Dog notices the muddy bank below with rocks and decides that they will jump. Mad Dog throws Scrooge into the mud and then does a cannon ball for good measure off-screen and nearly drowns Scrooge underneath with mud. HEE HEE! Mad Dog wonders where Scrooge went. To Mad Dog: roll to your left one rotation and you should see him near dead.
Mad Dog stands up and now we got the Chained Heat Muddy Style as Scrooge is stuck on his back. HAHA! The searchlight shine down on them. Prison guard #5 notices them to the warden and the warden has the white MEGAPHONE OF JIMMY HARTS and wants their surrender as they don't have a chance. Mad Dog and Scrooge huddle together in fear as the spotlight is on them. Mad Dog grabs onto Scrooge's neck with his arm (OUCH!) and blows off the warden because he and Scrooge never give up. Nothing like a good fist pumping to channel in feigned outrage. The warden has had enough and decides it's time to bring in the packed heat as the prison guards start shooting as Scrooge wants them to wait. Why? Because he WANTS to go quietly of course and Mad Dog won't let him. Mad Dog runs away and into the sewer pipe as the gunfire goes to 0.5 Trigun in about ten seconds. We head into the sewer pipe as Mad Dog (how is Scrooge still breathing with that neck hold at this point is beyond me) tells Scrooge not to worry because some friends got a boat waiting for them. Mad Dog wants to spend the rest of their lives together; hiding from the law. Living not knowing which day will be their last. Great mud splashing onto Scrooge by TMS on the spot. It will be exciting as Scrooge cannot speak at this point. We then get a sky shot of the entrance to the prison as the warden calls his prison guards to follow them (and still with their guns set to capture and fleeing prison charges). The HOUNDS OF HELL follow as well.
So we head back to the mansion and back into the nephews' room as Louie and Huey pace around and see their biggest problem: The video tape the whole world saw showed Scrooge steal the painting. Dewey wants to see the videotape again and puts it on as the other nephews blow him off because they have seen it a hundred times already. We then go to the television as they watch the same footage again as Dewey wonders if he was sleep walking. Huey decides to allow the footage to run this time. Remember that Mr. Prosecutor stopped the footage right at the point he left the door earlier? Now you are going to see why as the glass case nearby is reflection an image of Scrooge leaving. So Huey puts the magnifying glass on it and we see Scrooge undress and it's Flintheart Glomgold as he has been so BUSTED! In other word; he stole his own painting. Oh; this is going to get good now as we head into the living room in a green chair as Mrs. Beakly and Webby are listening to opera and prepping for Maid of The Myth already. And the screeching is so bad even Webby is covering her ears as the nephews run in with Dewey holding the videotape. They have good news and then the radio stops the bad singing and the broadcast has been interrupted with an urgent news bulletin (Peter Cullen I guess) as Scrooge McDuck has escaped from Aquatraz. They got it half right; he did escape, just not willfully. Armed guard and dogs are on the case as Huey gasps that it's already too late.
So we head to the left side of the prison as Mad Dog and Scrooge exit the sewer pipe crawling as Mad Dog looks around and notices that there is no boat in the area. Mad Dog then blows off his lousy friends for trusting them to do something unlawful. So now they will swim for it as he grabs Scrooge and tells him to hold his nose. Scrooge screams as Mad Dog jumps down and does a cannon ball right into the harbor water below. Mad Dog pops up and asks if he is okay; but a logic break make it look like he knows where he is going since he is facing the rock; but he slams into it anyway and gets knocked out cold. Scrooge gasps and then grabs him and struggles as he swims all the way to a larger shore. After about two hours of swimming; we cut to a beach with skulls, bones, broken bottles and a blue crab walking around as we pan to the left and Scrooge climbs onto the shore and drags Mad Dog onto the sand with the greatest of effort. Mad Dog stirs and wakes up as Scrooge tells him that they are on a deserted beach. Mad Dog is gleeful because he loves the beach. I betcha high pitched con is going to BE JEALOUS right now. Scrooge is now PISSED as he wants himself and Mad Dog to turn themselves in as this is the only way. Mad Dog proclaims that he isn't going back there and certainly not for something he didn't do. UH OH!
Mad Dog just slipped his real motives for hating rich ducks. The whole because they are rich thing was just an act for a more justified reason: See; a rich guy asked him to pick up some jewels at a jewelry store for him. The rich man didn't tell him that they were not his. Scrooge asks who would do such a thing as Mad Dog describes that he had a big beard, a plaid hat and talked even funnier than him. As in True Scotsman fashion perchance?! Scrooge gasps as he realizes that Flint is behind it all. Scrooge proclaims that he will see that they are cleared if they get out of this alive. And then here comes the police helicopter with the spotlight on them with the warden proclaiming that it's all over for them. Scrooge and Mad Dog drop on their bellies and shake as it is all over...However; they aren't going to die as the warden lands the helicopter somewhere and goes over and pokes Scrooge in the back. Scrooge turns around and proclaims that the nightmare is over and Scrooge is a free man. We also see another helicopter land and it's the nephews and Launchpad coming out as Scrooge and the nephews embrace. Scrooge loves that word free as I expect anyone would.
So we head to the docks of Duckburg as the PRESS OF FRAUD shoots pictures of Scrooge, Mad Dog and her mother together as Mad Dog is now just another plump man in a bad suit. The whole family is here; even Launchpad as the green coat television interviewer from earlier proclaims that Scrooge and Mad Dog have been granted unconditional pardons (Of course he did; they were innocent and should never have been arrested in the first place) by the governor; he asks what is Scrooge going to do first. He wants to swim in his money with all his friends including his new one Mad Dog as he and his mother embrace which makes Mad Dog blush on cue. The interviewer has also heard that Flint's only crime was stealing his own painting. Ummm; do your research: He committed perjury, and filed a false report which would be enough to send him to prison just from the police alone. I guess Pierre L'Oink took the fall for those crimes. The governor has chosen a unique form of punishment (which would be a violation under Cruel & Unusual Punishment in the Constitution .) for stealing his own painting and Scrooge proclaims that Flint must keep a certain painting over his fireplace for the next 15 years. The reporter asks if it's the Duck L'Orange and Scrooge chuckles no. He must keep a painting of a certain duck who is the richest duck in the world as he chuckles.
We then cut to a dream sequence as we see Scrooge with a first place ribbon on the top hat sitting on gold coins in a picture frame over Flint's fireplace. That's punishment?! We then cut over to the chair as Flint turns to his right side to avoid seeing it as he proclaims that he'll get even with Scrooge and then repeats it like the petty man he is. Flint should be thankful that he didn't get prison time which he deserved for his fraud. The dream sequence is over as Mad Dog proclaims that he owes Scrooge his life. He bear hugs Scrooge and almost squashes every organ in the process as he tells him if he needs a bodyguard to let him know. Scrooge proclaims that he could use one right now as everyone laughs at him. Webby's giggle sounds almost like Janna Michaels giggle of Molly. Almost. Scrooge continue to get duck handled by Mad Dog in the hug to end the episode at 21:16. This deserves full marks; but it falls a little short due to the TMS mistakes. This is what TaleSpin would do later on almost to a fault. **** ¾ (95%).
THE REVIEW LINE
Wow; what an episode that was reasonably done when it came to evidence and making it convincing that Scrooge might have actually stole the painting. Of course; Mr. Prosecutor forgot to edit the tape more carefully to make it without doubt that it was Scrooge and not Flintheart. Launchpad did his five second joke in. But what impressed me is how they build Mad Dog as a man who hates rich ducks for the simplest of reasons and then when Scrooge starts defending him from the guards; his defenses slowly crumble and crumble even more when Mrs. Beakly shows the act of kindness; and then Scrooge getting his connections to have Mad Dog's mother appear for the first time in years. Once his mother showed up; Mad Dog has completely crumbled in defenses that when they escaped and Scrooge tells him to turn himself in; instead of hating Scrooge; he tells him the real reason why he hates rich ducks: A rich duck tricked him into a crime thinking that he was not committing one.
This is the kind of writing that we would see with Kit Cloudkicker in Plunder and Lighting only he was a child and was voiced by a child and thus it had more feeling than even this one (and this one was on par with Nothing To Fear so it was very good for what it was shooting for.) and it spooked BS&P in the end. So in turn: Kit Cloudkicker's model is a combination of things: the least obvious are Desiree (the face-heel turn, face-sad heel turn, then sad heel-face turn in the end which was the major twist with Kit over Desiree) and Mad Dog McGurk (being betrayed and then the defenses slowly crumble when kindness shows that there are people out there who truly give a damn.); more obvious is Luke Skywalker of course. It's the least obvious that give Kit Cloudkicker the difference Luke did not have as David Tower explained on Usenet. The only things that bugged me were the TMS mistakes and the ending which sounded way too generous to be believable. It's a funny punishment and it fits the crime; but it doesn't fit the suffering the wrongfully convicted suffered.
So that ends episode #75 of Ducktales and we head to the final episode on DVD: Down & Out In Duckburg. While the depressing part ended in six minutes in Duckman; the suffering lasts a lot longer in Down & Out as Scrooge goes into the poor house due to a family debt...and it is even more depressing when you add the problems of Scrooge in general in the eyes of people who haven't watched Ducktales like myself and Chris Barat have. They see Scrooge as the play from Much Ado About Scrooge and see the play thinking that it's a documentary on rich people in general. So....
Thumbs up for this episode and I'll see you next time.