Duckman - Seasons One & Two

 

 

Create your own review

I have been waiting eleven long years for the triumphant return of this eccentric television series. Apparently pigs DO know how to fly. That or global warming is having the reverse affect on hell. I was lead to believe that (after the death of Frank Zappa) this series would never see the light of day (as his estate owners fought over the preservation of his intellectual property). And, as it pertained to Duckman, that pretty much meant all of the musical accompaniment for the first season. I was also told that CBS didn't realize what a goldmine they were sitting on and finally dug deep into the archives to find this hidden gem.

Well, whatever the reason, its nice to see that seasons one and two will see the light of day once again. Here in Canada (the land that TV syndication forgot) we have been deprived of this wonderful program since its termination back in 1997.

Picture it: 1994. In an age where television networks were trying to capitalize on the adult cartoon genre (made popular by Matt Groening's The Simpsons), many attempts were made to sway the market share that Fox had enjoyed for five years. With shows like Ren and Stimpy, Dr Katz, Fish Police, Dinosaurs, God the Devil and Bob, Gary the Rat, The Critic, etc. The formula was simple: take a rising star (Jason Alexander, Jon Lovitz, French Stewart, etc) and use his voice in a situational animated comedy... with hilarious results. The appeal was limited. The shows were always touted as "The Simpsons meets X" and, sadly, once the shows never lived up to the writing style and quality of the Simpsons, these wonderful programs (minus Fish Police) vanished within a couple of years. (It should be noted that Fish Police was never wonderful).

Fox's only response: create more animated cartoons. And they were more successful at it than the other networks. The Simpsons, Futurama, King of the Hill, Family Guy, American Dad, the PJ's... (okay, not so much with the PJ's but you get the picture).

So what happens to great shows like Duckman? They get lost in the shuffle. Ratings are poor against the other animated shows. And for network execs... it's not about how great a show is, its how much revenue it generates. And therein lies the fate of Duckman. A great run that has finally resurfaced.

If you're a fan (and you'd pretty much have to be since I don't think anyone who wasn't around 11 years ago would see the appeal), this is an opportunity to rekindle your love for this spectacular program. Whether it was influence by drugs, written and directed ON DRUGS or merely sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies, this show is a great trip down a hazy memory lane. Sit back and enjoy.

-------------------------

For shorter version of the review: it's the Simpsons meets Film Noir meets detective/crime drama meets Salvador Dali. Enjoy.

I can't wait for this one!!
Way back in 2003, my brother showed me an article in a skateboard magazine about Duckman being available on DVD. Since then, I would periodically check Amazon.ca for any listing only to be disappointed again and again. Finally, this past summer, a Sept. 16 ,'08 release date was announced.
Going back even further, (like, 1997), I became aware of the show when friends began raving about a new cartoon on Teletoon voiced by "the guy who plays George Costanza on Seinfeld". At the time, the crude & somewhat mature subject matter, coming out of Jason Alexander's mouth,(still doing his blattant Larry David imitation), was something I craved. I also found that the humor fit nicely between The Simpsons and South Park. Duckman also exposed Beavis and Butthead as juvenille, and filled the void until we were given Futurama and Family Guy. Personally, I've always found the show to be funny and zany, but not especially well-drawn.
Never seen the show? Here's what you need to know...
Eric Duckman is a private detective obsessed with pornography. He lives with his sister-in-law Bernice,(who hates him), and in later seasons, his other sister-in-law Bev, (who tolerates him). Bernice and Bev also live with their mother, Grandmama, (who is mute, confined to a wheelchair, overweight & flatulent). Duckman also has three sons, Charles and Mombo, (who are conjoined twins), & Ajax, (who is slightly mentally delayed). His business partner is Cornfed Pig, (who is not unlike Joe Friday from Dragnet). Duckman's mortal enemy is King Chicken, (an evil scientific genius who has a hair-do like Elvis). And his book-keepers are Fluffy and Uranus who serve the same purpose as Kenny on South Park, they are props to be abused and sometimes killed.
Duckman is a fine addition to a Seinfeld fan's DVD collection because it proves, (for Jason Alexander at least), that there is life after the show about nothing. Duckman is way better than The Critic and not as in your face as HBO's Spawn. It's kind of like as children, we were given Donald, so now as adults, we get Eric.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See both customer reviews...

 

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Search Listmania!