"A Christmas Quacker"

Christmas is coming and the Goosewing's getting fat.

Season 3 Episode 10 (episode 55 overall)

Original broadcast date: 26 December 1990

Writers: Peter Richard Reeves, Jimmy Hibbert
Additional voices: Santa Claus/3rd Crow brother: Brian Trueman
Ruffles/Dr. Von Goosewing/Tremendous Terence/Dribulon: Jimmy Hibbert
Burt: David Jason

Castle transport visual not used.





Christmas episodes are notoriously tricky to do from a show maker's perspective and from the fans' perspective they either become beloved classics or hated outright for being a divergence. Graham Linehan (one half of the writing team on the similarly surreal and fatalistic show

'Father Ted') cites 'A Christmassy Ted' as being a mess and something he's not overly proud of. I love it! While I can't quite say as much for this one to the same extent, it has enough redeeming features to make it worth my while. I think the Avenger Penguins Christmas episode works a little better, even if it's another alternate take on 'A Christmas Carol' (that's even the title of said episode!) and the tenuously-Christmassy Victor & Hugo episode 'Yule Be Sorry' is also a lot of laughs (helps that that was the only one I managed to tape back in the 90s) even if it's not actually set during Christmas. Then there's the 'Wind in the Willows' episode 'The Yuletide Entertainment' to consider, so I suppose it's only fair that the Count gets a festive outing too, even if (or perhaps because) it seems at odds with the ghoulish nature of the show. This Duckula-centric Christmas suffers only from the fact that a scene with little-to-no animation goes on just slightly too long. Other than that, it's just fine. Sometimes Christmas specials have to pad for time, (they're usually a little longer) but here it seems vice versa. Perhaps the episode was too short and they needed more scenes that could be quickly produced. Then again perhaps the artists wanted to concentrate on more ghoulishly-themed episodes, which also makes sense!

Christmas episodes are also generally avoided in syndicated shows, given that such series have to cycle endlessly on some stations. That's why some series prefer to have a separate (and usually longer) Christmas special, instead, to be shown independently. So, it almost seems a shame (or maybe a blessing, depending on how you feel about Christmas specials) that we never got an hour-long collection of festive Duckula hijinks. Perhaps something involving Igor locking Santa in the dungeons or something thus ruining Christmas for everyone could've worked. Oh well, it's 'Count Duckula', so I'm satisfied. We've also got Von Goosewing, the Crow Brothers, Tremendous Terence, and even Santa Claus himself to add to the party so you can't complain. Well you can, but you don't, because it's Christmas. Belt up and have a sherry.

OK, having re-watched this for the review, I realise I've been harsher in hindsight. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I can see now that they were trying for a spoof of ultra-limited heroic animated shows from the 60s.

We open with Santa Claus on one of the castle's many roofs, getting prepared to go down one of the castle's many chimneys to deliver presents. Are we to assume that Santa is so good that he'll even deliver to a vampire? Or is he aware that the Count poses no threat? I need more Santa backstory/Duckula-verse lore.

Inside the castle, Duckula, Igor and Nanny are also imitating Santa, with varying degrees of success. They can't seem to remember who's turn it is to be Santa this year! Still, the real Santa seems to be expected soon so they abandon their outfits and wait up for him. Hey, if we can accept vegetarian vampires and space heroes with their own tie-in comic books we can accept Santa Claus right?

While waiting, Duckula gets bored and exchanges presents with Igor. Duckula gets a set of false fangs and Igor gets an axe. I like how, for at least this instance, Duckula is actually considering Igor's feelings and getting him something he'll appreciate, even if Igor didn't do likewise. Duckula is less caring to Nanny however. He gets her a 'REALLY BIG TREMENDOUS TERENCE ADVENTURE BOOK' which he clearly just wants for himself. I love Nanny's response of 'Oh. A book. I've already got a book.' Igor's excited reaction's great too 'I wonder what it could be?' he says when it's pretty clear from the shape of the wrapping. This whole parcel exchange scene is a set-up to a gag when Santa appears later.

While all this is going on, like Santa, both Von Goosewing and the Crow Brothers are also trying to get into the castle, but with less savoury objectives in mind. VG's intent on giving Duckula a box of explosive crackers and the bruvvahs are out to nick all the presents. Santa, lost in the chimney system, inadvertently causes the crows to fall when he opens the wrong window (allowing for their customary thump-thump-thump......thump joke) and Goosewing also manages to get himself lost in the chimney system.

Meanwhile, Nanny manages to knock Duckula on the head with a Christmas pudding (another peculiarly British thing and one which this blogger finds himself alone in enjoying in his family) and he now starts daydreaming that he's in a comic book adventure with TREMENDOUS TERENCE himself! This kind of captures the feel of getting a fun comic book for Christmas. I know a lot of our Christmas time is spend reading comic books (once recently it was Blacksad, or more often Viz), if not drawing them. This leads us through the main gripe of the episode, the slightly-too-long or not-quite-animated-enough dream sequence. It's drawn and staged like an actual comic book, with Duckula generally being the only character who moves. I think they should have re-used some of TT's ship animation from it's first appearance though. Igor also shows up in a floating electric chair as the space villain THE IGULON! He's kidnapped Santa and wants to eat him along with Duckula and Terence! YE GADS! It leads to a funny ending, when an alien monster Nanny (THE NANNOX!) appears and spouts a couple of typically Nanny-ish sayings before attacking Duckula and TT in a death-grip...which turns out to be a cuddle from the real Nanny as Duckula comes to his senses.

Now back in the real world, Duckula gets a visit from the real Santa. The jolly old soul comes crashing down the correct chimney (how fortuitous!) after Goosewing (who also follows) backs into him in error. There's an (almost) sweet little scene following, where Goosewing appears to be willing to show good will to all men 'even you Count Duckula!' which naturally pleases the jolly Santa. It's a ruse of course to get him to use the explosive crackers. The pay-off to the earlier gift exchange gag comes here too: Igor gets the exact same present from Santa as he already got from Duckula and Duckula gets the exact same book he already got for Nanny himself. Well, maybe he's learned something there then! Christmas cartoons can be educational you know. I also like how Goosewing seems agitated that no-one's opening his present first (reminds me of a German in-law actually) so he opens and later demonstrates it himself, causing him to fly out the window and knock the Crows to the ground again!

All that's left now is for Duckula, Nanny and of course, Santa to wish us all a Merry Christmas while Igor offers a 'Bah humbug!' - give him Hallowe'en any day. We close on Santa's sleigh making its way across the familiar craggy landscape as even the narrator wishes us festive greetings, whatever we are.

At least snow makes a change from thunder and lightening.

Music
Opens with 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' (Tchaikovsky). This isn't the exact rendition, but you get the idea. A version of 'Jingle Bells' (track 5) by Richard Allan Harvey plays too when the trio are all Santas and two of them are singing along (guess who doesn't join in?) I'm sure you're all sick of Christmas music now anyway and it's easy enough to find!

Apart from that, I don't know any of the specific music cues, though some re-appear in other entries. The ending is Christmas Wonderland by Roger Dexter and Alan Ball. 

"Reveal (A)" (Paddy Kingsland track 1) Duckula gets excited about 'Nanny's' (his own) gift. 
"Tomorrow, the World" (King Palmer track 30)  - Duckula reading the book.
"Spindlelegs"(tail end) (King Palmer) Duckula receiving the same book from Santa.


Backgrounds and pans  

Before and after Nanny enters.

Here are some reconstructions of the comic pages. I'd like to know who drew these and whether they were the animation or storyboard team. It's a real shame we never got any Tremendous Terence comics, but, to my knowledge this never happened. I'd have read them! For the most part they're intact, but I had to cheat a little in some corners. I'm used to making my own comics anyway!

Would eating turkey count as something akin to 'To Serve Man' in Duckula's 'verse? These ARE nasty aliens.

Apologies for the cropping on this one. Unavoidable.

I like this joke too much, so that's why it's here.

Trivia

• This episode was originally broadcast on Boxing Day 1990. Some sources cite Christmas Eve. Anyone know which is correct? Neither are Tuesdays.
• A rare episode that does not begin, nor end with anyone screaming. Although Goosewing and the Crow Brothers do so, near the end. Perhaps because it's also one of the few with a happy ending!
• A rare episode that starts off with a scene not involving Duckula, Igor or Nanny. Santa gets the first scene.
• The title is a pun on Christmas crackers, which must have baffled any American viewers! They're a mostly British Christmas...thing, consisting of a roll of tube designed to look like an elongated sweetie (candy) with a cheap toy, a bad joke and a flimsy paper hat in them. They (are meant to) make a bang sound when pulled apart, although not as explosively as Von Goosewing's design does.
• Igor naturally says 'Bah, humbug!' which is of course Scrooge's catchphrase from Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol.' 
• 6th appearance of the Crow Brothers.
• Another appearance of Von Goosewing's airship. This time, it has giant sleigh attachments underneath! 
• Seasonal Goosewing inventions: Mark 7  Dr. Von Goosewing Super-Patented Anti-Wampire Santa Claus Sleigh and a box of explosive crackers.
• One of three instances where Duckula wears false fangs, the others being 'A Family Reunion' and 'Amnesiac Duck'. 
• 2nd appearance of Tremendous Terence.
• 2nd appearance of the Oids who also feature in the comic book. The green Oid is still called Neville and the purple one is now named Trevor. They are also identified as being brothers. Jimmy does not voice Trevor this time as Duckula is narrating for everyone. So technically, David still voices Neville as he did before.
• 2 of Jimmy's characters have their initials on their vehicles and, in Terence's case, on his outfit.
• Duckula reprises his role as Daring Duckula from 'The Vampire Strikes Back.' He even has the same helmet.
• 2nd of 2 episodes featuring both Von Goosewing and the Crow brother, the first being "No Sax Please, We're Egyptian."
• Dribulon (used here as a race of aliens) was also used in 'Astro Duck' in the name of one of Duckula's computer games 'Destroy the Dribulons.' It would later be used as the name of the planet Victor and Hugo crash land on in 'Spacial Event.' However, Duckula identifies an identical character as a Futon when he first reads the book. A Futon is a fold away sofa bed.
• V&H would also do the 'looks like your finger' gag in 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Dolt.' Good, because it's amazing,
• Seems like Duckula narrates one of Terence's lines for him in the daydream comic.
• Another display of the Count's terrible banjo-playing. He plays the same tune as in 'Ducknapped' and sings 'Camptown Races'. 
• Santa and Goosewing come down the chimney, but it doesn't seem to be the regular one (as seen in most episodes) as the room is a different one.
•  This episode was released on the Count Duckula Bumper Special Volume 2 VHS, in 1990, along with 4 other episodes, including  'Alps-A-Daisy', 'Unreal Estate', 'There Are Werewolves at the Bottom of Our Garden' and 'Arctic Circles'.
  
• When released on DVD, this episode was reordered to come a lot later in the run, specifically, between 'Prince Duckula' and 'Venice a Duck not a Duck.'

 
Goof and Nitpicks 

• Unless he is narrating, it seems like Duckula says one of Terence's lines for him. He narrates the whole comic strip anyway though, so it's not noticeable.  
• One of the Igulon's speech balloons mispells you're as your.
  
  
  BAH! Humbug.
  
  And since you've been such good little Counts and Countesses all year round, here's a picture of TREMENDOUS TERENCE himself from me.