"The Count and the Pauper"

or "I Ain't Gonna Work On Maggots Farm No More!"

Season 2 Episode 8 (episode 34 overall) 

Original broadcast date: 31st October 1989

Writer: Jimmy Hibbert, Jan Needle
Additional voices: Sid Quack: David Jason

                           Granny Reekie: Brian Trueman

                 Farmer Stink/Walter: Jack May 

             Walter's wife/Policeman: Jimmy Hibbert

                      Peasants: All

                   

           
Joke Credit: Author's assistant - Mark Twain

Castle transport visual not used.

Well, here's another surprise. Two doppelganger episodes in a row! The random nature of this blog is a constant joy. Just as well they weren't broadcast in that order though. This is also an important episode to me because it was one of a handful I taped from ITV during its original broadcast in 1989. Especially precious as it was never to my knowledge, released on any home media, at least until the advent of the DVD sets in the mid 2000s. I recall it distinctly because it was Hallowe'en and my brother and I went out as Duckula and Igor that night. I was Igor, although I had to make do without a mask! I also remember questioning the use of green trousers to simulate Duckula's legs. Ah well you can't have everything! I would subsequently up my Igor game in 2007 with a homemade 3D mask. Sadly it since seems to have gone astray.

Anyway that's all neither here nor there. The actual episode itself is a good one. In fact I seem to recall it unsettled me a little. Like "Beau Duckula" it ties in to a rebellious child's idea of running away from home. However here it takes it a step further, in that Duckula is replaced by an imposter and rejected by his 'family.' That's got to creep out any young kids watching. I know it did me. The basis of the story once again, takes its cues from classic literature. This time, from the very much not horror themed "The Prince and the Pauper" by Mark Twain. Close viewing will reveal a lot of 'mirroring' jokes that may go unnoticed on a first viewing.

It starts off with a scene showing Duckula's version of things to rebel against. Igor is performing some ritual that involves blooding him "with the sacred sword of sin." Wow, that's strong stuff! The Count, quite understandably, is having none of it. He rejects the robe Nanny made for him and deliberately spills the blood Igor offers. We feel for him, but we also feel for Igor and Nanny. They're just trying to do their jobs and (at least from Igor's perspective) what is 'best' for their master. Albeit in a 'stuck in the past' sort of way. On a side note I'm just impressed that they got away with this scene on a kids' show. We see literally spilled blood too!

Meanwhile in far off Maggots Farm, we're introduced to Sid Quack who is similarly unhappy with his lot in life. 'If I had a lot I wouldn't be complaining would I?!' says he. We're also shown that not only does Sid bare a striking resemblance to the star of the show, but in an ironic twist, his employers (Granny Reekie and Farmer Stink) are the spitting image of Nanny and Igor respectively. Sid is scolded for being tardy about taking the cow to market and given a brief lecture about how he ought to be grateful. It's highlighted clearly that both ends of the social scale, aristocracy or peasantry, can be pretty rubbish. Although personally I'd be marginally happier in Castle Duckula than on Maggots Farm myself.

As Sid Quack leaves the farm, so does Duckula leave his castle. Nanny is distraught, though Igor remains convinced that he will return. He even calls him an 'ungrateful wretch' which is pretty strong stuff. Certainly not the sort of thing he'd ever say to his master's face.

In the village, Duckula materializes in a thundercloud outside the inn. For once he questions just how he does that and that it's not normal. It's pretty handy though, when he remembers how to do it! Soon enough a peasant gets thrown out of the window and into the horse trough. I remember my dad laughing at Duckula's response to this "Ah, a vacancy!" As a child, I didn't get the joke. Proof that this series still continues to give. Marching into the inn, totally unaffected by the garlic and crosses, Duckula orders a drink and an alligator sandwich (joking obviously!) which clears the inn within seconds. It's funnier (and cheaper) that we only hear everyone leaving and then cut to a deserted bar. That's a lot of vacancies. Well, at least he can help himself now! Understandably though, he's upset and vows to leave Transylvania for good.

Back with Sid Quack who seems to be another victim of getting kicked into the horse trough that day. He stands trial with a completely unfair policeman and a pair of lying peasants who have stolen the cow he was taking to market. Even Maisie the cow herself lets him down, seemingly preferring to stay with Mr and Mrs Walter. Sid legs it to escape arrest and later literally bumps into Duckula on a country road. They get on rather well and both exchange their views on their miserable lives. Perhaps this was the fault of Jan Needle, but Duckula seems to come across as quite wealthy in the this episode. It's a moot point though, but it works, because compared to the less successful peasants, he probably is quite wealthy. Certainly by comparison to Sid Quack, who envies what the Count has to put up with. They do the clothes swap thing and clue each other in on what to expect in their new lives. Canny viewers may start to see Sid's untrustworthy and bloodthirsty nature is starting to creep through at this point, though. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea? Also, were Duckula the more traditional sort of vampire, it'd be an ideal chance for to get some fresh victims! There's a subtle callback to the bloodletting ritual, which causes  Duckula to faint. Sid 'gives' Duckula 5 drachmas for the cow he was meant to sell. I like how Duckula thanks him for it, even though it's really his own money.

From here on we get some 'fish out of water' style jokes as Duckula fails startlingly to get the hang of life on a farm, albeit a poorly managed one. He seems to think that chores and nightly beatings are just jolly jokes and seems to expect room service in his grotty bedroom. Such upper-class ignorance! Although I'm with him on the beatings thing, sounds nasty. The 5 drachmas gets him out of it though. Back at the castle, Sid Quack seems to be adjusting to life a lot better and craves some fresh meat. Understandable, given the presumed rubbish he's been used to on the farm. This of course comes as a shock and a surprise to Nanny and Igor, the latter of whom is delighted. Sid is in fact their master returned.

Back on the farm, Duckula reprises the harmonica song Sid sang earlier, with extended lyrics and barnyard animal accompaniment. He's not happy! Given that the farm looks rundown and his employers are very unpleasant, this is hardly surprising. Duckula isn't exactly used to hard work, but it's hard not to feel sympathy for him given the ludicrous list of chores he's tackled. He passes out from exhaustion after making a mistake about a 'little hut.' It's a big wheelbarrow! It should also be noted that there's a gigantic pile of manure in clear view throughout this scene! I'll leave the more foul-minded among you to ruminate on the possible audacity of that. 

Meanwhile Sid has been getting more sinister as time goes on. Maybe he's like one of our cats and eating liver makes him evil. At any rate he seems to want to get more and more into the vampire role, which suits Igor just fine! Here we're getting a little glimpse of what life may have been like in the castle when Igor served Duckula's previous incarnations, similar to "Dear Diary."  It's also more than likely that Sid want to use his newfound position of power to bully the peasantry as revenge for their earlier poor treatment of him. However, this soon starts to take it's toll on him. Too much munching down on meat (some of it raw) makes him overweight and decidedly queasy, so he makes to leave just as Duckula, over on the other side of the mountains, decides he wants to leave the farm. Again, in a nice bit of mirroring, it's the prospect of eating a very fresh meat pie (mooing cow to be exact) that finally tips the scales for him too.

Duckula tries to get back to his castle, but Nanny and Igor have been deceived by Sid into believing that Duckula is the phony and won't let him in. Duckula tries the secret passage, but again, that's no use as Igor had been ordered earlier to brick it up. The way he slides the final brick into its hole to bar Duckula's progress reminds me of the classic Edgar Allan Poe story "The Cask of Amontillado." Perfectly appropriate for this series of course. 

Inside the castle proper, things are reaching a climax. Sid begs to be let out. Unlike Duckula who simply forgets about his powers, Sid has no teleporting abilities. But Nanny's not letting him leave until he changes into his clean cape! Sid bangs on the front door, begging to be let out, while the erstwhile Count bangs from the other side, with a directly contrasting plea.

Overall, one of the deeper episodes and as I say, one that stuck in my mind as a child for its, at the time, unnerving nature. That kind of stuff leaves its mark on you. Still, there is of course, plenty of humour du jour, although mostly of the darker variety which is appropriate. The ending is pretty amusing in the traditional sense. Great looking episode too and I suppose extra credit is due on the audio side of things for not getting any of the voices mixed up between the deliberately identical characters. Recommended. 

Music

"Stealth By Night" (Jack Coles) Plays a few times.

"Backporch Blues" (Richard Myhill) Maggot's Farm.

"The Cunning Wolf" (Paddy Kingsland - track 34) - Nicked Maisie.

"Keystone Chaos" (sped up) (Ron Aspery) - Changing clothes

"Dramatic Impact 5" (Ivor Slaney) - MEAT!

"Games Played In The Dark" (Richard Allen Harvey) - "Lots and lots of blood!"

"Grotesque Dance" (Roger Roger - 42:38) Sid is fat.

"Eccentric Walk" (Roger Roger) (13m37s) Deserted inn/Duckula runs into tunnel.

"Night Chills" (Dick Walter) "We know your little game!"

Pans and Backgrounds

There's some fantastic BG work on display here, not least of all the really grimy and disgusting looking Maggot's Farm. Unfortunately (for me!) the freeform panning makes them very hard to snip together, so you'll just have to see for yourself. I'd sure love to own some of these layouts! I wonder what scale they were done at? The scene used for Nanny's entrance looks like the same layout used when she enters again nearer the end, though they are different backgrounds.

Trivia

• One of two episodes with alternate titles, the other being "Bombay Duck."
• One of a handful of episodes that was never released on home media until the DVD releases.
• This episode was actually broadcast on Hallowe'en in 1989!
• The irony of Duckula abhorring the idea of letting his own blood and then stabbing a portrait of himself should be noted. The aggressive use of a pitchfork and the use of a sword/knife to let blood is used twice each in different scenes. Same with the chalice.
• Nanny knitted the cloak needed for the ritual and it is apparently made from crimson wombat fur. Igor is surprised that Duckula remembers this, hinting that Duckula may have some faint knowledge of his own previous incarnations. Quite disturbing when you examine this closely!
• Like David Jason's character Pierre, Sid Quack (and by extension, Duckula) wears a red neckerchief.
• Both Duckula and Sid get the chance to play the harmonica.
• The sliding scale of anthropomorphism is given a workout here, with the use of more naturalistic chickens on the farm, for Sid's dinner and the apparent use of the word human as an adjective. "A normal human being, that's all I want to be. Well at least a normal human duck." And before the poorly researched cartoon meme makers chime in, no it's not cannibalism if a duck eats a chicken, human duck or otherwise. Eating one of the peasants however...
• Rare episode that has Brian Trueman playing a female character who isn't Nanny. Since Granny Reekie is Nanny's doppelganger though, it's to be expected. He can be heard among the singing peasants however.
• Dan Whitworth wrote the Maggot's Farm song. It's a reference to the Bob Dylan song "Maggie's Farm." This makes the second Dylan reference since "Transylvanian Homesick Blues." Chris Randall was a big fan of Dylan and this inspired the episode. Whitworth also boarded this episode and animated the scene where Duckula and Sid Quack first meet.
• There appears to be a painting of a more humanoid character (with springing out eyes!) in the dining room.
• Reekie, unlike Nanny, does not have a bad arm. Farmer Stink's name will later be used for the Stink Brothers in "Avenger Penguins."
• Igor is seen reading the Transylvanian Express, rather than the Transylvanian Times or the more frequent Transylvania Morning Sun. Some gag headlines can be seen.
• Another appearance the village inn and the only episode where Duckula enters the inn. The Innkeeper appears, but has no lines. 
• Walter the peasant may be a reference to Walter Gabriel from the Archers. Jack May played Nelson Gabriel in that series, who was Walter's son.
• One of only two times where Duckula questions his ability to teleport. The other is in "Unreal Estate."
• Duckula mentions having silver pieces in his purse, so this is either an oversight by the writer or another vampire weakness Duckula does not suffer from. Either works.
• Many sources cite Duckula as being the 17th Count. This is the only episode which makes direct reference to this.
• Neither Duckula nor Sid show any surprise that their new 'keepers' look a lot like their old ones. 
• Unusually, Duckula asks Granny Reekie to read his bedtime story for him. Normally Igor does this, so by that logic, he should be asking Farmer Stink. 
• The cow pie joke may be a reference to Desperate Dan.
• The portrait behind Igor when he offers the blood pudding shows up in the end credits.
• First of two episodes where doppelgangers shows up. The other being "Prince Duckula." I'm not counting "Mysteries of the Wax Museum" as they were artificially created androids that were meant to look like the main characters and were not just coincidental.
• The joke credit is a reference to the author of "The Prince and the Pauper", Mark Twain.
  
  
  

Goofs and Nitpicks

• Couple of colouring errors on Granny Reekie in her first scene. Someone thought she was Nanny!
• Igor's waistcoat looks a little too low in the bedroom scene.
  
  And since this episode was originally broadcast on Hallowe'en, here's some Duckula themed artwork I did for fun throughout this month. M is specific to this episode. Happy Hallowe'en out there, whatever you are!