A real treat showed up in the mail today. “Darkwing Duck: Volume 2.”
I don’t know how many of you remember this “Disney Afternoon” show. But “Darkwing Duck” was great fun. A witty spoof of the whole superhero genre, “DD” debuted as part of this syndicated programming block back in September of 1991 and quickly became a fan favorite.
Of course, what’s kind of ironic about all this was — when this “DuckTales” spin-off was being originally developed — it wasn’t supposed to twit action-packed detective comics like “The Green Hornet” and “The Shadow.” No, then-Disney Studio head Jeffrey Katzenberg had a very different target in mind when he gave veteran Disney Television Animation producer Tad Stones this assignment.
You see, Katzenberg wanted a show that would send up the world’s most famous spy, James Bond. More to the point, Jeffrey thought that he had the perfect title for this new “Disney Afternoon” series: “Double-O Ducks.” So after dropping this title and concept in Stones’ lap (As well as suggesting that “DuckTales” crash-prone pilot, Launchpad McQuack be the central character in this new animated series), Katzenberg sent this veteran DTA producer on his way.
“So what happened to ‘Double-O Ducks’ ?,” you ask. Well, for starters, Disney’s attorneys quickly informed Jeffrey & Tad that the Broccoli family (Which has produced 21 James Bond films to date) had the rights to the “Double-O” phrase all locked up. So they were going to need a new name for this still-in-development show.
Then — try as he might — Stones couldn’t turn McQuack from goofy sidekick to credible leading man. Which is why Tad eventually gave up on trying to hero-fy Launchpad and opted instead to create another leading man for this new “Disney Afternoon” show: Drake Mallard, the not-so-mild-mannered father of Gosalyn, a hyper-active 9-year-old girl. In true comic book fashion, Mallard leads a double life. And whenever his hometown of St. Canard is in trouble, Drake quickly dons a mask, hat and cape and becomes Darkwing Duck.
As for Launchpad … To honor Katzenberg’s original request, Stones lifted McQuack straight out of “DuckTales” (Where he had basically been playing Scrooge McDuck’s comic sidekick) and dropped him virtually unchanged down into “Darkwing Duck.” So that Launchpad could then trip up all of Drake Mallard’s investigations.
I know, I know. You’re feeling kind of sad that you never got to see “Double-O Ducks.” Which genuinely sounds like it could have been the basis for a pretty entertaining “Disney Afternoon” series.
Well, sad as it is to say, this sort of thing happened all the time at Disney Television Animation. Great ideas for new shows were proposed. Only to then be tripped up because executives at the company couldn’t warm to the concept and/or didn’t think that that particular story idea could support an entire series.
Take — for example — “Maximum Horsepower.” That sci-fi spoof that Tad deliberately developed to be a starring vehicle for that long-neglected Disney character, Horace Horsecollar.
Stones actually came up with a pretty intriguing premise for this proposed “Disney Afternoon” show. Which would have also answered one of the less-pressing mysteries in animation history. Which is: Why — after appearing in all of those Disney shorts in the 1920s & 1930s — did Horace Horsecollar suddenly drop from sight as the 1940s got underway.
Well, as Tad saw this story playing out … In 1939, Horace Horsecollar was tired of playing bit parts in cartoon shorts. And when he heard that Mickey Mouse was up for a leading role in “Fantasia,” Horace got furious. He stormed out of his dressing room and headed straight for Walt’s office. Where Mr. Horsecollar was then going to insist that he too be giving a shot at starring in “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”
Unfortunately, Horace never made it to Walt’s office. As he was crossing the Disney lot, this cartoon horse was suddenly abducted by aliens. Who then transport Horsecollar halfway across the galaxy because they desperately need a hero. And that’s what they think Horace is.
And — from there — the basic premise of “Maximum Horsepower” was that Horace Horsecollar now has that challenging acting role that he’s always wanted. He gets to be the hero. The only problem is … Horace is light years away from the lights of Hollywood. And more than anything, he wants to get back to Earth and resume his acting career.
That’s kind of a nutty idea for a “Disney Afternoon” series, don’t you think? Wait. They get better. How about “The Magic Kingdom Show”? Where a little boy & a little girl learn that a magical replica of their favorite Disney theme park exists high up in the clouds. Only in this version of the Magic Kingdom, all of the characters that you see in the rides, shows and attractions are alive. More to the point, they can now intermingle.
Which means that the guards at Cinderella Castle always have to keep an eye out for those villainous Pirates of the Caribbean. Who are always skulking about, looking for ways to raid the Magic Kingdom’s treasury. And it’s a never-ending struggle to keep all of those 999 happy haunts inside the Haunted Mansion where they really belong.
Does that sound like a rather odd concept for a TV show. Disney executives certainly thought so. Which is why they then refused to allow development of “The Magic Kingdom Show” much beyond its initial scripting phase. On the other hand, I heard that the “Disney’s Critter Country” show actually did make it fairly far along in Disney Television Animation’s development pipeline.
As you might expect, given this proposed “Disney Afternoon” show’s title, “Disney’s Critter Country” would have featured the comical back-country adventures of all of those characters that you used to find in the “Critter Country” section of Disneyland Park (Now please note that I used the term “used to.” Since this particular project actually predates “Country Bear Playhouse” being gutted to make way for that theme park’s new “Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” dark ride).
Anyway … As for the premise of this proposed “Disney Afternoon” addition … It would have had the characters from “Country Bear Jamboree” living right alongside & interacting with the critters that you see as you float through “Splash Mountain.” Where everyone in this backwoods community then works together to try & defeat Brer Fox’s latest scheme.
Speaking of animals … Another series that was considered as a possible addition to the “Disney Afternoon” line-up was “Thumper’s Thicket.” Which was to followed the amusing adventures of Bambi‘s bunny friend.
Now that may sound like a pretty thin premise to build an entire television series around. But given that — just last year — Disney Consumer Products launched its brand-new “Disney Bunnies” franchise.
So far, all we’ve seen are a series of books. But there have been some rumblings that — should sales of this “Disney Bunnies” merchandise remain strong — the folks over at Playhouse Disney might then consider using these books as the basis for a “Disney Bunnies” TV series. Which would then be aimed at the under-three set.
So — some 20 years after the “Thumper’s Thicket” idea was originally pitched for “The Disney Afternoon” — now Bambi’s buddy may finally be getting his big break. Provided (of course) that sales of that “Disney Bunnies” merch stays strong.
So I guess what they say is true. No good ideas (or should I say lucrative ideas) ever really die at the Walt Disney Company. So maybe there still is hope that Launchpad McQuack will finally get to star in his very own series.
Anyway … Did any of these developed-then-abandoned “Disney Afternoon” series ideas that I mentioned in today’s article sound appealing to you. If so, which ones?
Your thoughts?