User Reviews

'Darkwing Duck' has always been a show dear to my heart. One of those favourites from a young age that holds up really well, and is even more entertaining through adult eyes from appreciating the writing and stories even more.

Have been on a roll reviewing individual episodes for certain shows, animated, non-animated and of as many genres as possible (many as part of certain quests), and decided to do it with 'Darkwing Duck' and some others. Something that, as expected and hoped, has proven to be a more than worthwhile project and experience. "Hot Spells" is not one of my favourites, but it is an episode with more than enough to show what is so great about the show.

Some nice conflict here, if not as thrilling as other episodes and it just lacks the extra something of other episodes.

Morgana though is always watchable and her chemistry with Darkwing is one of the delights of the episode.

The animation though is very colourful and atmospheric as always however. The music matches what is going on perfectly while it is impossible to forget one of the catchiest theme songs in animation.

Writing is witty, very funny without being too silly and thought-probing without being complicated. Things don't get too childish and it is all easy to follow. The story is compelling enough and lively in pace without being rushed, and executes a nice idea imaginatively without being too silly. Darkwing is an immensely likeable and fun title character and Launchpad never fails to bring a smile to my face. Gossalyn adds a lot of spunk and really spices things up even more, she is not a brat neither is she too overly-cute.

Jim Cummings fits Darkwing like a glove, it is always lovely to hear him in non-villain roles when he excels just as well in them. Christine Cavanaugh is a major part of why Gossalyn works so well as a character, and Terence McGovern is note-perfect for Launchpad. Kath Soucie brings sensuality and edge to Morgana and Jack Angel has fun.

To conclude, very enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Hot Spells is the only banned episode of Darkwing Duck, aired on Halloween, 1992. It features a trip to Morgana's "Poison Ivy"-league school, where Gosalyn gets the keys to library of forbidden spells - from Beelzebub himself. The idea of Gosalyn practicing Satan's magic was enough to get the episode buried. Check Disney Plus, you won't find it. Never mind the fact that Beelzebub was previously seen in one of the greatest episodes, "Dead Duck." Never mind the fact that Morgana has always been a part of the show. What the hades was Disney's "Night on Bald Mountain"? Chernabog has long been seen as the devil himself, and all of Disney's villains have been doing his works - from Grimhilde to Scar, and, as Beelzebub says in this very episode, Darkwing's own rogues gallery.

This episode is filled with the kind of jokes that make Darkwing Duck Darkwing Duck. The dramatic music that plays every time the library is mentioned, the snappy stuff like Yorick having a bone to pick - the fact that his name is Yorick will go over most kids' heads, and many of the more educated parents will get a smile out of it. Morgana, as a witch or sorceress, is the perfect match for Darkwing - the darkness of her nature matches DW's (look at his name). She's just lacking his ego, but now we know (if we didn't already) she's not evil. Morgana's not at her best here, but it's colourful to enter into her world.