DuckTales (TV Series) 'Till Nephews Do Us Part (1988) User Reviews

A well-written tongue-in-cheek episode with lots of innuendo

[garrard · 9/10 · 29 May 2010]

Scrooge McDuck (voiced by Alan Young) may have found his financial "soulmate" in one Millionara Vanderbucks (Tress MacNeille), a wealthy business tycoon who wants to make a "merger" with the Scottish millionaire. When Huey, Louie, Dewey, and Webbie (all voiced by Russi Taylor) learn of Millionara's plan to get rid of them, along with Mrs. Beakley (Joan Gerber) and Duckworth (Chuck McCann), the kids plot to make Miss Vanderbucks "change" her tune.

The episode is filled with delightful word play, mostly using financial terms in a subtle romantic connotation, fun for the adults who may be watching the show with their kids. Like a well-written 'toon, there is something for every one.

A surprise cameo near the end by a character from Scrooge's past is a real charm, adding to the mirth of one of the most satisfying installments in the three-season-long Disney classic.

Marriage of millionaires

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 13 June 2019]

Disney was dear to my heart as a child. It is still dear to my heart now. 'Ducktales' is a fine example as to why, when it comes to favourite animated shows it is definitely up there and always has been. There are numerous animated shows, films and series that were great shows through younger eyes but are even better now due to more being gotten out of them, 'Ducktales' is one of them and one of the stronger examples.

To me, 'Ducktales' didn't have my definition of a bad episode, even weaker ones were better than weaker ones of most shows, though the earlier episodes were better when there was less too heavy focus on weaker characters. "Till Nephews Do Us Part" is not my definition of a bad episode, actually still consider it a very good one while finding that the show had many much better. It has almost everything great, but moments of the story and characterisation could have been even better than it was.

Scrooge is uncharacteristically stupid here, well lets slightly backtrack on that as that trait hasn't been unknown of him actually but not to this extent. It was very obvious early on, too early one might argue, what Millionaira's plans and what she was really like to the viewer as well as the rest of the characters and didn't completely buy personally Scrooge taking so long to get there.

While Millionaira was great fun and one can see what Scrooge sees in her, if she was slightly less one-dimensional it would have been less obvious perhaps. The climax also could have been better, that could have been very exciting but it felt very rushed.

Conversely, the great things are many. The animation is very good. It is bright and colourful with lively fluid movement, smooth drawing and meticulous attention to detail in the backgrounds. Even better is the music, it is again dynamic and beautifully orchestrated, never jarring with the action and full of energy. The theme song is one of the best and most irresistibly catchy theme songs of any of Disney's shows and there are many out there.

In terms of the writing, much of "Till Nephews Do Us Part" is very funny and smart, with some witty wordplay and some innuendo material that one doesn't expect. The story is driven by the great character interaction and the nephews are very well written here. They genuinely care for Scrooge and their pranks are both hilarious and imaginative. The voice acting is very good throughout, with Tress MacNeille clearly having great fun as Millionaira.

On the whole, good episode with great things. 7/10