COUNT DUCKULA, Episode 1 “No Sax Please: We’re Egyptian” (8 out of 10) – Directed by Chris Randall; Written by Brian Trueman; Starring David Jason, Jack May, Brian Trueman, and Barry Clayton. Originally aired September 6, 1988.
This week Saturday Morning Cartoon! presents “Count Duckula,” a British series which first aired in 1988. The story follows the latest incarnation of a centuries old vampire duck, his butler Igor, and his nanny, a bumbling wrecking ball of a woman appropriately called Nanny. The Count must be reincarnated once each century through an ancient ritual which ends with an offering of blood, the life sustaining substance of all vampires. However, during the last ceremony, Nanny accidentally substituted ketchup, resulting in a less bloodthirsty vegetarian vampire who spends his evenings on the hunt… for carrots.
Igor is unsettled at the lack of viciousness in his new master and tries, unsuccessfully, to push the Count toward what Igor considers the noble pursuits of his previous incarnations, despite his complete lack of interest. What the Count is interested in is a way to achieve fame and wealth which he pursues by way of a unique property of Castle Duckula, namely its ability to travel through space and time. It’s basically Ducktor Who accept the castle is exactly as big on the inside as it appears on the outside.
In the pilot episode the Count takes the castle to ancient Egypt in pursuit of an enchanted saxophone that gives the player the power over life and death (redundant for a vampire) and dominion over all the powers of the universe (useful for anyone). When the castle transports it takes along with it, the Count, Igor, Nanny, and four burgling crows with socks on their faces who also want to get their hands on this mystical instrument.
When they arrive at the pyramid they all enter and through a series of fortunate events, all attempts by the burglars to retrieve the saxophone or to harm the Count and his entourage are foiled accidentally causing the crows to fall a great height to presumably great injury, at least half a dozen times. A feat even more impressive when you consider that they should be able to fly.
There are puns galore, a bit reminiscent of “Who’s on first” involving two pyramid guards who serve the god Ra, called Humite and Ubi. All in all, it was one of the most fun cartoons I’ve stumbled upon in a long time. Excuse me while I start the next episode.
For this episode I recommend a bowl of Count Chocula, because… obviously.
Cheers.