"In the heart of Transylvania In the Vampire Hall of Fame, yeah There's not a vampire zanier thanDuckula! He won't bite beast or man, Cause he's a vegetarian, And things never run to plan forDuckula! If you're looking for some fun You can always count upon The wild and wacky one they callDuckula! Count Duckula!"
Count Duckula (1988-1993) was an animated series by Cosgrove Hall, the creators of Danger Mouse. Indeed, the title character originally appeared as a bad guy on Danger Mouse, but on his own show he was a fairly amiable vegetarian with aspirations of fame and world travel. As the opening sequence of each episode explains, there was a slip-up in the performance of a resurrection ceremony where tomato ketchup was mistakenly used instead of blood, thus raising the title character as a vegetarian instead of the typical blood sucking evil count.And so, with his butler Igor (not The Igor, but instead a sarcastic hunchbacked vulture who wished his master would act more like a traditional vampire) and his maid Nanny (a hulking, dim but loveable hen with a bad habit of going through doorways without opening them first) in tow, Count Duckula would travel the world, running afoul (excuse the pun) of all manner of folks, including Dr. Von Goosewing, a bumbling vampire hunter who refused to believe Duckula was anything but a threat.
This series provides examples of:
Accent Adaptation: In the German dub of Count Duckula, the German accent of Dr. Von Goosewing is dubbed into modern Saxon dialect, which has always been the Butt Monkey of the German dialects. The pirate penguins talk in very strong low German from the regions where most major ports of Germany are located.
In the Mexican Spanish dub, he does speak with a proper German accent.
Artifact of Doom: Igor sometimes tries to get Duckula to find these in the hope that they'll bring him back to "The Good Old Days". (The Mystic Saxaphone from the first episode being a good example.) They never work though.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: (In 'All In A Fog') Count Duckula saying 'Cab!' just as a cab appears, then turns to the camera and says, "Now, don't you wish real life was like this?"
Catchphrase: The Narrator's closing remark "Goodnight out there... whatever you are!")
Nanny: I'll get it!
Usually followed by Duckula saying "Igor, order another door."
or "Close the wall behind you, Nanny."
Don't forget Nanny's archetypal cry of 'MY DUCKYBOOS' in reference to the eponymous vampire duck.
Came Back Wrong: Inverted - Count Duckula was an evil, murderous vampire who, after a botched resurrection ritual, came back right.
Well, from Igor's perspective the trope is played straight...
Christmas Episode: "A Christmas Quacker", which, interestingly, aired on Christmas Eve 1990!
Credits Gag: Many episodes have these in the closing titles.
The show actually seems to imply that Heinrich doesn't exist at all, and Goosewing is delusional. The comic adaptation clears this up somewhat; he used to have an assistant named Heinrich, who was always threatening to quit. Apparently he did, and Goosewing didn't notice.
In Heinrich's first 'appearance' Goosewing believes he has made him invisible with his 'invisibilitising ray'. The fact that there is no-one there in the first place and the doctor is wearing thick goggles may partially explain his ongoing confusion.
Moreover, Towser, the castle's werewolf, WAS undeniably real, but was never seen onscreen, apart from once where we see his eyes.
Lame Pun Reaction: A juicy one from "The Vampire Strikes Back" has a space hero asking Duckula what the date is, to which he replies "May the 4th." The hero responds as he leaves "May the 4th be with you."
Never Say "Die": Averted right off the bat in the pilot, when Duckula complains how Nanny could have killed him by smashing through the wall, and that her clumsiness with the tableware has already killed several of his servants.
The Nth Doctor: Not with a replacement actor, but a few episodes revolved around the fact that Duckula's ancestors were actually him, and he just comes back slightly different every time he is resurrected. This latest incarnation is just particularly unique due to the ketchup mishap.
Parody Names: Obviously Duckula for Dracula, and Dr Von Goosewing for Van Helsing.
Poirot Speak: Gaston et Pierre speak as though applying French grammar to English:
Pierre: What is it that it is that you are referring to, mah Gaston?
Secret Underground Passage: In the comics, Von Goosewing makes one of these into Duckula's castle. Subverted in that Igor and Duckula are fully aware of the fact that he's doing this and occasionally entertain themselves by watching him dig his 'secret' tunnel.
Additionally there was a Duckula / Victor and Hugo crossover episode.
Teleporters and Transporters: The castle is capable of teleporting itself around the world, but must return to Transylvania by dawn Transylvanian time. Some episodes revolve around Duckula trying to con people into buying it and the castle then vanishing.
The most elaborate non-verbal equivalent has got to be the episode where Duckula boards a cruise ship that seems to be utterly empty; no matter where he, Igor and Nanny go, there's absolutely no passengers or crew. Igor even compares it to the Mary Celeste. Of course, as we viewers can see, everyone else is there — they just keep going in entirely different directions to the Transylvanians. The episode ends with the three leaving the ship, looking back - and there is everyone waving them off.
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