"Twitching Channels" is the forty-second episode of Darkwing Duck.
Plot[]
Megavolt's latest device accidentally transports him and Darkwing into a universe of "hideous beakless mutants" (i.e: the real world), where Darkwing Duck is only a cartoon.
Summary[]
Megavolt invents a device called the Electrolizer and is able to travel through electrical wires to different appliances until he gets to a television set. He realizes that by adjusting the frequency of his device, he can travel through the airwaves and move from television to television. He uses this to commit several robberies and steals money and items by popping out of the sets and then popping back in to get away.
Drake is helping Herb bring a large box to the Muddlefoot's house and finds out that Herb got a fancy remote control that controls all the electrical items. Herb turns on the TV and Drake sees Megavolt. They change the channel and Megavolt is on everyone of them. Megavolt comes out of the TV and steals Herb's new remote control and then disappears.
Darkwing uses a tracking device and tracks down where Megavolt's transmission coming from. He appears just in time to confront Megavolt. Darkwing pulls out a rubber plunger and Megavolt fires an electrical bolt at him. Darkwing knocks the bolt back at Megavolt with the plunger and shocks him. Megavolt tries to escape and Darkwing grabs his feet and they are both sucked into the TV set. They go through a couple of programs until they come on a science program and Megavolt tries to use a device to trap Darkwing but it winds up overloading and exploding. They appear in the human world and Megavolt runs off when they see people coming.
Darkwing learns from some kids that he is on a popular cartoon show and he also finds out that he is on lot of merchandise. Darkwing wonders where all the merchandising money is going and finds out that E. Thaddeus Rockwell created the cartoon. Darkwing goes to meet Rockwell and asks him how he came up with the idea. Rockwell tells him that he was a struggling writer and he sent off for a helmet device that was supposed to improve his creativity. Something happened and he somehow tuned into Darkwing's world and started writing his adventures based off of that. Darkwing asks to be compensated and what does he do to get home. Rockwell doesn't have any idea how to get Darkwing home. As they are talking, a breaking news story appears on TV and it seems that Megavolt is terrorizing the city.
Darkwing confronts Megavolt and Megavolt begs him to help him return home. Megavolt then breaks down crying, telling Darkwing that he was trying to use the antenna to transmit himself, but cannot find the right frequency. Rockwell offers them a way to go to St. Canard. It turns out that he is putting Darkwing and Megavolt in a play based on their adventures in a mock up St. Canard. They start to do the play and mayhem breaks out and the set is wrecked. The audience loves it and Rockwell figures that now he doesn't need to do the series any more and that he can have them do the same act every night. Darkwing realizes that he can use the helmet with Megavolt's antenna to find the frequency and get them home.
They go to the antenna with the helmet and Rockwell pleads with Darkwing. Darkwing tells him that he should be original and write the show based on his ideas and not use the helmet to get material for the cartoon show.
Darkwing hooks up Megavolt and Megavolt tries to double cross him and kicks him off the antenna. Just then lightning hits and Darkwing launches the plunger and attaches to Megavolt at the last second and they disappear. Rockwell cries and realizes that he can't tune into their world anymore and as he walks off, his writer hears Monterey Jack and Chip from "Rescue Rangers" that would be a good show.
Herb is watching his TV when it explodes and Darkwing and Megavolt appear. Megavolt tries to get away by using his device and hops into the electrical wiring. Darkwing traps him in a light bulb. He hold up the doll he brought from the human world and says he needs to find a toy factory to start producing them.
Quotes[]
- Salesman: And what you'll like best about our super screen televisions is the way the picture practically jumps out at you.
- (Several copies of Megavolts appear out of the televisions)
- Megavolts: Well, you sold me.
- (Salesman yells and jumps into his female customers arms as the Megavolts grab and take several smaller television sets)
- Salesman: (Laughs nervously) It's a crime what they put on TV these days.
Megavolt: They called me crazy! They called me insane! They called me looney! And, boy, were they right.
Darkwing: (While looking at one of the drawings of him at Rockwell's studio) And they can't even draw my beak right! Well, that beak's big enough to land fighter planes on.
- Scientist: And now, it's time to meet our friend, Mr. Electron.
- (Megavolt bumps into him)
- Scientist: You're not Mr. Electron.
- Megavolt: (Zaps the scientist's rear) You're right. I'm Mr. Electroshock!
- (Upon getting zapped in the rear, the scientist runs off the stage, screaming in pain and a panic)
Darkwing: I am the auditor that wants to look at your books.
Darkwing: I am the low rating that cancels your program.
Megavolt: A TV set? Well, I've always wanted to break into television.
- Darkwing: (While watching his show's intro on TV) I'm a cartoon? Oh, well, that's not so bad.
- (He notices one part of his show with his misdrawn beak)
- Darkwing: Except they draw my beak all wrong.
Megavolt: This is what's known as a double-cross.
- (Darkwing, after seeing Megavolt on the news, arrives at the antenna Megavolt's at, trying to defend himself from some cops)
- Megavolt: (Shooting at the cops in a panic) Eat sparks, you weird-nosed freaks!
- Darkwing: (Getting his attention upon arrival) Put a damper on it, Megavolt! I'm here to pull your plug, you power-pilfering parasite!
- Megavolt: (Rushing up to him, hugging his feet in desperation and hope) Darkwing Duck? Oh, thank Edison, it's you!
- Darkwing: (Looks at the audience, unsure) This is a trick, right?
- Megavolt: (Begging) Just get me out of here! I promise I'll never zap again. (Grovels at Darkwing's feet) Take me home! (Kisses Darkwing's foot and then hugs his feet) Please, please, please!
- (He begins groveling at Darkwing's feet even more by kissing his feet when Darkwing calms him down and snaps him out of it by slapping his face repeatedly and then shaking him a bit)
- Darkwing: (To Megavolt) Get a hold of yourself! You don't want to ruin your reputation as a villain, do you?! (To the audience, under his breath) Or mine as a crime fighter? (To Megavolt, calmly, as Megavolt sits down sadly) Oh, say! Did you know I have my own TV show here? You're in it, too.
- Megavolt: (Sadly) I know, they always draw my nose wrong.
- Darkwing: There must be a way to get home from here. (Begins pondering) Isn't there a Yellow Brick Road or something we could follow?
- (Megavolt breaks down crying on a handkerchief)
- Megavolt: (Crying) It's no use! (Sniffles, sobs) I tried using this antenna to return to St. Canard. (Blows his nose on the handkerchief he's crying on) But I have no way of finding the right frequency.
- (He sobs again)
- Darkwing: (Sighs) Then it looks like we'll never get back to St. Canard.
- Rockwell: (Arriving with Crosby) Au contraire, mon freres! You want St. Canard? I'll give you St. Canard! Seven days a week, matinees on weekends.
Notes[]
References[]
Monterey Jack and Chip, from Chip N' Dale's Rescue Rangers, have voice cameos near the end of the episode.
Thaddeus Rockwell seems to be a play on the name of Tad Stones, the real-life creator of Darkwing Duck.
Darkwing references "The Wizard of Oz" by mentioning the Yellow Brick Road.
Other[]
When Megavolt enters another TV, he does a Johnny Carson intro.
The human children ask Darkwing several relevant questions: Does Launchpad ever change his clothes or do they all just look the same? What is Drake Mallard's job?
Darkwing refers to humans as hideous beakless mutants. He made a similar references to Comet Guy in "Smarter Than a Speeding Bullet".
Continuity[]
Megavolt cries in this episode; when he couldn't find the right frequency to get himself and Darkwing back to their homeworld. The other three episodes he cries in are "Clash Reunion" (When he is happy to see Darkwing having his confidence back), "Just Us Justice Ducks, Part 2" (In sarcasm when the doctors tell him they need electricity to run the hospital), and "Stressed to Kill" (Alongside Quackerjack when Darkwing, who is too relaxed, is busy cooking his cocktail wieners in the fire that’s burning St. Canard). He also almost cried in "The Frequency Fiends" (When Darkwing ties him onto a chair over a disagreement on using either the negative or positive polarity on the Gosalyn energy clones).