Sitting Ducks
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2008-07-09T00:30:01Z
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'''Sitting Ducks''' is an iconic [[lithograph]] created by [[Michael Bedard]] in the late 1970s. It depicts a literal interpretation of the [[idiom]] "sitting duck". Three ducks are relaxing in the sun on white chairs by the [[swimming pool|poolside]], one looks up and notices two [[bullet]] holes in the wall.
{{Infobox Television
| show_name = Sitting Ducks
| image =
| caption = The official logo for the TV show Sitting Ducks
| format =
| camera =
| picture_format =
| runtime = 30 minutes with commericals (15 minutes per short)
| creator =
| developer =
| executive_producer =
| starring =
| narrated =
| opentheme =
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| country = [[United States]],[[Japan]],and parts of [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]
| network = [[Cartoon Network]],[[Qubo]]
| first_aired = 2002
| last_aired = 2004
| num_episodes = 26
|list_episodes = List of Sitting Ducks episodes
| website =
| imdb_id =
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}}
Bedard then went on to create an entire series of "Sitting Ducks" related lithographs, which culminated in a [[children's book]] and a cartoon series.
==Book==
Bedard's 1998 book, ''Sitting Ducks'' (ISBN 0-399-22847-0) has the plot that crocodiles hatch ducks in a "duck factory", then send them to Ducktown, where the ducks live an idyllic life, encouraged by billboards to fatten up. The crocodiles presumably eat the ducks once they are fat. One duck is befriended by a crocodile, who lets him know that if only the Ducktown residents wouldn't get fat, they could fly away and avoid being eaten.
==Cartoon==
[[Image:Postercomp.jpg|right|202px|thumb|''Sitting Ducks'']]It proved to be a big hit with the European children's show market, along with gaining the usual merchandising gig, toys, clothing, etc. Sitting Ducks also proved to be popular in [[Japan]] when it debuted there in the first quarter of 2000. It was not until two years later, in 2000 that [[Universal Studios]] brought the show to America, debuting on [[Cartoon Network]] in the first quarter of 2002.
The show focuses in a town called Ducktown, on a [[duck]] named Bill, and his best friend Aldo, a huge [[alligator]] from the neighboring town of Swampwood. Seeing as how ducks are favorite snacks of the alligators there, Bill and Aldo's friendship is rather unusual. The pair usually end up in varied situations and adventures.
==Voice Talent==
*[[Ian James Corlett]] - Bill / Cecil
*[[Louis Chirillo]] - Ed
*[[Jay Brazeau]] - Alligator
*[[Gary Chalk (actor)|Gary Chalk]] - Jerry the Parrot
*[[Sylvia Zaradic]] - Additional Voices
*[[Pauline Newstone]] - Additional Voices
*[[Cathy Weseluck]] - Drill Sergeant Duck
*[[Dave Ward (voice actor)|Dave "Squatch" Ward]] - Aldo
*[[Phil Hayes]] - Fred
*[[Kathleen Barr]] - Bev
*[[Paul Dobson]] - Additional Voices
*[[Michael Benyaer]] - Raoul
*[[Scott McNeil]] - Additional Voices
*[[Dale Wilson]] - Additional Voices
*[[Lee Tockar]] - Additional Voices
===Characters===
*'''Bill''' - A diminutive duck who waddles to a different beat. A very kind-hearted, good-natured fellow who is always there when needed. One of his dreams is to fly. With the help of his friend Dr. Cecil, he tries again and again to fly, and eventually is told that the reason he can't is because ducks became too terrestrial. Bill's main appearance difference, apart from his smallness, is his bow tie which he changes every year at the Ducktown Picnic. Bill lives in an apartment with his pet [[parrot]], '''Jerry.''' He's been called a "gator lover" for his rare efforts to turn alligators into allies of Ducktown.
*'''Aldo''' - A lumbering, strong alligator from the town of Swampwood. He's Bill's best friend, though he often receives grief from his fellow gators on being a "duck lover". Has a blind '''Uncle Artie''' and a baby cousin '''Andy.''' Once was the cook at the bowling ball factory, he transferred to the assembly line after he befriended '''Bill,''' as he didn't want to cook any more ducks.
*'''Bev''' - Owner of the Decoy Cafe, where many ducks go to eat. She's a sweet duck who also has an alias, Madam Bevousky, as whom she offers [[fortune telling]] services to the residents of Ducktown.
*'''Ed, Oly and Waddle''' - Three brothers who live next door to Bill. These three lovable freeloaders tend to scheme their way into things and are usually the ones behind some prank or plot, from which they always try to distance themselves when things go awry.
*'''Cecil''' - Ducktown's only [[dentist]], Cecil speaks with a British accent and is always there to offer advice to Bill or the others. Naturally, Aldo is typically his only customer, being the only person in town who actually has teeth. He also provides beak adjustments for the ducks.
*'''Clair''' - Cecil's wife, who runs a [[jawbreaker]] store in Ducktown.
*'''Fred''' - a melancholy, but sometimes nervously hyper [[penguin]], who migrated from [[Antarctica]] to Ducktown, in which he has a '''citizenship.''' He's somewhat of a loner most of the time, always seen surrounding himself with bags of ice or air-conditioning to remain comfortable in the intolerable (to him) heat. Has a duck girlfriend, '''Dot Cable,''' and a cousin, '''Gelata.'''
*'''Raoul''' - A [[Hispanic]] [[crow]] who tends to be the freeloading troublemaker in Ducktown, and likes trading insults with '''Bill.'''
*'''Drill Sargeant Duck''' - A tough duck who makes it hard for Aldo to come into Ducktown, as she also is the leader of the '''Duck Defense League,''' an anti-gator organization.
==Episode Guide==
<br />Episode 1 (on Quack Pack DVD and Hulu.com)
*Running Duck
*Duck Naked
<br />Episode 2 (on Hulu.com)
*Ducks for Hire
*Hic Hic Hooray
<br />Episode 3 (on Hulu.com)
*Peeking Duck
*Fred's Meltdown
<br />Episode 4 (on Hulu.com)
*Mind Over Mallard
*The Fly Who Loved Me
<br />Episode 5 (on Hulu.com)
*Feeding Frenzy
*Bev's Big Day
<br />Episode 6 (on Hulu.com)
*Born to be Wild
*Bill Hatches an Egg
<br />Episode 7 (on Hulu.com)
*Hey Bill's on the News
*Got Milk
<br />Episode 8 (on Hulu.com)
*License to Scoot
*Old Duck and the Sea
<br />Episode 9
*Pest of a Guest
*Getting Away from it All
<br />Episode 10 (on Hulu.com)
*Midnight Snack
*The Visitor
<br />Episode 11 (on Hulu.com)
*Ducks on Ice
*Where's Aldo
<br />Episode 12 (on Hulu.com)
*Great White Hype
*Waddle Spud Bud
<br />Episode 13 (on Hulu.com)
*Denture Adventure
*All in a Day's Work
<br />Episode 14 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Holding Pen 13
*Daredevil Ducks
<br />Episode 15 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Aldo the Duck
*Chasing Andy
<br />Episode 16 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Feet of Fortune
*The Great Scooter
<br />Episode 17 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*O Brother, What Art Thou?
*Urban Legend
<br />Episode 18 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Fred's Fever
*You're Grounded
<br />Episode 19 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*The Gator in the Mask
*Lotta Gelata
<br />Episode 20 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Feather Island
*King of Bongos
<br />Episode 21 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Fred's Secret
*Aldo's Uncle Artie
<br />Episode 22 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Close Encounters of the Green Kind
*Gonna Getcha Gator
<br />Episode 23 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Nothing but the Truth
*Duck and Cover
<br />Episode 24 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Iced Duck
*Duck Footed
<br />Episode 25 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Free as a Bird
*Fowl Weather Feathers
<br />Episode 26 (on Quack Pack DVD)
*Duck Lover
*Outback Quack
==Video games==
LSP and Asobo Studios picked up the rights from [[Universal Studios]] to create games for Sitting Ducks back in 2003. The PC and GBA versions were released on [[March 2]], 2004, with the [[PSone]] (April) and [[PS2]] (July) versions following. An [[Xbox]] version was also planned, but was quietly cancelled. The game was not a success, but is still sold.
==External links==
*[http://www.michaelbedard.com Bedard's Personal Studio Website]
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368543/fullcredits#cast Sitting Duck Cast]
*[http://qubo.com/channel/sittingducks-episode.asp Qubo: Sitting Duck Episode Guide]
*[http://www.hulu.com/sitting-ducks Sitting Ducks on Hulu.com free streaming video service]
[[Category:Animated television series]]
[[Category:Fictional ducks]]
[[Category:Cartoon Network shows]]
[[Category:Television series by NBC Universal Television]]
[[Category:2002 television series debuts]]
[[Category:2002 television series endings]]
[[Category:Qubo]]
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