Reboots may be the bane of every hardcore fan’s existence at the moment, but news of a Mighty Ducks television show has gotten us a little excited anyway.
Yes, originality is dead, but who cares when we can get a Mighty Ducks live-action TV series? On January 22, we found out one is in the works at ABC Signature Studios, the network’s streaming service.
The original trilogy screenwriter and producer, Steven Brill and Jordan Kerner, respectively, allegedly approached the studio themselves to pitch this idea. That certainly gives us hope that the project will honor what fans love so much about the original movies.
Everything we want to see in a ‘Mighty Ducks’ reboot TV show
Keep it in the same universe
The last thing I’d want a new Mighty Ducks property to do is erase everything that came before it. Too often reboots find themselves replacing the original and trying to “improve” upon it. The Mighty Ducks movies are just fine the way they are. The fans love those characters, and trying to remake the story by putting different actors in the same characters’ shoes isn’t going to go over well.
Instead, it would be amazing to see the legacy of the first Mighty Ducks movie carry on into present day. Give us new characters and new situations, even ones that better reflect modern times, and let us enjoy the same message the originals gave us through a different lens. Which brings me to my next point…
Coach Charlie or Coach Fulton
This is probably a longshot, but how amazing would it be if Joshua Jackson or Elden Henson returned to the franchise and became the next head coach? It’ll be near impossible to replace Emilio Estevez in any respect, but at least having one of the original team members now coaching a team of their own will be a huge step in the right direction.
But it also depends on how the script is written. When we first meet Coach Bombay, he’s taken up with the team as a part of his community service. It’d be difficult to watch Charlie or Fulton fall on hard times to that degree. We never want to see our heroes as anything less than what they were. Maybe the screenwriters can find another conflict to roll with.
More ladies
There have been several female players in the franchise, but in particular Julie was an excellent addition to D2: The Mighty Ducks. When I was a kid, I definitely looked up to her. A girl holding her own against a bunch of boys playing a brutal sport like hockey? Granted, this was just a pee wee team, but still. Julie was a badass.
I hope the television show has more female characters, not just as mothers or love interests, but as vital parts of the show’s plot. I’d definitely want to see more than one girl on the ice carrying on Julie’s legacy. The NWHL has been making strides in the last year or so, and it would be wonderful to see that reflected on screen.
Plenty of cameos
This one is easy. Literally just give us all the cameos. Every single one you can find, we want it. While it may be unlikely that we’ll actually get a Coach Fulton or a Coach Charlie, there is a chance some of the actors would be willing to swing by the set for a day, drop in, and show up in a single episode of the show.
This would also be another great way to make sure the show stays in-universe. The Ducks have got to be a near-mythical legend after 25 years. It would be awesome to watch the new batch of kids meet their heroes for the first time and learn what kind of knowledge and wisdom they have to impart on them.
A reference to the Anaheim Ducks
One of the coolest things to come out of the Mighty Ducks franchise was the creation of a real-life team named the Anaheim Ducks, which was founded by the Walt Disney Company. They’ve actually been a pretty successful team over the last couple decades, too.
So how cool would it be if the Anaheim Ducks came into play somehow? Maybe the real-life team could visit their tiny counterparts and give them a rousing pep talk right before the big game.