Sitting Ducks is a CGI-animated children's television series based on the 1977 "Sitting Ducks" lithograph and the 1998 children's book of the same name, created by the poster artist Michael Bedard. The series first premiered internationally before debuting in the United States on Cartoon Network, reruns had also aired on Qubo from 2007 until 2012. The show lasted for two seasons each comprising thirteen episodes, with the last episode shown on July 5, 2003.

Background

Sitting Ducks stars Bill, a duck who likes to hang out with his socially outcast best friend Aldo, the alligator. The duration of the show revolves around the daily life of the two, while also having the two seek to overcome the stigma between duck and gator-kind in their world and bring forth tolerance between the two species. The citizens of Ducktown are taught to fear and treat the alligators as monsters, while the alligators of Swampwood are taught to eat ducks, and ducks only; both of these ideas are an integral part of the culture of both respective towns. Bill seeks leisure in planes (due in part to his passion for flying and the art behind it) and painting, but more often than not he's constantly pestered by the likes of Ed, Oly, and Waddle, his gluttonous next-door neighbors. The brothers always mooch off of Bill and friends and use them for their own advantages; in essence, they are greedy, self-centered freeloaders. Bill also shares his apartment with Fred, a melancholy immigrant penguin from the region of Antarctica. Aldo, on the other hand, resides in Swampwood and is surrounded with temptations to consume ducks. He consistently overcomes this instinct (while he nearly let it get the better of him and nearly ate several ducks), while also encountering resistance from fellow alligators who advise him to end his interspecies friendship with Bill; Aldo remains unwavering in his dedication to their relationship.

Characters

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (2001–02)

Season 2 (2003)

Broadcast

Besides airing on Cartoon Network in the US, the series also aired in Australia on ABC3 and Nickelodeon, in Canada on CBC Television and YTV, in the United Kingdom on CITV and Boomerang, and on the Japanese version of Cartoon Network.

Home media

VHS releases

DVD releases

Merchandise

Sitting Ducks proved to be a big hit with the European children's show market, and as a result toys, clothing and other merchandise were created.

Print

The show itself also spawned a few books. Quacking Up is a joke book written by Rick Walton featuring the characters from the TV show, and multiple children's picture books by Danielle Mentzer and Annmarie Harris based on various episodes. The books were released in 2004, roughly one year after the show had ended.

Video games

In May 2003, Light and Shadow Production picked up the rights from Universal to create games for Sitting Ducks.

PlayStation 2/Microsoft Windows

Developed by Asobo Studio, the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows versions are 3D action-adventure titles where the player controls Bill and Aldo in different missions based on episodes from the show, with a Multiplayer racing mode also available. An Xbox release was also planned, but was cancelled.

PlayStation/Game Boy Advance

Developed in-house at Light & Shadow Production with The Code Monkeys assisting the PlayStation version, the PlayStation and Game Boy Advance versions are top-view adventure games where the player can control Bill, Aldo and Fred. It also features a different storyline than the PS2/Windows version.