In case you haven't checked my fanart submissions, I have an idea for a possible animated series on Disney XD starring Talespin's own Rebecca Cunningham! I've typed up a basic concept of the show and I would like the Talespin community to give me your opinions and suggest changes if needed.


DISNEY BECKY

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Becky is a Disney animated television series based in Portland, Oregon, with characters adapted from the 1990 Disney series Talespin as well as other past and present Disney franchises. This show would most likely air on Disney XD rather than its parent Disney Channel.


BACKGROUND

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Becky is a spin-off loosely based on the Disney TV series Talespin starring Rebecca Cunningham, a petite Brown Bear who reprises her role as a self-established Businesswoman in the big city. Unlike Talespin which was set in a 1930s-esque period in a tropical metropolis known as Cape Suzette, in which Rebecca runs a small air cargo service, Becky places the character in a fictionalized Portland in the present day but with an aura of 1990s nostalgia, where Rebecca is now one of the richest bears in the world. While Talespin focused on “High-Flying Adventures” filled with Danger and Excitement, Becky is an Animated Comedy filled with Pop Culture references, parodies, and crossover gags from other Disney characters and franchises. The show somewhat downplays Rebecca's previous cartoon incarnation, but incorporates characters from other animated Disney shows such as Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers and Phineas & Ferb. The show is somewhat based on the life of actress Sally Struthers (who incidentally is the Mayor in the show) who was born in Portland, Oregon; a city known for it's “New Left” way of life; and numerous TV sitcoms from the 70's to 90's (particularly the ones created by Norman Lear) as well as Disney's TV legacy from the Michael Eisner era.

Characters include Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians who appears as a rival business tycoon to Rebecca's Arcee Enterprises, and Ranger Woodlore from the Humphrey cartoons is now the Principal at Molly's high school. Other Disney characters include Bianca (The Rescuers), Timon (The Lion King), and cameos scattered throughout the show. Despite it's strong likeliness and re-use of characters from Talespin, Becky is not exactly a spin-off, but rather a mash-up of Disney franchises like Raw Toonage and House of Mouse.


SYNOPSIS

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BECKY, is set in fictionalized Portland, Oregon; a city known for it's “New Left” lifestyle where the spirit of the 1990s survive. Public Transit, Bicycling, Environmentalism, Small Businesses, Coffee, Fashion, Music, The New Left and (if Disney allows) Beer and Weed, are just some of the things that make Portland a different and unusual kind of town.

Ms. Cunningham is the Landlady of Cunningham Towers; her very own apartment complex built on the banks of the Willamette River in the peaceful suburb of Dunwyn (named after the Kingdom of the Gummi Bears). Living in her penthouse is her teenage daughter Molly who tags along with “Mama Bear” for her adventures. While one of the most affluent apartment buildings in the city, Becky welcomes tenants from all walks of life, including a pair of burnt-out stoners who offer to do a little work for her to pay off their rent. However, harboring such characters would bring down the property value, so Becky has to keep a low profile when visited by the Chairman of the Oregon Condo Board, Mr. Hamish.

While a modern day Mama Bear raising a single daughter, Becky has two nephews from Vancouver, Canada: The Courtnall Cubs, Jeff & Ross, who frequently visit Aunt Becky's penthouse hoping to “Score” on her Hockey team she owns: the Portland Winterhawks. The cubs are sons of Sylvia Courtnall, a Bear married to a former pro Hockey player who is Human, to the envy of Miss Cunningham. Other relatives drop in on occasion including her long lost cousin, (You're not gonna believe this,...) Humphrey from Brownstone Park!

Outside Cunningham Towers, Molly goes to Dunwyn High School where J. Audubon Woodlore is the principal. Like most teen girls portrayed in other Disney shows, Molly has her own BFFs, including a Panda girl named Wanda Li whose family runs a Chinatown restaurant downtown called Panda-La Palace, and Alejandra, a Latina Coyote from Arizona. As a rich and powerful tycoon, Miss Cunningham funds Dunwyn High and sponsors the school's Soccer team in which Molly is its most talented player.

With great power comes great responsibility, and for the head of Arcee Enterprises, she strongly believes in the axiom: “Picking on someone your own size.” While many large corporations like Downs Industries have a reputation of being “Predators” on smaller, struggling businesses, Rebecca's operations have one quality that most super conglomerates don't: Heart. Miss Cunningham isn't afraid to lend a helping paw to a local business in need, like Timon “Tim” Berkowitz's drugstore, Gateway Drugs (A pot joke, I know).

Every hero or heroine in a show like this has their arch nemeses. In Rebecca's case, it's Dunwyn's most ruthless businessman, known only as Mr. Downs, a mysterious figure whose face is never seen by the audience, and the ever-wicked fashion mistress Cruella de Vil (101 Dalamatians). These two greedy corporate rogues often give Becky a good run for her moolah, but unlike them, Arcee Enterprises observes a strict “Fair Play” code of ethics and respects her customers with confidence and satisfaction.

In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, landlady, homemaker, and mother, Rebecca Cunningham is also on a personal quest to rebuild her family by finding a new lover— that is if her daughter doesn't get to him first. The Mother-Daughter team of Becky and Molly provide most of the show's drama the way Hannah Montana built relationships between parent and child.


CHARACTERS

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Rebecca Romaine “Becky” Cunningham, A petite Brown Bear with long Brunette hair who usually wears a Purple & White Curling jacket, purple pants, and a white turtleneck sweater. Building her success from Higher For Hire, an air courier service she owned in her hometown of Port Largo, Alaska, Ms. Cunningham founded Arcee Enterprises in Dunwyn, Oregon. Her assets include her very own line of Designer clothes and accessories from Handbags to Sneakers; all of which are ethically manufactured in Oregon, her own chain of Coffee shops called Tim Howard's, and even Gummiberry Energy Drinks. She is also part-owner of Portland's three major sports franchises: The Trail Blazers, The Timbers, and The Winterhawks. With all this work for Becky, she still manages to find time for her daughter by incorporating her in Arcee's ventures, knowing one day she will have to fill her shoes— even though Bears don't normally wear shoes. Becky unwinds after a hard day's work by practicing Tibetan Buddhism; burning incense, perform Yoga, and even fire up the old Bong. She's what you call a Yuppie/Hippie— a Yippee. Rebecca retains most of the qualities from Talespin, but is now portrayed as a Hard-Snouted Liberal who uses her fortune to give back to the community. Simply put, she's Oprah with fur.

Molly Elizabeth Cunningham, Becky's 16-year-old daughter with Golden fur, Blonde hair who usually wears a pink Polo shirt and blue jeans. A bratty teen who resembles her renegade mother, Molly is the heir to her Mom's corporate empire. Like in Talespin, Molly has a fixation for Frosty Pep Gelato, and is die-hard for her favourite Manga comic book heroine, Danger Woman. Molly is also a gifted athlete, as Captain of her High School Soccer team, she follows in her mother's paw-prints as an honour roll student in the making. Like her mom, Molly is always hunting boyfriends— unfortunately, so is Becky, and most of the time it's the same guy. Like in Talespin, Molly is a plucky young girl who tags along with Mama Bear in most of her adventures.

Banzai, pot smoking Hyena, one of Becky's tenants. The Cheech of the two stoners in Apartment 420.

Dunder, Hippie Warthog, Banzai's roommate. The Chong of the two stoners in Apartment 420.

Wanda Li, Molly's Panda friend. Works for a family-owned Chinese restaurant called Panda-La Palace. Her parents came to America during the Cultural Revolution in China to find spiritual freedom. Unlike Talespin's portrayal of the Panda race in one particular episode, the Panda family are peaceful, fun-loving Buddhists and are good friends of the Cunninghams. The Pandas reflect Portland's own cultural revolution and hippie mentality.

Alejandra, Molly's Coyote friend at Dunwyn High School from Arizona.

Principal J. Audubon Woodlore, Previously known as the Ranger of Brownstone Park in the classic Disney cartoon shorts, the stubby antagonist of Humphrey Bear is reincarnated as the Principal of Dunwyn High School.

Humphrey, Becky's cousin, believe it or not. The famous Grizzly from the Disney shorts returns as a distant relative of Miss Cunningham, a family tie she wishes to forget.

Sylvia Courtnall, Becky's Canadian Sister. Modelled after Oscar Vandersnoot's Mom in the Talespin episode “Captain's Outrageous”. Wife of a Human former Hockey player and Mother of twin Bear cubs Jeff and Ross. An established Canadian, Sylvia has some border issues with the United States. While not as wealthy as Rebecca, her marriage to a Hockey player makes her a little jealous sometimes.

The Courtnall Cubs, Jeff & Ross, Becky's Canadian Nephews and Sons of Sylvia Courtnall. The twin cubs are modelled after SCTV characters Bob & Doug McKenzie. They wear Toques and Hockey Jerseys. They visit Aunt Becky often, hoping to make it on the Winterhawks and possibly in the NHL like their father.

Timon “Tim” Berkowitz, Jewish Meerkat owner of Gateway Drugs, a local Dunwyn pharmacy where Rebecca buys her Medicinal Herbs. A family-owned business for over a century, Berkowitz's Drugstore was saved from near bankruptcy by Miss Cunningham's keen business tactics that helped him turn his store around in the face of competition from Downs Industries' own pharmaceutical division.

Cruella de Vil, owner of her own designer fashion line and corporate rival of Becky's Arcee Enterprises.

Mr. Downs, Mysterious president of Downs Industries and the corporate rival of Becky's Arcee Enterprises whose face is never shown to the audience. His character is based on that of Shere Kahn in Talespin, but is human.

Bianca, Micro-diplomat, joins Becky on Goodwill missions.

Mayor Sally Struthers, Mayor of Dunwyn.

Reggie Cunningham, Becky's father and founder of Higher For Hire in Alaska. Based on Archie Bunker.

Rouge Cunningham, Becky's mother. Based on Edith Bunker.

Larry Bruinstein, Becky's ex-husband. Based on Mike Stivic.

Mr. Hamish, Chairman of Oregon Condominiums Council.


Now, there's a chance this might never make it as a legitimate TV series, but it's a long shot. However, it could be the genesis of future fan-fiction stories using this as a rough guide. I hope you like the idea. Why not post your ideas for a Becky spinoff here?