TITLE: Control Freaks: The Demolition Duo has Returned!
LOGO: "The Freakiest Show on Earth!"
EPISODE #: 20
SEASON: 1
AIRDATE: June. 17, 2005
DIRECTOR: Butch Hartman, Ken Bruce, Gary Conrad
WRITERS: Marty Isenberg
STORYBOARD: Butch Hartman, Wincat Alcala, Ray Angrum, Shawn Murray
ART DIRECTIONS: Bob Boyle
MUSIC: Guy Moon
APPEARANCE: Freakshow, Pamela and Jeremy Manson, Two stupid Cops and their posse, Unwavering Janitor, Random News Lady, Hundreds of Goths(1st appearance), Danny and Sam, Tucker, The Fentons, Ida Manson, Lancer (stuck in a closet), Tiffany Snow, Principal Ishiyama
GHOST APPEARANCE: Lydia the Tattooed Ghost and Freakshow’s Other Freaks (1st appearance): Elasti-Girl, The Hulk, and Mini-Me
FENTON GADGET APPEARANCE: None
LESSON: Cross over to the Dark Side…Cross over to the Dark Side…Cross over to the Dark Side…and bring Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” while you’re at it
…Cross over to the Dark Side… (It's true, TV does turn you into a zombie)
SUMMARY: The “24K Jewelry” store, the most blatant and yet at the same time, cleverly named jewelry shop rest peacefully in the dead of night. Jewelry magically floats in the air with no one on sight after a quick sec of peace and you know what that means, kiddies. “And I thought the merchandises flying off the shelf was just an expression.” Danny comments before he Ecto Rays the Invisios hogging all the goods. All them sparklin’ diamonds and its infamous best friend status with girls extends to ghostly chicks…and dudes…and a midget. Except for Lydia (the tattooed ghost chick who won’t even get that name till “Reality Trip”), none of the Ghost Freaks have any names, so for here on forth, they will be known (in order of their visual appearance when Danny Ecto Blasts ’em: Elasti-Girl, The Hulk, and Mini-Me.
Mini-Me gets the first strike as he literally gropes Danny’s head (It’s barely 30 seconds in, save your energy, people) and extends the half ghost kid’s mouth to show off his pearly whites. Danny ain’t no “hat person” (but I am--love the dickens out of ‘em and generally refuse to go out in public without one), so he flings Mini-Me to one of the jewelry case, causing it to break, and triggering the alarm. I assume Danny wanted to bolt at this point, but The Hulk is vewy vewy angry and wants to hunt some ghost boys, so he chucks him to Elasti-Girl who ricochet him off with her stretchy body. Danny fortunately doesn’t get stuck as a pinball long enough for Lydia to send her tattoos of various little odd monsters to attack him, literally peeling them off her skin. That’s wicked. Danny proceeds to display--in my opinion--one of his coolest attacks ever by forming a massive Ecto Ray around himself, shooting off multiple Ecto Rays that sends the tattoo beasties back towards the four baddies. Frawesome. “It’s ghosts like you who’s giving ghosts like me a bad name!” Danny cries. On cue, the sirens blare and the Ghost Freaks make their exist, dumping the jewelry over Danny, making it seem he stole ‘em by the time The Two Stupid Cops enter to bust some ass. Danny makes his quick exit, leaving the cops to say some stupid antic and go out for donuts.
Pamela: Good Morning, sunshine, and how do we greet the brand, new day?
Jeremy: With a smile on your face and an attitude of gratitude.
Sam: *groans* I’m a creature of the night doomed to a family of morning people.
And thus starts a typical day for one Ms. Manson and her ultra happy Stepford parents: Jeremy and Pamela (never named, though mentioned in the credits--incidentally, I just love how Pam’s name rhymes with her daughter). To get their usual day started, Pam introduces the world’s most 50’s-ish dress ever: sleeveless floral print edition. Sam adds in her own personal touches via dark spray paint and scissors to reduce the dress length to near slut level. Breakfast time seems to go along a bit more smoothly, the family eats while grandma Ida glues herself to the TV screen. No wonder she has glasses. The latest news the woman on screen speaks so that she’d get her thousands-of-dollars-in-paycheck-a-year reports parents to take an active interest in child lest they all end up “surly and dark as their eyeliners”. Immediately Jeremy and Pamela eyeball their daughter as news lady continues to warn folks on the dangers of their child’s negative influence. That is such a bold accusation, Sam is SO not wearing eyeliners. ENTER DANNY.
Just BARGING in the door like that with a CD for Sam, its any wonder why the Mansons immediately shoot dagger eyes towards him. Further adding insult to injury is a commercial for Freakshow’s Circus Gothica (newcomers to the show, keep an eye on his staff), complete with “ZOMG, EBIL CLOWN”. Avert eyes NOW. Danny’s voice turns all zombie-fied as he repeats Freakshow’s words (“Cross over to the dark side”) as his eyes turn a swirly red. Pam flicks the TV off due to it’s offended content while Sam declares she and Danny already has tickets. More dagger eyes from the Manson family, causing Sam to pop back, “It’s just harmless entertainment”. She then leaves with Danny (more like drags Danny) when he continues acting like a zombie, minus Michael Jackson. Then Grandma Manson proves she’s got more sense of humor then any of her family members.
“Will you keep messing with my parents? That’s my job!” Sam cries out, snapping Danny out of his brief trance. Danny apologizes as the last thing Sam needs is for her family to declare her more of a troubled teen then they already picture her as…and that’s why she decides to skip first period to see the Circus Gothica train. Let’s see, five minutes in: Hypocritical personality jumping right out. This is going to be a long ride. Danny however pulls out the concern card on her wrongdoing to which she declares, “Tucker has first period off, he’ll cover me.” Indeed, Tucker cross-dresses as Sam for money. I know being in the unpopular grape vine, no one is going to notice Tucker nor Sam, but I think someone will figure out there’s a BLACK male donning a WHITE girl’s outfit. Although I have to vouch, Tucker looks surprisingly good in Sam’s clothes, pulling it off WAY better then Sam does. She makes up for that purely by pulling off Danny Fenton’s wear while Danny pulls off that My Fair Lady dress. Everybody wins, especially Vlad if he sees Danny in a dress. Also, since when do students have the option to skip first period? This is high school, not college. Unless there IS an actual reason (which is never stated or otherwise, I wouldn’t be questioning this), ALL periods are mandatory.
“Don’t blame me if you get caught!” Danny yells as Sam runs off. Unfortunately that’s the situation he faces once again when the Ghost Freaks fly by with stolen cash, complete with cop cars chasing after ‘em and Mini-Me dashing between Danny’s legs. The government must really think Amity Park is joking on their situation with ghosts if they refuse to ship money to fund any ghost weapon inventors (The Fentons for example) to donate to the cops ghost weaponry to beat the shit out of them, because cop cars and dinky little batons do nothing. Fortunately they got secret-weapon-they-just-don’t-know-it-yet-Danny Phantom who performs his heroic duty, “Opening a new bank account, don’t forget your free toaster!” He Ecto Blasts Mini-Me who drops his wad of cash, crashing onto the hood of the cop car, causing him to smack a fire hydrant. Cop Man is not amused. “Oh, great, more fans.” Danny mutters before he gives chase as the four fly past a Freakshow billboard. One quick stare and Danny gets hypnotized again before he instantly snaps out and flies through it, finding Circus Gothic, and hundreds of Goths in broad daylight, though they got umbrellas…GOTH umbrellas. Oooh.
Sam teases Danny on his joinage of skipping school Goths, the latter turning human as The Two Stupid Cops and Bulking Muscle Man Cop whizzes past him on their pursuit of “Inviso-Bill”. That still won’t help out the fact he’s the only kid wearing white. Freakshow makes his grand entrance from the Circus Gothica train, makes his bold and dramatic announcement (he impossibility stretches his staff at one point), then starts off with a sneak peek of his show as four of his Freaks comes and dazzles the Goths. Danny, once again eyeing Freakshow gets all trance-y. Sam, too busy to notice in all excitement gets shot down to hell when her parents and fellow conservative parents arrive to boycott the circus due to it’s “morbid assault on the morals of our children”. All the Goths boo, Danny remains as still as a statue, and Sam anguishes, “Why can’t they have day jobs like other parents?” Because they’re stickin’ rich and have enough trust funds to last them till retirement? Freakshow is not fazed and instead remains confident, rising atop a box and telling the Goths to basically tell them off, “Make them see you for who you really are.” Danny is the first to react--still dazed--as he’s eyes no longer swirl red, but instead has red pupils as he cries out everyone’s attention to announce both he and Sam cut school and is proud of it. The Goths cheer, one of them spray painting his shirt black to promote his loser status to Goth (Around this point, the Danny fangirls cries a river of squeal to see their favorite ghost boy in Goth--seriously, there are hundreds of fanart I see of Danny in Goth clothes like it’s become part of his feckin’ daily routine). Naturally Sam isn’t thrill, nor is her parents whom are shocked to see her with the group (I just love how Pamela is speaking through her bullhorn during this point just as well). Embarrassment follows suit.
“Some might call this little act of rebellion a cry for attention, but I call it a cry for detention.” Principal Ishiyama giggles at her own joke before Sam and Danny and their respective parents, neither group in happy mode. Jack rants at his son’s misbehavior, telling him to think before acting, said before he accidentally shoots a portable pistol of Ecto from his jumpsuit towards the Mansons. “Obviously the apple doesn’t fall far from the overbearing, orange jump suited tree!” Jack and Maddie are both offended over the insults they made over their trait of jumpsuits. The Mansons forbid Sam from seeing Danny and any of her troubled friends to which she quickly defends, “My friends are completely normal!” In a hilarious case of bad timing, Lancer arrives with cross-dressing Tucker. See, tolda someone would notice.
Back at the empty Circus Gothica, Freakshow rounds up his Freaks. The entertainers from earlier prove to be the Ghost Freaks Danny has encounter and combated twice, only in human disguises. Unless they were born ghosts, I’d personally like to think that’s what they looked like before their death. Ghosts in line, Freakshow starts to give off a monologue just as an excuse to prepare the audiences on major plot points, after all, what person would bother spouting all this on something the four Ghost Freaks already know? Not unless Freakshow likes to hear himself talk (which wouldn’t be unquestionable, given his personality, really), all better told from his mouth (with me helping out on the sideline), “For generations, my family has controlled ghosts with this (his ghostly rod, he’s had it throughout the current *counts* nine minutes of this episode). Untold powers and all they could think to do was entertain the masses; where else I have found a much more profitable use for you minions (he gets them to steal money for him) and as soon as our newest member of our cast joins us, this entire town will be my for the taking (he’s going to hypnotize Danny Phantom into his little group).” Got it memorized?
The Three Amigos are stuck in detention watching Lancer clip his toenails, the only time Danny could probably stay within 200 feet of Sam, what with their now restraining order they put on the boy. Tucker, hiding his PDA behind a book (“A Farewell to Arms”) opts to watch Circus Gothica via the Internet. With his staff in full view like last time, Danny gets all dazed once more. He starts to head out until Lancer blocks him, so he overshadows the overweight teacher, then locks him in the janitor’s closet before cryptically telling his friends to “unleash your dark side at Circus Gothica”, then flying away. A perfect excuse to go to the circus, Sam runs off with little hesitation, effectively skipping detention and dragging Tucker with her. Damn it, Sam, if it wasn’t for Danny, I’d also chock this one up as “troubled teen” mode. If you want them to accept your Gothness, then stop giving them reasons to distrust you. Teenagers…
One good shot of Circus Gothica (with nice sunset coloring) later, Freakshow starts off the show by introducing one of his Freaks as the Grim Reaper, walking past a tight rope and balancing on his scythe. Coloring mistake with his hands there for a brief moment notwithstanding, the Goths cheer. Sam however is backstage, looking for her troubled friend, only to meet Freakshow to which she goes all fangirl over. Grim Reaper appears and recognizes Sam (and the fangirls explode). As I already figured out, it’s Danny who’s come backstage before performing an encore, causing a pissed Freakshow to control him with his staff when he sees free will in Danny’s eye upon him witnessing Sam. Instead of questioning what connections a superhero ghost has with Sam, he instead opts Danny to capture Sam and…not slash her, as it seems to indicate, but to make her fall. Literally. Forget blackmail, it’s quick to the kill, admirable villain trait. Danny cuts the rope of the tightrope Sam is positioned on (after cutting off her blindfold) as hundreds (including Tucker who JUST GOT IN for some reason, on a bathroom break, Foley, picked a pretty bad time!) watches as she starts to plummet to her doom. Danny gains his humanity and flies down to rescue her, creating a riot of cheers. The audience this time is filled with regular people instead of the usual display of Goths they emphasized beforehand. Danny immediately gains his dark side back right after and frightens/teases Sam with dialogue that rabid Danny fangirls find oh, so sexy. Oh, I’m sure one such fan is a certain billionaire in his 40’s, alone and bitter, but full of looooooooooove to give. Freakshow considers her luck a “warning”. Considering he really had intentions to kill her, how would he cover up her death? My vote: make it look like an accident.
“Geez, Sam, you nearly gave me a heart attack! Can we take time off from your Gothapalooza and actually look for Danny?” Tucker complains, assuming Sam was part of the act somehow. Sam declares Grim Reaper is Danny and mentions all the other evil crap Freakshow’s been doing. Sam and Tucker run out of the circus tent and run into her folks. When they ask why they’re not in detention, Sam makes the lame excuse that Lancer let them out. The Mansons don’t bother protesting due to the Fentons joining the rest of the angry parents to boycott the circus (complete with Fenton Riot Gear which is just one of the numerous, variable Fenton Bazookas they own), but not before asking where their son is, usually seen hanging with Sam and Tucker, but the Three Amigos are down to the Demolition Duo. Pam steps in, saying Danny is no longer allowed near Sam, even showing off the restraining order. Maddie then ponders where he could be…
…The answer being that he is currently stealing with the Ghost Freaks at the local Amity Museum. Unless I’m expected to believe Danny and friends switch from entertainment to thieves in mere SECONDS, I’m going to deny and assume a certain passage of time has passed when this occurred. Ghost speed or not, no freakin’ way could this happen in minutes. Any who, Danny (looking dashing in a crown--CHESS PIECE DANNY) gets his stealin’ buddies to move it or lose it as three cop cars head in their directions, all whom Danny defeats by destroying the wheels of the cars. Seriously, lack of governmental funds is the main issue in Amity Park here. I say we switch from our prime government and give ourselves to alien ants in support, I for one welcome out new insect overlords. Tiffany Snow reports Danny’s actions, Freakshow challenging any concerned parents and authorities to witness his show as nothing more then harmless entertainment, and lastly, the missing whereabouts of Lancer.
Finished with the news, Tucker calls Sam up via the Internet to report on Danny’s actions. Being house arrested by her parents while they off to see a “free show” of Circus Gothica doesn’t phase Sam one bit. She uses a rope ladder as she sneaks out of her room, only to run into her grandmother. Sly Cooper she is not. Grandma Ida however proves Sam isn’t adopted as she probably suspected throughout her life when she opens a photo album containing her youth (any questions on Sam’s black hair as oppose to her parent’s hair color is answered here, remember, you can inherit things from your grandparents, too) and how she had a rebellious streak. So while she’s “lost in memories”, it gives Sam time to rescue Danny to which Sam gracefully thanks with a kiss to her grandmother’s forehead. Very touching, only ruined by Ida dressing up as Sam as running gag to what Tucker did. This is a prime example of touching/sad/basically the opposite of funny scene ruined by a joke/funny scene. Don’t need it, don’t want it. Also, anyone wanna tell me how Ida knew Sam only ran off prior and now to rescue Danny? Methinks she makes a better sneaker then Sam is.
Tee Hee, I am amused the skeleton arms wave in the wind atop Circus Gothica, now filled with angry parents.
Pamela: I’m keeping a detailed list on anything I find objectionable, immoral, or obnoxious. *Jack burps or coughs or something’s out popcorn and soda to Pam and Jeremy*Jeremy: He on the list?
Pam: Right now, he IS the list.
That’s what you get when you don’t find seats in advance; you get stuck with the annoying people. Meanwhile Sam heads for the caboose (the end of the train), but hides under it when she spots a bat-shaped shadow. Turns out its Tucker with a bat hat on his…hat, far from amusing Sam who angrily flicks it away. How dare he create redundancy?! Hats over hats do not go together, damn it! The two get back to their main mission and head inside the train to see it loaded with cash…and the staff. What kind of a careless villain leaves his most prized possession alone? One who’s well guarded when both the Demolition Duo are Ecto Blasted off the train by still evil Danny, bumping onto the railroad tracks as they crash-land. OUCH. That has GOT to hurt, but those kids shrug it off like they’re made out of feckin’ steel. Evil Danny arrives with Freakshow as the train takes off. It’s funny how Danny just floats on the back of the train, as the train is MOVING. Surely Danny, his feet NOT on the caboose would be left behind? That’s some serious fly control the kid has. Freakshow is in full confidence mode, assuming no one will help the two as everyone else is enjoying his free show. Free show, which includes Lydia ambushing the entire audience with her tattoos. Jeremy finds exit is impossible as it is covered in layers of bricks. LAYERS. OF. BRICKS. Is there like some passable time gap that occurs or do Freakshow and his minions suddenly have the magical ability to cover their entire bloody circus tents with impassable brick roadblocks? Screw the fact they’re ghosts, they must’ve stolen Clockwork’s time staff when he was sleeping on the job to move past the speed of light. Great Scott, indeed.
While the parents run around like Daffy Duck on caffeine, Sam and Tucker reach a bridge above the train. Getting the idea that they must jump on top of the moving vehicle, Tucker objects in fear. “I can’t abandon Danny!” Sam cries, motivating Tucker enough to jump with her. Action Hero kids, “…Plus I’ll never hear the end of it if my parents are right about him being evil.” She’s referring to Danny, not Freakshow, by the way (it took me a while to figure that one out, actually). Back to the panicking parents whom are all rescued when Jack and Maddie hop center stage and blasts every single one of them single-handedly with various hidden gadgets popping out of their well armed jumpsuits--yes, even Jack, fresh from his stunt from “the Million Dollar Ghost”. Who gets to diss jumpsuits now, hmmm? Sam and Tucker scene switch as they run across train freight to train freight, the pittle-prattles off their boots catching Freakshow and his Freaks’ ears. They fly up on his command, surrounding the duo. Then we scene switch again as The Mansons thank the Fentons, then proceed to build up an angry mob to bust down the walls. Damn, they be working out.
Now we cut back to Sam and Tucker--permanently this time. Passing animation error of having Danny with Freakshow and the Freaks when he should be on the OTHER side, Tucker tells Freakshow to lift his staff higher then he already is (hey, it adds more drama). Freakshow does so, but the passing railing above causes him to drop it. In bold fashion, Tucker leaps to grab the staff…and misses. *Price of Right Loser Music plays here*. Damn, he sucks. Danny is the one who grabs it and thinking he’s good again, Tucker ask for a high five from his best buddy. He gets an Ecto Blasted one, pushing him back to The Hulk who holds him tight, leaving only Sam to play her part: trying to convince Danny to change back while Freakshow tries to get him to bring his staff back (pushing Sam to the far edge of the train and all), making little noises with his lips like he’s a puppy. It’s almost cute in a sick way. Danny is naturally conflicted by this, but Sam gives it the push he needs when she makes an ultimatum, the staff or her, then she jumps off the train to a watery death. No, not really, she accidentally falls off to her literal death. The former sounds much cooler since it gives a far more personal motivation for Danny to dive down and save Sam, dropping the staff during the process, restoring both his will and the Ghost Freaks. Danny is guilty for his actions, though Sam comforts him by saying it’s “nothing he can’t fix”.
With the Ghost Freaks free (and finally relieved of such, by the way), Danny and the three (They never explain the whats of Lydia, not until “Reality Trip”) drag their former boss down and dump a wad of money and coins on top of him. I am highly amused one of the boxes literally says, “Money Box”. Can you be anymore conspicuous? Somehow, SOMEONE managed to stop the Circus Gothica train when the track it's on and it's surrounding area are bombarded by cop cars. Danny asks the Ghost Freaks to stay and state they were controlled to let them off scot-free, but they instead fly away. Instead of acting on his own words--perhaps four is just better then one--Danny, too flies off, leaving Freakshow to get intimate with the cops…or at least his fellow prisoners. I hope he’s watched The “Oz”.
With Freakshow arrested, both the Fentons and Mansons reassure how proud they are of their kids (and Tucker) for capturing the baddie and their relief on their safety…but they’re still grounded. “Grounded, smounded, this is cruel and unusual punishment!” Ida declares, spotting Sam donning the floral dress from earlier (new one, I presume) to which she only wore in order to get Danny’s restraining order off. Other then that, everything’s back to normal, nothing can possibly be missing, nope…nada…zero.
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Article Written in: Oct. 18, 2007
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