TITLE: Identity Crisis: You Incurable Indecent Incriminating monster!
LOGO: “Multiple Thrills!”
EPISODE #: 26
SEASON: 2
AIRDATE: Sept. 23, 2005
DIRECTOR: Butch Hartman, Wincat Alcala, Kevin Petrilak
WRITERS: Marty Isenberg
STORYBOARD: Butch Hartman, Ben Balistreri, Fred Reyes
ART DIRECTIONS: George Goodchild
MUSIC: Guy Moon
APPEARANCE: Angry Manager (1st appearance), Fun Danny and Super Danny (1st appearance--of sorts), Sam and Tucker, Crazy Jazz, Fenton Folks
GHOST APPEARANCE: Technus, Box Ghost (briefly)
FENTON GADGET APPEARANCE: Fenton Dreamcatcher
LESSON: All writers are advised to use this episode as an example of what not to do when writing slacker-type teenagers, please.
SUMMARY: As an excuse to pit Danny and friends near today’s villain, Danny checks all the ghosts he’s captured in a file on the basement computer instead of doing the exact same thing in his own goddamn room. With the exception of Box Ghost (because no one cares about him), all the ghosts have been caught and with it, a weekend of fun and 100% ghost-freedom begins. Now’s the time to freeze frame and check the names of various artists and writers who got their names immortalized on sodas and greasy pizza. Well, better one then nothing. Gary Larson of The Far Side fame put it best when a new species of lice were named after him, “You have to grab these opportunities when they come along”. So you future appreciated folks, be happy when a heartburn-inducing food or a grotesque insect named after you.
Aiming to delete his files, he finds his hard drive full, so he takes to getting rid of a few things. After accidentally opening up a photo of Paulina in a luring sexy pose (is it wrong for me to say I’m turned on by this) and getting a sheepish reaction from him (and an excited Tucker downloading a copy for himself), Danny proceeds to delete an old copy of “Doomed”. Tucker quickly steps in, telling Danny that’s the game where Technus is trapped in (ignore the bad animation error of the Techno ghost in last episode). Too late, the moment it’s deleted, Technus is suddenly free instead of being permanently deleted into a bunch of ones and zeros or some such. Hey, what do I know about computers?
Stuck within it’s screens, Technus threatens Danny and friends, gives Paulina a new face lift with the crappy MS Paint program, then proceeds to destroy our young heroes by possessing the computer. Technus ties up Sam and Tucker with extension cords while ramming the tower to Danny who just transformed. Using the Fenton GhostCatcher, Danny expunges the ghost out of his computer to face him one-on-one. With the computer camera, Technus somehow causes it to shoot a long string of laser beam that slowly works it’s way to Sam and Tucker. Problem would have solved faster if he just aimed it at them and blew off their friggin’ brains, but then what else is Danny going to do for the rest of the 20 minutes but weep? Unable to save his friends and stop Technus at the same time, he declares he’ll be in two places at a time. Reluctantly speaking, he tries to create a double of himself and fails so horribly in what could be described as the most grotesque, gut-wrenching, yet odd amusing look at Danny’s duplication yet. It must be seen to believe. A pissed Sam gets her and Tucker to leap out of the laser beam’s way. Doing so unplugs the computer causing Technus to hide out in Tucker’s PDA where he proceeds to paint up the same Paulina picture.
Sam and Danny impatiently wait for Tucker after the credits. He arrives late, announcing his PDA is acting “wonky”. Danny suggests a new one, then gets zapped by it, courtesy of Technus. You know, after having shown Technus’ face on that device at least three times in the span of thirty seconds complete with his evil laugh, you’d think one of them would NOTICE?! I am filled with Brooklyn Rage. Looks like they’re going to miss the movie, “Unless we find somewhere to ignore all speed limits, red lights, and certain laws of physics.” Sam declares.
Telling his father there’s a ghost in the movie theaters, Jack rapidly drives the trio towards their destination. Sam panicky tells Danny flying would be better, but he answers that his father’s got more mack on his wheels then his flight could ever hope to handle during a situation like this. Technus takes this time to transport himself from the PDA to the RV where he transform the car into his own fitting. How he magically altered the painted “f” is best left non-brain breakable. Tied with ectoplasmic seat belts, the four haplessly do nothing as the Fenton RV flies off in warp speed. Jack deploys the Fenton Ejector (get your mind outta the gutter) and the chairs fly off. They parachute down afterwards, Jack comically falling flat on the ground before he’s comes out. Using the parachute’s cover, Danny transform into Phantom and proceeds to combat Technus whom have since taken over the appliance store, upgrading the RV into his own personal machinery through various technology mash ups. “BEHOLD, the NEW Technus 2.0 now with pop-up blocker!” Technus announces. Among his upgrade being that he no longer shouts out his mastery plans (so long villain speech). He then traps Danny in some green…laser…bubble, then proceeds to chuck him afar before he makes his escape.
Back at FentonWorks, Danny complains about their lack of weekend fun. Sam counters, saying they don’t mind, but Danny stops her in her track when he brings up the Fenton Dreamcatcher. Pissed that both his heroic and personal life are always clashing, he flies into it and splits himself into two versions of himself: Super Danny, a permanent Danny Phantom who, after grabbing the bed sheet and forming it into a cape, proceeds to dramatically save the world. Danny Fenton, now with a tuff below his hair (much the same as Jack’s 80’s do) vows to “par-tay”, complete with surfer voice. Hartman, no one’s said “par-tay” since Bart Simpson did back in 1997 and no one uses surfer voices for the slacker type anymore. Get with the time. “This has bad idea written all over it.” See? Even Sam agrees. Tucker is easily pleased and quickly calls for “Fun Danny”, dragging him away. Super Danny, complete with moving cape and flowing hair despite lack of wind announces to Sam on her dark colors, “Have you considered switching to bright, primary colors?” That convinces Sam to spend time with Fun Danny, too. And in what could possibly be the most hilarious scene, Super Danny practices his superhero face. Neo Yi laughs.
More nod to the writers (freeze frame) as the three head to the movie theaters. There, Danny continues with the goddamn surfer’s voice as he proceeds to cry out “dude” and “bummer” while providing crass behaviors. Dumping his soda (which is pink, by the way) causes the manager to slip and eventually kick them out for Danny's indecent manners. Danny tries to phase the three in, but can’t. Sam is concerned, but Danny ain’t, asking who wants to go bowling. Tucker immediately proceeds with Sam hesitantly following. Meanwhile, Super Danny announces to himself on his complete freedom to dispense justice. Cue Technus who’s absorbing power cords with people nearby. “Leapin’ Lightning rods!” Danny cries. After another bold shout out, Danny smacks into Technus, unable to go through due to his ghost shield. He triumphantly tries to turn human in MID-AIR and in FRONT OF PEOPLE that it’s a miracle that it didn’t work. Unsure of why this is happening, Technus blasts him a new one.
By this point, a split screen appears as we see the simultaneously lives of both Fenton and Phantom, the former bowling, sleeping, waking up well rested, and a bird landing on his finger in pure Disney fashion. Phantom meanwhile spends the entire night battling Technus (more nods to the writers here). Eventually reported on the news for all to see, including the Fenton family, Jack angrily cries out that Danny needs to see this. Jazz tries to shoehorn in, but is confused when she spots Fun Danny walking in, sporting more slacker wear (trucker’s hat, Oh My God) and utilizing the devil sign with his fingers. Jack shows Danny the clip of his ghostly counterpart, but he quickly shrugs it off and leaves. Jazz is noticeably frustrated, “That can’t be Danny!” Jack concurs, “I’ll say, no son of mine says, “Who cares about ghosts.”
At the amusement on the pier, Danny and his friends are aboard a roller coaster having a blast. Just as they’re at the very tip of the track, their ride stops. Technus is absorbing the powers of the amusement park. Cue Super Danny who manages to finally put two and two together, crying out that he is a “Wattage Wasting Wastrel”. Laugh. NOW. Jack in the meantime grabs Fun Danny from the Specter Speeder to teach his son how to hunt ghosts by aiming for Super Danny. He averts the blast by slightly tipping the vehicle. Fun Danny falls off, but Super Danny saves him in time all the while as he points out his flaw, “Have you lost your half of our mind?!” Jack interrupts with another blast, aiming for Super Danny to save his son. Technus follows behind and hits the Specter Speeder, knocking Jack unconscious. Grabbing Fun Danny, Super Danny forces him to shut down Technus, ghost shield still intact. Jack regains consciousness and heads for his son with a cross-country bike that’s damn too small for him.
Fun Danny heads inside the main RV seat and proceeds to drain his batteries by uploading whatever gizmos and gadgets the car has (Disco Ball, WTF). It works and Super Danny shoots one of the wheels off. Technus veers and almost makes it overboard. A push from both Dannys causes him to sleep with the fishes. Super Danny then criticizes Fun Danny's lack of concern and fits to phase himself back into him to become one. He merely possesses him and announces to his friends and father that he “never felt better”. Dramatically, of course.
Super Danny vacuums his room back home until Fun Danny resists him out. Trying to fix the mistake, Sam and Tucker uses the Fenton Ghostcatcher on the two. It’s worse then they thought as the two now look identical sans eye colors. Jazz enters, freaks out, then leaves. Jack appears, causing the two to hide one of the Dannys. Neither of them are remotely concerned Danny’s SISTER saw it. Jack orders Danny to return the Fenton Ghostcatcher pronto. He obeys and carries it off. So how much does that thing weigh? Both Sam and Tucker had to lift the thing up to use it on Danny a minute ago, yet here Danny lifts the whole thing by himself like it's a goddamn feather. In human form, no less. Either the invention is a lot lighter then I thought or Fenton’s just getting stronger (which again is a point above “Micro Management”). Maddie enters in time for the other Danny to come out of the closet (MUST. REFRAIN. FROM. MAKING. VLAD/DANNY. JOKE). She’s concerned about Jazz and tells her son to speak to her, saying he’s alright. Super Danny dramatically obeys, worrying Maddie to boot. He enters to find Jack there as well who tells him to take the Fenton Ghostcatcher down like he was told to. Super Danny again obeys. At that point, Maddie tells Fun Danny to go talk with Jazz like she stated prior (but not before Tucker distracts her from Super Danny by asking if his hat smells funny--he needs to work on his problem dandruff), causing an annoyed Fun Danny to place the Fenton Ghostcatcher down. His annoyed groan is so perfect. By that point, Super Danny arrives with Jack and quickly, Sam and Tucker tells them to hide. So they do, pretending there are playing hide n’ seek. I hope your head was spinning from reading his. The doorbell rings, prompting the two parental figures to greet the officer who managed to fish out their damaged vehicle. Maddie gives Jack the angry stare.
Super Danny (still with the flowing hair) and Fun Danny argue amongst each other on who gets to play Danny Fenton as Sam and Tucker watches. They cover one of them up as the Fenton Folks arrive, their black box in hand. With it, they plan to replay all the memory they recorded. The two Dannys cry out a huge “no!”, but the moment Jack plugs it in, Technus appears. He gets back into the Fenton RV and proceeds to use all the energy in Fenton Works to drain the city and eventually the world. “Nobody heard that, right?” He sheepishly asks to...whoever was listening.
Technus entangles the Fenton Folks and Tucker and Sam from head to toe with more extension cords. The two Dannys transform, resulting in a “Whoa/Hey” from both ends. Super Danny tells Fun Danny to stop the “House Hi-jacking Horror” (you can tell I'm having a grand time writing these) while he saves his family. Fun Danny flies off, but he can’t phase while Super Danny doesn’t have his Ghost Rays. He does have the ability to phase his family out of the tangled mess. Fun Danny does poorly against Technus, but he’s a nice distraction when Jack and Maddie asks where their son is (Super Danny turns human) once they exit FentonWorks. The Fenton Folks returns when Jazz is still stuck. Technus by then has absorbed the house enough for it to connect metallic legs. The house literally moves to it’s destination. Super Danny--again ghost--tells his loser half that since they possess only half their powers, they must team up to save the world. Fun Danny doesn’t care and prefers to bowl (AT A TIME LIKE THIS!?) until Sam and Tucker convinces him it’ll be fun and he gets to hit things. They all agree to go inside the walking home and get the Fenton Ghostcatcher.
On the rooftop, the two Dannys combat with the abilities they individually gained. Technus places the ghost shield around them, though it only works if they’re both outside. That matters little, Technus manages to deliver much butt kicking and eventually captures the two, telling them off on their poor use of split personality. Tucker and Sam arrives and manages to separate Technus from his machine, resulting in his new, upgraded, better, and arguably sexier form. Super Danny and Fun Danny work together to round him up as they stumble into the Ghostcatcher, resulting in one fun Danny again. Technus cries out a villain speech, leaving Danny room to capture him. To be far, Danny ranted out a heroic one that could have had enough time for Technus to phase out of the way. Sheesh.
Tucker wonders how Full Danny came to be and notices the Ghostcatcher has one side that merges, the other which separates. Okay, that was a pretty bad Hand Wave; this wasn’t even an issue in “What You Want”. Danny turns Fenton and apologizes that they couldn’t have a fun weekend. They disagree with much enthusiasm. “We’re your friend, Danny, kicking back or kicking butt.” They watch the view as the rest of the Fentons arrive. Jazz is relieved there is now one Danny (“I’m not nuts!”) and joins the trio. The Fenton Folks join in (after contributing a comment about their marriage due to Jazz’s line- “That’s exactly what you said when you proposed to me.”) for the view, saying they gotten move their house back, having landed on the beach. Danny happily asks, “Umm, Dad, maybe that can wait till after the summer?”
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Article Written in: Jul. 24, 2008
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