TITLE: Public Enemies: No Good Cops here, just a whole lotta bad cops--is that considered more sexier?
LOGO: “It’s FANG-TASTIC!”
EPISODE #: 14
SEASON: 1
AIRDATE: February 4, 2005
DIRECTOR: Butch Hartman, Wincat Alcala, Juli Hashiguchi
STORY: Steve Marmel
WRITERS: Steve Marmel, Sib Ventress
STORYBOARD: Ray Angrum, Chris Graham, Dave Bullock, Ian Graham
ART DIRECTIONS: Bob Boyle
MUSIC: Guy Moon
APPEARANCE: Mayor Montez, Shelley Makamoto (1st appearance), Main Trio, Fenton Folks, Jazz, Principal Ishiyama, Dash, Paulina, Kwan, Lancer
GHOST APPEARANCE: Wulf, some small headed ghost prisoner, Bullet (1st appearance), Walker and police crew
FENTON GADGET APPEARANCE: Fenton Ghost Bazooka, Fenton Ghost Shield (1st appearance) Fenton Porto-Gun, Fenton Gun, Fenton Other Crap
LESSON: Bad Cops, bad cops, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when Walker corrupts the town for you? Bad Cops, Bad Cops...
SUMMARY: I don’t know how much time has passed since "Prisoners of Love", but a lone prisoner of the Ghost Zone (with the smallest head and biggest broad shoulders this side of anatomically incorrect) runs off from a bunch of Ghost Zone Cops, including Bullet whom I’m gonna assume is Walker’s 2nd-in-command. They capture him easily though. Bullet reports it’s the last prisoner captured. “All but one.” Walker corrects before heading over to release one of his prisoners: Wulf, a giant 7-8 foot Ghost Wolf Anthro who dons a green sweatshirt and pants and not the prisoner clothes the others wear. I guess it’s living prove he gets more special treatment then the other prisoners. I mean, why else would he have that collar Walker grafted onto him to prevent him from clawing into Earth (I refuse to say “Real world” still!). He always gets the center of attention. Maybe Wulf makes every prisoner his bitch which the cops find to their amusement considering just how feckin’ corrupt these dudes can be. Walker being the worst of the lot who orders Wulf to sniff out Danny for his revenge in exchange for his freedom.
Immediately ghosts cops hound Amity Park, not really at all living up to their service as “Long arms of the laws” as they’re breaking everyone imaginable. The irony is when one of the ghost cops removes the motor from their own kin: human police officers. I don’t know, having seen that just makes me laugh cuz’ it’s so…ironic. Of course, Danny and friends aren’t cheering in the least, “I’m gonna need a bigger thermos.”
Two days have passed since the ghost invasion. I assume Danny tried to help, but couldn’t due to the seemingly 100 vs. 1 situation he's in. So for now, he’s currently in the school auditorium where Amity’s corrupted, voting obsessed Mayor Montez basically secures all anti-ghost matters to ensure the children’s live long enough to vote for him. *snort* Vlad may be just as questonable in his own way, but I’d still vote for him over you, you misshapen hobbit. The floor opens for Principal Ishiyama who orders the following rules: 1. Students aren’t allowed to have contact with the ghosts (Which the Main Trio already broke long before that rule was stabilized), 2. They will all be escorted immediately after school, and 3. A nine o’ clock curfew. Despite all the panic, none of these kids seems phased in the least. They look all dull eyed and dead or bored and uninterested in some form, as if massive ghost invasion was the equivalent to motivational speakers who barge in on High School auditorium, attempting to bond by speaking and eyeing them like they’re still stuck in preschool. It’s basically, DRUGS ARE BAD! WANNA KNOW WHY? And they proceed to sing about the dangerous effects of it through cheesy raps to the tune of “Bingo”. Danny and friends aren’t pleased by these changes (the rest doesn’t seem to surprisingly care in what I view as lazy animation) which further adds insult to injury when Danny finds out his parents are basically behind it all as they barge into the auditorium, armed to the teeth and warning the children of the dangers.
Wulf sniffs out Danny and those close to him from one of the portals he made, something Walker ordered him to do. Wait, I thought he wanted to just sniff out Danny. Bah, whatever change in plans or something he stated off-camera-wise, Wulf heads in. Walker doesn’t give a shit if the giant dog is found, but the rest of his crew is to stay hidden, particularly through overshadowing human individuals. Danny’s ghost breath lets loose and he silences a panic by the time Wulf appears on stage. NOW the entire student body throws a screaming fit as they try to get the hell out of the place. In the midst of all the chaos, Walker, Bullet, and about three of his ghost cops take over some of the students and teachers bodies respectively. While I can understand Walker refusing to inhabit a female due to awkward gender roles, wouldn’t it have made sense for him to possess the principal, the HEAD of the school? That ghost cop probably got it and in a fit of first come, first serves; he got stuck with second best, student king of the school. Danny tries to go ghost, but with too many people around, he can’t, leaving Wulf to nearly separate his head from his neck if not for Maddie who Fenton Bazookas him, much to Jack’s surprise who hasn’t bother to pay attention to his wife’s trainings. Some husband. Wulf takes this time to live--err--Afterlive and fight another day as he makes his escape, Bullet and a couple of cops chasing after him. Walker (in Dash’s body) makes note to his other possessed posse that he wants to keep an eye on Danny’s folks, “They may be of use to us.” Jack and Maddie give chase, the latter telling Jack the door is a pull when he bumped into it, “…Well, she might.” Danny secretly snoops Wulf escaping, but doesn’t get to do much of that as Lancer, in a fit of panic, pulls him back inside before getting possessed himself.
Danny and Jazz later walks back home WITHOUT that so-called escort the school planned. She tells her little bro that with their parents out on patrol, she better expect him to “trust you to stay in your room and be so quiet it’s like you’re not even there”. Danny has no damn clue what the hell she’s spouting, but doesn’t get to. Opening his door home, he finds Dash, Paulina, and Kwan with his parents who have just started the Ghostkateer meeting. These kids are supposed to be protected, not knighted and suited for battle! To makes things even more embarrassing, Jack and Maddie sing their theme song which--despite it’s short length and despite having seen this episode multiple times--is so ridiculously cringe worthy, it’s borderline begging for an ax to the head. Naturally, Jazz doesn’t like it either and quickly races to her room with Danny following. At least there are two people with their heads still screwed on.
The school the next day isn’t any less embarrassing. Other then Maddie constantly greeting her son through a bullhorn, the two keep a constant alert during their lunch period, forming a ghost shield around it via their RV. Danny basically complains while worrying about the current ghost conditions, assuming Wulf as the one who started all this. Tucker adds in that Wulf’s language he spoke is Esperanto, which he seemingly knows traits of, using it as forms of communications amongst nerds. What? Klingon and Elvish got too old? Speaking of Wulf, he spies on Danny, and then literally drills his way past the ghost shield. Damn, that is some killer useful powers he has. He destroys the RV (Jack cries), thus removing the shield, then gets collar-shocked when Bullet uses it against him, despite Walker’s wishes. The cops give chase after the fleabag while Danny goes off to go ghost behind a tree where Jazz occupies. She makes some blatant lie and walks off, letting Danny free to transform.
Jack spots the half ghost and nearly blasts him if not for Jazz. Instead it hit’s the two cops and sends them back into the Ghost Zone. File that weapon under must avoid. Bullet meanwhile uses some gun...thingie that shoots out some whip-like ectoplasmic thingie that shocks poor Wulf. Danny steps in, saves Wulf, grabs the Ectoplasmic and in it’s only appearance, creates a Ghost Stinger. Too bad we never see this power again; it’s like the creators completely forgot it afterwards or just currently denies its existence.
With Bullet gone for the time, Wulf immediately warms up to Danny (licking him and all) and vice versa. Jack steps in to deliver some ghostly justice…as soon as he untangles his Fenton Fisher. Danny tells Wulf to relax since it’s only his pops, then his mom comes and nearly destroys Wulf. Danny flies him away in time and they all hide out in Tucker’s home since his house is filled with anything not friendly towards ghosts, plus Tucker’s the only one who has any sort of chance talking with him. His first translation is to tell Sam he doesn’t want his collar touched despite the fact that he GROWLED, not spoke. Apparently in their world, “GRRRR!” means “Don’t touch my shit!” What a crazy world they live in. So Danny leaves Tucker and Sam to figure out Walker’s plans while he flies off to get his thermos in his locker as he phases out of the house. This is nice animation right here. I love the slow motions he takes as he phases his way out. Hrmm, I don’t get why he needs to get the Fenton Thermos out of his locker when he can just waltz in freely with the giant amount of Thermoses I’m sure his parents keep in stock back home. Then again, that house is hosting enough Ghostkateers meeting that he might as well be contemplating suicide from having to hear that stupid theme song all over again. I mean, I’ve already had to endure DP’s theme song, which in essence isn’t bad, but the general chorus lyrics are corny. “Gonna catch ‘em all cuz’ he’s Danny Phantom”? This is a show about ghosts, not Pokemon. By opinion, I wished the intro music was wordless like its ending credit counterpart because truth be told, the music is actually very nice without the words.
Danny steps inside his school and overhears Dash’s voice. Spying on them, he spots a bunch of students and teachers together discussing something for the town meeting. They speak in the voice of their possessed bodies despite no one else being here as well as stupidly leaving the door open for Danny to just carelessly barge in. Dash grabs him--or should I say Walker? Everyone all leaves their makeshift body for the moment now that they have Danny that it makes me wonder that their stupidly ill-conceived disguise was meant to bring Danny into the fold…or at least that’s what I want to believe, Walker ain’t stupid, damn it! Walker is quick to state his plans to turn Amity Park against Danny using prison metaphors and whatnot in his diabolical speech. A pissed Danny kicks Walker off and flies away, Walker’s goons chasing after him in their possessed bodies.
Danny’s first encounter is with Walker/Dash as they wrestle one another before Danny slams him down a car, only for Lancer and Ishiyama to hassle him. He does away with Lancer, then is clawed by a device Ishiyama has, briefly shocking him before he, too smacks her away into a water cooler. Then Paulina comes and she’s smacked to a billboard (I get she's possessed, but I am rather surprised the girl he has a huge crush on is treated so harshly in battle, not even an attempt to help her). Danny then handles Kwan while wall standing. He shows off some killer moves with that banter (Oh, suuuuuure, it’s always the Asian) which Danny lamely zaps him away before kicking him down as a final blow. Damn, if it weren’t for the fact they were possessed, we’d be looking at some major body count in this show. That said, this is one of the few action moments in DP that’s executed quite nicely. No still shots, fast paced, and at a decent length, DP needs more moments like these whenever they fill the screen with everybody beating the shit out of each other. They still won’t give up, causing Danny to head tail and aim for home where he punches in the Ghost Shield, preventing them out. Bullet/Ishiyama (now there’s a man who isn’t afraid to possess the opposite gender) asks if they should go in, but they obviously can’t, so Walker sets up for his final plans of actions, knowing Danny won’t bother them, basically saying “He can’t get out”. Uhh, his ghost self can’t, but his human half CAN, DUUUUUUUUUUUUR!
Back at Tucker’s place, Walker proceeds to do away with Wulf now that he’s done his part. He operates a remote (which is NOT that wristwatch he used earlier on the collar) to electrocute him to…death or wherever ghosts go when they die. Wulf, eyeballing a photo album of Danny and friends gets the shock of his life (okay, that was a horrible pun) until Tucker steps in and overrides the system with his PDA, freeing him. Umm, Tucker, better heads and ideas would have had you releasing his collar MUCH EARLIER and not at the last damn minute. Wulf is grateful either way and by showing his appreciation, he smashes out the window and runs off like a mental patient ala One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Joy. Tucker and Sam doesn’t have the chance to catch up to him when their nine o’ clock curfew comes, reminded by Tucker’s parents who decides to hold Sam in the household as well as sleep in the same room with them for better protection.
Danny wakes up to find it’s the next day--a small scene I thoroughly enjoy, if not because it feels so human, so realistic on the grand level of scale that DP can accomplish that not many cartoons can--and his friends are there. Nobody in the gosh darn family saw fit to at least give the kid a blanket? Okay, the Fenton Folks, I can understand what with the current predicament, but Jazz couldn’t kill to? Some family. Danny relates the current problem that’s happening to his friends. Tucker backs it up by operating the TV, which for some reason is on the middle of the floor of their living room. There, the mayor makes a speech to let all ghosts be handled by Maddie before being unknowingly possessed and changing his mind to Jack. Then he states the ghost behind the attack via photo: Danny Phantom. From the look of his face, it seems like he was in complete surprise when some unknown person snapshot him. So basically the entire town now knows who Danny Phantom is. He’s recognized, but not in the way he wanted. Danny takes this time to worry and panic over the situation. As if he already has enough to frustrate over home and school, now he’s got the entire town against his side where if his ghostly face publicly shows up, they’ll blast first and ask questions later. It seems like his Danny Phantom days are over until Sam steps in and calmly states, “You’ve got to do something. If you don’t, who will?”
With the entire weight of the world on his shoulders, Danny still heads over to City Hall where the mayor continues praising Jack (why the shit is Paulina just standing there next to the stage like some authority figure instead of sitting with the rest of the citizens?) until Danny comes and tries to convince everyone he’s a good guy. Jack and Maddie’s time to cue as they step in, ready to deliver some justice. Danny Ecto Rays them to push the ghosts out…then finds out they weren’t possessed at all and further made himself look bad. Sucks to be you, kid. So people run and Maddie attacks, all as Wulf watches in shock. Danny is eventually phased down while Jack prepares for battle by organizing his weapons until Maddie steps in and tricks him into letting her do all the fighting since after all, she’s the better fighter. I mean. 9th degree. Damn. While it’s impossible for a person her age to be in that level of martial artistry, it’s a lot more believable then Valerie’s whom is also reported to be one in “Flirting with Disaster”, one of the few elements in the show I refuse to suspend my disbelief on. I am sorry, but a 14 year old is LESS believable of even holding such a high rank let along 5th or 6th, but I’m getting off course on a subject best suited over on that particular episode.
Beneath City Hall and inside the boiler room, Walker (now in the mayor) and his other goons surrounds Danny until he reveals the thermos in their direction causing them to run sans Paulina-possessive who literally hovers over to Danny and grabs his face like a ghostly remake of a zombie flick. Danny Ecto Rays the ghost out of her and Fenton Thermoses it. Paulina is grateful for his action in a possible foreshadowing of moments that “Lucky in Love” will emphasize then handles Kwan and Lancer by removing their ghostly possessers before the two now normal humans bolt. The ghost cops possessing the two have been ghost sucked to their respective lair, courtesy of Maddie. Ishiyama and Dash then butts in and nearly thermoses Danny when they got a hold of his Fenton Thermos until Wulf steps in and saves the day, declaring Danny his "friend", removing the ghosts out of them. Isn’t it amazing how Bullet seems to enjoy using his own voice when he’s in a male body, but he sticks with the female voice of the women he inhabited previously? What? Too awkward for a kid’s show for manly voiced woman? The only one left standing is Walker/Mayor who flies Danny up to finalize his plans.
Back up at City Hall, reporters and news channels gather around as Walker makes Danny look as though he’s kidnapped the mayor by making it look as though Danny is dragging him inside as hostage. Wulf comes in and releases Walker from the mayor. Considering they showed the mayor close up when this happen, my dirty mind made me think the giant dog was aiming for his no-no part at first. *snerks* Maddie then pops in and uses the Fenton Bazooka on Danny, but Wulf steps in and gets Walker to deliver the full blow. Apparently he didn’t let go in time as Wulf, too is getting sucked in. He leaves with parting words though (in English), “Friend, we will meet again”. Aside from a wanted poster in “Boxed up Fury”, this has yet to happen. Walker, too leaves with his message, stating he’s lost now that his plan worked and off they go. Maddie then aims her gun towards Danny to send him back, but the bazooka loses power due to Jack having forgotten to recharge it. Danny takes this cue to exit and live to fight another day.
By the next day, all the ghosts are all gone, but Danny Phantom made headline prints as Amity Park’s public enemy number one for attacking the mayor. After Danny and friends briefly watch the popular kids lament on their confused experience of being possessed, Sam is shocked Danny will continue his line of superhero duties despite the thousands of pointed fingers. “Well, somebody’s gotta; hey, if not me, then who’s gonna protect this town? Besides, it’s not like I can ignore a scream for help.” Danny answers, although he ignores the screams Lancer gives as the Fenton folks comically give chase, assuming him to be a ghost. Danny and friends just laugh, ending the show like some badly animated-1960s-Hanna-Barbara marked-stupidly plotted stories/cheesy climaxes cartoon.
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