WINSTON AND THE PAST

Moaning Stones

Original Air date November 5, 1987^[1]

Writer: Steven Barnes

Director: Dale Schott

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 4 of 5)

Summary: At New York Cosmopolitan Museum a news reporter is interviewing the director.  The director is introducing the three pieces of the Moaning Stones of Tangalla. He explains all three belonged to a group called the Ibandi, a great ancient empire.  Two of the stones make noise when put together so of course they decide to get all three together even though the ancient inscription says not to.  A Voodoo priestess watching this becomes greatly disturbed.

Okay this is bad!

                At the firehouse Peter tries to record of his original music.  His “music” is horrible and more like bad white noise.  Then Janine calls them all down and introduces them to Dahlia, the voodoo priestess from before. The priestess points to Winston and he wants nothing to do with her.  But she tells him that he is reincarnation of Shimabuku.  Ray, excited, explains to Winston that Shimabuku was the greatest chieftain of the ancient Ibandi Empire. Winston actually was told stuff like this from his parents that but he always thought was ridiculous.  She says his ancestor defeated and imprisoned the Undying One. They Undying One could be freed by those stones. 

Yeah, not looking good!

                They all decide to go to the museum but were too late. The stones were brought together and they Undying One was awakened.  The Undying One took control of the fossilized skeletons and attacked the Ghostbusters with them.  The Ghostbusters would blast the skeletons and they would fall apart but then quickly reassemble.  The Ghostbusters then use Peter’s music and that has some limited effect by stopping the skeletons but the Undying One himself is not stopped.  Out of options Winston chooses to believe what the priestess was telling him.  He confronts the Undying One but has to retreat.  The priestess and his fellow Ghostbusters plus Janine join in a circle.  Winston transforms into his ancestor and defeats the Undying one banishing him back into the stones. 

Winston turns into his ancestor!

                The priestess took the stones to keep them separate. Peter tries to get people to listen to his music but even the local dogs think it sucks.  

 My Take: It is funny that in the episode “X-mas Marks the Spot” Winston wonders what other stories that they thought were fictional might actually be true.  I bet he really didn’t think about his own family’s personal stories that he never believed.

·         Okay so the ancient tablet said “don’t bring the three together” and what’s the first thing they do?  Remember this is a universe where it’s generally accepted that ghosts are real.

·         What type of dinosaur is that in the background?  Not one I have ever seen. How about a T-Rex guys?  That dinosaur was real.

·         I am going to quote famous atheist speaker Matt Dillahunty who has this great line: “Belief is not a choice.”  You either believe something or you don’t.  You are either convinced or you aren’t.  Winston should believe this because of all the crazy “Shit, that will turn you white” that he has seen as a ghostbuster.  Not because Egon says, “Why not?”

·         Peter better never quit his job.

A good Winston episode. 

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.