The
Grundel
Original
Air date November
14, 1987
Writer:
J. Michael Straczynski
Director:
Charles Grosvenor
Main
Cast:
- Dave
Coulier as Peter Venkman
- Frank
Welker as Raymond Stantz
- Maurice
LaMarche as Egon Spengler
- Arsenio
Hall as Winston Zeddemore
- Kath
Soucie as Janine Melnitz
- Frank
Welker as Slimer
(Rating
4 of 5)
Summary: The Ghostbusters are tracking down and
trapping a ghost known as a Jabberwock.
When done they find their tires boosted from the Ecto-1. Fortunately for
them the kid who did was caught and they got their stuff back. As they prepare their car to head home a
creature called the Grundel looks for another kid to corrupt.
 |
| Ghostbusters take down the Jabberwock. |
Across
town twin brothers Alec and Lee were heading to bed. Alec was complaining about living under the "tyranny" of parents when he is lured by the Grundel to let him in. The Grundel now whispers encouragement to
Alec so the boy will act on his darkest desires.
 |
| Alec and the Grundel. |
Later
at the boys' school the Ghostbusters are giving a demonstration on
ghostbusting. Alec, under the
encouragement of the Grundel, sabotaged the Ghostbusters’ proton packs. This causes them to blast at full power
instead of demo power and they destroy a good deal of the gym. Afterwards Lee confronts the Ghostbusters to let them know what he thinks is going
on with his brother.
 |
| Alec and his innocent brother Lee. |
As they
get back to the firehouse they begin to investigate the unexplained readings
they had been getting at the school.
Egon looks up the Grundel and recognizes it as what might be affecting
Alec. If the Grundel continues Alec will
turn into a Grundel. They call Alec and
Lee’s parents and it turns out that Alec has left and Lee chased after
him.
 |
| Egon identifies the Grundel. |
The
Ghostbusters have tracked them to a factory.
Alec has already begun his transformation and is trying to lure Lee to
join him. They can’t blast the Grundel
so long as Alec is hooked to him, so they need to get Alec to reject him. Peter gets that opportunity when Lee fell
when a panel opened underneath him. Lee
was hanging on for dear life and only Alec could save him. Peter appealed to their love as brothers. This reaches through to Alec who then overthrows the Grundel and saves his brother. The Ghostbusters than zapped and trapped the
Grundel, called it day and took the kids home.
 |
| Alec going t the dark side. |
My Take: A decent
episode with an interesting villain, the Grundel serves as a good metaphor for
dark desires.
 |
| Alec starting to transform |
·
All I could think of was Jason Todd, who was the
current Robin in the Batman comics at the time, when the Ecto-1’s tires were
boosted.
·
Uh-oh! Ghostbusters destroy part of the school
without being officially on the job, that will show you that in the future you
should check your proton pack before firing.
·
Speaking of which how would Alec know how to
alter the proton pack? The Grundel? How would he know?
·
Janine discussing her love of the Ghostbusters
when Ray said they didn’t get any and Egon said he didn’t care was one of the
best Egon/Janine scenes ever.
·
Earlier Slimer was offended about Ray saying most
ghosts couldn’t read this doesn’t make sense if most ghosts are former
humans. Also Slimer can pick up
information on print by touching it and can display it on his body when ever asked? Slimer has some cool powers.
·
The dad bod and voice don't match up, sorry.
·
So was the Grundel they captured originally a
kid too?
I don’t remember seeing this one
as a kid, probably a good thing I didn’t need more excuses.
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