SHAPE CHANGING GHOST

The Copycat

Original Air date December 5, 1987

Writer: Michael Reaves

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 sent to an apartment that when they arrive seems like a false alarm.  The ghost is a shape changer that helps it hide from PKE readings.  Slimer does run into it in the form of a cooked turkey and the dog, but was unable to convince the Ghostbusters.  As they left the Copycat took the form of the Ghostbusters symbol and rode along on the back of Ecto-1.

Copycat hitching a ride!

                When they return to the firehouse the Copycat gets out and starts making trouble.  It plays a number pranks on the Ghostbusters by taken their forms and tricking them into thinking that their coworkers are being mean to them.  After the each accuses each other of doing something that they weren’t around for they quickly figure out what is going on.

Interdenominational gateways always a bad idea.

                Egon manages to seal the firehouse from ghosts being able to leave or enter, locking themselves in with the Copycat.  While battling the Copycat it shows a wide range of its power including taking the form of fictional characters and being able to use their abilities.   In order to capture the creature they needed to get the Copycat to turn itself into a ghost.  They get Slimer to battle the Copycat and the Copycat took his form.  Once they managed to get the real Slimer out of range they busted the Copycat.

My Take: Not the first shape shifting ghost they had encountered, in fact Gozer was a shape changer.  Yet this was a very fun episode and extremely creative. 

                Now for my stray observations:

• Well they took care of the customer’s ghost problem but not in the way they would expect.
• Really good copycat.  It can do surfaces and become fictional characters.  Speaking of which when it turned into Captain Steel it got his powers.  Why doesn’t it remain in that form all the time?
•  So let me get this straight the laundry room and the Containment Unit room is one and the same.   It’s for storing ghosts and doing laundry!  Wasn’t this a mistake once, leaving clothing with Ectoplasm on it?
•   Stop building interdimensional gateways they never turn out right.

 The Copycat is a villain I wouldn’t mind seeing return.