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In The Bogeyman Is Back, after a near death experience atop the World Trade Center towers, Egon's fears inadvertently releases the Boogieman from his dimensional prison. The Ghostbusters follow him to a hideously converted amusement park, where he traps them with their own fear, leaving Slimer and the Junior Ghostbusters to save the day.[2]

Cast[]

One-Eyed Blue Terror

Egon Spengler

Peter Venkman

Ray Stantz

Slimer

Winston Zeddemore

Boogieman

Junior Ghostbusters

Janine Melnitz

Transmogrified Roller Coaster

Boogieman's Minions

Equipment[]

Ecto-1

Proton Pack

Particle Thrower

Trap

Ecto-2

P.K.E. Meter

Atomic Destabilizer

Locations[]

World Trade Center

Firehouse

Boogieman's Domain

Big Apple Amusement Park

Plot[]

Atop the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, Peter, Ray, and Egon fought a particularly malicious ghost. Ray soon threw out a Ghost Trap. The ghost still resisted the trap's pull and blasted at the guys. The second blast knocked Egon off the building. Egon clung to the edge, but lost his grip. The ghost was released from the trap as Peter and Ray watched Egon's fall in horror. He was saved by Winston in Ecto-2, and was seemingly unshaken by the fall. Winston blasted the ghost and it was trapped.

That evening, Egon was not able to sleep due to the extreme anxiety the traumatic event had caused. He attempted to calm his nerves with warm cocoa and an old movie (a rather grim vampire picture). Egon was uncharacteristically shaken by the show. His fear was so intense that the Boogieman, thought locked away forever, was able to sense it and drew enough energy to break out of his realm. As Egon returned to bed, a pale blue light from a closet bathed the room, and the Boogieman stepped out of the closet.

The Boogieman appeared in the Ghostbusters' headquarters with vengeance in his eyes and prepared to attack Egon, who was petrified with terror. Slimer returned to the bedroom with a late night snack and made a commotion that woke up the others. The Ghostbusters blasted the Boogieman at full stream and he was forced out of the Firehouse and into the streets with the guys hot on his heels. He was tracked to an alley, where he surprised the Ghostbusters. Egon had the only possible shot, but was intimidated by the Boogieman, who took delight in slowly facing Egon down and soaking up all of his fear. With a subtle, "Boo!", the Boogieman scared Egon and escaped into the city.

At Jason's home, the Junior Ghostbusters were holding a sleep over. Donald told a scary story to Jason and Catherine. All of a sudden, an old P.K.E. Meter Egon gave to Jason lit up. As a precaution, Jason called up Egon. Egon realized it was the readings of the Boogieman. The Boogieman tracked down the Junior Ghostbusters, but was interrupted by the Ghostbusters, who came to the rescue. The Boogieman's extremely loud roar enabled him to escape. The Ghostbusters regrouped back at the Firehouse. The Boogieman made his way to a closed carnival, the Big Apple Amusement Park, where he used his powers to transform the property into a freakish, nightmare amusement park and called it "the perfect place for fear to grow and thrive." With his new domain completed, he claimed he was ready for his enemies. Back at the Firehouse, Egon had modified one of the Particle Throwers into an Atomic Destabilizer, a device that would transform the Boogieman into a ghostly counterpart of himself long enough to be captured in a Ghost Trap.

The Ghostbusters then tracked the Boogieman to his carnival lair and upon entering his new realm were quickly scooped onto the back of a large serpent. As they are flown through the air, animated park statues disarmed the Ghostbusters. The serpent sailed into a clown-faced gateway, and the Ghostbusters were taken prisoner. Slimer escaped to enlist the help of the Junior Ghostbusters, while the Boogieman revealed his plan to exact his revenge was to literally scare the Ghostbusters to death. He sent the heroes on a frightful, tumbling journey into a netherworld-like space in his domain where they were chased, then surrounded and bound by the Boogieman for a second time.

As the Boogieman was feeding off the Ghostbusters' delicious fear, the Junior Ghostbusters arrived with the Proton Packs. Again distracted by children, the Boogieman leered toward them. Egon, desperate to save the kids, was able to shed his fear and broke his lashings. In one swift dash, he dodged, jerked and jump kicked his way through the Boogieman's goons, dove between the Boogieman's legs and received the Atomic Destabilizer heaved his way by the children. With no time to lose, he drew a bead on the Boogieman and fired. The kids threw traps out, and the Boogieman and his goons were captured. Catherine hugged Egon and asked him if he was scared, and he said he was a little but he no longer minded admitting it.

Quotes[]

  • Peter: Great! Boogey's back and he's loose in New York.
    Ray: Right. And that means that every kid in the city is in danger.
    Winston: Including the Junior Ghostbusters!
The Bogeyman: Did I scare you?
Winston: Man, where ever we are, it sure isn't Kansas.

Trivia[]

  • The episode was recorded on May 22 and 27, 1987.[3]
  • Arsenio Hall recorded on May 27, 1987.[4]
  • The episode's name, "The Bogeyman Is Back," breaks continuity by having the character "Boogieman" spelled "Bogeyman".
  • "The Bogeyman Is Back" marked the return of the Boogieman and the introduction of the Junior Ghostbusters - Donald, Jason, and Catherine.
  • During an interview, former story editor J. Michael Straczynski indicated he would never use the Junior Ghostbusters in an episode of The Real Ghostbusters.[5]
  • Winston does a title drop when the Ghostbusters first blast the recently freed Boogieman by saying "The Boogieman's back!"
  • One of Winston's lines references the "We're not in Kansas, anymore" quote from "The Wizard of Oz."[6]
  • One of the Boogieman's minions seen near the end of the episode resembles Wat from "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood."
  • On page 13 of Ghostbusters 101 #2, in panel 2, now on the monitor screens are:
    • Top right: When the Ghostbusters talk to the Junior Ghostbusters in their clubhouse after driving out the Boogieman.
    • Bottom right: Donald in a pose in the clubhouse.

Animation Errors[]

  • When the Boogieman bursts into Jason's bedroom, he breaks the door apart. When the Ghostbusters show up later on, they kick down a suddenly intact bedroom door.
  • When the Ghostbusters are tied up by the Boogieman, the amount of rope wrapped around them changes from scene to scene.

References[]

  1. Marsha Goodman (1987). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Bogeyman Is Back" (1987).
  2. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 26. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  3. Marsha Goodman (1987). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Bogeyman Is Back" (1987).
  4. Marsha Goodman (1987). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Bogeyman Is Back" (1987).
  5. Spook Central episode guide
  6. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Bogeyman Is Back" (1987) (DVD ts. 19:25-19:27). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Wherever we are, it sure isn't Kansas."

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]

RGB DVD Boxset Features[]

Secondary Canon[]

 
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Slimer, Is That You? Air Date Once Upon a Slime
It's a Jungle Out There DVD Order Once Upon a Slime
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