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In The Old College Spirit, a group of college students are being haunted by a gang of unruly frat ghosts, but the Ghostbusters find that they must help the phantoms graduate![2]

Cast[]

Dean Fitzroy

Dudley Specs and Willis

Elwin Spalding

Fraternity of the Dead

Giant Goldfish

Janine Melnitz

Peter Venkman

Slimer

Ray Stantz

Winston Zeddemore

Egon Spengler

Equipment[]

Proton Pack

Particle Thrower

Trap

P.K.E. Meter

Radio

Ecto-1

Locations[]

Tri Kuppa Bro

Firehouse

Plot[]

Dean Roy interrogated Dudley, Specs, and Willis at their fraternity house Tri Kuppa Bro about a series of pranks. 300 bats were placed in Dean Wriggle's refrigerator and slime pit appeared in Fitzroy's driveway. One of the frat brothers declared someone framed them. As Fitzroy walked off, he declared he'd personally get them expelled. Suddenly, a ghost appeared behind Fitzroy and kicked him down the stairs then vanished. Naturally, Fitzroy got even angrier and stormed off. Specs decided it was time to call the Ghostbusters.

At the Firehouse, the West Side Women's Club wished to present the Ghostbusters with a commemorative plaque for their civic minded work in ridding the community of undead undesirables. Peter and Janine are nonchalant when Slimer appeared. The women are aghast that the Ghostbusters have a ghost living with them. Slimer saw fruit on their hats and chased them out of the building. Dudley, Specs, and Willis barely avoided the women as they ran out. The trio presented their problem but Peter believed it was part of a frat initiation. One of the frat brothers recited the Tri Kuppa Bro motto and Peter chimed in. It was his old fraternity! The frat brother then revealed he knew of Peter's connection from the frat history book. Peter was honored for the day he ran his underwear up the flagpole when he was still wearing them. Peter was touched and reminisced about his college years.

At the Tri Kuppa Bro house, the Ghostbusters were mostly still skeptical. However, once they went in, the ghosts pulled a prank on them immediately. While Egon admired their crude yet effective methods, Peter decided it was best they split up to cover more ground. Winston heard his name and encountered the ghosts. He fell for their ploy, literally and figuratively. He fell through a trap door and landed on a pile of sheets that attacked him. The other Ghostbusters ran outside and found Winston being hassled by the ghosts. While Winston was in the air, the Ghostbusters opened fire. The ghosts abandoned Winston and flew to campus. They arrived at a water fountain. The leader shot a beam from his fingertip and caused a goldfish to enlarge into a behemoth. As a turn on a classic frat troupe, the leader then tossed Dudley, Specs, Willis, and a female student to the goldfish. The Ghostbusters shot the fish and the four students were unharmed.

The ghosts continued their rampage and entered a cafeteria. They caused a mess and decided to initiate the Ghostbusters into their fraternity by killing them. Peter tried an old dorm trick, which worked, and the guys ran for it. However, the trick influenced the ghosts' next move. They raided the girls' dorm. As the Ghostbusters and Dean Fitzroy consulted the college's yearbooks, they identified the ghosts' leader as Elwin Spalding. 50 years ago, Spalding was the president of the most notorious fraternity in the state. They always partied and pulled pranks but never studied. They got caught after they stole the answers to their final exams and were expelled. They swore revenge and promised to get even some day. Peter deduced when Tri Kuppa Bro took over the old frat house, the event triggered the ghosts' manifestation.

The Ghostbusters and Dean Fitzroy headed to the girls' dorm and confronted the ghosts. They were enticed by Peter's offer to graduate them. They accepted and proceeded to take several make up courses. The courses started in the Social Sciences Building, Room 334 with Economics. Thought hesitant, Peter taught the course and instructed them to go to Room 234 for Biology. It was taught by Ray and Egon. Elwin became impatient and Ray cut Egon's lecture short. In Room 134, Peter and Winston taught a course in Physics. Elwin chimed in about a seniors' traditional obstacle course before they took their graduation photograph. The ghosts arrived in the parking lot and carried Ecto-1 around. Next, they headed into the sprinklers and spooked the West Side Women's Club as they awarded a professor with a Certificate of Merit.

The ghosts had enough and chased after the Ghostbusters. They arrived at the auditorium and set up the class photo. Just as Elwin noticed a Ghost Trap, Ray triggered the Particle Thrower hidden in the camera and trapped the ghosts. At Tri Kuppa Bro, Dean Fitzroy apologized to Dudley, Specs, and Willis. However, Peter pulled a prank on Dean Fitzroy and strode away.

Trivia[]

  • The episode was recorded on August 29, 1986.[3]
  • Though never named in the script the three students are Dudley, Specs, and Willis.[4]
  • Peter is honored in the Tri Kuppa Bro frat history book for the day he ran his underwear up the flagpole when he was still wearing them.[5]
  • At the sight of the giant goldfish, Peter mentioned Jonah from the tale "Jonah and the Whale."[6]
  • Peter was weak in Economics.[7]
  • In the finale of the seniors' obstacle course, the last trial is skipped over. It appeared to be a phone booth packing challenge.
  • Peter pulled the classic bucket of water prank on Dean Roy at the end of the episode.
  • It is noted that a single Ghost Trap cannot contain a very large number of ghosts[8] but the Ghostbusters manage to contain Elwin and his entire fraternity in a single trap.
  • Janine appears in the episode, but with no lines of dialog.

Animation Errors[]

References[]

  1. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Old College Spirit" (1986).
  2. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 8. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  3. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Old College Spirit" (1986).
  4. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 8. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  5. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Old College Spirit" (1986) (DVD ts. 04:00-04:05). Time Life Entertainment.
  6. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Old College Spirit" (1986) (DVD ts. 08:56-08:58). Time Life Entertainment.
  7. Peter Venkman (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Old College Spirit" (1986) (DVD ts. 14:42-14:43). Time Life Entertainment.
  8. "Slimer, Come Home"

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]

RGB DVD Boxset Features[]

 
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