Home  Episode Summaries Season 1 Cold Slither - Notes
Credits: written by Michael Charles Hill
Production Number: 600-55
Original Airdate: December 2, 1985
The Joe team raids Cobra’s secret vault (filled with stolen gold, artworks, and other sundry assets) and thus very nearly bankrupts the evil organization. In a desperate attempt to keep Cobra functioning and solvent, Cobra Commander "packages" Zartan and the Dreadnoks as a heavy metal band called "Cold Slither" and turns them loose as Pied Pipers on America’s youth. [Note: The story editor for the episode was Flint Dille]
| THE PERSONNEL |
| G.I.Joe: Ace,
Cover Girl, Gung Ho, Thunder*, Dusty*, Flint*, Lady Jaye, Duke, Alpine,
Bazooka, Spirit, Roadblock, Scarlett, Ripcord, Torpedo, Snow Job*, Barbecue,
Shipwreck, Footloose, Breaker, Polly, Rock 'n' Roll |
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Cobra: Firefly,
Major Bludd, Cobra agents, Cobra Commander, Tomax, Xamot, Destro, Zartan,
Ripper, Buzzer, Torch |
| THE GEAR |
| G.I.Joe: AWE Striker, Skystriker, Slugger, Falcon glider |
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Cobra: Ferret, HISS, FANG, Stinger, Water Moccasin |
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* indicates the character was silent during the episode
Among the many assets to be used as funding for Cobra's activities
is the di Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa. George Lanceburg and Marty
Goldblatt, who also appear in the episode "Lights! Camera! Cobra!" work with camera with the letters KBC (killer broadcasting company?). During a shot of the audience at the Cold Slither concert, Shipwreck
is seen with a near non-existent beard (Matthew Pak's 3 3/4" G.I.Joe Collector Guide - Volume Two: The Television Episodes).
Also part of Cobra's loot is a statue similar to the statues of Aphrodite of Cyrene and the Venus de Milo (Image 1). The music in Stinky's bar first appeared in the mini-series "The Pyramid of Darkness" and also appeared in the Sunbow series The Transformers, like the episode "Attack of the Autobots" (Image 2 and 3). Fidel Castro and the Ayatolah appeared briefly while they were
given the grand tour and sales pitch of a Cobra base by Tomax and Xamot
(Image 4).
While on the set of the video shoot, Zartan and the Dreadnoks lip-sync the lyrics and listen to the rants of the director, Lanceberg, about the video as a form of art and not exploitation. Since many parents viewed the show as nothing more than a 30-minute commercial, it could be argued that Lanceburg's comments paralleled the view of the talented crew who worked on the series, that the show may have starred toys but was not a commercial since there were strong characters and stories.
Before Shipwreck, Breaker and Footloose are brainwashed by the subliminal message in the "Cold Slither" video and leave the room in a zombie-like walk, Shipwreck is reading a magazine called "Monster," thus creating a nice visual gag.
The episode was released along with "Cobrathon"
by Kid Rhino as volume six.
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| As Cobra Commander pounds a conference table, the Extensive Enterprises sign behind him misspells "Enterprises" as "Empterprise" (submitted by Jeff Patton). |
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As seen in the image to the left, Torch's hair was inked with a brown
that was a shade too dark. |
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I
Dialogue:
TV Announcer: It’s second and ten on the 32 yard line. Hawkins
rolls back, Gattine is wide open aaaa-and it’s intercepted!
Cobra Commander: Greetings, my fellow insurgents. It’s is with
pleasure to inform you that last night’s raid leaves me undaunted. Never
underestimate the power of Cobra.
Duke: Unless I’m mistaken, we’ve got a good chance of shutting
down Cobra once and for all.
...
Duke: The fortress should be right about - here!
Time: 34 seconds
II
Dialogue:
Cobra Commander: Where are you taking me?
Denizen by the fire: Looks like the Martians have landed.
Cobra Commander: This nothing but a slum!
Time: 14 seconds
III
Dialogue:
Crowd: Long live Cobra! Cold Slither forever! Cold Slither forever!
Time: 21 seconds
Doc
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Original:
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Doc warns that you shouldn’t take medicine that’s not for you since you could do more harm than good. Instead, wait for your parents or ask a neighbor for help. |
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USA:
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Same as original |
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Movie Clip: A union official approaches Cobra Commander and reminds him of the union’s rules regarding overtime. But Cobra Commander quickly rises from his chair, grabs the representative by his coat and threatens, "The only union they should be concerned with is the one between their heads and shoulders!" Never was a play on words played in such menacing manner. [564 kb]
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