Home  Episode Summaries Season 1 The Funhouse - Notes
Credits: written by Steve Mitchell and Barbara Petty
Production Number: 600-23
Original Airdate: October 1, 1985
A captured scientist escapes from Cobra’s clutches and bring the Joe team the information they’ve always wanted: the secret location of the Cobra Temple. The Joes mount an all-out assault and take the temple - only to discover they’ve fought their way into the ultimate trap. The "scientist" was a Cobra operative, and the "temple" is actually a maze of death-traps, constructed by Cobra Commander for the specific purpose of luring the Joes to their doom. [Note: A scientist does not escape Cobra and warn the Joes in the episode]
| THE PERSONNEL |
| G.I.Joe: Flint, Lady Jaye, Bazooka, Alpine, Breaker, Gung Ho, Dusty, Wild Bill, Airtight, Zap, Short-Fuze*, Scarlett*, Snake Eyes, Rock 'n' Roll*, Joe grunts |
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Cobra: Zartan, Cobra Commander, the Baroness, Cobra agents, HISS driver, Crimson Guard |
| THE GEAR |
| G.I.Joe: Sky Hawk, Dragonfly, Skystriker, WHALE, APC, Mauler, Wolverine, Silver Mirage motorcycle, MOBAT, VAMP Mark II |
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Cobra: Chameleon, HISS, Trubble Bubble, Ferret, Rattler |
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* indicates the character was silent during the episode
The photo of the botany expert that Flint drops on a table reminds me of Rembrandt’s final self-portrait since her hands appear to be clasped in resignation.
 
When asked how the Joes will pay for the ransom, Alpine pulls out a card
that is a parody of the American Express card, and he adds the effect by
telling the Joes the 80s television commercial tagline: "I never leave
home without it." The American Express card commercial was also mimicked
in the Tim Burton directed film Batman.
  
During the battle on Cobra's island Flint tosses his gun at two Cobra agents,
which is a move like Lady Jaye’s in the episode "Countdown for Zartan."
 
The glass and laser television set uses to welcome the Joes to his funhouse
is very similar to the laser viewscreen at the mission briefing table found
in the fantastic and superb USA Network television series La Femme Nikita.
When Airtight walks into a room where several versions of Cobra Commander
pop out of Jack-in-the-boxes, one of the Cobra Commander clowns is holding
a newspaper called "Cobra Times."
At G.I.Joe headquarters, a shot with Breaker turning back from his communication
panel to talk to his teammates was repeated.
Like the Cobra bases in the episodes "Eau
de Cobra" and "Lights!
Camera! Cobra!," the second cobra base attacked by the Joes is similar
in design to the base used in mini-series "The Revenge of Cobra" (AKA "The Weather Dominator). Also, the Joes used
green and not beige Maulers during the battle.
Dr. Hibbentrope's last name is very similar to the botany term “heliotrope,”
which is used to describe plants that turn toward the sun.
The timer at Cobra's funhouse starts off at five minutes, then goes to
three minutes when reset. So much for a reset switch that sets the timer
back to four minutes. Cheap cobra junk!
The episode was released as volume
10 in the FHE commercial tape series.
Flint
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Original:
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Instead of spending your time attempting to apportion the blame,
you should work with your team to solve the obstacle. |
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USA:
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Unknown |
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Movie Clip
Description from episode summary:
Then the island explodes.
A terrible white flash fills the sky and a blood red mushroom blooms
from the ocean. Thunder roars and lightning rips across the skies as the
ocean waters churn violently.
In a quiet panicked voice, Lady Jaye whispers, "Flint - No!"
But a Skystriker streaks out from the mushroom cloud and over the radio
the Joes hear: "Joe team - this is Flint. Our work’s not done yet!"
Commentary:
In the February 6, 1989 edition of the Wall Street Journal, Frank Paur, an animation artist on the G.I.Joe staff, explained that Hasbro officials instructed him that he could show violence but never its consequences. "They told me, 'You can have all the firepower you want, but please: no one gets killed or injured. No nuclear bombs, no bullets;
only laser beams,'" Paur noted. I wonder if the the speech from Hasbro was delivered after the bomb in this exploded. [1.12 mb]
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