Home  Episode Summaries Season 1 Where the Reptiles Roam - Notes
Credits: written by Gerry and Carla Conway
Production Number: 600-24
Original Airdate: October 18, 1985
The Joes discover that Cobra has bought a dude ranch, for no apparent reason. Is it just an investment in real estate? An R&R facility for Cobra troops? Neither. It’s the staging ground for a plot to seize a government solar energy project - and harness the power of the sun itself to wreak destruction on the western United States! [Note: one version of the episode synopsis referred to the dude ranch as a "dud ranch"]
| THE PERSONNEL |
| G.I.Joe: Bazooka,
Alpine, Breaker, Snake Eyes, Timber, Airborne, Flint, Lady Jaye, Wild Bill,
Recondo, Cover Girl, Ace, Scarlett, Footloose*, Airborne*, Spirit*, Shipwreck*,
Roadblock, Joe grunts |
 |
Cobra: Cobra
Commander, the Baroness, Destro, Cobra agents, Zartan, Ripper, Torch, Buzzer,
Tele-Viper |
| THE GEAR |
| G.I.Joe: Wolverine, Dragonfly, Skystriker, RAM, VAMP Mark II, Mauler, VAMP, APC, MOBAT |
|
Cobra: Stinger, Trubble Bubble |
|
* indicates the character was silent during the episode
The title "Where the Reptiles Roam" is a spin-off from the first line
in the folk song "Home on the Range." Lyrics for the song's first stanza
are below:
Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
As demonstrated in the episode "Skeletons in the Closet," the writers of the show introduce a moment of foreshadow
as Lady Jaye explains to Bazooka that a NASA space station transmits the
solar energy to the receiver dishes and, in turn, send the power to a city
power plant for use. And after listening to Wild Bill's worries about the
danger of the microwaves, Lady Jaye explains that as long as the satellite
in space is controlled there is no harm, otherwise, the beams could fry
a city.
The last name for Wild Bill's undercover name, Bill Austin, is probably
a nod to the capital of Texas. However, Lady Jaye's undercover name, Jane
Austin, may contain one of two reasons for its creation: one, the name
"Jane" was the name of the first G.I.Joe nurse; two, Jane Austen is
the author of Emma and Pride and Prejudice.
While standing under a weather vane on a barn roof, Lady Jaye’s reports
to Joe headquarters that the ranch looks like a Cobra recreational base.
However, to bring a small sense of continuity to the series, she should
have mentioned that the base could be a replacement. After all, the Antarctica
facility in "The
Viper is Coming" was destroyed only two episodes ago.
 |
| Bazooka and Alpine switch places from one shot to the next as they follow Zartan and the Dreadnoks at night. |
|
 
Destro appears in an AWE Striker rather than a Stinger while zooming out of a barn.
I
Dialogue:
Flint: Ground forces, air support - move!
Bazooka: Alpine, look! Calvary!
Time: 17 seconds
II
Dialogue:
Zartan: This here is a mighty educated horse, Ms. Austin. Mudpatch,
tell the lady how old you are.
Mudpatch: (scrapes hoof four times)
Zartan: He's got taste, too. Mudpatch, is this a pretty lady?
Mudpatch: (whinnies and nods)
Lady Jaye: (laughs) Thank you, Mudpatch, and I think you're
very handsome
Zartan: Why donut you take him for a little ride, miss. Here,
let me give you a leg up.
Time: 29 seconds
III
Dialogue:
The Baroness: At your service, y’all.
Wild Bill: Well, that's very persuasive.
Time: 9 seconds
IV
Dialogue:
Buzzer: Hehehe! Think he'll give us a turn?
Zartan: Get serious!
Time: 7 seconds
Spirit
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|
Original:
|
Spirit teaches two kids camping that you should stop, drop and roll
on the ground in order to put out the flames on your clothes rather than
running to a river. The Joe also notes that you can use a blanket to smother
the fire. |
|
USA:
|
Same as above |
|
Music Clip: Heard as Breaker and the other Joes infiltrate the Cobra
communications center. [431 kb]
Music Clip: Heard while Lady Jaye walks into a barn, discovers
a trap door and climbs down a ladder that leads into a Cobra computer room.
[610 kb]
Sound Clip:
Description: Lady Jaye watches the Wild Bill walk away with
Mary Bells and mutters to herself: "That Texas tease. Call me Mary Belle.
Jezebel's more like it."
Note: Jezebel was a Phoenician princess infamous for idolatry and wickedness, and, as a result, her name is now synonymous with female depravity.
[138 kb]
Sound Clip: "They gotta know we're here. Let's give ‘em an education!"
yells Flint. [54 kb]
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