Season 1, Episode 5
Title: Troll Bridge
Originally Aired: October 11, 1986
Writer: Bruce Reid Schaefer
Review Date: September 17, 2016
Watch It: Volume 1, Disc 1
Synopsis: A Troll has grown tired of living under the Queensboro Bridge runs away to the city in search of good times, but when his fellow Trolls take control of the Queensboro Bridge, The Real Ghostbusters come to the rescue.
Location: New York City. Queensboro Bridge (Night)
You’ll Need A Reference:
The Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge – because its Manhattan end is located between 59th and 60th Streets – and officially titled the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, is a cantilever bridge over the East River in New York City that was completed in 1909. It connects the neighborhood of Long Island City in the borough of Queens with Manhattan, passing over Roosevelt Island. Source: Wikipedia entry.
Location: New York City. Alleyway
It Just Popped In There: Good thing that guy who was grumbling to himself about something had just enough old, worn out clothing which to fit a small creature.
Location: New York City. Street Corner
It Just Popped In There: I remember as an 8 year old knowing the break dancing trio was of its time. Thirty years later, its nostalgic and has 1980 something written all over it.
Location: New York City. Queensboro Bridge (Day)
Sorry I (Didn’t) Miss It: This cab on the Queensboro Bridge has a roof advertisement which reads “Buster.” Even at 8 it was immediately noticeable. I guess it was just easier to use then coming up with a fake brand for a small part of an overall scene.
It Just Popped In There: Why would the creatures rip into the vehicles on the bridge? Is it because they don’t understand what they are? Or does it perhaps serve another yet unknown purpose to us?
It Just Popped In There: How did they choose the Queensboro bridge? How long have they been there?
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse. Interior. Room: Bedroom
Quote: “He got me again Ray. He slimed me in my sleep.” – Ray
You’ll Need A Reference: Slimer (then known as Onionhead) slimed Peter for the first time at the Sedgwick Hotel in Ghostbusters. This is referenced at times throughout The Real Ghostbusters. Its also a running gag, that Peter is for some reason slimed by Slimer.
In the previous episode, Slimer, Come Home Peter had an argument over and about Slimer’s behavior where he left The Real Ghostbusters. In real at that time, it was only a week ago. I guess Peter wasn’t thinking of that or his real feelings as he was waking up.
Sorry, I Missed It: Ray isn’t wearing his black undershirt.
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse. Interior. Room: Bathroom
It’s Technical: Naturally Egon can’t use a regular or electric toothbrush. His version seems clunky, as it is Egon, its probably more efficient.
You’ll Need A Reference: Egon’s pajamas have a chain of molecules design on them.
A molecule is the smallest particle in a chemical element or compound that has the chemical properties of that element or compound. Molecules are made up of atoms that are held together by chemical bonds. These bonds form as a result of the sharing or exchange of electron s among atoms. Source: Whatis entry.
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse. Interior. Room: Kitchen
It Just Popped In There: Normally a breakfast like Winston is making could go to waste when there’s a call. Then I remembered they live with the ghost vacuum Slimer.
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse. Interior. Room: Office Area
Its Technical: Janine’s computer has a way to watch live television.
It Just Popped In There: I wonder if in 1986 their was a computer that could have say a coaxial cable. As a monitor is basically a display anyway. Computer TVs seem more early 1990s.
Quotes:
- “Hmm, trolls.” – Egon
- “Trolls! Of course!” – Ray
Location: New York City. On The Way To The Queensboro Bridge
Tobin’s Spirit Guide
Quote: “I checked Tobin’s Spirit Guide. The only reference to Trolls is fabled dwarfs living in caves or under bridges.” – Egon
Quote: “That’s it, like in the Three Billy Goats Gruff.” – Ray
You’ll Need A Reference:
“Three Billy Goats Gruff” is a Norwegian fairy tale. The fairy tale was collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr, first published between 1841 and 1844. Source: Wikipedia entry.
Tobin’s Spirit Guide
Quote: “They don’t trust humans. They don’t want anything to do with people or cities.” – Egon
Quotes:
- “Trolls, I don’t believe it.” – Winston
- “Its New York. Its Monday morning. Where else would trolls be, but under the Queensboro bridge? I ask you.” – Peter
Location: New York City. Queensboro Bridge (Day)
It Just Popped In There: Their isn’t even a thought of saying, let alone animating tear gas in a cartoon meant for children today. It isn’t something I knew what it was or did as an 8 year old.
Quotes:
- “I have an idea. Trolls attack vehicles. Let’s drive ECTO-1 onto the bridge and see what happens.” – Ray
- “Just remember trolls are vicious, fearless, and very mean.” – Egon
- “Oh Ray, you’re driving.” – Peter
Sorry, I (Didn’t) Miss It: Why does that vehicle have “Spook S llow” scrolled onto it? I think its suppose to read “Spook Show” The animation for a quick shot didn’t connect the two Ls.
It Just Popped In There: The screen cap is larger then most to also show I didn’t waste my time in trying to get this specific screen cap. It was a pain.
Its Technical/Quotes:
- “What do we do now?” – Winston
- “We blast them!” – Ray
- “No, wait. I wouldn’t do that. Even if we were able to get out and ‘blast them’ as Ray says before they completely destroy ECTO-1 which is beyond probability the streams might turn the trolls into stone or the particle streams could make them bigger and very likely meaner.” – Egon
Sorry, I Missed It: ECTO-1 front license plate is missing the word ECTO-1.
It Just Popped In There: Do The Real Ghostbusters usually carry a surrender flag with them? Did Peter really expect the troll leader to speak English? He isn’t a ghost.
Tobin’s Spirit Guide: We can presume the troll language is in TSG or enough of it that Egon can have a conversation with the troll leader.
Quotes:
- “They said we have 12 hours to find their friend or they’ll send in the fireflies.” – Egon
- “Fireflies? What’s so bad about fireflies?” – Ray
- “You had to ask.” – Winston
Location: New York City. On The Way To Find A Troll
Quotes:
- “Ray has a point. What about the Holland Tunnel? It’s dark, narrow.” – Egon
- “That’s it! That’s where I’d go if I were a troll.” – Ray
- “No, no. Not a tunnel. He’s here for the bright lights, excitement. Times Square.” – Winston
You’ll Need A Reference:
The Holland Tunnel is a highway tunnel under the Hudson River between Manhattan in New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey. It carries Interstate 78, and in New Jersey is also designated NJ 139. An integral conduit within the New York Metropolitan Area, the tunnel was originally known as the Hudson River Vehicular Tunnel or the Canal Street Tunnel. It was the first of two vehicular tunnels under the river, the other being the Lincoln Tunnel. Both are operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Source: Wikipedia entry.
You’ll Need A Reference:
Times Square is a major commercial intersection and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets.
Brightly adorned with billboards and advertisements, Times Square is sometimes referred to as The Crossroads of the World, The Center of the Universe, the heart of The Great White Way, and the “heart of the world”.
One of the world’s busiest pedestrian intersections, it is also the hub of the Broadway Theater District and a major center of the world’s entertainment industry. Times Square is one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily, many of them tourists, while over 460,000 pedestrians walk through Times Square on its busiest days. Source: Wikipedia entry.
Quote: “Their could always be giant ants. Like in Santa Clara in 1950!” – Ray
You’ll Need A Reference: Ray might be loosely referencing 1950s B-Rated films, that often depicted overgrown bugs. Such as Them! from 1954.
Sorry, I Missed It: Ray’s hair is a different color, more brown then reddish.
Location: New York City. Holland Tunnel
It Just Popped In There: It isn’t probably the best idea to just leave ECTO-1, unlocked with nuclear equipment in the back. I realize traffic is backed up, still its a calculated risk from Egon.
It Just Popped In Their: I’m sure seeing an ice cream truck in this episode as a kid made me smile. Where I grew up in northeast NJ, about 35 miles away from Manhattan we had both an ice cream truck and an Italian Ice truck come down our streets.
Quotes:
- “Now what do we do?” – Peter
- “I hear New Jersey is beautiful this time of year.” – Egon
It sure is Egon. 🙂
Location: New York City. Times Square
It Just Popped In There: Do you suppose as Ray and Winston were running after a troll before meeting up with Egon and Peter, Winston had to drop his ice cream?
Location: New York City. Empire State Building (Night)
You’ll Need A Reference:
The Empire State Building is a 102-story skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on Fifth Avenue between West 33rd and 34th Streets. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet (381 m), and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 feet (443 m) high. Its name is derived from the nickname for New York, the Empire State. It stood as the world’s tallest building for nearly 40 years, from its completion in early 1931 until the topping out of the original World Trade Center’s North Tower in late 1970.
The Empire State Building is currently the fifth-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States and the 29th-tallest in the world. It is also the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the Americas. When measured by pinnacle height, it is the fourth-tallest building in the United States. Source: Wikipedia entry.
Location: New York City. Night Club
It Just Popped In There: How come the club goers in the background (sorry, I missed it: who aren’t moving) aren’t reacting to something strange?
Quote: “Grab him!” – Ray
You’ll Need A Reference: In Ghostbusters right before the would be Ghostbusters confront the library ghost to supposedly capture her, Ray yells “Get her!”
Location: New York City. Queensboro Bridge (Night)
You’ll Need A Reference: More or less this whole time the trolls have used the car parts to either wear and to build this wild ride. I wouldn’t have known this in 1986, their appearance and this type of vehicle probably came from the Mad Max movies.
It Just Popped In There: I understand needing some police presence at the bridge during this crisis. It seems like everyone has been there for the entire 12 hours.
Location: New York City. Night Club
Quotes:
- “Party!?” – The Real Ghostbusters
- [to troll] “Party?” – Peter
- “He must have picked up the word on the streets.” – Winston
- “How are you going to keep him under the bridge after they’ve seen Times Square huh?” – Peter
Sorry, I (Didn’t) Miss It: On the close up where The Real Ghostbusters are with this troll, Egon is suddenly wearing mostly one of Winston’s uniform.
Location: New York City. Times Square (Night)
For the album.
You’ll Need A Reference: As the fireflies are rampaging buildings, a billboard sign reads FONY. If it could have, it probably would have read SONY. At the time the Ghostbusters franchise was owned by Columbia Pictures. Ironically (somewhat) Sony Pictures would buy Columbia. Owning the rights to the Ghostbusters movies also under the Columbia brand and The Real Ghostbusters.
Location: New York City. Store: Lawn Decor
It Just Popped In There: The Real Ghostbusters (particularly Peter) were taking a gamble that the other trolls couldn’t read in English either. The plan was clever since they liked this troll and didn’t want to cause harm to him.
It Just Popped In There: Do The Real Ghostbusters always carry a large amount of cash with them?
Location: New York City. Train Station
It Just Popped In There: Let’s hope these same trolls don’t decide to visit any bridges in Chicago.
Ecto-Containment 
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