Season 4, Episode 92 (DVD/EC #92)
Title: Flip Side
Originally aired: September 17, 1988
Written By: Tony Marino
Reviewed: July 24, 2016
Watch It: Volume 3, Disc 5
Synopsis: Investigating a bizarre tornado in Central Park, the Ghostbusters are tossed into another dimension, a strange place that is the exact opposite of New York City. In a world populated by ghosts, the heroes must evade capture by their own ghostly counterparts, the human hunting Peoplebusters!
Location: Central Park – Weather: Bright And Sunny
Not For Sale: A boy is flying a black (Real) Ghostbusters kite with the “no ghost” logo on it.
You’ll Need A Reference: Around Ghostbusters theatrical release in Japan, new ghostheads could actually buy a Ghostbusters kite.
Location: Central Park – Weather: Dark And Stormy
Location: Firehouse Interior. Room: Living Room
It Just Popped In There: I know its more for a child’s laugh. I’m pretty sure one can’t drink watermelon juice from a whole watermelon. We know Slimer can really pack food away. Which raises a new set of questions. What is Slimer’s breathing capabilities like anyway?
Location: Central Park – At The “Tornado”
Quote: “Wow, and they call Chicago the windy city.” – Ray
You’ll Need A Reference: The wind in Chicago famous quote has more to do with politicians then Lake Michigan.
Tony Marino may also have been referencing Harold Ramis, Bill Murray, and Brian Doyle Murray who have roots (family and comedy) in Chicago.
It’s Technical: Egon uses a Barometric Analyzer to find out if the tornado is weather related or something else.
Quotes:
- “I’m registering P.K.E leakage. It’s some sort of manifestation.” – Egon
- “I need approximately 17.4 seconds to study these readings. They’re unlike anything I’ve seen before.” – Egon
Location: Boo York – The Old Neighborhood
It’s Technical: Ray’s digital watch shows various times (apparently in military and international formats) until it doesn’t work.
Quotes:
- “They must be out of range.” – Ray
- “Or perhaps we are.” – Egon
- “What do you mean?” – Peter
- “I’m not sure yet. We better get back to HQ.” – Egon
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Exterior
It Just Popped In There: Why would this Ghostbusters logo look like Egon? The “no ghost” logo is based on the basic look of a white ghost and evolved away from Casper. Perhaps in this mirror version of New York, “Egon” was the evolved version of their Casper. If they even had a character like that.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Rooms: Garage Bay/Office Area
Sorry, I Missed It: When Ray is going upstairs his Ghost Trap isn’t drawn correctly and is either missing its doors or they just aren’t colored in.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Room: Kitchen
Quote: “Sounds like Spud is on a roll.” – Peter
It Just Popped In There: I know they’re The Real Ghostbusters and aren’t afraid of no ghosts. Plus they’re presumably in a familiar place. Have they never watched a scary movie? When something is causing the refrigerator to move like that, you don’t open the door!
Why didn’t they try to capture it? True, we know there are more important things to deal with it.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Room: Bedrooms
Quotes:
- “Well well color me speechless. We got three LIVE ones!” – Peoplebuster Egon
- “You just made a big mistake.” – Peoplebuster Ray
- “Your mistake ghost breath. We live here.” – Peter
- “Guess again, human.” – Peoplebuster Ray
It Just Popped In There: I get that Peter would want to protect what he perceives to be his home. From it being dark at “3:00,” the way the city looks, the opposite Ghostbusters logo, and the state the Firehouse is in, even he would realize this isn’t home.
Quotes:
- “They have guns.” – Ray
- “So do we. Nail them.” – Peter
Quote: “The input/output chambers are reversed.” – Egon
It Just Popped In There: Whatever reason the chamber is causing small classes of ghosts to form from The Real Ghostbusters Proton Packs, why would the Peoplebusters eat them?
You’ll Need A Reference: When I saw the “reversed” streams in this scene at 10 years old, it seemed so cool. I almost feel like this would be a Janine thing to say, 28 years later its interesting. One of those normal science fiction concepts.
Quote: “Now try our brand.” – Peoplebuster Egon
It’s Technical: The Peoplebusters “Proton” Pack is a cross between a Proton Pack and Slime Blower, encased inside a water cooler. It shoots out splotches of charged ectoplasm. Or another organic material to hold people. What is the purpose of the eyes inside the watercolor part? I don’t know, as a kid it was creepy.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Room: Office Area
Quotes:
- “Hello, Peoplebusters.” – Peoplebuster Janine
- “People busters!?” – Peter, Egon, and Ray
- “People!” [screams] – Peoplebuster Janine
It Just Popped In There: One of the thoughts of ghostheads is how come their isn’t a Peoplebuster version of Winston? Anything we guess is speculative. A reasonable explanation is that unlike The Real Ghostbusters, they didn’t need to hire another ghost to be a Peoplebuster. They did need a receptionist.
Location: Boo York – The Big Pumpkin
It’s…Physics: In this flip side version of NYC, people can also fly.
Quotes:
- “That confirms it. We are in some sort of flip side world. A ghost version of New York City.” – Egon
- “Then that whirlwind was a dimensional gateway in.” – Ray
It’s Technical: The Peoplebusters have their own version of ECTO-1. It seems to resemble an exaggerated hot rod. It also reminds me of Kenner’s Ecto-500.
Quote: “We ain’t afraid of no people.” – Peoplebuster Peter
Location: Boo York – The Big Pumpkin – Moon Tan Lotion
You’ll Need A Reference: The male ghost sings part of a Peoplebuster song. Which also raises more questions then their are answers to. It does sound remarkably similar to “Ghostbusters,” from Ray Parker. Jr.
Location: Boo York – The Big Pumpkin
Sorry, I Missed It: Peoplebuster Peter’s (say that 5x fast!) “no people” patch is missing its “people” logo.
It’s Technical: The Peoplebusters don’t “pull” the people they catch into a trap, the way The Real Ghostbusters do with ghosts. Instead the trap is more of a net, once they’ve been slimed with that sticky substance. People can then be carried by a Peoplebuster.
Quote: “Hey, we’re the good guys. We even have our own TV show.” – Ray
You’ll Need A Reference: Ray is OF COURSE (or is he?) referring to The Real Ghostbusters, the animated spin off of GHOSTBUSTERS. In Take Two from season 1, The Real Ghostbusters consult on a movie that’s being made about them. Perhaps the success of GHOSTBUSTERS lead to some kind of TV show.
Either way, its an inside joke. 😉
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse Interior. Room: Office Area
It’s Technical: Winston uses his Ghostbusters character knowledge (from earlier drafts of the scripts) to modify a transmitter to send radio signals no matter where the team is.
It Just Popped In There: Winston definitely could have won awards for this extension of technology. And it would have helped earn grant money from universities of even the government. Long as it isn’t The Bureau Of Unidentifiable Flying Organisms. (B.U.F.O)
Location: Boo York – The Big Pumpkin – The Statwitch of Spells
It’s Technical: The Peoplebusters can fly when they’re using the flip side version of ECTO-2. It resembles a dragonfly.
Location: Boo York – The Big Pumpkin
Quote: “No more playing Peter Pan. We are going to get Ray.” – Peter
You’ll Need A Reference: Peter Pan is a fictional character originally from a play and later a novel, written by J. M. Barrie in 1904 and 1911 respectively. Peter can fly in Neverland, a magical place where he doesn’t grow up.
It’s…Physics: As ghosts can pass through walls on the real side, people can pass through them in the flip side.
Location: Boo York – The Big Pumpkin – Ghost Salon
You’ll Need A Reference: The ghost woman who wants a little trim resembles and speaks a little like Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. A character played by actress Cassandra Peterson.
It Just Popped In There: Another example of Egon’s likeness being used as the person who would scare ghosts. Here it’s used to make hair stand up straight so it can be cut.
Quote: “And that’s your good side too.” – Peter
It Just Popped In There: How exactly did Peoplebuster Egon (or Peoplebuster Peter) know Peter and Egon were in the ghost salon? We haven’t seen it, that we know of. Do they have a people version of a P.K.E Meter?
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse Interior. Room: Office Area
It’s Technical: Slimer has the right “ghost frequency” to extend the range of the transmitter’s signal for Boo York.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Place: Inside an Ecto-Containment Unit
It’s Technical: Ray and Egon have been put inside the Peoplebuster version of the Ecto-Containment Unit. Unlike a spirit world, the people version contains a pleasant Earth environment.
Location: Ghostbusters Firehouse Interior. Room: Office Area
Quotes:
- “Everything here is the exact opposite of the real world.” – Peter
- “The opposite. Listen, if everything is reversed that containment unit may be the doorway back to the real world.” – Winston
You’ll Need A Reference: In Ghostbusters, Egon deduced that “since the door swings both ways” they could use their technology to reverse (or close) the doorway.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Room: Ecto-Containment Unit
It’s Technical: The door (or mouth) of the Peoplebusters PCU (Peoplebusters Containment Unit) opens. Some kind of tongue gets a hold of the sticky material, pulling a person into the PCU, which delivers them to a pleasant environment. Meanwhile in Boo York, the door shuts.
It Just Popped In There: The Peoplebusters Containment Unit looks like something out of He-Man.
Location: Boo York – “Ghostbusters” HQ Interior. Place: Inside an Ecto-Containment Unit
It’s Technical: Since the people world simulates a world people know The Real Ghostbusters are using their Proton Packs to unlock the portal or doorway to bring them and every other person back home.
It’s Technical: By doing that, The Real Ghostbusters are technically breaking free, which sounds a surprisingly weak alarm.
It Just Popped In There: As smart as the Peoplebusters seem to be, being inside a people world without a plan and modified equipment equals instant defeat. They never even disarmed The Real Ghostbusters.
Location: Central Park – Weather: Bright And Sunny
Fortunately with minutes left to the end, the portal brings The Real Ghostbusters and other people (some who might be in the wrong year going by the clothing) back to New York City.
It Just Popped In There: With presumably all the people free (and in a different dimension) does that put the Peoplebusters out of business? Or after they are through being stunned and probably mad, they keep on being heroes in the big pumpkin?
Quote: [after getting slimed by Slimer] “Yep, we are definitely home.” – Peter
Ecto-Containment 
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