Freak Show

"Freak Show" is the seventh episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast season three, and the twenty-fifth overall. It aired on May 22, 1996 on Cartoon Network. It was written by Andy Merrill.

An ubergeek named Commander Andy hijacks Space Ghost's feed to make demands while he interviews yodeling musician, Wylie Gustafson, and comedic singer Bill Manspeaker in a spider-like monster costume.

Memorable quotes
Commander Andy: I had a party over here at my place to watch a whole new episode of Space Ghost like they advertised, but really it was a crappy rehashing of two old episodes.

Characters

 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Commander Andy
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Andy Merrill
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Space Ghost
 * style="background-color:#clear"| George Lowe
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Moltar
 * style="background-color:#clear"| C. Martin Croker
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Zorak
 * style="background-color:#clear"| C. Martin Croker
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Christy
 * style="background-color:#ffff00"| N/A
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Wylie Gustafson
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Commander Andy's mother (voice only)
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Unavailable
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Junior Samples
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Banjo
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Russell Johnson "The Professor"
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Craig McCracken
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tom Roche (no lines)
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Judy Tenuta (no lines)
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Herself
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Kirk the Storyteller
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Herndon
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Dave Willis
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Don Bohannan
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bill Manspeaker
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Tom Roche (no lines)
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Judy Tenuta (no lines)
 * style="background-color:#clear"| Herself
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Kirk the Storyteller
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Herndon
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Dave Willis
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Don Bohannan
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bill Manspeaker
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Dave Willis
 * style="background-color:#FDB56C" colspan="2"| Don Bohannan
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bill Manspeaker
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself
 * style="background-color:#d2d2ff"| Bill Manspeaker
 * style="background-color:#aaffaa"| Himself

Organizations

 * The Original Way Outs
 * Secret Service (mentioned)

Locations

 * Earth
 * United States
 * Tennesse (mentioned)
 * Nashville (mentioned)
 * Grand Ole Opry (mentioned)
 * Southwestern United States (mentioned)
 * Mexico (mentioned)
 * Roswell (mentioned)
 * Japan (mentioned)
 * Tokyo (mentioned)
 * Ghost Planet
 * Studio

Objects

 * Power bands
 * Apple Jacks (mentioned)

Vehicles

 * Phantom Cruiser (mentioned)

Filming
It was copyrighted in 1996.

Aftermath
A spin-off for Commander Andy was considered for a while, with stories written around animated stick figures. There would've been a character called Dungeon Master Phil, played by Don Kennedy, an old man who lived down the street from Commander Andy who was a fan of Dungeons and Dragons.

Cartoon Network also aired a commercial presumably around the same time as the episode, with Merrill reprising his role as Commander Andy and Captain Kirk.

Music
The music was composed by Sonny Sharrock and Eddie Horst. The musicians were Sharrock, Lance Carter, Horst, and Alfrieda Gerald.

Release
Dates are in order of release:


 * United States: May 22, 1996 on Cartoon Network

Behind the scenes

 * Commander Andy's room is full of Stark Trek posters which include Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, and the original Enterprise, as well as a poster of Mulder and Scully from the TV series The X-Files.
 * He makes references to travel jargon like "Warp Factor 9," the Vulcan hello/goodbye, the Romulans, the Prime Directive, and the Vulcan nerve pinch.
 * He pretends to be on a phone call with Scully and mentions the Cigarette Man.
 * Commander Any asks Zorak for some gum, which is a reference to "Gum, Disease," although Zorak was asking Brandon Marsalis for gum.
 * Space Ghost brings up the TV series Hee Haw, leading Zorak holds a sign with the number "BR-549" written on it in reference to a skit performed by Junior Samples.
 * Like a true geek, Commander Andy refers to the "Banjo" episode as "Episode 6" first. Space Ghost corrects him and says it was episode 7, which is technically true, but it just aired as the sixth.
 * Max Headroom pops up on Moltar's monitor when Commander Andy scrambles it.
 * Commander Andy refers to Space Ghost as "Space Man" and "Space Master" copying Russell Johnson in "Gilligan."
 * Craig McCraken in his swimwear was from "President's Day Nightmare."
 * There clip of Tom Roche was from his interview with WAGA-TV Atlanta, even coming with the mistake of calling him Tim Roche over the screen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrQXLdYtZKg
 * Judy's interview occurred in "Elevator."
 * Commander Andy wants a toy replica of the Phantom Cruiser, but not the "crappy Eighties version" which appeared in Space Stars.
 * Commander Andy expresses his disappointment of "Story Book House" rehashing of "Banjo" and "Batmantis" into one episode.
 * When Space Ghost says "For the love of Don Bohannan," he's referring to the cameraman.
 * An audio clip of Commander Andy saying "Oh, oh, oh, just one more thing" is reused during Cartoon Network's logo in the end credits.
 * Dave Willis, George Lowe, C. Martin, Croker, and Andy Merrill provide audio commentary for this episode on DVD releases.

Home availability

 * In the United States:
 * November 16, 2004: Warner Home Video releases Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Volume Two on DVD.
 * In Australia:
 * October 2, 2007: Madman Entertainment releases Space Ghost Coast to Coast: Volume Two on DVD.
 * November 28, 2012: Madman Entertainment releases Space Ghost Coast to Coast: All Talk Collection on DVD.