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Score: 9.2 Superb 182 votes

The Fright Before Christmas

Episode Number: 28    Season Num: 2    First Aired: Tuesday December 6, 2005    Prod Code: 030
Danny Fenton hates Christmas. When he accidentally destroys the only copy of a ghostly Christmas story, the book's author, Ghost Writer, makes Danny hate the holiday even more by turning him into the main character of a brand new Yuletide tale. Danny is now trapped in a scenario where everyone talks in rhyme! With his magical Quantum Keyboard, Ghost Writer creates a series of catastrophes that threaten to ruin Christmas for all of Amity Park and pins the blame on Danny. When Danny goes into the Ghost Zone to confront Ghost Writer, he is surprised to find his old ghostly enemies in a giving mood. Danny enlists them to help him defeat Ghost Writer and restore the spirit of Christmas to Amity Park and, perhaps, to his own heart.

Cast and Crew

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Writer: Marty Isenberg, Steve Marmel, Sib Ventress
Director: Butch Hartman, Wincat Alcala, Kevin Petrilak
Star: Colleen O'Shaughnessey (Jazz Fenton),  Rob Paulsen (Jack Fenton (Dad)),  David Kaufman (Danny Fenton/Phantom),  Kath Soucie (Maddie Fenton (Mom)),  Grey DeLisle (Samantha "Sam" Manson),  Rickey D'Shon Collins (Tucker Foley)
Recurring Role: Dee Bradley Baker (Lance Thunder/News Reporter/Mikey),  Rob Paulsen (The Box Ghost/Kid Walla),  Kath Soucie (Lunch Lady Ghost),  Tara Strong (Ember/Penelope Spectra/Tiffany Snow/Baby Danny),  Kevin Michael Richardson (Skulker),  Jim Ward (Bertrand)
Guest Star: Will Arnett (Ghost Writer),  David Kaufman (Kid Walla),  James Arnold Taylor (Walker)

Notes

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When Skulker told Danny that all the ghosts share the truce,"Even half-ghosts like him", why wasn't Vlad part of the truce? (edit)
Sam is jewish, which could be the reason she's a vegitarian. Jews believe in not eating dairy nor anything with a face. (edit)
The ghosts that appeared in this episode were, Walker, Skulker, The Ghost Writer, Kitty, Pointdexter, Shadow, Walker's Ghost Polices, Young Blood, Ember, The Lunch Lady, The Box Ghost, Bertrand, Dessiree, The Ghost Reindeers, The Ghost toys, The Ghost Christmas Trees, A Ghost Monster, Technus and Penelope Spectra.
The presents weren't included because they weren't alive, so they weren't considered as ghosts. (edit)
Two lines Ghost Writer included in his rhyme were ones the characters used in previous episodes. Jack, in referring to something Maddie was doing, said "Man, that's hot!" here and in "13", and Lance Thunder, while attacked by ghosts/ghost products, screamed "Not the face!", which is similar as to in "Reign Storm", where he screamed, "Not the hair!" (edit)
The Ghostwriter is the third villain who has pointed ears. The first is Vlad Plasmius, and the second is Dark Danny (edit)

Quotes

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Box Ghost: The Box Ghost shall conquer this holiday doom!
Lunch Lady: We just couldn't leave you to wallow in gloom.
Skulker: (Arming an arm cannon) Tomorrow you'll see what this baby can do...(warmly) But all ghosts share the truce....even half-ghosts like you. (edit)
Skulker: (To Danny; after the Ghost Writer writes him to a room with a bunch of his enemies) We've been waiting for you.
Ghost Writer: Skulker said with a grin.
Box Ghost: Now our holiday party can finally begin!
(Spotlights come on and illuminate two christmas trees)
Skulker: Eat, drink and be merry!
Ember: Have some warm Christmas goose!
Box Ghost: For surely you know of our annual truce!
Ghost Writer: The truce! It's still holding? I thought they'd suspend it! To beat on their foe!
Skulker: Oh, this truce, we defend it! (edit)
Danny: (Depressed; after destroying the Ghost Writer's keyboard) With the keyboard all busted, the curse takes its toll. The story continues, but I've no control.
(Sam and Tucker show up)
Tucker: Dude, like, it's Christmas. So why are you here?
Sam: Alone outside, with no friends or family near?
Danny: Its my fault. All my fault, what happened tonight. I spoke out in anger and acted in spite. I started it all when I picked that first fight. But I'd give all I have to set everything right. (edit)
(After Danny storms off)
Maddie: Hmm? What got into him?
Jack: He takes after his mother.
Jazz: Can't blame you for losing your cool, little brother. Go ahead. Clear your head and I think you'll be fine. (Christmas presents go up the chimney and start to follow Danny) But taking our presents is crossing the line! (edit)
Ghost Writer: You think this is over? It's barely begun! This all doesn't end till the lesson is done!
Danny: And you think that I'll learn it? You think you're that tough?
Jack: He exists!
Maddie: No, he doesn't!
Ghost Writer: Then Dan screamed...
Danny: Enough! I'm sick of your fighting! Can you please let this die? You've ruined each Christmas, each Christmas... and I can't take anymore of this war, am I my clear? Fourteen years is enough! I am so out of here! (edit)

Trivia

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Right before the commercial, Danny is running away from the Nutcracker. When the show comes back on, he is facing it. (edit)
The Ghostwriter has a half-brother named Randy. (edit)
When the ghosts are grabbing Christmas trees, you can see two Spectras for a second, one of them being her human form and one of them being her shadow form. (edit)
When the ghosts went to help Danny they would have had to travel through the ghost shield, meaning that they would not have been able to reach him. (edit)
Technically, Danny broke the truce when he beat up the Ghost Writer and had him arrested. (edit)

Allusions

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Blue Toy: Appearance
When the ghosts come to help Danny, one of the first toys floating resembles Optimus Prime from Transformers. The figure's coloring seems to be paying homage to the prototype colors of Ultra Magnus from The Transformers: The Movie (1987). (edit)
Ghost Writer:"Scornful child! Scrooge-like urchin!"
He calls Danny 'Scrooge' here, which is, of course, a reference to the character of Ebenezer Scrooge from the 19th-century novel 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. This name is actually very fitting for Danny in this episode because of his hate for Christmas, and then how he later comes to understand that the holiday is not as bad as he'd thought. Something very similar happens to Scrooge in the book. (edit)
Danny: You better watch out. You better not cry!
Danny is quoting the popular children's Christmas song, "Santa Claus is coming to town", while complaining about his parents' fight. (edit)
Danny: (Charges a ball into a blast)
Danny Phantom's ectoplasmic energy ball is obviously a parody of Goku's spirit bomb, used in Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. (edit)
Ghost Writer: Name
Ghost Writer shares the name of the title character from a kid's show in the '90's called Ghostwriter, where a spirit that could only communicate through written words joins forces with a group of kids to solve mysteries. The spirit often entered computers to avoid its one limitation of only being able to use letters at hand to communicate. (edit)
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Community Reviews (51)

 
10.0
Perfect
The Fright Before Christmas
"A very special episode"
Great holiday episode that I watch every year! Highly recommended.
Continue » Posted Mar 1, 2008 10:03 pm PST
9.8
Superb
The Fright Before Christmas
"A very special episode"
Christmas is a special time of the year--to ghosts and humans alike.
Continue » Posted Feb 9, 2008 11:45 am PST
9.5
Superb
The Fright Before Christmas
"Exactly why I watch this series"
its like a giant christmas poem.... wait it is a christmas poem, my bad.
Continue » Posted Jan 11, 2008 1:44 am PST
9.6
Superb
The Fright Before Christmas
"Exactly why I watch this series"
nice christmas special
Continue » Posted Dec 11, 2007 6:28 pm PST
10.0
Perfect
The Fright Before Christmas
"Well written"
This episode revels rough side of Danny...and the fact he hates Christmas.
Continue » Posted Jul 9, 2007 6:59 pm PST
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Episode Vital Stats

 
Episode: The Fright Before Christmas
Season Number: 2
Episode Reviews: 51
Episode
Score:
9.2 Superb 182 votes
Rating Statistics:
perfect: 79 (43.9%)
superb: 59 (32.8%)
great: 27 (15%)
fair: 6 (3.3%)
Other: 9 (5%)
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