Parental Bonding
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| "Parental Bonding" Danny Phantom episode |
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| Season | 1 |
| Number | 2 |
| Prod. code | 003 |
| Airdate | April 10, 2004 |
| Writer(s) | Steve Marmel, Sib Ventress |
| Directors | Wincat Alcala, Sean Dempsey, Butch Hartman |
| Ghost Appearances | Dora The Dragon Ghost (1st) |
| Abbreviation | PB |
| Previous episode Mystery Meat |
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| Next episode One of a Kind |
"Parental Bonding" is the second episode of the TV-series, Danny Phantom. Danny tries his might to ask Paulina out on a date while trying to fend off a ghost dragon at the same time.
[edit] Episode Recap
Danny waltzs to his father in the Fenton lab before school, eying Jack and his newest invention - the Fenton Ghost Fisher. Jack has to leave for a moment to use the restroom so he plants the fisher on Danny to hold until his return. It snags a ghost which Danny reels to reveal a dragon ghost. Danny gets on the defensive and fights the dragon, until her amulet comes off of her, ending up inside Danny's backpack--unbeknowst to both. The dragon reverts to that of a ghost girl from Medieval times who only desires to go to a princess costume ball, leaving Danny completely baffled upon her exit.
Later at school, news is already underway throughout the students on the upcoming school dance. Both Danny and Tucker are excited despite their lack of dates while Sam proceeds to display her utter displeasure on the dance and being asked out. She is interrupted and irritated when Danny and Tucker eye the class beauty, Paulina. With a push from Tucker, Danny awkwardly tries to ask her to the dance, but his nervous behavior triggers his ghost powers, causing his pants to fall. Paulina and the entire student body laughs at Danny, the former making a quip towards him until Sam confronts her. She fights back by calling her shallow, a word Paulina takes offense to. As an act of revenge, she vows to take Danny away from Sam.
Paulina confronts Danny at his locker later on until Dash interrupts and shoves him into it to flirt with her. An invisible and angry Danny sneaks behind Dash only to discover his power of possessing people, or overshadowing them. He overshadows Dash and embarrasses him in front of Paulina. A dazed Dash walks off after Danny has had his fill of revenge, Paulina ultimately freeing him from his locker, the amulet from earlier dropping out of Danny's backpack as he falls. Paulina immediately sees it and with a fib from Danny that he got it for her, she agrees to go to the dance with him. As she walks away, her eyes, as well as the amulet, glow. Danny's pants fall down once again, which gets him in trouble with Mr. Lancer, now wanting to discuss this matter with his parents.
Too afraid to confront his currently frustrated father (when his Fenton fisher has yet to snag a ghost), Danny overshadows him, and takes him to the conference where he is let off easily by flattering Mr. Lancer. Enjoying his style, Lancer insist on him chaperoning the school dance.
Danny, Sam, and Tucker are in the mall later on where the latter still has yet to gain a date while Sam furthers her distaste for Paulina. At the same time, Paulina is in a store shopping for a shirt, still donning the amulet. Admiring a limited edition shirt and with nothing left in her size, she becomes furious, unleashing the amulet's power and the dragon within. Danny fights the dragon, enough to revert Paulina back to her normal self causing her to not remember her events as a dragon (but acquiring the shirt she desired). Shortly afterwards, Tucker gets himself a date with Valerie Gray when her previous partner, Kwan, asked someone else.
The trio research the amulet on the internet before the dance, learning that extreme distress or anger leads the wearer of the amulet to triggers its power and transforms them into a dragon. Danny immediately recognizes the amulet as the one he gave to Paulina (prior to that, he assumed the necklace belong to either his mother or sister) and so forth has the mission of obtaining it back from her. Sam once again displays her hatred for the dance to which Danny concludes she secretly desires to go, so by possessing Tucker, he gets her to go as his date saying Valerie stood him up to which Sam eagerly agrees.
Danny goes with Paulina, trying to get back the amulet and deal with his father whom he has to constantly overshadow during the dance. There, Danny lies about the amulet, saying it belongs to Sam. This angers Paulina, going as far as sucking all of her punch out with a lizard-like tongue before crushing the glass in her hand. A panicking Danny quickly tells Tucker to keep an eye on his father while Sam tries to find Paulina. She catches her in the restroom and apologizes for calling her shallow. Learning that Sam is just Danny's friend and not girlfriend as she previously assumed, Paulina gives the amulet back to Sam (by placing it around her neck) and confesses how she played with Danny's heart. Sam gets furious which instantly turns her into the dragon and kidnaps Paulina who fainted upon seeing her.
Upon discovering the dragon, Danny fights it off (later discovering it to be Sam) and manages to capture her with the Fenton Fisher, tying her up and pulling the amulet off. With the date gone bust, Sam asks Danny for one last dance while Tucker complains on his lack of a date again. The ghost girl then appears who still wishes to go to the ball, causing Tucker to decide he's in no hurry for a date.
[edit] Allusions
- Title: "Parental Bonding" refers to a person attempting to get along and "bond" with their parents.
- When Danny (overshadowing Jack) tells Mr. Lancer, "It's just in this light, I thought you were George Clooney", he's referring to the actor/director/producer, known for his dashing looks.
- In Sam's room, there is a poster for the film A Clockwork Orange.
[edit] Trivia/Goofs
- Introduced Ghost Powers: Overshadowing.
- After being thrown through the bleachers Paulina can be very briefly seen still wearing the amulet when it is suppose to be Sam who currently dons it.
- This is the only episode (as of this writing) that Danny turns into mist to escape an enemy (the ghost dragon).
- Sam suffers from some wardrobe malfunctions through this episode: When Sam sarcastically states to Danny at the mall, "Does he have to take off his pants and act like a dweeb or will either one do?", when she shows up close, she has pupils and her tank top has sleeves. Also, when Tucker and Sam leave for the dance, Sam is wearing purple pumps with her dress. Later at the dance, she can be seen wearing her combat boots.
- In the picture of the amulet that Sam finds on the Internet, the charm is on a long chain instead of a choker.
