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Let's bust us some ghosts!

— Phineas Flynn

It's Halloween night and the kids encounter a boy named Russell who is convinced his house is haunted. Meanwhile, Dr. Doofenshmirtz's disdain for grass causes him to invent a "Mind-Transfer-inator" enabling him to merge minds with a cow. Unfortunately, his plan backfires and he transforms into a scary "were-cow" that wreaks havoc any time there is a full moon.

Episode Summary[]

That's the Spirit 1

While trick-or-treating with Candace, Phineas and Ferb meet up with Isabella, Baljeet, and Buford, and they come across a house that they have never seen before. As they approach it, they meet a boy hiding in a bush named Russell. Russell says that hiding in the leaves makes him feel warm and secure, because his house is haunted. Phineas decides that they should help Russell by busting the ghosts, and Russell reluctantly follows.

Perry enters his Halloween-decorated lair through a jack-o'-lantern, where Carl greets him. Major Monogram gives him his mission by telling him of some sightings: the Danville golf course has been chewed down to bare dirt, howls at the moon have been heard, and cow-related graffiti and a crop circle have been seen in the Tri-State Area.

Phineas, Ferb, and the gang enter the house with Russell, and to Phineas' surprise, his EMF meter picks up a 78. Suddenly, the jack-o-lantern in front of him grows into a scary humanoid with a pumpkin head, and everyone runs from it.

Were-cow

Perry enters Doofenshmirtz's apartment to find that he has chained himself up. Doofenshmirtz explains that a few days ago, he declared war on grass, so he got himself a cow, the natural predator of grass. However, the cow was too slow, so Doofenshmirtz invented the Mind-Transfer-inator to motivate the cow to work faster. Instead, Doofenshmirtz developed gaps in his memory, a craving to lick salt, found himself watching the nightly farm report as well as the pasture channel way more than usual, and because of this, he suspects that he is no longer human, which is why he needs to tie himself up. All of a sudden, he begins to transform into a were-cow, and breaks the restrains. The Doofenshmirtz were-cow runs off into the streets with Perry pursuing it with a lasso.

Back in the haunted house, Candace desperately tries to open the locked door. The floor gives out, and the kids fall into the ghost-infested graveyard basement, where the monster continues to chase them into a red lake. Zombies rise, and the terrified children continue to run.

After watching a news report on the were-cow, a group of locals form an angry mob, while Perry finds Doofenshmirtz in his human form in the middle of a crop circle. Doofenshmirtz tries to go with Perry, but is transformed again as the clouds part from the full moon. The angry mob finds them, and they pursue the were-cow into the streets, trampling Perry in the process.

Slide20

The jack-o-lantern monster has the children cornered in the basement. Ferb throws a skull at it, knocking its head off. As sparks fly from its neck, the children realize that it is a robot. They then learn that it was Russell, along with his parents Waylon and Mona, who had been tricking them with their animatronic haunted house. The EMF meters had been picking up on hidden frequency emitters. Impressed, Phineas asks for one more trick. Just then, the were-cow busts through the wall with the angry mob close behind it, trampling Candace. The children applaud, mistaking the mob for ghosts, much to the confusion of Russell and his parents.

As the children go their separate ways for the night, Phineas is surprised to see that the haunted house is gone, only to see Waylon deflating it for the season.

Transcript[]

Read the transcript of That's the Spirit.

Songs[]

Gallery[]

Click here to view more images from "That's the Spirit".
View the image gallery for "That's the Spirit".

Running Gags[]

The "Too Young" Line[]

Pumpkin Zombie: Aren't you a little young to be hunting ghosts?
All: Yes, yes we are!

Ferb's Line[]

Phineas, Ferb, and Candace: Trick or treat!
Phineas: Wait a minute. If you're a ghost and you have a pumpkin on your head, what does that make you when you were alive?

Ferb: The probability of a humanoid-vegetable hybrid is exceedingly remote.

Ferb tosses a skull at the pumpkin monster's head.

What'cha doin'?[]

None.

Hey, Where's Perry?[]

Baljeet: (Holding up a flashlight with a ghost voice) Where is Perry?
Buford: Quit it, Baljeet.

Oh, there you are, Perry[]

None.

Perry's entrance to his lair[]

He enters in a jack-o'-lantern while wearing his Igor costume.

Evil Jingle[]

Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated!

Memorable Quotes[]

Man: And if it isn't little Candace Flynn! Where's your costume?
Candace: "Where's your costume"?! I haven't worn my hair like this in two years!
Phineas: Nice fairy princess costume. Where'd you get it?
Isabella: Actually, I'm not wearing a costume.
Phineas: Oh, okay.
Isabella: (Frustrated Pause) I got it at the Googolplex Mall.
Buford: What kind of person hands out these weird orange peanuts? We gotta find a better neighborhood.
Phineas: That's strange. I've never seen this place before. You'd think we would have noticed it.
Buford: I'm gonna give those orange peanuts a second look.
Buford: The light under his chin makes his story pretty convincing.
Baljeet: Actually, there is no scientific evidence for the existence of ghosts.
Buford: What do you know? You're a daffodil.
Baljeet: Daisy!
Buford: Case closed.
Phineas: (to Russel) Maybe we can help you, Russell. (to Ferb) Got anything for ghosts, Ferb?
(Ferb opens his jacket and shows various kinds of tools)
Phineas: Wow! Looks like we're in business, let's bust us some ghosts.
Candace: Hold it there, fella! Nobody is doin' any busting around here without me.
Candace: Oh please.
Russell: Oh this always happens.
Phineas: Don't panic everyone.
Isabella: How can I panic when I'm holding your hand?
Buford: I think that's my hand.
Isabella: Ew!
Zombie: Brains.
Zombie: Spleen.
Zombie: Pancreas...ses.
Russell: Did I mention the zombies?
Zombie: Kidneys!
Zombie with tea: I don't care for organs, but I do enjoy a cucumber sandwich.
Phineas: Isn't this the part where someone turns into a ghost?
The screen cuts to Russell, then Phineas, then Russell, then Phineas, then Russell again
Russell: DUDE, THAT'S IT!
Phineas: Okay, see you next year!

Background Information[]

  • The costumes each character wears are as follows:
    • Phineas: Count Dracula
    • Ferb: Frankenstein's monster
    • Candace: Heidi
    • Perry: Igor
    • Isabella: Fairy Princess
    • Baljeet: Daisy
    • Buford: Pirate
    • Major Monogram: Carl
    • Carl: Major Monogram

Production Information[]

  • This episode aired on Disney Channel On Demand on September 30, 2011.
  • On February 10, 2011, Variety reported that Michael Douglas and his son Dylan would guest star in a haunted house episode.

International Premieres[]

  • October 14, 2011 (Family Channel)
  • October 15, 2011 (Disney XD Canada)
  • October 27, 2011 (Disney Channel Latin America and Brazil)
  • October 29, 2011 (Disney Channel Spain and Portugal)
  • October 30, 2011 (Disney XD Spain)
  • October 31, 2011 (Disney XD Italy)
  • October 31, 2011 (Disney Channel Scandinavia)
  • October 3, 2012 (Disney XD UK)
  • October 9, 2012 (Disney XD Germany)
  • October 26, 2012 (Disney Channel Asia and Japan)

Errors[]

  • At the beginning of the episode, Phineas and Isabella are carrying candy in brown paper bags, but at the end of the episode, they are seen carrying jack-o'-lanterns instead.
  • When Phineas asks Russell to come with the gang in the haunted house, Russell's mouth doesn't move.
  • When Doofenshmirtz first transforms into a Were-Cow, he has eight teats on his udder. Throughout the rest of the episode, he has only four.
  • When Phineas says "Cool!" to Russell, the center of the jewel on his cape turns black.

Continuity[]

None.

Allusions[]

  • Halloween - When the group enters the house, the background music sounds very similar to the main theme of this movie.
  • Ghostbusters/The Real Ghostbusters - The devices used by the kids to investigate the house closely resemble the PKE Meters used by the Ghostbusters.
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas - The Pumpkin-headed ghost resembles Jack Skellington's scarecrow costume at the beginning of the movie.
  • Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - Doofenshmirtz uses a mind transmitter on a cow and turns into a Were-Cow, similar to how Wallace used one of the rabbits and turned into the Were-Rabbit. Also, in the Book of Monsters, the page before Were-Rabbit is Were-Cow.
  • Hidden Mickey - When Ferb shows off his ghost hunting gear, there is a speaker type device that looks like Mickey Mouse's head.

Trivia[]

Zombie cropped

The zombie resembling the evil girl.

  • The guard of Mount Rushmore can be seen during the "Steak any rarer" part of "Were-Cow" ("Candace Loses Her Head").
  • One of the zombies has the same hairstyle as Doofenshmirtz's ex-girlfriend ("Chez Platypus").
  • This is the second episode to not show Candace's normal hair ("Got Game?").
  • This is one of the few times someone does not say "Oh, there you are, Perry!".
  • In the United States, the full episode, alongside "The Curse of Candace", was posted on the official Disney XD YouTube channel on October 4, 2021.[1]
  • In 2023, Disney Television Animation ranked this episode as their #8 most spooky episode on their Twitter page.[2]

Cast[]

Main article: Credits
designates a character that did not appear in this episode

References[]

Previous:
"Bullseye!"
Episodes Next:
"The Curse of Candace"
Previous:
"The Monster of Phineas-n-Ferbenstein"
Halloween Episodes Next:
"The Curse of Candace"
v - e - dPhineas and Ferb
Season 1
"Rollercoaster" | "Lawn Gnome Beach Party of Terror" | "Flop Starz" | "The Fast and the Phineas"
"Lights, Candace, Action!" | "Raging Bully" | "Candace Loses Her Head" | "I, Brobot"
"Run Away Runway" | "The Magnificent Few" | "S'Winter" | "Jerk De Soleil" | "Are You My Mummy?"
"Ready for the Bettys" | "I Scream, You Scream" | "Toy to the World"
"Get That Bigfoot Outa My Face!" | "It's a Mud, Mud, Mud, Mud World" | "Mom's Birthday"
"Journey to the Center of Candace" | "It's About Time!"
"Dude, We're Getting the Band Back Together" | "Tree to Get Ready" | "The Ballad of Badbeard"
"Greece Lightning" | "Leave the Busting to Us!" | "Crack That Whip" | "The Best Lazy Day Ever"
"Boyfriend From 27,000 B.C." | "Voyage to the Bottom of Buford" | "A Hard Day's Knight"
"Traffic Cam Caper" | "Bowl-R-Ama Drama" | "Got Game?" | "Comet Kermillian"
"Put That Putter Away" | "Does This Duckbill Make Me Look Fat?" | "The Flying Fishmonger"
"One Good Scare Ought to Do It!" | "The Monster of Phineas-n-Ferbenstein" | "Oil on Candace"
"Out of Toon" | "Hail Doofania!" | "Out to Launch" | "Phineas and Ferb Get Busted!"
"Unfair Science Fair" | "Unfair Science Fair Redux (Another Story)"
Season 2
"The Lake Nose Monster" | "Interview With a Platypus" | "Tip of the Day"
"Attack of the 50 Foot Sister" | "Backyard Aquarium" | "Day of the Living Gelatin"
"Elementary My Dear Stacy" | "Don't Even Blink" | "Chez Platypus" | "Perry Lays an Egg"
"Gaming the System" | "The Chronicles of Meap" | "Thaddeus and Thor" | "De Plane! De Plane!"
"Let's Take a Quiz" | "At the Car Wash" | "Oh, There You Are, Perry" | "Swiss Family Phineas"
"Hide and Seek" | "That Sinking Feeling" | "The Baljeatles" | "Vanessassary Roughness"
"No More Bunny Business" | "Spa Day" | "Phineas and Ferb's Quantum Boogaloo"
"Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown" | "Bubble Boys" | "Isabella and the Temple of Sap"
"Cheer Up Candace" | "Fireside Girl Jamboree" |"The Bully Code" | "Finding Mary McGuffin" | "Picture This"
"Nerdy Dancin'" | "What Do It Do?" | "Atlantis" | "Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!"
"Just Passing Through" | "Candace's Big Day" | "I Was a Middle Aged Robot" | "Suddenly Suzy"
"Undercover Carl" | "Hip Hip Parade" | "Invasion of the Ferb Snatchers" | "Ain't No Kiddie Ride"
"Not Phineas and Ferb" | "Phineas and Ferb-Busters!" | "The Lizard Whisperer" | "Robot Rodeo" | "The Beak"
"She's the Mayor" | "The Lemonade Stand" | "Phineas and Ferb Hawaiian Vacation" | "Nerds of a Feather"
"Wizard of Odd" | "We Call it Maze" | "Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Max Modem!" | "The Secret of Success"
"The Doof Side of the Moon" | "Split Personality" | "Brain Drain" | "Rollercoaster: The Musical!"
"Make Play" | "Candace Gets Busted"
Season 3
"The Great Indoors" | "Canderemy" | "Run, Candace, Run" | "Last Train to Bustville"
"Phineas' Birthday Clip-O-Rama!" | "The Belly of the Beast" | "Moon Farm"
"Ask a Foolish Question" | "Misperceived Monotreme" | "Candace Disconnected"
"Magic Carpet Ride" | "Bad Hair Day" | "Meatloaf Surprise" | "Phineas and Ferb Interrupted"
"A Real Boy" | "Mommy Can You Hear Me?" | "Road Trip" | "Tour de Ferb" | "Skiddley Whiffers"
"My Fair Goalie" | "Bullseye!" | "That's the Spirit" | "The Curse of Candace"
"Escape from Phineas Tower" | "Lotsa Latkes" | "Ferb Latin"
"A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" | "Tri-Stone Area" | "Doof Dynasty" |"Excaliferb"
"Phineas and Ferb and the Temple of Juatchadoon" | "Monster from the Id" | "Gi-Ants"
"The Remains of the Platypus" | "Mom's in the House" | "Perry The Actorpus" | "Let's Bounce"
"Bully Bromance Breakup" | "Quietest Day Ever" | "The Doonkelberry Imperative‎‎"
"Meapless in Seattle" | "Delivery of Destiny" | "Buford Confidential" | "The Mom Attractor"
"Cranius Maximus" | "Agent Doof" | "Minor Monogram" | "What A Croc!" | "Sleepwalk Surprise"
"Sci-Fi Pie Fly" | "Sipping with the Enemy" | "Tri-State Treasure: Boot of Secrets" | "Doofapus"
"Norm Unleashed" | "Where's Perry?" | "Where's Perry? (Part Two)" |"Ferb TV"
"When Worlds Collide" | "What'd I Miss?" | "Road to Danville"
"This Is Your Backstory" | "Blackout!"
Season 4
"For Your Ice Only" | "Happy New Year!" | "Fly On the Wall" | "Bully Bust" | "My Sweet Ride"
"Der Kinderlumper" | "Sidetracked" | "Primal Perry" | "Mind Share" | "Backyard Hodge Podge"
"Bee Day" | "Bee Story" | "Great Balls Of Water" | "Where's Pinky?"
"Phineas and Ferb Musical Cliptastic Countdown Hosted by Kelly Osbourne"
"Knot My Problem" | "Just Desserts" | "La Candace-Cabra" | "Happy Birthday, Isabella"
"Love at First Byte" | "One Good Turn" | "Thanks But No Thanks" | "Troy Story"
"Druselsteinoween" | "Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy of Terror" | "Face Your Fear" | "Cheers for Fears"
"Steampunx" | "Just Our Luck" | "Return Policy" | "Live and Let Drive" | "Father's Day"
"Imperfect Storm" | "The Return of the Rogue Rabbit" | "It's No Picnic" | "The Klimpaloon Ultimatum"
"Operation Crumb Cake" | "Mandace" | "Lost in Danville" | "The Inator Method"
"Tales from the Resistance: Back to the 2nd Dimension" | "Doof 101" | "Act Your Age"
Season 5
"Summer Block Buster" | "Cloudy with a Chance of Mom" | "Appetite for Adventure" | "License to Bust"
"Dry Another Day" | "Deconstructing Doof" | "Tropey McTropeface" | "Biblio-Blast!" | "A Chip to the Vet"
"More Than an Intern" | "The Aurora Perry-Alis" | "Agent T (For Teen)" | "The Haberdasher"
"The Candace Suit" | "Out of Character" | "Meap Me in St. Louis"
Specials
"Phineas and Ferb: Summer Belongs to You!" | "Phineas and Ferb Save Summer"
"Night of the Living Pharmacists" | "Last Day of Summer" | "O.W.C.A. Files"
Films
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Crossovers
"Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel" | "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars" | "The Phineas and Ferb Effect"
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