[24k Jewelry store, after-hours]
[Necklaces mysteriously begin floating, Danny pokes his head in to take a peak.]
Danny: And I thought the merchandise is flying off the spells is just an expression. *comes in and blows an ecto blast at them*
[Four ghosts appear as they are zapped, two male and two female.]
Danny: Woah! Who are you guys?
[One male, a dwarf, jumps on Danny's shoulders and pulls on his mouth then covers his eyes.]
Danny: Hey! I'm not a hat person! Especially if the hat is a dwarf! *throws dwarf ghost off*
[Dwarf crashes into a case and sets off the alarm, Danny tries to leave and runs into the other male, who is much MUCH larger.]
Danny: Okay, all things considered, maybe the tiny hat guy was better.
[Large ghost grabs Danny with one fist and throws him toward a female, eye-patched, who stretches herself across two columns, making slingshot across the room.]
[Danny opens his eyes and the other female, a tattooed ghost, reveals herself to be covered in tattoos, which come alive and attack Danny.]
[Danny powers up and fires and ecto shock wave that blows all the tattoo creatures into the other ghosts.]
Danny: You know, it's ghosts like you that give ghosts like me a bad name.
[Sirens are heard and a police cruiser pulls up in front of the store.]
[The tattooed ghost collects her tattoos, and she and the other ghosts phase through the ceiling, dropping their jewelry on Danny, which the two officers see when they bust in.]
Cop1: Freeze Inviso-Bill!
Danny: Although it's hard to come up with a worse name than that. *phases through the floor, leaving the jewelry on the floor*
Cop2: Hey, wanna take this stuff and blame the ghost kid?
Cop1: *sigh* You're under arrest.
Cop2: Awww..

[Opening sequence]
Control Freaks
The Freakiest Show on Earth!

[Sam's bedroom]
[Same is sleeping soundly until a shaft of light hits her face.]
Mrs. Manson: Good morning, sunshine! And how do we great the brand new day?
Mr. Manson: With a smile on your face and an attitude of gratitude!
Sam: *groans and wraps pillow around head* I'm a creature of the night doomed to a family of morning people.
Mrs. Manson: Uh, Sam, sweetie, I thought maybe we'd try to mix it up a little with wardrobe today. *produces pink sun dress with yellow floral print*
Mr. Manson: Nothing says "Hey world, look at me!" like floral prints.
Sam: Okay, but I need to add just one little personal touch.
[Sam produces can of spray paint and scissors, sprays the dress black, making it look now like a funeral dress, and cuts the skirt part much shorter.]

[Manson breakfast table]
Woman on TV: Up next, is your teenage daughter moody, surly, is her outlook on like blacker than her eyeliner?
[Sam blinks and glances at her parents, who glare suspiciously at her.]
Woman: Take an active interest in your child. Know who her friends are. Learn to recognize a bad influence when it walks in your door.
[Danny comes in through the door with CDs.]
Danny: Hey Sam, I got that morbid anti-social youth CD you wanted.
[Sam's parents glare at Danny.]
Danny: What? Have you heard "My Parents Reek"? That cut rocks!
[They glare more.]

[On TV, there's a red spiral shown and Freakshow comes on.]
Freakshow: I.. am Freakshow, ringmaster of the Circus Gothica, where your nightmares come alive.
[Skeleton is shown juggling skulls.]
Freakshow: Circus Gothica, where the clowns never smile.
[Gloomy/scary clown with sharp teeth is shown, howling with demented laughter.]
Freakshow: Circus Gothica, come and get your freak on, with real freaks.
[Heavily pierced man in an iron mask is shown.]
Freakshow: Circus Gothica! Coming to Amity Park. Cross over.. to the dark side. *wields staff with glowing red orb*

Danny: *trance-like* Cross over to the dark side... *eyes glow*
Mrs. Manson: *turns off TV* Now there's some evil mind pollution we won't be seeing any time soon, sweetie.
Sam: But we already bought our tickets.
[Sam's parents raise eyebrows.]
Sam: *exasperated sigh* We'll be fine, it's just harmless entertainment, right Danny?
Danny: Cross over to the dark side.
Sam: Hilarious. Can we leave now, or do you want to stay and corrupt my grandma? *pulls Danny out door*
Grandma Manson: Cross over to the dark siiide.
[Sam's parents look concerned.]
Grandma: I'm just kidding, lighten up!

[Outside]
Sam: Will you quit messing with my parents? That's my job!
Danny: *blinks* What? Uhm, sorry, Sam, musta got a little spacey. *rubs head* I was up pretty late last night.
Sam: Just watch what you saw around them, they already think I'm on the road to troubled teenhood. *begins walking*
Danny: Where are you going? School's this way. *points back*
Sam: The circus Gothica Train pulled into town last night, I'm cutting first period to watch the opening ceremony at the train station.
Danny: Sam..
Sam: Take it easy, Tucker's got first period free, he's covering for me.

[Tucker's room]
[Tucker is dressed in drag, finishing the final touches to his Sam costume.]
Tucker: This is so wrong. *looks at money in hand* But you make it right.

[Sam runs off.]
Danny: Don't blame me if you get caught!
[Danny's Ghost Sense goes off and he turns to see the dwarf ghost running with a heavy bag.]
Danny: And speaking of getting caught. *looks up to see the rest of the ghosts, also carrying bags* I'm goin' ghost!
[Danny leaps onto trashcan, then a truck, then into the air, goes ghost, and chases after the ghosts as the cops catch up to them.]
Danny: Opening a new bank account? Don't forget your free toaster! *fires ecto blast which knocks the money sack out of the dwarf's hands*
[The sack lands on a cruiser, causing it to swerve into a fire hydrant.]
Cop: Curse you, ghost kid!
Danny: Oh great, more fans.
[Danny chases the ghosts across town. They phase through a Circus Gothica billboard and Danny is temporarily hypnotized by Freakshow's orb.]
[Danny shakes his head and phases through to find himself at the opening ceremony, where Circus Gothica's equipment and tents are already finished being set up.]
[Many goth teens are swarming the place.]
Danny: Terrific. The crooks got away, I'm late for school, and, I've never seen so many goths out in broad daylight.
[Goth teens open up black umbrellas.]
Sam: Well, look who decided to slum it with the troubled teens.
Danny: *lands* What? I'm not in trouble.
[Sirens are heard approaching.]
Sam: Oh yeah, you're an upstanding citizen. Need to hide from the law?
Danny: *goes invisible* No.
[Danny jumps behind a bunch of iron drums and de-ghosts. He and Sam whistle nonchalantly as cops go by.]
Cop: Come back here, Inviso-Bill!
[One train car opens with a drop-down ramp and Freakshow slowly steps out of the shadows.]
Freakshow: Greetings, fellow outcasts. I am Freakshow, your master of ceremonies. Are you ready to smile, relax, and forget all your troubles amid the pleasant diversions of the circus?
Crowd: NO!!
Freakshow: *walks amid the crowd* Then you've come to the right place! Prepare to be disturbed and appalled by a small sample of the bizarre and abnormal world of Circus Gothica. *gestures back to the train car*
[An arrow tied to a rope launches across from the car and embeds in a pole.]
[A woman emerges, crawling on the rope much like an insect, the crowd gasps.]
[A man balancing on a ball and juggling skulls rolls out, a heavily-pierced woman within an iron, spiked wheel follows, and an incredibly tall man in a skeleton suit emerges last.]
[The crowd cheers and Danny finds his gaze landing on Freakshow's staff, and becomes mesmerized again.]
Sam: This is the greatest moment ever. Nothing could ruin this for me!
Mrs. Manson: *over megaphone* Parents of Amity Park!
[A large protest crowd has gathered behind the Mansons.]
Mrs. Manson: We urge you to boycott this morbid assault on the morals of our children!
[The crowd boos the protesters.]
Sam: What are they doing here?! Why can't they have day-jobs like regular parents?!
Freakshow: *leaps upon a crate above the crowd* Don't let the rantings of the closed-minded norms beat you down, show them your true colours! And when I say "colours," I mean "all black." Make them see you for who you are!
Danny: Make them see us for who we are... *eyes turn red* Hey everyone! *waves arms* Over here! We're Danny Fenton and Sam Manson! We cut school and we're proud of it!
[The crowd cheers as Danny poses proudly.]
Goth boy: *sprays Danny's shirt black* You're one of us now.
Mrs. Manson/Mr. Manson: Sam?
[Sam holds her head in her hands.]

[Later, Casper High]
[Sam, Danny, and their parents are in the principal's office.]
Ishiyama: Some might call this little act of rebellion a cry for attention, but I call it a cry for detention. *chuckles* Isn't that clever?
Sam: Nice job, Danny. Maybe I should have cried "Hey! It's Inviso-Bill!"
Danny: I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me back there.
Jack: Bad judgment, that's what! Next time, think before you act!
[A small gun on Jack's arm engages and squirts ecto goo all over the Mansons.]
Mrs. Manson: ..Obviously, the apple doesn't fall very far from the over-bearing, orange-suited tree!
Jack: YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH JUMP SUITS?
Maddie: Jack, let me handle this. YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH JUMP SUITS?
Mrs. Manson: Samantha, I forbid you from seeing this boy or any of your other troubled friends.
Sam: My friends are perfectly normal!
[Mr Lancer slams the door open and in walks Tucker in the Sam outfit.]
Ishiyama: This is so wrong.

[That night, at the Circus Gothica fairgrounds.]
Freakshow: Slaves! Center ring!
[The tall man in the skeleton costume pulls off the outfit. It's actually the dwarf ghost on stilts.]
[The juggling man becomes the large ghost.]
[The spider woman leaps down and is the eye-patched ghost.]
[The heavily pierced woman reveals herself to be the tattooed ghost.]
Freakshow: For generations my family has controlled ghosts with this. *holds up staff* Untold power and all they could think to do was to entertain the masses! Whereas I have found a much more profitable use for you minions. *digs through chest of gold/money* And as soon as the newest member of our cast joins us, this entire town will be mine for the taking.
[The orb glows and reveals Danny Phantom's face.]

[The next day, library at Casper High.]
Sam: *holds up Circus Gothica ticket* I wanted to experience something horrific and unimaginable. *watches Lancer clip his toe nails* This isn't what I had in mind.
Danny: We can always go to the circus tomorrow. That is, assuming we're not grounded and your parents let me within two-hundred feet of you.
Tucker: *hiding PDA behind a book* Guess we'll have to settle for the live web-cast of opening night. 
[Freakshow appears on Tucker's PDA.]
Freakshow: Creatures of the night, unleash your dark side at Circus Gothica!
Danny: Unleash your dark side at Circus Gothica... *walks towards the door*
Lancer: *jumps in front of Danny* And just where do you think you're going, Mr Fenton?
[Danny's eyes turn red, he smiles and leaps into Lancer.]
Danny (Lancer): Unleash your dark side at Circus Gothica... *walks into janitor closet*
[Danny phases out and locks Lancer inside.]
Lancer: Cask of Amontillado! *bangs on door* Let me out, let me out!
Sam: Danny, what are you doing? We're in too much trouble as it is!
Danny: No such thing as too much trouble. Unleash your dark side at Circus Gothica. *phases through ceiling*
Tucker: Man. We better follow him.
Sam: *sarcastic* Oh no! But that would mean skipping detention and going to the circus! *notices Tucker's stare* Hello? Irony. *grabs Tucker and runs off*

[Dusk, Circus Gothica big top]
Freakshow: Please welcome a performer who puts the "death" in "death-defying acts," the Grim Reaper himself! *gestures to high wire*
[A hooded figure wielding a scythe glides across the wire, causing gasps of shock, then balances on the blade, causing cheers.]

[Outside, Sam enters the big top by the "Cast Only" entrance.]
Freakshow: What are you doing back here?
Sam: Woah! Freakshow! This is so cool! Focus.. Uhm, I'm looking for a friend of mine who was acting kinda weird.
Freakshow: Oh, that narrows it down to, oh, everyone in this tent! HA-HAW!
[The hooded figure approaches.]
Freakshow: What are you doing, dolt?! Get back out there and do your encore!
[The hooded figure pulls back their hood and is revealed to be Danny.]
Danny: Sam?
Freakshow: Whazzat? Was that-was that free will? *holds staff higher* Obey me, minion!
Sam: What? You're controlling him?
Freakshow: Get her.
[Danny raises scythe and Sam screams.]

[Center ring]
Freakshow: Please welcome a brand new vict-- talent to the high wire in her first, and final performance. *gestures to the high hire*
[Sam is perched precariously on the wire with a blindfold on that Danny slices off.]
[Sam looks down and almost loses her balance.]
Tucker: *runs in* Sam?
Sam: Danny, listen, you don't wanna do this! You're being controlled!
[Danny raises his scythe and cuts the wire with an evil laugh.]
[Sam screams as she falls and Danny returns to normal, leaping down and saving her. The crowd cheers.]
Sam: Danny, don't scare me like that!
Danny: *controlled again* How should I scare you? *backs off*
Freakshow: Consider that a warning, girl. *walks off*
Tucker: Jeez, Sam, you nearly gave me a heart-attack! Can we take time off from your gothapalooza and actually look for Danny?
Sam: That was Danny, under the hood, Freakshow's controlling him with some kind of crystal ball! C'mon! *runs out*

[Sam and Tucker run right into the mob of parents.]
Mrs. Manson: Sam! Shouldn't you be in detention?
Sam: Uhm.. Lancer let us out?

[School]
Lancer: Let me out!

Maddie: Are we late for the protest?
Jack: I brought the Fenton Riot Gear.
[Jack pulls large gun from behind back and accidentally sets it off, blasting the Mansons' signs.]
[Mrs. Manson glares at Mr. Manson.]
Mr. Manson: What? I didn't invite them.
Jack: *notices Sam and Tucker* Hey, isn't Danny supposed to be with you?
Mrs. Manson: Not according to this restraining order he's not.
Maddie: Well he's not here and he's not at school, so where is he?

[Town]
[Museum alarm goes off and Freakshow's ghosts emerge, carrying various paintings.]
[Danny emerges, decked in royal jewelry.]
Danny: Ecto-butts in gear!
[Danny fires ecto blasts at the ghosts' rears, causing them to cry out.]
[The ghosts fly off.]
Danny: This party's just getting started! *follows*
[Police cars come flying up the road.]
Danny: Oh please! *fires ecto blast at the cars' tires*

[TV News]
Woman: In the wake of parental protest, Circus Gothica ringmaster Freakshow had this challenge to his critics:
[Goes to Freakshow, standing in front of angry mob.]
Freakshow: I invite you to attend a free performance for parents, police, and concerned authority figures. See the show and see for yourselves that we're harmless entertainment.
Woman: In other news, police got a break in the recent rash of mysterious burglaries as security cam footage revealed the ghostly culprits.
[Goes to security camera footage of Freakshow's ghosts and Danny stealing money. Danny sees the camera and blasts it.]
Woman: And finally, have you seen this out-of-shape teacher?
[Goes to picture of Mr Lancer with 'MISSING' across the bottom of the screen.]
Woman: He was last sighted in the Casper High School library--
[TV switches off.]
[Sam is sitting on her bed with her laptop by her. Tucker comes on screen.]
Tucker: Sam, didja catch the news? We gotta do something to save Danny!
Sam: How ironic is it that I'm stuck under house-arrest while to a free Circus Gothica show?!
Tucker: Only slightly less ironic than the fact that they were right about it being evil.

[Sam drops a rope ladder outside her window and crawls out.]
[On the ground, she runs into her grandmother.]
Grandma Manson: And just where do you think you're going, boobla?
Sam: You don't understand grandma! My friend is in trouble, and if I don't do something right away--
Grandma Manson: Ya know, I had a wild streak when I was your age.
[Grandma Manson pulls out photo album and shows Sam a picture of herself when she was young. She's riding a scooter.]
Sam: Why are you showing me this?
Grandma Manson: Who knows? Maybe I'm old and babbling, or maybe you should sneak out and help your friend while I'm lost in my memories.
[Sam smiles and kisses her grandmother on the forehead, then runs away.]
Grandma Manson: *takes off clothes, revealing clothes like Sam's* This is so wrong... *puts on wig like Sam's hair* But I dig it!

[Circus Gothica big top]
Mrs. Manson: *writing on clipboard* I'm keeping a detailed list of anything I find objectionable, immoral, or obnoxious.
[Jack spits soda/popcorn all over them.]
Mr. Manson: He on the list?
Mrs. Manson: Right now, he is the list.

[Outside]
[Sam is sneaking about the grounds when a bat-shaped shadow falls on her. She hides under the train.]
Tucker: Sam?
Sam: Tucker?
Tucker: *ducks to see her* Hey Sam. Is this a great Circus Gothica hat or what? *points to bat on beret*
[Sam gets up and slaps the bat away, mad.]
Tucker: I'll take that as an "or what."
[Sam and Tucker jump on the train and go in through a top hatch in the caboose.]
[They land in piles of gold, money, jewelry, paintings, etc.]
[They look around and see Freakshow's staff.]
Sam: There's the crystal ball! Let's grab it and--
[Suddenly Sam and Tucker are blasted out of the caboose.]
[Danny emerges with Freakshow.]
[The train whistle sounds and the train pulls away.]
Sam: Danny! No!
Freakshow: Yes, yes, please scream. A shame anyone who might help you is busy enjoying my free show. HAAAH!
[Tucker and Sam chase after the train.]

[Big top]
[The tattooed ghost phases through the top and releases her tattoos upon the crowd.]
[The crowd screams in terror.]
Jack/Maddie: GHOSTS!
[Mr. Manson pulls back the tent flaps in an attempt to leave and come against a brick wall.]
Mr. Manson: We're trapped!
Mrs. Manson: Okay, that's objectionable, immoral, and obnoxious. *writes down on clip board*

[Outside, Sam and Tucker look down upon the train from an overpass.]
Sam: We have to jump.
Tucker: You crazy? I can't jump.
Sam: And I can't abandon Danny.
[Sam and Tucker hold hands and jump together onto the train.]
[They land and fall on their stomaches.]
Sam: Plus, I'll never hear the end of it if my parents learn they're right about him being evil.

Jack: Stand back everyone!
[Guns/phasers emerge from various parts of the Fentons' suits and fire in every direction while they make action poses.]
[All of the tattoos are destroyed and the tattooed ghost is knocked away.]
[Maddie lands in front of the Mansons.]
Maddie: I ask you once again; YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH JUMPSUITS?
[The Mansons grin nervously and hold their hands up.]

[Sam and Tucker run along the train cars towards the front.]
[Inside, Freakshow and the three remaining ghosts hear their footsteps.]
Freakshow: What are you waiting for? GO!
[The ghosts phase up in front of Sam and Tucker, and Danny phases up behind them.]
Sam: Danny, it's us, Sam and Tucker! You're best friends, remember?!
Danny: *blinks* Tucker? Sam? I.. I..
[Sam and Tucker smile hopefully.]
Danny: *shaking* I... *eyes glow* ..am a.. ghost. I have no friends.
[Freakshow is now on top with them.]
Freakshow: Don't waste your breath, children. He's under my control now.

Mr. Manson: We owe you Fentons a debt of gratitude and an apology!
Jack: Save it for the bake sale, Thurston. We need to bust out of this tent!
Mr. Manson: Leave it to us!
Mrs. Manson: If there's one thing we Mansons know how to do, it's whip and angry mob of parents into a frenzy.
[Soon, the crowd explodes out of the big top.]
Jack: Saddle up the Fenton RV! We'll head those spooks off at the pass!

Freakshow: Don't just stand there, finish them!
[The train approaches some scaffolding.]
Tucker: Maybe you should try holding that thing up a little higher.
[Freakshow raises staff and it is knocked out of his grasp as the train passes under the scaffolding.]
[Tucker makes a grab for it but misses and it lands in Danny's hand.]
Tucker: Way to go man! *walks up to Danny, hand raised* Now gimme five!
[Danny raises his hand and knocks Tucker away with a blast.]
[Tucker hits the large ghost and is grabbed.]
Freakshow: Very good, drone. Now, bring me my staff. Come on, bring it *makes kissing noises*
[Danny looks uncertainly at the staff.]
Sam: Fight it Danny! He's not holding the crystal ball anymore, you are!
[Freakshow grabs Sam and throws her aside, causing her to nearly fall off.]
Freakshow: Silence! Obey me, ghost! Give me my staff. Come on. *kissing noises*
[Danny looks uncertain again.]
Sam: I saw you up on that high wire, you were fighting him the whole time! Fight him now, Danny! You're not just a ghost! Fight him!
Danny: *groan* Quiet! *holds head* All of you! I need to think!
Freakshow: Stop her! Now!
[The train crosses onto a bridge, with a gorge below.]
Sam: Well, it's the crystal ball or your friend, Danny, your choice! *backs away from the approaching ghosts and accidentally backs off the train* I didn't mean that to be so literal!! *screams*
Tucker: Sam! No!
Danny: Sam? SAM!
[Danny jumps after her, letting go of the staff as he races after her.]
[He catches her and brings her back up while the staff smashes on the ground below.]
[Danny's eyes turn back to green.]
Sam: Danny.. are you okay?
Danny: I think so. It's all a blur. I did some bad stuff, didn't I?
Sam: Nothing you can't fix.
[They land back on the train.]
Tucker: Good. Now maybe you can convince Tiny here to let go of me?
[The three ghosts' eyes also go back to normal.]
Eye-patched ghost: H-huh? Where are we?
Dwarf ghost: Are we free? Finally free?
Danny: Only one way to find out.
[The ghosts and Danny gang up on Freakshow, grab him, and phase into the train.]

[Inside]
Freakshow: Okay, uh, when I called you, er, "minions," it was really a-a term of endearment like-like "I love my minions!"
Danny: You wanted a big haul? Try this on for size!
[Danny blasts the boxes/bags of gold/money above Freakshow and causes them to fall on him.]
Freakshow: Gah! Oh! That.. quite.. smarted..

[The train pulls to a stop in front of/among police cruisers that have blocked the track.]

Danny: So, what d'ya say we stick around and explain to the cops we were being controlled by an evil ringmaster?
[The ghosts phase out of the train.]
Danny: Ya know, I had a feeling that would be their answer. *phases out as well*
[The cops bust down the door and Freakshow grins innocently.]

[A cop shoves Freakshow into the cruiser.]
Jack: Nice work, kids. You caught that weirdo goth punk thief red-handed!
Mrs. Manson: I'm just happy you're all safe!
Mr. Manson: More than safe, they're heroes!
Maddie: We're so proud of you.

[Mansons' house.]
Parents: BUT YOU'RE ALL STILL GROUNDED!
[Danny, Sam, and Tucker are all in the library, being forced to study.]
Grandma Manson: Grounded, shmounded! *points at Sam* This is cruel and unusual punishment!
Sam: *wearing the sundress from earlier* I know, but it was the only way I could convince them to lift their restraining order on Danny.
Danny: At least Freakshow is in custody and the stolen goods were returned.
Tucker: So why do I feel like we're forgetting something?

[Casper High]
Lancer: *banging on door* Waiting for Godot, is anybody out there?! *sobbing* This is sooo wrong!
Janitor: *opens door and pushes mop in* See ya Monday. *closes door*
[Lancer jumps on the door and tries to pull it open, then continues banging on it.]

THE END!

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