Watt a Shocking Ghost

Watt A Shocking Ghost is the fourth episode The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour, later repackaged as the fourth episode of the first season of The Scooby-Doo Show.

Premise
While driving through a terrible snow storm and low on gas, the gang comes to the small town of Winterhaven, which seems to be deserted. The mayor tells the gang the story about why the town is empty. Years ago, a terrible storm short circuited the power. One of the workmen was sent up a power pole to repair some damage, but there was a power surge and his body was never found. His ghost comes back to seek revenge known as the 10,000 volt ghost.

Synopsis
Shaggy, Scooby, Daphne, Velma and Fred are ready for a skiing adventure, driving through a terrible snowstorm in the Mystery Machine. Low on gas, they stop in a small town named Winterhaven. They explore and find the town deserted and all of the shops are out of business, as well as the gas station. They knock on the doors of a ski lodge and meet Mayor Dudley. He explains the town is deserted because of a ghost called the 10,000 Volt Ghost that has been scaring the residents. He tells a haunting tale, a while back, when the town was thriving and popular, but a snowstorm occurred and the power line snapped loose. Voltner, an electrician climbed the tower to repair the power line and a small explosion occurred. Voltner's body was never found.

The gang goes to the power plant to search for the ghost. The bars on the gate have been melted through, as if by extreme heat. They bump into the owner of the plant, Mr. Collins. He claims he is only one that didn't leave the town because of the ghost. The gang splits up to look for clues. Shaggy and Scooby try to cook some hamburgers, but runs into the 10,000 Volt ghost, who appears to be a large body of electricity. He chases Scooby and Shaggy back to where Fred and and the girls are, and the 10,000 Volt Ghost appears again and chases everyone. After they lose him, the find a clue. Sunflower seeds. Daphne notes she saw a pet shop on the way in. The gang splits up again, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby head to the pet shop. The threesome find a rubber suit and an underground tunnel leading from the pet shop to the power plant. Daphne and Fred go to Voltner's house which seems deserted. Daphne and Fred find a scrap of paper that reads :whereas running southwesterly 27 28 43 44 45. It means nothing at the moment, but Daphne and Fred are determined to find out.

The gang heads to the library to find records on the numbers on the scrap of paper: 27 28 43 44 45. Velma gets the record book, but before they can look at the book, the 10,000 Volt Ghost pops up and chases the gang, trying to get the book. Shaggy and Scooby hide in a row of filing cabinets and finally make their way back to the gang. Fred sets up a trap in the power plant and it succeeds, catching the 10,000 Volt Ghost with an electric magnet.

The 10,000 Volt Ghost is unmasked as Voltner, who never disappeared. He wore an insulated rubber suit to protect him from the electricity and he attacked a battery pack to the suit. Voltner was also acting under Mayor Dudley's commands. Mayor Dudley wanted to exploit the land for more than what is was worth so he got Voltner to act as the ghost. The records book proved the mayor bought parcels 27 through 45 (just like in the latter) but a freeway was running through, so the land would be worth a fortune. So Voltner and the mayor conjured up the phony disappearing act. The pet shop was their hideout and the tunnel was used to sneak into the power plant and black out the town, causing people to believe it was the 10,000 Volt Ghost causing the trouble. The crooked mayor and Voltner were apprehended and presumably sent to custody.

Villains

 * 10,000 Volt Ghost/Mr. Voltner

Locations

 * Winterhaven
 * Gas station
 * Herbie's Hamburger Place
 * Winterhaven Ski Lodge
 * Winterhaven power plant
 * Tunnel
 * Winterhaven Pet Shop
 * Tunnel
 * Mr. Voltner's home
 * Winterhaven Court House
 * Winterhaven County Jail

Notes/trivia

 * A live-action version of the 10,000 Volt Ghost appeared in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
 * On iTunes, this episode is titled "Whatta Shocking Ghost".
 * This episode also includes a rare instance of Scooby and Shaggy not being the bait for Fred's trap. Velma and Daphne are the bait instead.
 * When interrogating the parrot, Scooby wears a long overcoat and imitates the famous television detective Lt. Columbo (even using a variation of Columbo's signature phrase "Just one more thing...").
 * The sled Shaggy and Scooby used in Fred's trap which he used to get the ghost was actually a toboggan.

Home media

 * The Scooby-Doo!/Dynomutt Hour: The Complete Series DVD set released March 7, 2006.
 * Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Holiday Chills and Thrills compilation DVD set released October 16, 2012.