We need to talk about FREAKY FRED ...

[@wyatt8315]

I swear, everytime Fred says “NAUGHTY” makes me feel violated on a level that shouldn’t be possible

[@boyfailure69]

real😭

[@ArlieJordan-gc4ec]

Right

[@randomclod385]

Naughty NAUGHTY

[@goteamslugs]

"Naughty boy . . naughty boy . . . It's past your bedtime. You must be PUNISHED! Nighty-night . . ."

[@VagaBond6921]

Two types of people. Those traumatized by Rhamses, and those traumatized by Freaky Fred

[@Bawl16]

and those who are traumatized by the bugle demon

[@OfficeDispatch-ls2ik]

i was not scared of either of those... the violin girl did scared me though

[@sarahthesarah2850]

​@@OfficeDispatch-ls2ikBest claymation jumpscare ever!

[@sarahthesarah2850]

For me the psychological horror lingered. Like with the conjoined twinned sisters. What if we really put our souls into our work? Am I exchanging my soul for everything I make? Doc Gerbil, what if we are the experiment? To me it was the lingering questions and paranoia contrasted with the sudden scares and creepy vibes. It's like a buffet of horror vibes and feelings.

[@MrCritic77]

And the "you’re not perfect" guy

[@frailgrail7452]

When I’m in a freaky competition and my opponent is Freaky Fred

[@mario-xg9mw]

when im in a being frail competition and my opponent is frail grail

[@sleep170]

@@mario-xg9mw Me when I'm in a Mario competition and my opponent is Mario

[@autsni]

You mean a freak off?

[@DeadHorse84]

​@@mario-xg9mw😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🎉🎉🎉😂🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂🎉😂😂c🎉😂🎉🎉🎉😂😂😂🎉😢😢😢😢😢🎉😂🎉🎉

[@miwfjuggs]

@@sleep170When I’m in a sleep competition and my opponent is Sleep170

[@opheliamunroe1110]

I had never actually made the SA allegory connection until I watched this video but it absolutely checks out. It always rubbed me the wrong way that he says "naughty" specifically and the frames of his crush always majorly unsettled me. But that parallel really hits home when it zooms in on "With Love, Fred". Truly very disturbing to literally leave his name on Courages body after tormenting him for HOURS. I think Fred "compliments" Eustance as he leaves because he essentially facilitated his sick fantasy by locking them in the bathroom together in the first place. Quite literally handing him an unwilling victim that couldn't be saved without serious intervention. He got out, got to engage in the criminal acts that got him locked up in the first place and went back happier than ever. This was a great visit for Fred. All because of Eustance and his temper. He may not want to shave him, but I think he would thank him.

[@aliceiscalling]

I can see the SA interpretation, but even as a CSA victim, I don't like to see it that way. There are a lot of weird, creepy people out there with strange obsessions and abusive compulsions. They don't always fall neatly into categories like verbal, physical, or SA. Sometimes, that's all the more traumatizing because victims don't know how to explain it, why it hurt so bad, or if anyone out there will listen or help. We all saw the episode, but imagine being literally Courage. How do you explain what was so traumatizing to Muriel? He shaved you when you didn't want him to, yeah that's bad, but to explain the extent of the impact on you? It feels nearly impossible. That's why I like the episode on a literal level. Because it exemplifies how nontraditional trauma works, how bad a very simple concept (shaving) can become when a lunatic develops an obsession, and how hard it is to explain or be taken seriously. Eustace knew and played nice until he could run away with it being someone else's problem. Muriel could never see the extent of the problem, even with multiple loved ones knowing about it. Just like how if behavior isn't explicitly abusive, people make excuses and let others get hurt because it's not traditional verbal, physical, or SA. And also because of that, we have the haunting feeling that Fred will go on to do it again, any time possible, because "forced shaving" isn't something anyone is going to take as seriously because "who does that? That can't be real."

[@opheliamunroe1110]

@@aliceiscalling Okay so...I get where you're coming from but ...I do not agree. This was still a kids show that had some very dark themes. I'm also a survivor of that kind of thing and while I can understand why you don't vibe with it but this was a very good allegory for the kind of helplessness you feel when someone does anything physically against your consent. This wasn't mental health stigma. Fred is deadass a criminal in jail for doing the very thing he did to Courage. They don't frame it as "haha funny dog gets shaved". There is a LOT of fear and desperation and a total absence of help once the deed is completed. His fur will grow back but Fred's mark will always be there for Courage. He wasn't even physically harmed but they VIVIDLY depict how his consent is being violated and how fearful he is despite "just being shaved". Fred wasn't locked up for his compulsive disorder. He was locked up because he assaulted someone. And the second he got out...he did it to a dog just because they were left alone together where no one could help him. I won't invalidate your feelings about this episode but I do think your interpretation of it might be a bit of a projection. He's literally written in parallel to someone who engages in serial SA....even ensuring he got a job where the very nature of it puts people in a very delicate position of vulnerability to him and his predilections. This is also basically a fan theory and we don't know what the intent was. But I will say that this episode helped me to identify why some adults behavior made me so uncomfortable. Like it was creepy but they always say "It's not that bad. He only did ****** **** ******* ***** ***** with that 12 year old!" And it will be utter BS like a "tickling game" they never wanted to play or being forced to sit on someone's lap and deal with them touching you even though you DO NOT WANT THEM TO. Like. It's a perfect example of southern Gothic horror at its most disturbing. Because a literal interpretation kind of ruins the point. The point being that being manhandled by a creep against your will absolutely changes you forever even after the injuries are gone. And they needed to convey that complex concept to CHILDREN. This is a great episode for showing good examples of what even a seemingly small breach of boundaries can escalate into. That if someone breaks the consent barrier even a TEENY TINY LITTLE BIT they are likely to do so again and again until you walk away from them a different person.

[@GaryNac]

​@aliceiscalling And unfortunately most people who take advantage people like that particularly with kids but also adults are typically quite superficially charming and do not really appear anywhere near as creep as Fred even with the old movie Tommy Uncle Ernie does like pretty damn creepy but still most people who do that type of stuff are not that fricking creepy in real life.

[@isabellebread9773]

​@@aliceiscallingwow that's a really great interpretation! I definitely prefer that, thanks for sharing

[@shemasmcguire3999]

Freaky Fred is a good way to breach the stranger danger topic with kids without traumatizing them too badly

[@idle-hands]

Thing is that you are most likely to be violated (or murdered and that kind of stuff) by people you know.

[@shemasmcguire3999]

@idle-hands when I say "stranger danger," I'm using it euphemistically to represent all manner of ill will (perverts ,pedos, murderers,and trafficers) I don't literally mean people who the child or parent don't know and in fact freaky Fred is a great way to illustrate the point you raised . He was a family member and was trusted by Muriel

[@abyssinia4ever]

I got more "creepy uncle" vibes than anything from this guy.

[@Ms.Fowlbwahhh]

@@idle-handsthat’s simply because of access. Children are more likely to be sexually assaulted by family members and teachers more than anyone. And it’s not even close. Mainly because they have the most access.

[@mr.protagonist5639]

​@@Ms.Fowlbwahhhtrue and another thing to consider is the "stranger danger" thing has been incredibly effective. Parents are more on guard and children pick up on that. So that's another reason why it's more likely for a child to be harmed by someone they know.

[@disobeycaligula]

Even as a child I knew the shaving was a metaphor for something much darker this episode traumatized me it was too real

[@onyxlumis8825]

Right! I felt this way about so many cartoons and kids shows of the era. Including feeling off watching children getting signed into acting contracts. The vibes of certain jokres that were meant to go over our heads but we still slightly understood. I felt like I wasn't supposed to know as a child. What an incredibly wild era of television

[@SHYKOOPA]

Yeah most kids realized that Freaky Fred was a very dangerous person even if we couldn't grasp all of the implications

[@hiruyabebaw807]

the way the term freaky is used in modern day makes this episode so funny

[@BirdsBestAnimal]

Im so freaky he is just "fred" to me...

[@opheliamunroe1110]

I mean less so if you take the SA parallel seriously 😬

[@hiruyabebaw807]

@@opheliamunroe1110 true

[@MrBlack0950]

@@opheliamunroe1110 then it becomes oh so much worse

[@MedusvEyes]

He a FAN, He a FAN, He a FAN

[@brose-bg3ks]

I haven’t heard Fred say “naughty” in so long, yet I felt the same fight-or-flight chills down my spine as when I was a kid. True horror even makes adults nervous

[@mousemessiah]

"Whos gonna match my freak?"

[@yokolama]

Freaky fred is a good match 👅🦶

[@Cherry-pg5fm]

who’s gonna match my naughty ?

[@lordbasketboi9998]

Naaaughty

[@xChaosFlower]

I find it ironic that the most normal looking antagonist on this show freaked me out the most

[@alphakowaclips]

Ikr? He and the duck were the only ones I still remember to this day

[@larissabrglum3856]

I think it's because he feels more grounded in reality and represents a type of predator that is very real (with a layer of PG-rated metaphor, of course)

[@1Hol1Tiger]

That's the point.. he's a sexual predator. They're always "normal seeming"

[@giornogiovanni3379]

Honestly i like that fred got zero reprocutions it adds another element of horror to it as i have personally known people who have had their abusers walk scott free and just creeps me out even more

[@sneepsnoop9547]

I agree, and I think the fact that Fred pretty much "wins" makes him stand out so much among the rest of Courage's villains. It's like a song ending on a sour note, it really leaves an impression on you and leaves you feeling bothered and uncomfortable. I think if the episode ended with a big cartoon anvil falling on him or somebody coming and saving Courage the episode wouldn't have nearly as much punch.

[@_General_Grievous__]

I feel like the thing that makes Fred so scary is the fact that you could meet someone like him in real life at any moment

[@wolfyboy]

And that there is an unknown amount of "freaky fred's" out there, anywhere.

[@thefbiman2116]

The "naughty" is so much worse when you realize it's usually replaced with "cheeky". He means "naughty"

[@chowh.9443]

"I heard the door slam!" "The door slammed." That's one of my favorite lines and I don't know why I find it so funny.

[@raelogan]

True story, but I didn't even realize Courage was supposed to be a horror cartoon as a kid. I just thought it was a bizzare show about a silly pink dog, and I'd watch it all the time, lol. To be fair, I'm Autistic, so I probably didn't understand the horror undertones and was just like "What a cool brave doggie."

[@samwich9498]

Same (also autistic)

[@Screaming_Teddy]

To be fair, courage is a cool brave doggy. Little guy deserves so much love :(

[@pepesilvia429]

The only thing that made it scary for me was the episodes with bad endings, like the one where Muriel and Eustace get turned to puppets

[@TabbyWithMittens]

I think I understood it as a horror cartoon, but lots of it didn't really scared me back then- instead I was like "Cool show about a cute dog :D". Well all but one episode. When I got older though and rewatched some of the episodes I felt some of the creepiness funny enough. Not sure why I didn't pick up on it until I was older, but it could be I just didn't understand it either. Funny enough there was one episode that did spook me when I was younger and it was King of Flan. Not sure why it did, but it spooked me so much that I develop a little fear over actual flan lol.

[@bisma1352]

Probably because as kids we didn't even know horror cartoons existed. Like why would we know the medium for anything but for us kid's fun, definitely not to scare us... or have hidden adult themes and jokes meant for grownups

[@brackishwatr]

when i saw this as a child i knew there was something deeply, deeply wrong about him but i didn't have the vocabulary to describe it or how i felt... it almost feels satisfying or relieving to know now how overtly parallel this character is to a sexual abuser and it wasn't just all in my head (based from my own experiences)

[@TheNimaid]

As a survivor of CSA I always thought that Freaky Fred was the more horrifying episode. The thing that messed me up the most is how seemingly uncaring/unaware the people who were supposed to be protecting him were. Like Eustice knew but didn't care, and murial was just ignorant. That part always hurt the most.

[@samgafford2371]

Dude puts Yoshikage Kira to shame

[@bemoremikey6409]

I was watching an essay about him before seeing the thumbnail on this one

[@W33vilg3nius]

LMFAO I CAN’T BREATHE

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

Who?

[@W33vilg3nius]

@@JordanS-ww4eu villain of jjba part four

[@JordanS-ww4eu]

@@W33vilg3nius thanks

[@lukejams]

this episode feels just like a regular visit by a dog groomer explained by a dog.

[@Kiahhhhhhhh]

TRUE lol, good way of thinking about it

[@KrisAizawa]

Freaky Fred and the Return the Slab episodes are the two I referenced immediately when talking about Courage and how neither of those two episodes could ever be made today

[@FourthIdentity-gu2zk]

What? Get real there's zero reason this couldn't get made today. It would just have to be done by a different studio since cartoon network doesn't make good svit nowadays lol

[@KrisAizawa]

@@FourthIdentity-gu2zk this would be considered adult or even young adult animation by today’s standards regardless of what studio is making it. Early Cartoon Network shows like courage are too “scary and heavy” for the kids of today. Courage dealt with serious topics that would never be put in front of kids in the same way today. Just check out any animation made recently. The Round Table covers a lot & has plenty of examples

[@butter-qv4wt]

​​@@FourthIdentity-gu2zkit would've been heavily censored or banned alltogether. People literally claimed that peppa pig (the show) is grooming kids because of a lesbian couple

[@FourthIdentity-gu2zk]

@butter-qv4wt And yet it's still on TV too. What exactly would they censor in Courage? There was literally nothing to censor, it had creepy imagery, but so does fucking SpongeBob, which is still being made. The only reason Courage couldn't be made now, is because we've become creatively bankrupt. You clearly don't actually watch TV if you think it's somehow become sanitized in modern times. The shit on TV is way raunchier now than ever. Maybe not on cartoon network though but again it has nothing to do with censorship, it's just a lack of creativity, thought, and originality. Also I've never heard of anyone saying anything like that about Peppa Pig and I live in an ultra conservative town so I think you may be spending too much time online

[@KrisAizawa]

@@FourthIdentity-gu2zk a lot modern shows don’t interest me since so very few of them actually are too afraid to take risks. Or shit gets announced than never actually gets released. Also a lot of media is too concerned with not offending anybody so they don’t take risks. The shows that do interest me take risks. Like Hazbin Hotel, Helluvaboss, The Last of Us, Good Omens, Buddy Daddies, Trigun Stampede. Yes some of those are live action but they actually have an interesting story and something to actually say. And most of them don’t answer to network sponsors they say what they want and tell a compelling story while doing it with interesting characters

[@obara7366]

As a young girl who was barely 5 or 6 at the time I first saw this episode, it creeped me out in a way I couldn't articulate at the time. It made me have an uncomfortable tingle in my stomach, but it was also engaging to watch, but also made me sad. My younger brother and I would constantly parrot and make references to and play out Courage episodes as it was one of our favourite shows. I would see the mermaid queen in all the puddles after a heavy fain, we quoted "return the slab" every time we could make out weird shapes that weren't there in bushes. Heck, even the weird Chinese banana split episode- but we never talked about this one, and I think that says something. As video essays and reflection on our old shows popped off on YT in the past decade, I remember once quite some years ago making allusions to Fred being a predator, and for some reason I didn't want to unpack that at the time. It simultaneously makes me feel "I always knew, or at least, I want to feel that I always knew." Idk if that makes sense. Idk how to put it, but I felt like I got war flashbacks when you showed the picture of the girl with long braids. I remember feeling so very sad for her, but also scared of what I was seeing when I watched that episode as a little girl. As a 27 yo now, I feel even more uneasy as when I was young, the man who drove my brother and I back and forth to school while my parents worked full time during the day would get weirdly close to me. I enjoyed it at the time cuz I didn't know better, but my parents would freak out that he would encourage me to sit in or rest my head on his lap when he drove me to the hospital (I had bad asthma as a kid and was constantly in and out of hospitals). I never understood why they were so upset with him about it, but I lok back and feel dirty and wronged. These things are hard to look back at and put into perspective. I never revisited the episode but in your first few lines talking about the episode and pointing out Fred's narrations, it instantly made me realise that this episode was high key giving out Lolita vibes. Great video, I'm subscribing.

[@saphirestorm7952]

I've never registered the episode as S/A, I’ve always registered it as just torture. There are many people who'll abuse and harm animals and people for fun, often managing to get away with it when the injuries aren't obvious like bruises that aren't visible yet or cuts in hidden spots like behind hair, or even just people who kick animals very far. Quite often they also antagonize the thing they're abusing so they can feel more justified in what they're doing, and when the don't antagonize them they typically act like they can't control themselves. This can often even be relatable for many kids, as these people are really easy to come across and typically are came across by most people, with many cases being school bullies, toxic friends, siblings, and even abusive parents. Most kids can relate to having someone who harms them alot, most adults do too. I've even had someone who often tried to beat me up, but atleast that didn’t work for him very well. Okay I've typed so long that the video is over, so I'll finish this here.

[@Imxel21]

I mean… s/a IS a form of torture

[@yelsahblah3270]

So I, have to share. A math teacher I had in college reminded me of Fred. Not as creepy of course, but he had that same odd, slow speech, was tall and lanky and had this swooping hair that was likely blond in his youth. He used to stare at the back wall in a way that made us look back only, there was never anything there. His last name was Noltie. I always thought of Fred whenever I was in there.

[@spirby5345]

Im freaking my fred as im watching this vid

[@Gnonne]

Based 🗿

[@DavidDrouant]

most real comment so far

[@brose-bg3ks]

Bro

[@psychosparten049.esquire9]

I feel like if Eustace knew about him he probably actually is related to Muriel. And for the physical appearance part, its a cartoon.

[@Olson_GothNxtch]

The VA for Freaky Fred killed it with this ngl

[@alexandru5369]

I mean Fred is, well, openly weird even Eustace can recognize that but he was super weird i.e. an uncomfortable person too be around. Eustace isn't dumb he didn't want anything too do with Fred it's a natural instict too sniff out legit creepy freaks in society and avoid them

[@larissabrglum3856]

Yeah, and Muriel seems to be blind to his creepiness because he's a relative

[@alexandru5369]

@@larissabrglum3856 Oh she's 100% naive she's too trusting/ good hearted for her own good. She's the Yen too Eustace's Yang in a sense

[@RoomTemperatureWater]

whenever i rewatch this show, i always dreaded this this exact episode, and i never really thought about it being a metaphor for SA and i always felt VIOLATED when fred said "naughty" EVERY SINGLE TIME-

[@SoulGale1]

I remember when I watch this as a kid, but with spanish dub because I live in Mexico. They made Fred voice more afeminate and cheerful, I guess to waterdown the creepy factor. Is shocking to hear now his real voice.

[@Forcommentingpurposes]

Of all the childhood horror I watched in that era of CN, courage was different; the whole point was that it was unnerving and creepy. Every show had the one off super weird episode or moment (flapjack had them regularly), but courage episodes, felt to back, were a nonstop ride of that uncanny feeling. Seeing that little dog go thru a life of terror was comforting to an extent for me. He didn’t deserve it but he persevered despite it all for his family. The freaky Fred episode felt like a mirror into my own childhood SA, but more digestible and helped me remember that bad people just exist sometimes. None of what happened was deserved or my fault

[@simply_nebulous]

As a kid I was never afraid of King Ramses but this one? Even now I get a sinking feeling in my gut whenever he says 'naughty'.

[@boa_constrictor4280]

Fred being blonde could still mean he and Muriel are related considering dominant and recessive genes

[@KennyStepsIntoMovies]

I think a really underrated villain is Mondo Magic, the magician that turned out to be a creepy demon turtle. He used his magic to turn Muriel into a creature like him and, on top of that, turn her personality cruel, like his. Real body horror type of stuff. I'd love to see a video on him!

[@phantom-ri2tg]

Well I agree he was quite the monster. Body horror in and of itself is basically Tuesday for this show.

[@moorejim13]

11:57 oh my god, he thinks Fred is creepy cuz he doesn’t react like everyone else does to Eustace’s rage and outbursts. Fred seems to be incapable or unwilling to outwardly express anything other than Jubilance. That big smile plastered on his face with nothing behind his eyes. I think Eustace tried to make him uncomfortable with his anger and tried to get Fred to leave but he was always unbothered. Until one day Eustace just avoided him and othered him cuz he couldn’t control him

[@JainaBelbin]

Katz scared me due to a series of freaky coincidences. Before the show aired the Katz Motel episode, I went on a field trip with my music teacher and class. We went to this old music hall and while waiting for the show to start, some of my classmates and I explored the building. When we came into the basement, there was a kid--I believe he was the son of one of the musicians--was kicking a soccer ball against the brick basement wall. And the walls were covered in cellar spiders. Seriously, they were everywhere. Cut to the airing of Courage the Cowardly Dog's first episode and where is Courage almost murdered??? -In a basement -Full of spiders -After losing a game of hitting a ball against the basement walls. It was like the show took my memory of a surreal encounter and cranked its nightmare potential up to a 10. Katz was just the icing on the cake.

[@skndr3067]

As much as I loved this show as a kid, this was probably the only episode that left me with a sense of unease, a nasty feeling

[@RLNDO-]

a sweeney todd + marquis de sade mashup for children the 90’s were truly wild

[@alliestevens5264]

Can you talk about the alligator villian who turned Muriel and Eustace into puppets, how that episode ended still haunts me.

[@sarahthesarah2850]

The great Fucilli! To me it reminds me of addiction and manipulation. It steals your soul and turns you into a puppet. You might return to normal life but you don't return to normal. I grew up with lots of addiction in my family. There's so much in Courage that helped me understand my feelings even if I didn't have words.

[@monroe7532]

This character always reminded me of a rapist/ chomo. And I think the deeply unnerved feeling most kids felt about him it subsequently didn’t fully understand is the same way alot of people feel about others who are “odd” and “freaky”, like Fred was here. You knew something was different and odd about him from the beginning and the whole shaving scene just made me and probably other kids feel like it meant something more sinister, we just didn’t understand it yet.

[@availanila]

Especially those adults that always seemed to be endearingly and charmingly clueless doing SA-istish things. The "oh don't be perverted" when he's the one demanding you take him soap to the shower; or the "he's too innocent sometimes" when he walks in on you changing and makes a crude joke about it.

[@parkfever]

You mean 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 Fred

[@the_nerd_showtv5562]

I think this episode is also influenced by Lolita, I mean, the way Fred descrive everything is not close, but still similar to that book

[@lolkuok6705]

It didnt wanted to say smth specific about abuse, but show children the signs of bad time, so they can dip before it gets bad.

[@pens_94]

I think if it wasn't for Courage the Cowardly Dog, my love for horror would have not blossomed. Shows today should have more variety

[@skinwalker69420]

I think horror should make a return in cartoons, horror works really well mixed into pretty much any other genre, as it tends to compliment them well.

[@WanderingRagabond]

That episode was VISCERALLY unsettling. Every so often I remembered this episode and wondered... "Did they actually make an episode about that?" And questioned whether I had imagined it. And yet upon revisiting it... Yep, they went there. And it feels like I'll never feel clean again.

[@bloodybee3553]

When I was a bit younger, i assumed Fred was a reference to family friends or some kind of other adult trusted by the parents, but sexually abuses the child in private. Then I learned he was a reference to serial killers. To be fair, most serial killers find sexual gratification in their murders, so even then, I wasn't entirely wrong

[@ayuhhueet2668]

what’s disturbing is that somewhere on the internet there’s r34 of fred

[@no-be3zv]

there's no way (edit: CHRIST ALMIGHTY YOU'RE RIGHT)

[@kidgohan7158]

Not really surprising, especially if you’ve been on the internet since the 90’s.

[@hiruyabebaw807]

I expected most of it to be worst

[@marmalade8915]

​@@no-be3zvmorbidly curious to see but typing that out would give me physical pain

[@NekoChanSenpai]

Oh yeah I've read some. Thankfully it was just a scene of some, ahem, 'alone time', and there was no unwilling victim.

[@thatoneantoid51]

Fred is technically the most terrifying because hes actually not too exaggerated from other monsters in our society. Replace "shave" with another word that rhymes with "colest" and you see what i mean.

[@ShadowGaming-yj3lc]

"I heard the door slam?!" "The door slammed... 😐" "Oh 😧" I love this show 😂😂😂

[@oneinathousand2156]

I was too young to watch the show during its initial run, but my sister and I would see reruns of it for a while when we came home from school in the late 2000s. But to my recollection they never showed any of the really scary episodes, so at the time I didn’t think much of the show. We missed out on some prime childhood nightmare fuel. The one cartoon that I remember scaring me around that time was the sugar addiction episode of Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. The way Mac became a husk of himself and would repeat “Sugar…” over and over again in a ragged tone freaked me out so much that I would hardly look at the TV at all.

[@Cammino3]

honestly Courage is important. Helps abused kids not feel alone, if terrifying at the same time

[@capnjackgallows3204]

It really doesnt. Itas a cartoon. Nothing more. I had a fucked up childhood and not one cartoon imporved my situation mind state or anything else. Dont fucking speak for us.

[@Cammino3]

@capnjackgallows3204 I had a fucked up childhood too, in a cult. It helped me not feel so alone, especially the one episode including a lesbian-coded couple escaping on the train. Sorry it didn't help you in a similar way

[@gryficowa]

@@capnjackgallows3204 ...

[@sourcherry8928]

@@capnjackgallows3204 dude no need to be hostile. im sorry you had a shitty childhood, but some of us abused kids DID have media that helped us cope and not feel alone. Courage def helped me as a kid. i hope you heal.

[@moorejim13]

Also I can’t know what’s worse, the creepy music and rhyme, or the fact that, that bathroom was SILENT while all that happened

[@LillianGraceFullofficial]

Freaky Fred always creeped me out when I was young, even more now I realize why I always was. he’s honestly my favorite character depicting a total deviant, a pervert. its also a good way to teach children how to deal with similar pervs and crazy nutjobs like him without straight up saying the same vague “don’t go in a strangers car” that just seem like rules for no reason.

[@DemonArshan]

when i first saw "You're not perfect/Eustace trumpet" I didn't sleep as a kid for two days. Still remember it crystal clear I didn't even touch tv for days as a kid i was traumatized and guess what I'm kinda happy i experienced it.

[@starrsmith3810]

The fact that they made a literal shitty haircut the single creepiest thing ever is honestly a testament to this show’s talent.

[@KennithLamarNoid]

The scariest one for me was always Doc Gerbil, the way he kidnapped people, belittled them, and preformed horrible experiments in their bodies was disgusting. His calm, happy personality as he did all those horrible things was horrific, and the boat chase at the end of the episode was beautiful

[@ShockedTaiLung]

What if he was called FREAKYmoth

[@BiggieCrescent]

And instead of making JJK videos he made Freaky videos 😳😳😳

[@twelveblade_]

My sister and I were always very disturbed by Freaky Fred. We recently re-watched the episode and realized he was a metaphor for ped*philia.

[@teslajeffrey]

what if he was called normal fred and instead of being freaky he was normal?

[@torytellstales]

I think it's kind of interesting how Fred labels himself, he refers himself in the third person from other people as either "boy" or "chap", like he's trying to pass himself off as "normal" in a way, now that you mention the whole "normal" thing. If I had to guess what kind of childhood he had, I'd say his parents taught him how to act the part of normal rather than correct his unusual behavior. I also think him smiling big and constantly is his attempt at looking normal, since it relieves distress and anxiety when people smile.

[@Redspike2K]

@@torytellstalesThis comment was a joke on a comment joke that says ‘What if they were freaky (name here.) and instead of a normal thing they did the freaky things.’

[@torytellstales]

@Redspike2K I know. I just wanted to make an observation. Thanks for explaining this to me though

[@crusfm2801]

For some reason, I was always creeped out with his shadow smile rather than him himself

[@The-Outcast-Commentary]

When I realized that Fred's shaving was a metaphor for S@, I realized why I had such a weird fixation for him (I have a lot of s3xual trauma)

[@amonhmcoda]

Babe wake up Jallomoth uploaded about one of your fav Courage cryptids From JJK to Courage, he wanna be me so bad

[@idiotlangkawi8299]

he shoulda ended the video with stay naughty instead of staying curious

[@DripStick]

I love how you just make videos about what you want lmao JJK to Courage the cowardly dog is goated

[@mangle_love8975]

Ngl I’d love to see a eustace episode… I mean he’s proven that his is canonically a villain in the show but also isn’t because he cares for Muriel, idk I feel a break down on his character would be interesting

[@shatteredprism]

I remember bits and pieces from my childhood, but one of those bits and pieces happened to be a few scenes from Courage the Cowardly Dog. Namely, Freaky Fred, "return the slab", the floating head/Old Wind, and the thing that looked like a fetus that was blue (that thing gave me nightmares). Later on, sometimes this year, I also remembered the fish in the tub that tells Courage about him being perfect the way he is.

[@hmmmalright8917]

Lol how many times I said "bunny" just like that and forgot where it was from! Glad you showed the clip! Brought back so many great memories

[@SunsetEnvy]

Will somebody ever match his freak? 😔

[@FullMoonDeria]

I'm looking forward to when you get to Katz. He's not the scariest villain but the fact that he's both the most underhanded and the most honorable at the same time keeps him interesting. And his theme just always sets a mood. Plus, as an Earthworm Jim fan, I've always wondered if Evil the Cat was part of his inspiration.

[@hypnoticbacon17]

I loved this show. It scared me a ton as a kid where it seems tame to me today, but this episode always was the most unsettling to me. He truly stood out for all the reasons you listed, and he was the scariest villain to me because he was the most mundane, highlighting a very real possible danger in the most kid friendly way as possible with it being such dark subject matter. The fear I had of being in a similar situation to Courage in this episode only got worse in adulthood. The nightmares still don't stop, there's just breaks between them.

[@harrisonlee9585]

I re-watched this episode a week or so ago for the first time as an adult, and I cannot begin to imagine what my parents were thinking when I watched it as a kid.

[@creepy_nj5098]

That episode is simply a nightmare. I think those shows was meant to us, young kids fascinated by horror and it helped us exploring the range of emotion a show/movie can make you feel. I just found your channel and it's really nice to find reviews that has that vibe.

[@AprilSunshine]

"home for freaky barbers" 😂

[@jarrytheworst4287]

This video is so so interesting. Thankyou for the deep dive cus I never made this connection til this video and it's clear as day 😭. Courage was my favorite show and this specific episode was always hard for me to watch but I never knew why lol. Fred always gave me a weird feeling and the fact he never got punished also gave me feelings I couldnt explain but it was unsettling.

[@RandomElfOnTheInternet]

I forget just how much I watched this show as a kid, but then people talk about an episode and I am like "oh yeah, I remember that" and after so long of that I slowly realized that yes, I have watched every episode and for some reason my mind blocks it until I see a video. I don't think it's a bad blocking, but more so that I had other more important things to memorize and the memories are tucked away. It always makes me wanna re-watch the show.

[@ursidae97]

This was a really great way to communicate stranger danger to kids. Not too explicit but not tepid. He's generally sympathetic without being excusable. It lets kids know that when people come after them, it IS true that that person may have some pain driving them and they may be understandable, and it's good to understand why people do things.... BUT if you can help it NEVER let them do what they want because it's NEVER EVER EVER worth it even if you aren't physically hurt. Because your safety and your comfort is the most important thing.

[@Scytherlover900]

13:43 I did this too but instead I memorized the entire FNAF lore and started doing it 🤣 my family had to thought I was mental

[@jamall7003]

0:16 ive been listening to "Not like Us" too much i fr thought he was quoting it right there 😂

[@Kiahhhhhhhh]

YO me too! 😭

[@obara7366]

The episode that gave me the heebie jeebies the most was the windmill one. I couldn't explain it at the time, but in the 20 years since then I've realised that my biggest trigger point for horror is "the fear of the inevitable", and that episode was drowning from it. Absolute goosebumps and shivers, even now as I type this.

[@UnsortedSeeds]

I watched thistle show as a kid, and I remember even watching it's What A Cartoon debut before that with hose two alien ducks. There's a lot of that I remember from the it like those zombies pretending to be directors, or the Goose God. Freaky Fred was the villain that had the most impact. He wasn't as outwardly scary as the other monsters, but he was just so unsettling. He didn't look any weirder than the other human characters, but I think that's what made him so terrifying. He could be anyone, and you wouldn't know what a monster he is just by looking at him. Courage's passivity mimics what was often the most common response to those being victimized. The fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses. Many victims freeze and dissociate when being abused, and it's unfortunate that the abusers usually get off scott-free like Fred here. Muriel's lack of response to what happened to Courage, right on the other side of the door, shows us how so many victims go unsupported by those around them, not wanting to believe that a close friend or beloved member of the family could be capable of something so horrible. It's a chilling episode.

[@lunaflower226]

I remember watching that episode and always being so unsettled by Fred. With the evidence you gave in the video and now being older and having more experiences, especially with unpleasant ones, I definitely see what you mean. No one should have to deal with a Fred.

[@ajflink]

It is weird as a kid that I very quickly figured out he was a satire of a murder-addicted serial killer, yet he is only a menace to hair?

[@jacksbox317]

Freaky Fred never scared me as a kid. In fact, he was my favorite Courage villain right up there with Katz. Something about his voice was always soothing to me, and i memorized his entire poem/all of his internal monolog.

[@caldw615]

4:34 Just a little bit about being unsure if Fred is related to Muriel because of his accent. Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom along with England, N.Ireland and Wales. Great Britain is just the island areas the 4 exist on. "British" doesn't necessarily mean English as anybody from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales would all count as British. I know a lot of non-Brits will just associate England and Britain as the same thing but both Muriel and Fred are British, just with different accents from different nations in Britain. It's common for people to have relatives split between the 4 countries since they're so close together and all part of the same multination state. Source, I am Scottish and have relatives all over the UK.

[@unripetheberrby6283]

Cool info :)

[@morningcupofcyanide]

Fred always gave me major creep vibes. Good to know I wasn't imagining it.

[@Enzo_honey]

The repressed memories you have opened up 💀

[@ordo3297]

Loved the use of Clock Tower music, made me immediately think of the guy with the giant scissors. Very fitting and chilling.

[@christmascactus6462]

Though they only appeared once, the Windmill Vandals are some of the few threats that not only scare Muriel and Eustace but also force the two to help Courage put an end to the threat. While not as deep symbolically, they are possibly the most violent threats Courage and don’t really have any misunderstood motivations other than envy and jealousy. To make matters worse, if that windmill ever breaks again, the Vandals will be coming back.

[@ToastedKeneally]

Freaky fred is the one that stuck with me. Out of all the monsters he was the most....eerie to me. I felt courages fear.

[@NekoChanSenpai]

I was inexplicably drawn to this episode as a kid, and I think it's to do with the way i relate to horror as a genre. I like horror that either could really happen or is invocative of real life fears, since those things are scariest to me.

[@lonelylad9818]

Mom: "Why don't you go play with your cousin? He's not that weird!" Cousin:

[@cyberhexxcin]

Nobody should ever match his freak

[@wolfyboy]

Also, the part about courages tail being the last unshaven/unspoiled part, and courage being so desperate to keep it unshaven is also very symbolic, i think. The last part of his innocence, not yet taken.

[@astrixkz]

1:05 possibly in michigan, jeff winger, homestuck mayor AND mac tonight? we're dealing with impeccably good taste here...

[@tashibalampkin8555]

7:32 Eustace is having a field day.

[@lonesomerider9000]

The were-mole episode always messed me up as a kid because it would just pop up from nowhere through the floorboards and everything and turn other people. It got to a point where I would avoid the episode if I saw the title card for it come on

[@maighaleb786]

It’s the one front tooth right in the middle that’s fucks me up. Like instead of two front teeth he just has the one… lol.

[@totallyyori]

this video went really hard, i hope you can make more courage/horror content!!

[@Nerdtendo6366]

As a kid, you fear King Ramses As an adult, you fear the freakmister

[@EvonneLindiwe]

FRED GOT OUT!?!

[@12inter88]

Thank you! I’m considering using this episode this upcoming school year for a horror unit. Thanks!!! :)