Witchcraft

"Witchcraft" was the fourth episode of season one of Back to the Future: The Animated Series. It first aired October 12, 1991.

Its original planned airdate of October 5 was preempted due to the Clarence Thomas hearings.

Brief synopsis

Marty catches Jennifer talking with the school jock and assumes she's dating behind his back. Jennifer, who has been tutoring the jock, tries to explain the situation but Marty doesn't listen to her. Marty goes to the Browns' house and receives a message that Doc and his family are trapped in Salem, Massachusetts during the Puritan period. Taking the DeLorean, Marty brings a spare flux capacitor for the train to Doc, but the DeLorean that Marty and Einstein are in is in the water and comes out. As Doc fixes the train, Marty, Clara and the boys go to a town function. Marty spurns the advances of a young lady named Mercy and she accuses him of being a witch out of spite. Marty is condemned for being a witch without being able to defend himself. Marty is sentenced to the "water" test and Doc saves him with a makeshift scuba suit. When Marty returns home, he apologizes to Jennifer for making accusations without first hearing her side of the story.

Plot

Marty McFly and Liz leave from music appreciation class at Hill Valley College when he sees Jennifer Parker with big lug Kelp, believing that she is going out with him. The Brown family is exploring the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt circa 1000 BCE when they chased down after Verne pulled a prank on the Egyptians. The flux capacitor on the Jules Verne Train is damaged by a spear and the train sends the Browns to 1692 Salem, Massachusetts. Doc sends Marty a scratch and listen postcard via a miniature time machine delivery car asking him to take the DeLorean and bring back a spare flux capacitor. Upon arrival, Doc calculates that it will take several days to repair the train with the replacement and they attempt to lie low in the town of Salem.

For the past few weeks, Doc has been working with Goodman Tannen as a trash man. Tannen's daughter Mercy shows up at a town event that night. Marty's wild antics and strange tongues create gossip in the town and after he plays his harmonica, he is labeled a witch and put on trial. Marty is ordered to suffer the water test, which will determine whether or not he is lying, with either consequence being death. As Marty is thrown into the water, Goodman, Mercy, and the others watch as they believe he is drowning. Meanwhile, Marty is rescued underwater by the DeLorean which is equipped with a large pincer. Marty and the Browns return to the train and leave 1692. Back home, Jennifer tells Marty that she and Kelp were only study partners and that Marty was still her girl.

Notes

• Marty's middle name is given as "Seamus" by Jennifer Parker.

New continuity

• Stack the Hemnels?
• Seen and Not Heard
• Water test

New individuals

• Liz
• Kelp
• Babcock, "Old Buzzard" gives Marty a C in Music Appreciation (Mentioned only)
• Julie
• Goodman Tannen
• Mercy Tannen
• Gurdy McGoo, had a cat that met the same demise (Mentioned only)
• James Brown (Mentioned only)

New groups

• The Bonedaddys
• AAA
• Puritans

New locations

• Pyramids of Giza in Egypt (3000 years earlier)
• Salem, Massachusetts

New events

• Salem Witch Trials

New dates

• September 23, 1692

New technology

• Automatic dog bather
• Dog shower and dryer
• Remote control mail time machine
• Scratch and listen postcard
• DeLorean flotation device
• Replacement flux capacitor
• Surge protector
• Stockade
• Chainsaw
• DeLorean pincer apparatus
• Parachute

New objects

• Harmonica, a "musical Satanic deathbox"
• Refuse barrels
• Snapping turtle

New slang and phrases

• Jock
• Dry up
• Geek
• Witch
• Get out of town
• Goon
• Chump
• Scoundrel
• Familiar
• Fannyface