"What Goes Up" finds the street smart Sweathogs in a sense baffled by the drug use of Freddie 'Boom Boom' Washington, who has become addicted to medication for a basketball injury to his knee. Hiding the uppers in an envelope in his shoe, Barbarino's slip of the tongue lets Kotter know how serious it is, since Washington meets his pusher in the men's room. According to Mr. Woodman, pills are as bad as dope! The Sweathogs try to get Freddie to believe that they too are hooked on the same pills. Barbarino's call: "give me drugs, give me drugs!" Epstein figures that by taking an upper with a downer he can just move sideways! Horshack behaves most oddly, until he reveals that he did indeed swallow the same kind of pills, purchased from the same supplier. To his horror, Washington realizes that his own deception could have resulted in Arnold's death. A serious subject handled in typical Sweathog fashion, but a far cry from how the four were originally portrayed in the gritty pilot. For a genuine comparison on how drugs can destroy a man's life, look no further than James Komack's now cancelled series CHICO AND THE MAN, and its late star Freddie Prinze.
3 Reviews
"Gimme drugs...gimme drugs " - Barbarino
Fluffieb13 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Lawrence Hilton Jacobs (Freddie Boom Boom Washington) is the star in this episode and does not disappoint. A more serious WBK episode, not without corn, but luckily with plenty of the usual humor.
Gabe Kaplan's (Mr. Kotter) acting skills evolve and get better and better throughout the series. He too is great in this episode. Nice to see how the fellas pull together to help out their friend. Ron (Horshack) really showcases his talent as an actor in the latter part of this episode. Watch this episode all the way through just to hear Vinnie Barbarino pretend to be 'on' something. You won't be sorry.
Gabe Kaplan's (Mr. Kotter) acting skills evolve and get better and better throughout the series. He too is great in this episode. Nice to see how the fellas pull together to help out their friend. Ron (Horshack) really showcases his talent as an actor in the latter part of this episode. Watch this episode all the way through just to hear Vinnie Barbarino pretend to be 'on' something. You won't be sorry.
Best Episode showcasing Ron's true acting ability
dustyainc16 August 2012
I was befriended by Ron on Facebook by unexpected good fortune some time back....
I actually punctuated this particular episode to him; as my FAVORITE EPISODE of Welcome Back Kotter of ALL TIME....and as well as also conveying to him to my total admiration for his TRUE THESPIAN aptitude, as evidenced by this episode. Unfortunately, my innate verbosity and interpersonal exchange of LIVE TIME IM's with him on FACEBOOK had most naturally perplexed him, and my intended HIGHEST COMPLIMENT that one could bestow on any actor eluded him.
Then again, perhaps it had only been at that present moment as Ron conserved me as one of his honored and privileged FB friends. Rest in peace, Ron....you were and shall perpetually be an icon.
I actually punctuated this particular episode to him; as my FAVORITE EPISODE of Welcome Back Kotter of ALL TIME....and as well as also conveying to him to my total admiration for his TRUE THESPIAN aptitude, as evidenced by this episode. Unfortunately, my innate verbosity and interpersonal exchange of LIVE TIME IM's with him on FACEBOOK had most naturally perplexed him, and my intended HIGHEST COMPLIMENT that one could bestow on any actor eluded him.
Then again, perhaps it had only been at that present moment as Ron conserved me as one of his honored and privileged FB friends. Rest in peace, Ron....you were and shall perpetually be an icon.
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