THE GHOSTBUSTERS GO HANGOUT ON A FARM

Dairy Farm

Original Air date September 25, 1987^[1]

Writer: Larry DiTillio

Director: Dale Schott

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 4 of 5)

Summary: The Ghostbusters are overworked and in a dire need of a vacation.  Ray convinces them, over Peter’s objections, to drive out of to the country to spend time at Ray’s cousin’s farm.  As they drive out to the farm they take a wrong turn and wreck Ecto-1 on harvester.  There is a local mechanic in town to fix Ecto-1 over the week end.  So the Ghostbusters pay to have the car towed and walk the rest of the way to the Stanz Farm. 

Not to happy having wreaked their car. 

                It turns out Ray’s cousin Sam is woman.  Who Peter is instantly attracted to, but Sam (short for Samantha) doesn’t feel the same way.  They all enjoy a hardy meal as Sam explains her operation.  The Ghostbusters think they have made a good choice for their vacation spot.  The next day however they find part of Sam’s farm has been vandalized and the PKE meter revels that the vandal is most likely a ghost. 

Ray's cousin Sam

                Some research leads Ray to discover that the previous owners were a family by the name of Peterson.  The Peterson’s owned this farm for ten generations and when they died out the property manager moved the family stones from the cemetery but not their bodies.  The dead field that Egon was testing was the family cemetery.

Ghost chicken!

                That night they stayed out to watch and saw the dead rooster get up and wake the rest of the family who started doing chores but in ways that would ruin the farm.  When confronted they attacked and without their equipment the Ghostbusters and Sam were forced back into the house and were saved by the coming dawn. 

The dead Petersons!

                The next day the guys Macgyvered some dairy equipment to generate a force field that night so they were able to contain the Peterson family.  Peter told them that there was someone who wanted to say something to them and brought out Sam to plead to them as a farmer.  The Petersons were move and agreed to rest and let Sam run the farm.

Pa Peterson, ghost patriarch 

                Sam decided Peter wasn’t so bad after all so he asked for a kiss and Slimer kissed him.

Farmers can rest in peace!

 My Take: My grandfather often told my father that he was born in the wrong side of the century.  My father always wanted to be a farmer.  To me the idea of getting up at the crack of dawn to do farm chores for my entire life was never appealing, and with my allergies it would have been not any fun.  I kind of wish I was born a hundred years from now when technology is more awesome.  That had nothing to do with this episode just a random thought.  The episode was another one of those “Ghostbusters without their ghostbusting equipment episodes” but it was not bad.

                Now for my stray observations:

·         Why do the Ghostbusters all have to go on vacation together?  I do not have that relationship with any of my co-workers ever.   Ray can go to the farm, Egon can go the science museum with Janine, Winston can attend a lot of Jaguars games, and Peter can go to Tahiti with a hot girlfriend.

·         Try explaining that car accident to your insurance company.

·         Slimer’s farmer get up was really cute.

·         Peter needs to try a new method of getting women that isn’t so off putting.

·         So the ghost rooster, do you think that might have been a Peterson family dinner at one point?

·         For a family that lived at the farm for ten generations there doesn’t seem to be that many of them.

·         Slimer was having some fun in the chaos, usually he is a helpful ghost.

·         “Even if we had our equipment there would still be too many to trap.”  My butt.  That one statement knocked this episode from a five to a four.  Not only were there not that many Peterson ghosts to begin with but I have seen them catch more ghosts in the opening sequence.  Hell a few episodes back they made almost $80,000 in one afternoon and they didn’t run out of traps.  This was cheap line put in to answer the most obvious solution: borrow Sam’s car go to the repair shop and pick up their gear out of Ecto-1.

·         Instead let’s do the Ghost Whisperer thing.

An enjoyable episode even with some issues.    

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.

EGON CHANNELS HIS INNER TARGARYEN

Egon's Dragon

Original Air date October 2, 1987^[1]

Writer: Michael Reaves

Director: Dale Schott

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 5 of 5)

Summary: The Ghostbusters are out on a New England farm taking care of some ghosts for which they were paid not only in money but pies as well.  They had Slimer with them so that means they didn’t get to bring any home.  While on the way home they get lost and end up in a town called Nassburg.  Egon wants to leave right away, but the guys and Slimer get out and explore a little bit.  Slimer finds a well and a plaque.   Winston reads the plaque to reveal that Zedekiah Spengler had banished a dragon into the well in 1742. Egon was well aware of this but he didn’t think well of his ancestor because he was a nut job who chose superstition over science.  Egon then revealed Zedekiah may have gotten rid of the dragon but he was also the one who summoned it in the first place.  He tells the crew to go but in doing that his voice stirs the dragon.

Loci the Dragon

                As they headed home they were followed the dragon, who was immune to proton blasts and abducted Egon.  Loci, the name of the dragon let Egon go but the next day he kept bringing Egon cars as a tribute.  Egon scrambles through his ancestor’s writings looking for a way to stop the dragon.  He finally figures out that it has to do with a piece of music.  That is the magic spell that will put the dragon back to sleep. 

Dragon's not bad just misunderstood.

At first the guys try this with regular instruments but Egon realizes the dragon has gotten too big for that.  Egon reprograms the packs to give off the necessary vibration and they lead the dragon back to the well.  Egon feels guilty because the dragon loves him but the others reassure him that Loci was just going to sleep.  They fire and send Loki into hibernation.  Egon goes down to check on him one last time.  

My Take:  For all my fellow Game of Thrones fans.  Egon is blonde in the cartoon and he is bonded to a dragon.  That can only mean one thing: Egon Spengler is a secret Targaryen.  That’s a game changer for with that and his ghost catching skills he might be able to restore his family and stop the white walkers.

                Now for my stray observations:

·         The Ghostbusters could sure use a GPS.  All time periods before GPS must have sucked.

·         I love how Egon reacted when he saw the sign.  “It’s a bad town. You won’t like it”

·         Egon sticks his nose up a magic for the convenience of plot.

·         I thing Egon should have just kept and trained the dragon.  Over time he can be shown not to take cars.  Anyone who in the meantime has a problem can eat fire.

Fun episode maybe in a time of great crisis Egon could summon his dragon again. 

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.

SO THE GHOSTBUSTERS DECIDE TO TAKE IN A SECOND PET GHOST, AGAIN

Victor the Happy Ghost

Original Air date October 15, 1987^[1]

Writer: Michael Reaves

Director: Dale Schott

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 5 of 5)

Summary:  The Ghostbusters are on an ordinary job at a museum chasing down a ghost who is more cute than threatening.   After they captured it they all felt bad and Winston said he felt like a bully.  When the Ghostbusters get back to the firehouse the trap is dropped and the ghost escaped.  Janine was amazed at how cute he was, and they all decided to keep him as a second pet ghost.  Janine names him Victor after her nephew.

Janine loves the new little guy!

As does everyone else.

                 Over the next few days Victor puts on one act in front of the Ghostbusters and another in front of Slimer.  Victor starts playing horrible pranks and frames Slimer, getting Slimer chewed out on a number of occasions.  The final straw came when Slimer saw Victor near the equipment, Slimer went to confront him. Victor then changed into large ghost grabbed Slimer and threw him into a ghost trap.

Wreaking equipment. 

Hurting Ray.

                The Ghostbusters get called out on a job that turns out to be a false alarm.  While they are out Janine almost puts Slimer in the Containment Unit only to drop the trap at the last minute.  Slimer escapes from the trap and tells Janine about Victor.  Ray answers the call from Janine in their car phone and that is when Victor escapes from Ecto-1.  When the Ghostbusters go after Victor they see he has changed into his true form.  He leaps over the Ghostbusters heads and gets to the Ecto-1 before they do smashing their four proton packs.  The Ghostbuster are now helpless and on the run from Victor.

Slimer is on to him.

Victor has the upper hand.

                Janine and Slimer however are prepared and they head out in the Ecto-2 and save the Ghostbusters with Ecto-2’s cannon blasts.  Janine then parachutes down some proton packs and the guys blast Victor as Slimer drops the trap for some payback.

Hanging with their new pet ghost, so they think!

                At the end of the episode they are all waiting or Slimer hand and foot because they are sorry. 

My Take:  Since the Ghostbusters already have a pet ghost I don’t think it is unusually in the least for them to consider adding another.  For the very least it would allow them to run tests to compare and contrast to the ones they run on Slimer.

                Now for my stray observations:

·         At first I was wondering why the museum would call the Ghostbusters in for such a little ghost. He seemed harmless why let the Ghostbusters destroy a few displays in order to catch it.  By the end of the episode it made sense.

·         What didn’t make sense was the use of the PKE meter.  Couldn’t they have just used it to tell them how dangerous Victor was?  I mean they use it to tell them all sorts of other things. Sorry we forgot, kind of like the time we didn’t check the trap.

·         Speaking of traps they should all learn to hang on to them.

·         It wasn’t very fair for Slimer to get blamed for Victor’s misdeeds with exception to him being blamed for eating all the food.   He has done that enough times for real to no longer get the benefit of the doubt.

·         This is one of the best Janine episodes as well right up there with “Janine’s Day Off.”  I love the way she and Slimer took Ecto-2 out to rescue the guys when the Victor attacked.

·         The only thing Janine did that really bothered me was name the new pet after her nephew.  If I bought a pet I wouldn’t name her Ellie Rose.

·         How long before Peter forgets that they owe Slimer?

Next time check the PKE meter more closely.

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.

THE SUPERMAN PARODY

Captain Steel Saves the Day

Original Air date September 17, 1987^[1]

Writers: Michael Reaves and Steve Perry

Directors: Luc Bihan, Bernard Deyries, and Bruno-Rene Huchez

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 5 of 5)

Summary: At the firehouse Ray is in a near panic, when asked by his coworkers what’s wrong Ray tells them that his favorite comic Captain Steel is being cancelled.  The rest of the Ghostbusters walk away leaving Ray to sulk in private.

Heartbroken Ray

                Later that day at the comic book company the writer of Captain Steel, Len Wolfman, is having an issue with his characters coming to life and talking to him through the panels.  Both Captain Steel and his archnemesis Dr. Destructo want more control over their own lives.  Wolfman threatens to draw a meteorite that will turn them into mere mortals.  Captain Steel however comes of the page before he can compete drawing it.  He then flies off to defend New York City. 

Comic being cancelled.

                The Ghostbusters are called in and they are somewhat skeptical of his story.  Ray thinks they should have refused the call.  The Ghostbusters have dealt with weirder things so they head to find the missing comic book character.

Wishes his characters would stay in the comics.

                Finding him wasn’t difficult the Captain wasn’t looking to stay hidden.  His first act is to stop a couple of jewel thieves but they get away when the Captain was explaining himself to the police.  Wondering where the supervillains are he mistakes the Ghostbusters for them when Peter fires on him.  Ray tries to reason with Captain Steel but the ties them up with a metal bar in classic superhero style.  As he is flying them to the police station Egon thinks this maybe a good thing because the police know who they are.  However Dr. Destructo also escaped from the comic book page and attacked Captain Steel causing the Ghostbusters to fall.

Captain Steel escapes!

                The Ghostbusters save themselves by crossing the streams and aiming at the surface; this forces water up to meet them and breaks their fall.  After Captain Steel digs himself out of debris the Ghostbusters reintroduce themselves and Ray shows Captain Steel his fan club card.  They agree to work together. Ray suggests that Captain Steel change to his civilian identity of a newspaper reporter and he does.

Off to become a superhero in the real world.

                They end up tracking Dr. Destructo to their own firehouse where he has captured Janine and plans to use the energy from the Containment Unit to power his world mind control device.  He has created a force field around the firehouse.  Changing back into his superhero clothes, Captain Steel, tries and fails to break down the force field.  The Ghostbusters also try with proton streams and fail.  Egon gets and idea and the go see Wolfman again and he agrees to help so long as Captain Steel and Dr. Destructo go back to the comics.  Captain Steel agrees and Wolfman draws a weapon that can take down the force field.

Dr. Destructo, Captain Steel's Lex Luthor is out as well. 

                When they get through they encounter Dr. Destructo in the room with the Containment Unit.  While he is going on about his evil plan, Ray rigs the Containment Unit to suck in Dr. Destructo.  The day is then won and Captain Steel goes back to comic form with news that his comics have been renewed.   

Ray meets his hero!

My Take: While I was watching The Real Ghostbusters I was also a becoming a big fan of the Christopher Reeve Superman films.  As a teenager I was sucked into the whole Death of Superman saga and became a permanent collector with the series Reign of Supermen.  It is interesting around the same time The Real Ghostbusters were airing John Byrne was relaunching the Superman titles after Crisis on Infinite Earths, that relaunch set the stage for the stories that later gained my fandom.  (It use to be DC would do a massive relaunch with a major character once every three or four decades, nowadays they do it once every three or four years.)  MarvWolfman and Len Wein were clearly the inspiration for the Wolfman character who writes Captain Steel.

Captain Steel observes Ray's credentials. 

                Now for my stray observations:

·         I feel for Ray.  Losing a good title is never awesome.

·         I love how Ray is so star-struck throughout this episode with Captain Steel and his creator.

·         Some Ghostbusters doubted Wolfman’s story.  Why?  It’s not the first time a creator’s fictional characters came to life.

·         Captain Steel has a mild manner reporter “Clark Kent” personality as a secret identity, and Dr. Destrcto is clearly a copy of the late Seventies/early Eighties Lex Luthor.

·         In his cape pouch. (Answering Peter’s question.)

·         Why wouldn’t the Ghostbusters want their own comic?  They could use the likeness royalties.   

Any comic book reader should enjoy this episode.

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.

A GHOSTBUSTER WHO IS NOW A GHOST

Egon's Ghost

Original Air date September 28, 1987^[1]

Writer: Michael Reaves

Director: Dale Schott

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 5 of 5)

Summary: The Ghostbusters are doing battle with a creature from a different dimension named Arzun.  They have a weapon to banish Arzun back to his dimension called the destabilizer, Egon uses it on Arzun and there is an explosion.  Arzun is gone and so is Egon.  It appears Egon has been killed.

Janine is not happy  without Egon being real.

                The brokenhearted Ghostbusters go back to the firehouse to break the news to Janine, however while they are doing so they here Egon’s voice.  Egon is here but he is a ghost, sort of.  Egon’s body is out of phase making him for all practical purposes a ghost but he is still alive.  The problem is he is deteriorating and should within 24 hours disintegrate completely.  The Ghostbusters discover that they could build a restabilizer to save him but it would over $78,000.  That’s money they don’t have.

Time running out for Egon the Ghost!

                To solve the problem they decide to work real hard and do a lot of Ghostbusting in one day.  They work lots of jobs and earn $80,000 in one evening.   They buy their supplies, build their device, and use it to save Egon.  But there is a problem: Egon disappears.  It turns out he was able to stabilize but instead of being stuck in two phases Earth and the Netherworld he fully went to the Netherworld.

The Ghostbusters find out they need $80,000.  That's okay they just resolve to work hard.

                With some insistence from Janine, Ray designs a device that will allow the Ghostbusters to travel to the Netherworld for an hour and able them to bring back four people but no more.  They do this and travel to the Netherworld.  They reverse the PKE meter to search for Egon’s bio signals and follow the path to Egon.  Along the way however they run into a Terror Dog similar to Zulu or Vinz Clortho.  The PKE meter is destroyed, but they do find help from Heironymus an Englishman trapped in the Netherworld since 1690.  He told them that Egon was the prisoner of Tolay the ally of Arzun.  

Egon's alive but a prisoner.

               Heironymus’s request is that they take him with them back to Earth, since their device will only allow four to travel with them this may create a problem.  Heironymus however is inspired by the Ghostbusters friendship and relieves them of that promise.  The grateful Ghostbusters give him a proton pack to make his life in Netherworld easier and then they transport home.

My Take:  When I first saw this episode as a kid I totally missed the fact that Egon’s ghost wasn't really a ghost but just Egon being out of phase with reality.  (I thought his body had transported to another dimension so only his ‘ghost self’ was left.) This was one of the episodes that I remembered until my adult years, with my misinterpretation of what happened to Egon.  I immediately thought of this episode after the death of Harold Ramis in early 2014.  One of the Ghostbusters was now a ghost for real.

Harold Ramis Tribute Page

                Now for my stray observations:

·         They made almost $80,000 in one afternoon, by just working really really hard?!?  Why are these are guys ever broke?  If $80,000 is a hard working good day than bad day might be what $30,000? Yes but they might have some high expenses but someone needs to take a look at their books they should always be solvent.   

·         How long did it take them to get the parts?  Maybe if they should have just got them on credit and earned all that money after they saved Egon.

·         I loved all the scenes with Janine in this episode.

·         Did Egon’s time as Slimer give him any aid in this episode?  He seemed to be able to access his ghost abilities pretty quick.

·         What would happen if a Ghostbuster did die and became a ghost?  Would he stay on as helpful ghost like Slimer or would they be working to get him to the next plane?

·         That was very familiar looking dog, related to Zuul and Vinz Clortho perhaps?

·         When explaining to Heironymus the modern world after being told he was from England I think I would have gone over the history of England from that point to the present before talking about inventions.  “Well William and Mary were never able to have a kid, and none of Anne’s lived so Parliament had to reach out to the German Electorate of Hannover to find their new King. And that German royal family is still there.”

·         I didn’t see the problem at the end.  Okay so you can only bring back four guys, go back to the firehouse and rework the device come back and grab Heironymus.  You can still give him the proton pack so he can hold off the demons until then.

·         I hope the same magic that prevents aging also keeps proton packs fully charged.

A great episode. 

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.

EGON IS SLIMER AND SLIMER IS EGON

Slimer, Is That You?

Original Air date September 26, 1987^[1]

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski

Director: Charles Grosvenor

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 5 of 5)

Summary:  The Ghostbusters are on a basic job where they encounter a powerful ghost who calls himself the Master of Shadows.  The Master considers the Ghostbusters worthy opponents especially Egon.  However he also plans on destroying New York.  After making that threat he disappears.

                Back at the firehouse Egon created a device that would allow him to communicate with the Master of Shadows.  This device works and the Master is impressed even considering Egon his equal.  Egon tells the Master that they are not equals and he is the Master’s superior in every way.  The Master challenges him to a mental duel the next day with New York as the prize.  After the communication ceases Slimer’s ectoplasm leaks onto the device causing a break down and Egon’s and Slimer’s minds switch “bodies.”

Slimer as Egon still doesn't know how to stop.

                Now they have two problems fixing Egon and Slimer and preparing for the battle with the Master of Shadows.  Slimer is content to keep on in Egon’s body as if nothing had occurred causing Egon to fear for his body’s health.  Egon stays back with Slimer to work on these problems while the other three go out to the field. 

Master of Shadows

                After another round the Master of Shadows they return to the firehouse to discover that Egon has managed to come up with a design to fix both of their problems but he needs Ray to build it.  In Slimer’s body Egon has hands that leak Ectoplasm.  Concerned about cutting the team down to only two, Egon goes with Peter and Winston.  However this leads to Egon discovering more problems in Slimer’s body.  As Slimer if he fires his particle thrower he is forced backward.  He also has brain drain moments when he can only focus on food.

                 Ray has completed his work on the device but it won’t be ready until during the battle with Master of Shadows.  Slimer hears the Master's and heroically sets out in Egon’s body hoping save the day.  As soon as the Ghostbusters realize he is gone they head out.  

                 The Master is perplexed with Slimer’s gibberish.  Then Egon attacks the Master as Slimer gloating to the Master that he can change form.  The Master utterly confused tries to blast Egon in Slimer’s body wasting a lot of energy.  Ray then pull the switch so Slimer is now himself again and is about to be creamed by the Master.  Egon calls out to to the Master from behind confusing him all over again.  The Ghostbusters are able to blast and trap the Master of Shadows.

               

                Back at the firehouse Egon and Slimer pretend the restoration of their selves wasn’t permanent and scare off the guys so they could sneak pizza.   

My Take: Okay so after watching this episode the first thing that comes to mind is if a ghost is supposed to be a soul or spirit outside of the body then shouldn’t Smiler had disappeared completely into and possessed Egon instead of them changing personalities?  Smiler in theory doesn’t have a body for Egon to take over.  Okay just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the show.

                Now for my stray observations:

·         The Master of Shadows seemed by a Ghostbuster fanboy at least an Egon fanboy.

·         Since Slimer was in Egon's body everyone worried about him eating too much.  I was more concerned about the other end.  Does Slimer know and remember how to go the bathroom and wipe himself?  Egon’s pants could have gotten brown if this episode lasted a little longer.

·         I was disappointed there wasn’t any more exploring by Egon of Slimer’s body.  What does it feel not have legs but can fly anywhere?  When Slimer changes from immaterial to material is this a conscious decision, does he have to focus more on one state than the other?  I would like to have seen Egon address some of these things.

·         We did see how Egon’s apatite increased and how easily he could lose focus.  Slimer once helped Egon on a really complicated math problem.  Is it possible that Slimer is really smart and it’s his body that tones down his mind to maintain his form?  You might say no because he didn’t act smarter as Egon but after years it might take time for his mind to recover.     

·         Why did Egon need his glasses in Slimer’s body?  And why didn’t Slimer need them? 

·         I love the finally battle scene and Egon mocking the Master of Shadows.

An awesome episode that I suspect most who watched it enjoyed it. 

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.

THE GHOSTBUSTERS TRY OUT FOR A GAME SHOW!

The Devil to Pay

Original Air date November 19, 1987^[1]

Writers: Pamela Hickey and Dennys McCoy

Director: Dale Schott

Main Cast:

• Lorenzo Music as Peter Venkman
• Frank Welker as Raymond Stantz
• Maurice LaMarche as Egon Spengler
• Arsenio Hall as Winston Zeddemore
• Laura Summer as Janine Melnitz
• Frank Welker as Slimer

(Rating 5 of 5)

Summary: Peter is dreaming of being in Tahiti being worshiped by Tahitians.  When he wakes up he finds that Ray and Winston are watching their favorite game trivia show.   Egon explains that Peter and Ray are quite good at game shows.  Peter then sees an ad in the paper that has tryouts for a game show where the contestants have a chance to win a trip to Tahiti.  

Peter's dream Vacation 

                Peter doesn’t have to do much arm twisting to convince Ray and Winston to try out as they love game shows so much they agreed right away.  All four go to the tryouts but Peter and Egon are there for support.  Ray and Winston make mincemeat out of the other contestants and sign the contracts to appear on the show.  Turns out the host is a demon named Dib and now their souls are on the line.  Dib arranged the whole thing as a trap for the Ghostbusters because the demon is looking for a promotion.

souls on the line

                After they leave Peter asks “what if we don’t go back” and they are then magically transported to the game show.  The first test is Ray is placed on high stilts where and Winston has to guess a word.   The answer to the word is YEEEERRRRRRRRGGGGHHH and Winston luckily guesses it right when he yells out in frustration.  The next game is pick the door.  All choices lead to door #1 where Pumpkin head Samhain(sorry, remember him?) emerges and attacks.  Ray, knowing Pumpkin head Samhain (I mean) is safe inside the Containment Unit, guesses this isn’t real and the illusion passes right through him.   All four Ghostbusters are then placed on roulette wheel and a steel ball was introduced until one of the Ghostbusters confessed the right sin.  They each confessed a silly sin but Ray’s was the right one and the ball stopped.  Then the demon cheated and started the ball again but the Ghostbusters kicked it away bringing down the place.  Peter threatened to destroy Dib unless he gave them a free trip to Tahiti and he did.

My Take: A few years ago in Portland Me they were doing an audition to be on the show Deal or No Deal.  When I heard of this I filled out the online application and was super excited when I received an invention by to attend their casting.  I figured someone had read my application and thought my answers to the questions were smart and witty.  When I got there the place was crowded with hundreds of people and I was handed a form that immediately made my heart sink.  The form they had given me were the same questions I had already answered online.  It was clear no one had read my application and anyone who filled it out got an e-mail. 

                We went to the audition room a producer got up and said “Now I am going to tell you all how not to suck.  You’re second group we got into day and the group really sucked and I don’t want a repeat of it.  So number one I don’t care how long you have watched the show.  Number two people who walk away with $25,000 didn’t ‘blow it’ but walked away with money in their pocket.  Number three I don’t care how much you love Howie, I don’t want to hear about him.”

                He then went on explain how he was going to call us up in groups of ten to talk with their panel and then made a huge error by declaring that the groups he was going to call on first was the group that showed the most enthusiasm by jumping up and down and yelling loud.  As you can imagine when we you actually got to the table no one could hear you well because of the two hundred plus people behind you screaming and your own voice may have become hoarse. 

                So I appreciate the spirit that this episode was made in.

                Now for my stray observations:

·         Always read something before you sign it.

·         Actually Winston, you didn’t sell your soul to the devil, you were conned out of it for nothing by a low ranking demon named Dib.

·         Pumpkin head (sorry I mean  Samhain) has returned!  But not really.

·         The entire sin confession scene on the roulette wheel was funny.

·         The best part of the roulette wheel was during Peter’s confession on pranking Janine in the shower, Egon was primarily concerned that Peter had peaked at naked Janine.

·         Apparently you can bully a demon for a free vacation.

A really fun episode that takes the game show market down a peg or two. 

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[1] Listed original air dates for entire syndicated season may not be correct.