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In The Devil to Pay, Ray and Winston are talked into going on a game show by Peter, who wants the prize: a holiday to Tahiti. But the show is a front for something a lot more sinister and life threatening![2]

Cast[]

Peter Venkman

Ray Stantz

Winston Zeddemore

Egon Spengler

Marsha

Dyb Devlin

Mr. and Mrs. Todd

Glick Brothers

Dyb's Demon Audience

Samhain (Illusion)

Equipment[]

Dimensional Inverter

Ecto-1

Locations[]

Firehouse

Dyb's Plane

Plot[]

In the morning, Peter was still asleep and dreamed he was in Tahiti being adored by Tahitians. One Tahitian bowed before Peter and asked what the capital of South Dakota was. Then two of the women holding up Peter's palanquin started to sound like Ray and Winston arguing. Peter woke up and fell out of bed. Ray and Winston were watching a game show on television. Peter walked over to Egon's lab and asked him about the two. Egon revealed their hobby was going for months and they became rather good at it. Peter's mind started pondering as he looked through the newspaper. Egon's device blew another gasket. As Egon rushed to put out the fire, Peter noticed an ad calling for contestants for a new game show with the grand prize being an all expenses paid vacation for four to Tahiti.

Ecto-1 pulled up to the building where auditions were being held for the game show, "Race the Devil." Marsha, the assistant, quickly laid down some ground rules for the would-be contestants and led them to the stage. Ray and Winston decided to play because it was their moral obligation to teach everyone a lesson. Marcia introduced the host, Dyb Devlin. A gust of wind blew through the stage and Dyb stepped forth from a puff of smoke. A microphone appeared out of nowhere and he began the auditions. Mr. and Mrs. Todd and Ray and Winston were selected. Ray and Winston breezed through the competition but Egon began to realize something was wrong.

Ray and Winston eventually won the right to be on the game show. Egon noted all the questions were related to the Devil and his minions. Dyb quickly had Ray and Winston sign a standard release form so he wouldn't have to pay Marsha overtime. Egon realized the truth and rushed for Dyb. It was too late. Dyb Devlin was actually a minor demon and at stake were the Ghostbusters' souls. On the ride back to the Firehouse, Winston lamented the turn of events, repeatedly moaning "I have sold my soul to the Devil" (and when Ray pointed out Dyb was actually a separate minor demon, "I have sold my soul to a minor demon"). As soon as Peter proposed they not go to the episode taping, they were teleported to Dyb's plane of existence.

After the Ghostbusters were introduced, the game started with the first round of three. Marsha selected the game and it was called "Dyb's Choice," a three parter. The first challenge was "Spikes." While Ray stood precariously over a pit of spikes, Winston had to guess a 20 letter word in three attempts. On the third try, Winston got it. It was "YEEEERRRRRRRRGGGGHHH" Dyb is shocked and angered. He declared the game show was his attempt at ascending the ranks by winning the souls of the troublesome Ghostbusters. The second round is "1,2,3" where Ray and Winston had to pick one of three doors and simply survive. However, each one led to Door #1. Ray reluctantly settled on it. Inside was Samhain.

Ray asserted since Samhain was still in the Containment Unit, this Samhain was just an illusion. Ray stood up and Samhain vanished on contact. The final round was a twist on roulette. All four Ghostbusters were strapped down on the roulette wheel and a steel ball would be introduced. Unless, someone confessed their secret everyone would die over his pride. Winston confessed first then Peter and then Egon. The ball was still in play. Ray finally confessed he ate half a cookie slimed by Slimer. The other three were disgusted as were the demon audience. But that was the secret and the ball stopped. However, Dyb was a sore loser and put the ball into play again. Luckily, the Ghostbusters timed the ball and kicked it into the ceiling. They survived the subsequent cave-in. Peter confronted Dyb and demanded the grand prize. Forced to comply due to the contract signed, the Ghostbusters were whisked away to Tahiti with three tons of deviled ham.

Quotes[]

  • Winston: "I have sold my soul to the Devil. I have sold my soul to the Devil. I have sold my soul to the Devil."
    Ray: "Actually, Winston, Dyb is just a minor demon, not the Devil, per se."
    Winston: "I have sold my soul to a minor demon. I have sold my soul to a minor demon."
  • Peter: "Okay okay you got me! Last week, Janine was taking a shower upstairs and I... well..."
    Egon: "You PEEKED!?"
    Peter: "NO! But I did send Slimer up the water pipe and told him she was hiding a donut in her shower cap."
  • Egon: "In college I once got an A- on a test and my parents wouldn't talk to me for a week."
    Peter: "CAN YOU DROP THE BALL ON HIM!?"
  • Peter: "I just wish I could get my hands on that Dyb guy!"
    Egon: "No reason why you can't. We're in his world, his plane of existence. He should be as solid as you are. (Peter zips away) Peter? Peter!"
    Peter: (grabs Devlin) "YOU PROMISED US A TRIP TO TAHITI! WE GAMBLED ON A TRIP TO TAHITI! WE WON YOUR STUPID GAME! AND NOW YOU'RE GONNA SEND US TO TAHITI, ALL EXPENSES PAID, OR I'M GONNA WRING YOUR CRUMMY NECK!"

Trivia[]

  • The episode was recorded on November 5, 1986.[3]
  • William E. Martin was originally going to reprise the role of Samhain but for undisclosed reasons did not.[4]
  • In the introduction included in The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection, it is confirmed the episode is a salute to game shows.
  • In particular, "Let's Make a Deal," "Wheel of Fortune," and "Double Dare" were referenced.[5]
  • At the time of writing the script, Dennys McCoy was auditioning for game shows. He had a cast on and used it as a hook to win a role as a contestant. However, he messed up on a question in which the answer was South Dakota.
  • The script was also written at a time when the writers were frustrated with the kinds of puzzles on "Wheel of Fortune."[6]
  • Ray and Winston both like game shows.[7]
  • Winston mentions some of his cousins live in Bismarck,[8] but he is incorrect. The city is the capital of North Dakota. Likewise, Ray is also wrong. The capital of South Dakota is Pierre.
  • Egon considers filing fungus samples a vacation.[9]
  • The first answer in the tryouts is Sloth, of the Seven Deadly Sins.
  • Mr. Todd answered Sleepy, of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."
  • When Ray is asked for other names for the Devil, he comes up with a very long list.
    • Mephistopheles
    • The Prince of Darkness
    • Beelzebub
    • Apollyon
    • Satan
    • Lucifer
    • Diablo
    • Old Gooseberry
    • Old Nick
    • Old Scratch
  • The production staff was flooded with letters from parents in protest about mention of the Devil. [citation needed]
  • Winston's hobbies are music and Biblical studies.[10]
  • Ray has multiple degrees and hopes to win a Nobel Prize.[11]
  • Ray in the first round in the game show is shown standing on Wicket.
  • The Door #1 gag was influenced by a joke making its way through the comedy circuit at the time.[12]
  • In the episode, it is stated by Devlin that the Ghostbusters fought Samhain last year.[13]
  • Winston confesses to taking $20 out of petty cash for his girlfriend.[14]
  • Peter confesses to playing a prank on Janine the week before when she was showering by sending Slimer up the water pipe under the impression there was a doughnut in her shower cap.[15][16]
  • Egon confesses he once got an A- in college and his parents wouldn't talk to him for a week.[17]
  • Ray confesses he ate half a cookie slimed by Slimer. Even the demon audience is disgusted.[18]
  • Neither Janine nor Slimer appear in the episode, but both are referenced to towards the episode in the spinning roulette scene.

Animation Errors[]

References[]

  1. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Devil to Pay" (1986).
  2. Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 23. CPT Holdings, Inc.
  3. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Devil to Pay" (1986).
  4. Marsha Goodman (1986). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Devil to Pay" (1986).
  5. Dennys McCoy (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Devil to Pay" Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 10:50-10:58, 13:16-13:17). Time Life Entertainment.
  6. Dennys McCoy (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Devil to Pay" Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 12:34-12:39). Time Life Entertainment.
  7. Dennys McCoy (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Devil to Pay" Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 05:15-06:00). Time Life Entertainment.
  8. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 2:19-2:21). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "It's Bismarck! I got some cousins there."
  9. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 3:40-3:41). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Filing fungus samples count?"
  10. Dyb Devlin (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 11:00-11:04). Time Life Entertainment. Dyb says: "Winston Zeddemore is an evil spirit controller from New York. His hobbies include music and Biblical Studies."
  11. Dyb Devlin (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 11:04-11:08). Time Life Entertainment. Dyb says: "And Dr. Ray Stantz, a noted parapsychologist with multiple degrees. Ray hopes to one day win a Nobel Prize."
  12. Dennys McCoy (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Devil to Pay" Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 15:23-15:46). Time Life Entertainment.
  13. Dyb Devlin (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 16:04-16:09). Time Life Entertainment. Dyb says: "You fought him last year and now he's back for a grudge match."
  14. Winston Zeddemore (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 18:22-18:28). Time Life Entertainment. Winston says: "Okay...uh...ah...I took $20 out of petty cash to buy a birthday present for my girlfriend and I didn't tell anyone."
  15. Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 18:35-18:38). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Last week, Janine was taking a shower upstairs and I..."
  16. Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 18:40-18:46). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "No! But I did send Slimer up the water pipe and told him she had a doughnut in her shower cap."
  17. Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 18:56-18:59). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "In college I once got an A- on a test and my parents wouldn't talk to me for a week."
  18. Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Devil to Pay" (1987) (DVD ts. 19:16-19:23). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Okay, I admit. Slimer are half a cookie, got slime all over the other half, and by accident without thinking about it, I ate it."

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]

RGB DVD Boxset Features[]

 
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