Episode: Ghosts ‘R Us

Watch It: Disc 1
September 13, 1986

You’ll Need A Reference: The title for this episode, Ghosts ‘R Us probably takes it cue from the toy retailer, Toys ‘R Us.

The Real Ghostbusters receive a call at night from a candy factory. Ghosts are disrupting workers from making sugary treats! Immediately after arriving, ghosts use the smoke stacks to shoot chocolate candy all over.

Sorry, I Missed It: ECTO-1‘s rear license plate is missing a letter when The Real Ghostbusters are driving to the candy factory.

Egon’s P.K.E Meter shows “multiple entities.” Ray, eager to look into and take care of a unique opportunity rushes inside, only to have chocolate splattered on him. The first ghost materializes, moving up the machinery towards two other ghosts which also materialize.

Using his P.K.E Meter again, Egon determines they’re dealing with 3 Class V full torso apparitions who have almost no intellect. Peter rushes things along, leading the others to chase the ghosts to a small pipe where the ghosts went into. Peter tells them to come out and the ghosts answer by spraying more sugary confections, this time at Winston. Having had enough Peter flushes them out with his nutrona wand. Egon and Winston stand by while the streams and the ghosts cause more damage to the factory, spilling chocolate everywhere. Ray holds a trap above a conveyor belt, trapping the three ghosts.

It just popped in there: How can Janine hold all The Real Ghostbusters calls, presuming they get any? True, they need to sleep. Clients may not want to wait and other franchises can’t handle the calls as franchises aren’t apart of The Real Ghostbusters universe.

You’ll Need A Reference: When Peter tells Ray that Slimer’s been a major pain, it refers to when he first met Slimer at the Sedgewick hotel. (Ghostbusters, Citizen Ghost)

It’s Technical: The Ecto Containment Unit is a 200 volt, 10 Mega Watt storage facility.

You’ll Need A Reference: Ray sleeps with a Mr. Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man plush. Ray has loved Stay-Puft Marshmallows since he was a kid. (Ghostbusters)

Slimer, giving into his night-time cravings and not wanting to be caught by Winston takes his food to the basement. Where he accidentally pulls a lever for The Containment Unit. This begins a process that could shut The Containment Unit off. Panicking, Slimer pulls the same lever up. What isn’t known yet is that the 3 Class V full torso apparitions from earlier are being moved through a series of ‘pipes’ from The Containment Unit.

It Just Popped In There: Shouldn’t the warning alarms, cracking basement wall, and noise from the roof have been enough to wake everyone else up to look into any potential problems?

On another night call to a hospital The Real Ghostbusters arrive only to find the “ghosts” (who are somewhat disguised) have been taken care of by Ghost Grabbers/Ghosts ‘R Us.

You’ll Need A Reference: The name Ghosts ‘R Us was also used to establish The REAL Ghostbusters from those other Ghost Busters.

Back at the firehouse Janine had been getting calls for Ghost ‘R Us. Peter knows something is up, even with Egon’s P.K.E Meter registering activity from the last job. Soon after, The Real Ghostbusters get a call for them from the Smalldorf Hotel.

You’ll Need A Reference: The Smalldorf Hotel sounds similar to the real Waldorf Astoria. A luxury hotel that opened in 1893.

Odd flashing lights from the Smalldorf made it seem like The Real Ghostbusters were going to have their hands full. Before they can enter the hotel, the two Ghosts ‘R Us staff members tell The Real Ghostbusters from a window that the job is taken care of. They’re not happy and if this keeps up, The Real Ghostbusters will be out of business. While driving they receive a call from Janine who tells them a P.K.E Meter shows that The Containment unit is missing 3 ghosts! It’s at this point The Real Ghostbusters figure out what’s been happening.

It Just Popped In There: How could the father ghost possibly know one more “job” would put The Real Ghostbusters out of business?

It Just Popped In There/It’s Technical: How could Janine seem to know how to read a P.K.E Meter and not know what it’s called?

Once the pieces are put together a call dispatches The Real Ghostbusters to an old toy factory in Brooklyn. Where they know Ghosts ‘R Us will be as well.

It’s Technical: ECTO-2 can briefly be seen in the back of Ecto-1.

Wanting to put The Real Ghostbusters out of business once and for all they figure a Class VII phantom is needed. With little intelligence they can’t handle a different powerful ghost who now haunts the old toy factory.

It Just Popped In There: Since when do ghosts, especially ones who aren’t that smart know the human classification system of other ghosts?

It Just Popped In There: If the Class VII phantom did run The Real Ghostbusters into the next state, couldn’t they eventually come back into NYC and perhaps back into business? I know, the 3 Class Vs aren’t too bright.

It Just Popped In There: The Real Ghostbusters arrive in time to see a powerful ghost chasing the three Class Vs. Ray guesses it’s a Class VIII free roaming vapor. Egon’s P.K.E registers it as a full magnitude Class X.

With this Class X chasing Class V’s through NYC, The Real Ghostbusters divide and conquer using both Ecto-1 and Ecto-2.

It Just Popped In There: It’s convenient that Ecto-2 just happened to be loaded into Ecto-1. Perhaps with the lack of business The Real Ghostbusters had more time to use Ecto-2.

It’s Technical: If ghosts are cooperative, they can be “pulled” into a ghost trap without the use of the proton beams.

Using equipment from Ecto-2, Egon and Ray (with Slimer along for the ride) were eventually able to head off the Class V’s, trapping them on The Brooklyn Bridge. All without firing a single proton beam! Ray tried to slow down the Class X with a grappling hook. He was unsuccessful as it used the hook to bring down Ecto-2. Peter and Winston couldn’t contain the Class X with the proton beams. So Slimer remembering discouraging words from Peter built up courage, leaving a trail of slime for the Class X to slip on. With no other course of action, Egon overloaded Ecto-2!

With the Class X slipping and falling in the water below with Ecto-2, the power unit went terminal, destroying this Class X. With 3 Class V full torso apparitions trapped and a Class X taken care of, The Real Ghostbusters were appreciated by New Yorkers.

“Now that’s what I call a happy ending.” – Winston