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Episode Recap: "Greg, Schmeg"
Sorry for the delay, everyone!
Sometimes your first impressions of people are actually the right ones. The first time I saw Andi’s "boyfriend" Greg? Toolbox. The first time I saw Gladys? Evil. The first time I saw the Devil? Handsome. Erm, bad, bad man. The reality of first impressions on this show is that they're invalid — you never really know what you’re going to get. The Devil spins his webs in devious little ways and doesn’t ever seem to lose. It seems that as soon as Sam ever gets an inkling that the good guys might have a chance, he has to be cruelly reminded that the Devil’s the one calling the shots and, oh, yeah, he’s the man. Knowing that, I got to wondering. Should we even have hope left for Sam’s eternal soul? Or for that matter, for anyone he loves?
Andi is someone Sam loves, and as we found out tonight, she still loves him too. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend Greg also loves her, and the ensuing battle over Andi’s heart played out with chainsaws and daggers and telescope rifles. Sounds exciting, except that Sam didn’t use a-one of those to win his lady back. Greg showed up out of nowhere in this episode to steal Andi back with his newly acquired powers of irresistibility, courtesy of the Devil for a swap of his soul. Oh, that tricky Devil, always messing things up for Sam. Just episodes ago, the Devil played the hurt-friend-card at Sam for Sam’s betrayal. And now here he is, setting up Greg with a sweet Jedi mind trick to steal Andi's love from Sam. The Devil is no friend of Sam’s, but at least that’s been beaten into Sam’s brain enough times now. I hope so, anyways.
With Greg’s new powers, his inner anger also manifested itself as the chainsaw murderer from his favorite slasher flick, much to Sam’s (and I think everyone’s) surprise. It was a pretty great wrench to throw into the equation, after all the souls and demons and supernatural beings we've seen: A soul from nowhere goes after Sam, and there's no vessel in sight to catch it. Though it did turn out to be Greg and not a soul, the intrigue of the mystery slasher who fit no escaped-soul equation was something totally new for this show. Can you say "Hell’s Most Wanted" three times fast? (You see how I segued into Gladys there? I love me some Glad Bags). It seems that with every episode since the introduction of Tony and Steve, there's a greater payoff for us viewers while the puzzle keeps building. How rewarding.
Speaking of my love for Gladys, what a great scene that was with her helping the guys get a bootleg vessel from the demon at the self storage in exchange for cat sitting. "She's a Persian and her name is Fancy." And she said it with the straightest face I've ever seen. Gladys the Demon: Real American Hero. One question, though. The self-storage demon told Sam "He’s got no dominion over the human heart, bro. Devil can’t undo true love." That sounds like a guideline. So where is this Demon rulebook people keep quoting from? And as the Devil's minion it makes me wonder Sam doesn't know things like this already.
How did you like that there was no escaped soul to catch in this episode? And that any harm that could come to the guys was from mortal, deranged Greg? This one was all about love, and to what lengths everyone would go to get it and keep it. Greg sold his soul for Andi. Ben's breaking the law out in the open so he can date Cassidy. And Sam used his Get Out of Hell Free card to save Andi from Greg. As we all know, Sam is way too good of a guy, so I wasn't that surprised that he did this insanely selfless thing to save Andi's life and to keep himself from killing Greg like the Devil wanted. Under all this pressure, he's this absolutely moral character, and I'm sure that drives the Devil crazy.
My theory is that these are all tests from the Devil to make Sam fall and show he can be wicked too. I'm sure that's just Sam's nature to be good and he's pretty incapable of doing bad things on purpose. But unfortunately, Sam seems to be giving up all of his proverbial "get out of hell free" cards to save everyone he loves. What happens when he can't figure out how to fix something in a moral way? You know the Devil's not going to quit tripping him up. It makes me wonder if Sam's bound to do something terrible because of the circumstances he's been put in. What do you think?
Tons of Quotination
"You’d be dead if you were in that treehugger. Go America" — Sock on the hybrid car
Sock: "No way, Hell’s Most Wanted?"
Gladys: "We have a few outstanding cases."
"You know what I’ve been thinking about lately, Sam? Trust, honesty, integrity. I don’t like those words. Not one little bit." — The Devil
"Chicks do not want sensitive. They want someone who’ll break all the rules. Someone who’ll bang them on the back of a motorcycle and not do the dishes." — Sock
"I knew she’d never go back out with that douchebag. What the hell did you do to her?" — Sam to Greg
"Sadly, all sales are final." — The Devil, on soul-purchases
"Bullying me will never work. I do, however, respond to bribes." — Gladys
"Then we’ll run away together. You like Buffalo? The winters are murder." — Sam
"You gonna offer us anything to drink? No? Fine." [whips out juicebox from nowhere] — Sock
Sara: "My, my, my. When did we acquire testes?"
Ben: "Yesterday."
Don’t fear the Reaper, explore our Online Video Guide for episodes you can’t get enough of.
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May 7, 2008 10:56 AM
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I loved that there was no soul to catch. This show has really come to life following the writers strike. Before it had this formula that it never veered too much from (Sam gets his assignment, Sam gets the vessel, Sam doesn't want to do it, Sam pines over Andi, Sam eventually captures soul). Now the show is much more serial than procedural.
Loved the telescope turning into the sniper rifle.
Loved Gladys helping.
I thought it was a little overboard what the Devil did to Greg. I get that there's always a catch when you make a deal with the devil. I thought that would be more along the lines of how the devil didn't make it so Andi didn't love Sam anymore. But making him into a subconscious chainsaw wielding maniac, was a little over the top.
I liked how Sam saved Greg, considering, as the devil pretty much admitted, the card wouldn't work in his case.
I still am hoping to find out what the heck Sam's father tore out of his contract.
As usual loving Dee (aka Ben's mistress).
This show has gotten so good. I really hope CW will make the right decision and bring this one back.
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May 7, 2008 11:47 AM
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Please for the love of all that is good and holy and even for the Devil himself let the CW RENEW THIS SHOW!!
I agree with you that eventually Sam will run out of cards to play and will find himself faced with a truly difficult moral decision where there are nothing but losses on both sides and will have to live with the choice he makes. I'd like to see them delve that deep, into the murky waters that we see on Kandyse's other show, where grey area is the order of the day. Right now Sam clearly knows his right from his wrong but there are some decisions for which there are no clear answers. I want to see Sam really tested.
Best Show Ever. ![]<img border=](http://community.tvguide.com/images/emoticons/devil.gif) "> I am crossing my fingers hard for word of that renewal. I can envision this show down the road and it can only get better.
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May 7, 2008 1:05 PM
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Even more funny is the idea of Ben as a swinger, or as his boss put it "in the lifestyle" should he want to turn their triangle into a square. Ben, who was complaining about not being able to find some loving just last week is now sporting a wife and a mistress. Hilarious.
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May 7, 2008 1:15 PM
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I loved the Hell's Most Wanted List with Al Capone and Ben Franklin as members!
I also found it interesting that the Self-Storage Demon said that his job is to find loopholes! Does thismean that he could find a loophole for Sam? I think that we will be seeing more of this demon in the future!
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May 7, 2008 1:27 PM
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Triangle into a square! Ted is such a skeevy skeeve.
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May 7, 2008 1:43 PM
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I have nothing to say but: REAPER MUST BE RENEWED.
That is all.
Oh and, Greg -- what a tool.
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May 7, 2008 3:04 PM
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Wow, this show is so great and gets so little media attention. Ray Wise is amazing as the Devil... I love that he plays him as Sinatra in the Rat Pack years. I do wonder about that page ole Dad ripped out of the contract... and if there is a loophole that the more Sam resists temptation to do evil...the closer he is to redeaming his soul. the Devil looked more than a little peaved with his resolve to resist. Gladys is terrific... just the idea that she was going on a little vacation and needed a cat sitter! CW... this is a great show...don't screw it up!
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May 7, 2008 3:29 PM
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Its ratings were also better than Gossip Girl's last night.
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May 7, 2008 3:35 PM
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Ranger99: Honest Abe was on that list too.
The Devil looked a little concerned at the end if you ask me. He will come up with something new to throw Sam off though. He has to or the show is over.
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May 7, 2008 3:38 PM
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It was great having the show completely ignore the formula. This show really seems to have hit it's stride the last few episodes and I hope to God (sorry Ray) that they renew it. It really does seem to be leading up to Sam having to make an impossible choice and it will be interesting to see how he handles that. It's been interesting to see, too, how much working for the devil has helped him grow up. He was a total slacker when the show started and now he is much more responsible and open and honest about his feelings.
And I got give Ted props. He is such an awesome skeevy guy!
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May 7, 2008 3:45 PM
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This show is too good. Fingers & toes crossed for renewal.
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May 7, 2008 4:24 PM
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Loved, loved, loved the episode last night. I love that Gladys helped and she has sympathy for Sam. I love the storage place demon, and the actor who played him. I love Cassidy, she is so pretty and it's hard to see that on BSG.
Did you fans read the celebrity blog from the actress who plays Sock's GF? She posted the address to send socks, clean or dirty, as part of the Save Reaper campaign:
Attn: Dawn Ostroff
CW Network
3300 W. Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91505
Also, here's the video that the cast and crew made lip syncing to Public Enemy (link below.) It's very funny, but where was Bret (aka Sam?)
http://tinyurl.com/666fpm
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May 7, 2008 4:41 PM
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I love Cassidy, she is so pretty and it's hard to see that on BSG
Me too! I have had it for Kandyse McClure ever since I saw her in Battlestar - she is extremely hot!
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May 7, 2008 5:05 PM
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Thanx, darclyte, for the video link! Seeing Gladys get funky made my day.
In last night's ep, I loved how Sock's eyes lit up when the gang decided to go talk to her about the vessel. I'm feeling some chemistry there... As for her friend at the storage unit, I too hope we see more of him. BTW, played by Jeff Kober, a longtime character actor on TV.
Speaking of Gladys: **SPOILER ALERT**
Promos for next week's show make her out to be a mole in Hell, and I hope, hope, hope that doesn't mean the end of her character. Glad Bags rules!
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May 7, 2008 5:23 PM
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