Wow, an entire hour of TV dedicated to building towards an homage to the ghost trap from “Ghostbuster”? Coolness achieved.

Seriously, did anyone else get that vibe in the climatic scene of this episode? I kept waiting for Sock to shout, “The flowers are still standing!” at some point. Would have been totally in character, as I’m sure Sock’s memorized every line from that movie. All in all, a fun gag that semi-redeemed an overall lackluster episode.

I’m still waiting for Sam to open the vessel straight off the bat. Last week he ran away from it the way Paris Hilton runs from sobriety, and this week he’s disinterested in discovering the clue as to how to defeat the bug demon. Unreal. Wouldn’t that be the FIRST thing he’s go for after using Colgate (with Extra Beetling)? Lord knows I would. And yet, he’s content to simply sit around and look like the kid who played Beaver Casablancas on “Veronica Mars”. I know you’re a slacker and all, dude, but c’mon, a little initiative wouldn’t kill you.

I will say the F/x on the bees were solid, especially the T-1000 look outside of the Work Bench before revealing her true face. Having seen what pathetic budgets the last two years of “Buffy” had to work with, it’s nice to see effects come along enough in the meantime to support effects that won’t make the viewer feel like he or she is watching a crappy remake of “Clash of the Titans”. But bees…yikes. I’m with Sock on this one: hate bees. Hate, hate, hate any insect that can sting me in any fashion. Bees are up there with my least favorite things, possibly third behind the New York Yankees and mind control. Ugh, mind control. Flips me out. Can’t take it. I’m getting the willies just typing this out. Mind control is bullsh%t. That’s all I’m saying, and I ain’t sayin’ no more.

(To get my mind off…well, mind control, I do want to give props to whomever in the production staff designs their “let’s go kick some demon ass” outfits. They are three for three in gut-busting get-ups.)

It’s interesting how Sam’s parents were completely absent from the show this week. I think it’s actually better that way, since Lord knows Satan’s a better parent than either one of them at this point. (Would you rather have your folks pay for college tuition or shut the school down with a fake asbestos call in order to buy you a six-month reprieve? Exactly.) More than a few people think Satan’s got a vested interest in Sam getting with Andi, but I’m hoping this all doesn’t go “Devil’s Advocate” on us, since that would be creepy and just a little too dark for this particular endeavor.

Sock’s Line of the Week: “Having fun being hot?” (Can’t wait to spring that on women. You know, in my mind. Assuming I see one. Because, you know, um, no one in Boston is hot. Except my wife. Someone stop me from typing.)

What did you think? A step up, a step back, more of the same? Tell me below!