TV episode review
US airdate 13 May 2008 (The CW)

Sam turns in the slick soul Mike Volta, but thanks to a leak in Hell he keeps returning to Earth - so the Devil demands Sam plug the leak fast. Sara and Ben have to face an immigration officer and convince him their fake marriage is the real deal. And Tony looks at Sam's contract that keeps him in the Devil's servitude...

Another dilemma for Sam this week - the soul he has to bust might keep escaping from hell, but he doesn't seem like a bad guy. In fact, leaving aside that he’s a supernatural serial adulterer, Sam kind of likes him. So why is Satan so obsessed with hunting him down?

The missions sure aren't as simple as they once were. Episodes used to strictly involve introducing the soul-of-the-week, obtaining the vessel and trying to survive. Thankfully that formula has been shuffled around a little which has made the last batch of Reaper episodes worth the effort, as the ever-grinning Devil's escalating mind games with Sam eat away at his patience and sanity.

As always, the Devil isn't showing all his cards, and Sam soon finds out that there's a lot more to the soul's serial escaping than he thought. Doris is caught up in it all and gets a knife in the torso for her troubles, forcing the gang, in one of the funniest moments, to drive around with her corpse slumped in the back of Sam's car. “We should bury her some place beautiful,” Sock sobs, “or light her on fire...like a Viking.” He gets to give her a eulogy too. Sock also tries, in his usual style, to help Ben and Sara pass their immigration test, but fails utterly thanks to some dismal photoshopped honeymoon snaps.

This episode also features the Devil being served fresh margaritas by a dwarf servant, and some clever jump cuts as the Devil teleports Sam around during their tête-à-têtes. And Tony unearths a disturbing clue about Sam's father hidden in the text of his contract. What more could you want? Owen Van Spall

VERDICT: 7/10