Something similar to lightning flashes outside one night, and then the containment unit alarm sounds. However, when the Ghostbusters get up and check it, there's no breach. Meanwhile, two men are using a machine which is making the lightning-like stuff. The Ghostbusters drive off and track a signal to the building where the two men are. The men then finish using their machine, which turns out to be for transferring matter from our world to the Netherworld. One of them, who's old, reveals that he's doing this because he wants to take his fortune with him when he dies.
The Ghostbusters arrive outside the building and discover what's going on, then the old man wants to send more of his money to the spirit world. The younger man isn't sure, worrying about the effects on the environment, so the older man has him taken away. When he puts more gold into the Netherworld, ghosts start entering this world. The old man predicted this, so he uses a device called an "ecto-shield" attached to his wheelchair to shield him and zap at the ghosts.
The ghosts fly out of the building and the Ghostbusters zap at them, but they escape, covering them in spiderweb-like string. Egon then reveals that, since these ghosts were artificially introduced to this world, they're structurally unstable, so they might split into multiple ghosts each.
The Ghostbusters borrow a helicopter, fly (a bit unsteadily due to the vortex) up to the top of the building, abseil down the side, and crash through the windows (except Peter, who instead picks the lock with a nail file). They land in the apartment of the man, whose name is Mr. Tummell, and look at his riches. Then, they meet his servants, who claim that Tummell tried to send them to the spirit world also.
The Ghostbusters go to talk to Mr. Tummell, but he fires at them with his ecto-shield and some lasers. Peter then pretends to surrender and points out to Mr. Tummell that he can't take his house with him, so he'll have nowhere to reside once he dies. Mr. Tummell then tries to do just that, but a laser zaps his wheelchair, sending it out of control and he's sent through the machine. Meanwhile, the Ghostbusters try to shut off the lasers but can't because they're on automatic. Egon then crawls up to the machine and throws a ghost trap towards it.
Then, the Ghostbusters run off, with Egon explaining that the trap will clog the machine, sending the ghosts back where they came from. The Ghostbusters and the servants escape onto the roof and fly away on the helicopter. Then, the building disappears and money rains from the sky.
This episode provides examples of
- Admiring the Abomination: Ray and especially Egon are in awe of Mr. Tummell's lab and equipment, to the point of the latter saying they need to rework their own research budget. Egon's still impressed, even as they're getting shot at by lasers.
- Animate Inanimate Object: Some elevators turn into monsters.
- Big "NO!": Tummell shouts, "NO!" when he collides with his machine.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Mr. Tummell outright admits to not believing in morality.
- Cyclops: The elevator monsters have one eye.
- Dope Slap: After Peter ensures the overload is going to occur, Egon says it'll either shut everything down or blow them all up. Peter is about to smack for Egon failing to explain that earlier, though Winston stops him.
- Easter Bunny: Discussed by Mr. Tummell, who thinks that believing in morality, contracts, or the law is just as silly as believing in the Easter Bunny.
- Everyone Has Standards: Peter usually dislikes working for free, but he's willing to do it if it means preventing the world from filling with ghosts. Peter also considers it sick that Mr. Tummell was going to force his servants into the Netherworld.
- Evil Cripple: Mr. Tummell uses a wheelchair, and all he cares about is himself and his money.
- Evil Laugh: Mr. Tummell chuckles evilly a few times.
- Genius Cripple: Mr. Tummell uses a wheelchair and he's smart enough to have invented the "ecto-shield".
- Greed: The reason Mr. Tummell wants to take his fortune with him into the ghost world is because he wants to take his fortune with him into the afterlife when he dies.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Mr. Tummell is sent through to the Netherworld by his own machine.
- I Don't Think That's Such a Good Idea:
- Due to fears about the environment, the younger man isn't quite so sure about sending items to the Netherworld.
- Throughout the episode, Peter is always the one who's the least sure about the others' ideas.
- Indy Ploy: Egon believes overloading the equipment will seal the gateway. Peter immediately knows what to do, telling Mr. Tummell that he'll be leaving his beloved building behind and twisting the knife by saying it'll be given to a charitable organization. As Peter expects, Mr. Tummell opts to try to take the building through the gate, leading to the overload.
- Jumped at the Call: In response to Peter questioning why paid professionals would do a job for free, Ray simply says ghosts are on the loose and that they're the Ghostbusters. Egon also insists on this, as well, saying the ghosts being artificially brought over makes them unstable in such a way that countless new ghosts will be created.Peter: Well, hey, we can do a freebie now and then. Let's get up there.
- Laser-Guided Karma: In the end, Mr. Tummell and his building are sent into the Netherworld, but all his money and gold land in the street with the Ghostbusters. Egon reasons the building displaced the money and gold that had been previously sent over.Ray: Which means he's over there alone with his empty building.
Winston: He ain't alone. He's got his ghosts. - Oh, Crap!: Ray says nervously, "Uh-oh!" when he realises the helicopter is falling.
- Only in It for the Money: Partway into this adventure, Peter questions what they're doing this on the grounds that they're paid professionals and that no one called them. He suggests waiting for someone making that call before doing anything, but Egon stresses this is beyond the usual job.
- Our Ghosts Are Different: This episode reveals that some ghosts are formed when a structurally-unstable ghost splits apart.
- Race Against the Clock: Egon says the ghosts being brought over through the machine makes them unstable in such a way that will cause them to lose fragments, which will become entirely new ghosts. This process will simply continue over and over again. Egon calculates 15 hours, until the world is completely overrun.
- The Scrooge: Tummell is an excessive example. His plan is to use a machine to literally take his money to the afterlife with him when he dies. He knows his scheme will probably wreck the world and he does not cares, as the mere thought of a single dime of his fortune being given to charity disgusts him.
- Sinister Schnoz: Mr. Tummell is greedy and immoral, and he has a big nose.
- Still Believes in Santa: Discussed by Mr. Tummell, who says that scientists believe in so many things they probably even believe in the Easter Bunny.
- Super Wheelchair: Mr. Tummell's wheelchair has lasers attached.
- This Is Gonna Suck: Due to the number of floors and possessed elevators, Ray says he has another idea on how to get upstairs. Peter has this reaction.
- Title Drop: Done by Ray in the last scene when the group discuss how two old sayings have been proven true tonight.
- White Flag: To get a chance to talk and trick Mr. Tummell, Peter puts a white cloth on his proton blaster and waves it around for this effect.
- Woken Up at an Ungodly Hour: Peter complains about having been woken by the alarm and doesn't want to investigate because he's tired.
