One of the better aspects of the show so far (because I can make these calls after having watched all of two episodes) is the cold opening.  From the pilot’s Clerks-like introduction to this week’s uninvited guest in bed (not who you’re thinking, it’s actually the box containing this week’s weapon of demonic interest), they’ve been fun and interesting, and have really segued well into what the general theme of the episode is for the week.  This week, after almost opening the case, Sam decides to push it off for later, because he’s got to get to work. Even worse for Sam, not only is he having trouble with his night job, he’s also having trouble with his day job.  An errant toss of a bottle by Sock ends with a customer concussed, and that means Sock and Sam end up on night duty with their jerk of a boss, doing that most-dreaded of activities, inventory.  As anyone who has every worked for ANY sort of store can tell you, unless you work at a place with an open bar, inventory is absolutely terrible.    When you work at a big-box store, inventory is quite possibly the worst thing you could possibly imagine.  Fortunately for the gang, it gives them the chance to have a little fun with this week’s vessel:  a remote-control monster truck.  Three slackers alone in a department store in the middle of the night with a toy car?  If you can’t see how they’d build a large track to race their new toy over, you’re blind.    This week’s demon, as hinted at by the constant static electricity problem that Sam has, is a lightning-powered demon named Arthur Ferry, who spent his years in hell being electrocuted daily.  He was an energy trader who secretly sold the town’s energy to neighboring states at an inflated price, and because of his actions, lots of people died in the resulting brownouts and blackouts.  He controls the power of lightning and electricity, which is a very cool power indeed.    There’s only one problem.  After an aborted attempt to capture Ferry that failed, he knows Sam and the gang are after him, and he’s not going to wait around for them to get him.  No sir, he’s going after them, and they’re all alone in that big store full of electricity-powered implements of death.  Cue up the Maximum Overdrive references! Judging by the amount of praise the show has gotten, and the amount of commercials squeezed in by the CW, this is a show that’s going to be around for awhile.  At the very least, it’ll get a full season to explore the potential of the setup, as it should.  It’s probably one of my favorite new shows of the year.  Kudos to the brain trust at the CW for being willing to take a chance on an unusual premise. When Ron Hogan worked at a big-box store in his 20s, he was never attacked by demons, chased by dogs, or flirted with by cute girls. Find more by Ron at his blog, Subtle Bluntness, and daily at Shaktronics and the Flektor Development Blog.