Extreme Ghostbusters

The Extreme Ghosbusters. L to R: Garret, Kylie, Eduardo, Roland, Egon. Slimer upper left

Extreme Ghostbusters is a short-lived, sequel/spin-off of The Real Ghostbusters (RGB) cartoon series that aired 40 episodes in the fall of 1997. The show featured a new team of younger Ghostbusters led by veteran Ghostbuster Egon Spengler, secretary Janine Melnitz and, of course, Slimer. The premise is similar to the plot of Ghostbusters II. Set years after the end of RGB, lack of supernatural activity has put the 'Busters out of business. Each has gone their separate ways, except for Egon, who still lives in the Firehouse to further his studies and teach a class on the paranormal at a local college. When ghosts start to reappear in the New York area, Egon is forced to recruit new ghostbusters from the class.

The new Ghostbusters were Kylie Griffin, a girl genius and expert on the occult, Eduardo Rivera, a hip, cynical slacker, Garrett Miller, a wheelchair-bound young athlete and Roland Jackson, a studious machinery whiz.

Everything familiar to the previous series needed to be retooled design-wise as the character likenesses were owned by Columbia Pictures Television. That meant a new Ecto-1, different looks for Egon, Slimer and Janine, and all-new background layouts consistent through Sony cartoons at the time.

The theme music for Extreme Ghostbusters replaced the familiar Ray Parker Jr. theme with a gritty, rock/funk inspired variation of the original Ghostbusters song as written by Jim Latham.

Perhaps the most notable episode of Extreme Ghostbusters was the two part episode entitled Back in the Saddle, in which all of the original Ghostbusters team up with their successors for an adventure. Dave Coulier (voice of Peter Venkman), Buster Jones (voice of Winston Zeddemore), and Frank Welker (voice of Ray Stantz) reprised their roles from The Real Ghostbusters.

Three video games were also created based on the series, two for the Game Boy Advance, one for the PlayStation.

In 1998, three VHS volumes of the show were released by Columbia TriStar Home Video, all of which are now out of print. There are currently no plans for a DVD release.

The episodes included on the VHS volumes were:

Volume 1:Darkness At Noon (Part 1),Darkenss At Noon (Part 2)

Volume 2:The Infernal Machine,Grundelesque

Volume 3:Back In The Saddle (Part 1),Back In The Saddle (Part 2)

Cast

* Egon Spengler - Maurice LaMarche
* Janine Melnitz - Pat Musick
* Eduardo Rivera - Rino Romano
* Roland Jackson - Alfonso Ribeiro
* Garrett Miller - Jason Marsden
* Kylie Griffin - Tara Strong
* Slimer - Billy West

Trivia

*The abbreviation for the title is either XGB or EGB.
*Garrett is the only Ghostbuster in the history of the franchise to be handicapped (he is a paraplegic); and was also the only Ghostbuster in the entire series never to be made as a toy (all other Ghostbusters received at least two toys including Louis and Janine). The lack of a figure is associated with unconfirmed rumors that the toy line preceded the show. While there are suggestions that toy concepts might have come before the animation, as suggested in interviews with Shannon Muir [1], a Production Supervisor for the series; concrete evidence hasn't yet been found to prove or disprove the argument.
*Kylie was the first official full-time female Ghostbuster, although Janine served as a stand-in member on numerous occasions.
*Sam Hain, though never appearing in an episode in the series, appears in the opening credits, and also received a toy, marking him as the only Real Ghostbusters ghost to be made as a toy. Unlike in his incarnation on the original Ghostbusters cartoon and his XGB toy design, the cartoon version featured a smaller proportioned pumpkin head, complete with a pointy carrot.
*The 'tophat demon' seen in the Real Ghostbusters episode, Slimer, Come Home also made a brief cameo appearance in the intro sequence.
*The episode Grundelesque is the only episode to serve as a direct sequel to a Real Ghostbusters episode. In this episode, a second Grundel appears and the original is freed from the Containment Unit. It is revealed that Kylie's friend Jack was the second Grundel (however, the episode was also filled with inconsistencies though Eduardo has indicated that Kylie is at least eighteen. Due to a change in vocal actor, the Grundel's character and voice seem drastically different in reflection to its earlier appearance. Like all aspects from the show that originally appeared in The Real Ghostbusters, the appearance of the Grundel has also shifted.
*At the end of Killjoys, the creature picks up Garrett and Kylie in its tentacles, and attempts to tickle them. A shot was cut from circulation, involving the creature taking Kylie's boots off and tickling her bare feet.
*A long-running gag in the series was the tension between Eduardo and Kylie. The age old gag of two characters showing contempt for each other, but hinting at a possible romantic aspect they haven't yet realized. This tension would usually lead to them fighting with each other and lead to verbal sparring (Eduardo compares her to a vampire; she compares him to a goat). The dynamic was similar to the one held by Janine Melnitz and Peter Venkman (the difference being that Janine and Peter weren't romantically involved or interested). Had there been an intent for Kylie and Eduardo to become fully romantically involved will remain unknown due to the show's abrupt cancellation.
*Another gag of this sort involved Eduardo and Slimer in a sibling-like rivalry; excluding one time in Slimer's Sacrifice, where Eduardo had to enter the Containment Unit to save the ghost. Their differences were temporarily put aside in order to escape before being caught by a crowd of angry spirits. This relationship was very similar to the rivalry held between Slimer and former Ghostbuster Peter Venkman. This episode featured a number of cameo appearances by past villains from XGB.
*A statue of Peter Venkman, using the animation model from Real Ghostbusters (although close-up shots of this statue appear to have a digital blur over the face, leading weight to suggestions of licensing problems), sits in a glass case on the second floor of the firehouse. The figure is in full pose and complete with one of the original, fully working Proton Packs on its back. To this date the reason for the statue has never been revealed.
*One key difference between RGB and EGB was in its handling of pop culture references. RGB typically used parodies or original creations for television shows and music (an exception being The Bob Newhart Show, which Venkman was a fan of original Venkman actor Lorenzo Music was connected to the show. Star Wars was also referenced twice since Kenner produced Star Wars toys in addition to the RGB toys. In addition, there was one episode where Aretha Franklin was alluded to, but never named. XGB featured Eduardo mentioning Michael Jackson, Henry Rollins, and the TV series Columbo by name, and Kylie is mentioned as being a Nine Inch Nails fan as well as dreaming about Christian Slater. The use of direct references instead of parodies might bear a link to properties owned directly by Sony, although it might also relate to a wish by the writers to convey a more "realistic" world in which the XGB's inhabit.
*The episode Slimer's Sacrifice, while not a direct sequel, possibly references events from the RGB episode Ragnarok and Roll. Surt, a demon who wishes to bring about Ragnarok, is in the containment unit. His likely time of capture would be in Ragnarok and Roll, when Ragnarok nearly occurred once before in the Ghostbusters history.
*In the episode Glutton for Punishment, near the end, one of Roland's lines is clearly spoken by actor Billy West.
*In Season 2 of The Real Ghostbusters, Janine went through several drastic changes which affected her appearance, voice and character. These changes were decision of the executives of the ABC Network and proved to be increasingly unpopular, especially in light of the other altered dynamics such as the one between Slimer and Peter Venkman. The changes led to a brief return by Real Ghostbusters producer J. Michael Straczynski after resigning over the changes. To correct the problem he wrote the episode Janine, You've changed offering an explanation behind Janine's changes. The real reason was that a demon called Makoverus Lotsabucks kept changing her. The character design for Janine in XGB appears to resemble an older version of how she originally appeared in the 1986 cartoon, however Laura Summer did not reprise her role unlike the vocal actors for the four original Ghostbusters.
*The villains of Deadliners resemble the mutilated monsters of Clive Barker's Hellraiser series.
*The episode Home Is Where the Horror Is' featured a reference to the real-life game show Wheel of Fortune.
*The Pied Piper of Manhattan takes its inspiration from the children's tale, The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
*Grease featured two FBI agents based on Agent Kay and Ageny Jay from Men in Black: The Series, an animated series based on the 1997 film Men in Black. Both shows were produced by the same studio.
*The Jersey Devil was originally titled The Jersey Devil Made Me Do It.
*Bird of Prey features a sly nod to both The Real Ghostbusters and Godzilla: The Series, a movie theatre is seen playing 'Gozilla vs. Killerwatt'. Godzilla: The Series was produced by the same studio as Extreme Ghostbusters and featured its own Ghostbusters reference.
*Penn Station is referenced in A Temporary Insanity, however the station is no longer a large overground terminal (The overground structure was demolished and eventually replaced by Madison Square Garden). Despite a full underground terminal existing, the station shown in the episode is in fact Grand Central Station.
*In Heart of Darkness, Dr. Edward Carillion is played by Star Trek: The Next Generation actor John de Lancie.
*550 Central Park (In real life, 55 Central Park West) from Ghostbusters makes a brief appearance (Complete with church) as one of the investigation sites in the episode Sphinx.

Episode List

1. Darkness at Noon (part 1) (9/1/1997)

When Achira, a disease spreading entity is released by a group of Subway workers, former Ghostbuster Egon Spengler is forced to recruit a new team of Ghostbusters to deal with the new threat.

2. Darkness at Noon (part 2) (9/2/1997)

With Achira spreading the disease through a possessed Kylie and Egon himself infected, the Ghostbuster helps to train and equip the new recruits for battle.

3. The True Face of a Monster (9/3/1997)

After a Jewish temple is damaged by vandals, a creature known as a Golem begins to seek vengeance. How can the monster be controlled and what does the vandalism have to do with Garett?

4. Fear Itself (9/4/1997)

The XGBs have their inner fears brought to life when they must must deal with Fear itself.

5. Deadliners (9/5/1997)

J.F.Kline is a successful novelist behind the 'Vathack' series of novels. The XGBs are called in when people have been disappearing near the author's mansion and it soon becomes apparent that the lines between reality and literary fiction have become blurred.

6. Casting the Runes (9/8/1997)

A petty thief steals a pouch of runes from the Metropolitan Museum and it soon becomes clear that anyone who touches one of the cursed stones will become a slave to a self proclaimed god.

7. The Infernal Machine (9/9/1997)

The XGBs become worried when Roland exhibits obsessive behavior in constructing his 'infernal machine'.

8. Home Is Where the Horror Is (9/10/1997)

The XGBs invetigate a house which is more than it appears when two boys go missing.

9. Killjoys (9/11/1997)

People have been vanishing across the city, and for some reason the disappearances have a connection to a group of sinister looking clowns.

10. The Unseen (9/12/1997)

The XGBs have been split up by an accident on a bust, while Kylie and Eduardo track down her missing gun the others have to deal with a spate of attacks that have cost the victims their eyes.

11. The Crawler (9/22/1997)

Fed up with Egon not showing any attention, Janine resorts to making him jealous. However the plan goes awry when the would be suitor appears more monster then man.

12. The Pied Piper of Manhattan (9/23/1997)

The XGBs are left agape when a man appears to be able to lead ghosts away with his pipe music, however things take a turn for the worse when he asks the Mayor of the city for payment.

13. Be Careful What You Wish For (9/24/1997)

A salesman can apparently grant your deepest desire, however it soon becomes apparent that each of the granted wishes contain a sting in the tail.

14. Grease (9/25/1997)

The XGBs must combat a michevious Gremlin, all the while under the watchful eye of two government agents who seem more interested in the Ghostbusters' activity then the ghost itself.

15. The Jersey Devil (9/26/1997)

The XGBs must protect a town from the Jersey Devil despite not having any of their equipment, or Garrett's wheelchair.

16. Dry Spell (9/29/1997)

The XGBs must combat an entity that can absorb the moisture within the human body and the obsessed Oceanographer who wants to capture it.

17. Sonic Youth (9/30/1997)

The hunt to track down a Banshee takes on an extra level of difficulty when the Banshee's sister ensares Roland

18. Ghost Apocalyptic Future (10/1/1997)

A Timeslip leads to Kylie switching places with a rebel fighter from the future, a New York in ruins that is reigned by the paranormal tyrant; Tempest.

19. Bird of Prey (10/2/1997)

A spirit known as the Harasvelg, causes the weather in New York to change drastically. The XGBs must stop it before the weather threatens the city.

20. Seeds of Destruction (10/3/1997)

A seed inhabited by a paranormal entity causes havok when it makes plants become overgrown dangers that can cause whole buildings to collapse.

21. The Luck of the Irish (11/3/1997)

A recently released Leprechaun has set out on a vendetta to persecute those it believes stole it's pot of gold.

22. The Ghostmakers (11/4/1997)

Reports are coming in of people acting strange after encounters with mirrors, it soon becomes apparent that the problem is deadly serious when Garrett climbs out of his wheelchair...

23. Slimer's Sacrifice (11/5/1997)

With Slimer trapped in the Containment Unit and the Ghostbusters being picked off one by on, Eduardo decides he must save the Spud before a demon named Surt brings about Ragnorok.

24. Grundelesque (11/6/1997)

A ghost from the Real Ghostbusters' past resuraces and it brings with it two questions, what does it have to do with Kylie and how can the Grundle be free if it's in the Containment Unit.

25. In Your Dreams (11/7/1997)

A ghost uses the XGB's dreams against them in a bid to leave the dream world.

26. Moby Ghost (11/10/1997)

When an entity that resembles a whale causes electronic chaos across the city, the XGBs must join forces with a spectral hunter in order to stop the ghostly whale before somebody is killed.

27. Fallout (11/12/1997)

The XGBs have to devise a new plan when it becomes apparent that an entity that mutated from nuclear material is unaffected by their Proton Packs.

28. Eyes of a Dragon (11/13/1997)

After a Chinatown merchant disappears, the XGBs find that people across Chinatown are having their bones stolen.

29. Till Death Do Us Start (11/14/1997)

A city yuppie asks the XGBs for protection when he is plagued by a undead bride.

30. Glutton for Punishment (11/24/1997)

Citizens across New York are going into inexplicable feeding frenzies, and the problem comes too close to home for comfort when it seems the disorder has also affected Slimer.

31. Ghost in the Machine (11/25/1997)

When a formerly abandoned oil well it reopened, it becomes obvious that the oil from the well contains more that the remains of lond dead animals.

32. Dog Days (11/26/1997)

The XGBs must combat problems of a canine nature when a demon appears to enslave all of the dogs in the city.

33. Mole People (11/27/1997)

A string of power outages is blamed on a group of people living underground. But are they the real cause?

34. A Temporary Insanity (11/28/1997)

When Janine goes on vacation, the XGB hire a temp to handle her workload. But it becomes obvious that the temp isn't really want she seems.

35. Rage (12/1/1997)

With the Firehouse being sprayed for bugs, Egon is forced to move in with Eduardo. The arrangement is complicated with a Troll on the loose in the city and Eduardo's brother, Carl responding as part of the NYPD.

36. Heart of Darkness (12/2/1997)

A recent spate of thefts of electrical equipment and a set of priceless crystal skulls bring Egon into contact with an old associate, Dr. Edward Carillion.

37. Back in the Saddle (Part 1) (12/3/1997)

Janine Melnitz arranges a unique birthday present for Egon Spengler's 40th birthday: A reunion with Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore. However the surprise is spoilt by a growing friction between the old team and new teams.

38. Back in the Saddle (Part 2) (12/4/1997)

The teams join forces when a mysterious entity has been devouring people, boats and even towns down the length of the Eastern American Seaboard. The problem only grows worse when the Ghostbuster discover it is heading for Manhattan and that it has come from one specific region in Burmuda.

39. The Sphinx (12/5/1997)

The intellectual elite of Manhattan are being ridden near braindead, upon ivestigation it appears they are being left in this state by a Sphinx with a riddle.

40. Witchy Woman (12/8/1997)

Three teenage witches believe they can complete their coven and release a spirit that will increase their power with a specific addition, Kylie.

External links

*
* Proton Charging - Ghostbusters news and information
* Ghostbusters Central
* Ghostbusters HQ - Includes Extreme Ghostbusters Episode guide with production notes from crew
* Spook Central
* Ghostbusters.net : Extreme Ghostbusters