Extreme Ghostbusters

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The Extreme Ghostbusters, left to right: Garrett, Kylie, Eduardo, Roland, and Egon. Upper left: Slimer.
The Extreme Ghostbusters, left to right: Garrett, Kylie, Eduardo, Roland, and Egon. Upper left: Slimer.

Extreme Ghostbusters was a short-lived, sequel/spin-off of The Real Ghostbusters, airing in the fall of 1997. The show featured a new team of younger Ghostbusters led by veteran Ghostbuster Egon Spengler, secretary Janine Melnitz, and the ghost, Slimer. The premise is similar to the plot of Ghostbusters II.

Set years after the end of The Real Ghostbusters, lack of supernatural activity has put the Ghostbusters out of business. Each has gone their separate ways, except for Egon, who still lives in the Firehouse to monitor the containment unit, further his studies and teach a class on the paranormal at a local college. When ghosts start to reappear, Egon is forced to recruit his four students as the new Ghostbusters. The new Ghostbusters were Kylie Griffin, a girl genius and expert on the occult, Eduardo Rivera, a hip, cynical Latino 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 the series replaced the familiar Ray Parker Jr. theme with a gritty, rock/funk-inspired variation of the original Ghostbusters song as written by series composer Jim Latham.

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

Some Ghostbusters fans often criticize the show for replacing the original Ghostbusters with a new team. However, the series was quite clear in its point that the original team had gotten older. None of them presented were on the same physical level they were shown to be in Real Ghostbusters, partly through age and partly through quitting their jobs and lacking the proper exercise. Egon turned 40 during the series. Going by this series timeline, he would have been in his late twenties when Real Ghostbusters began. The Ghostbusters being considerably older than the main characters of most other 1980s cartoons. The show was also the only direct sequel to a 1980s cartoon series and as such, opted for a realistic passage of time. Other franchises, such as Transformers or He-Man opted for series relaunches rather than sequels.

Three video games based on the series were also created, two for the Game Boy Advance, and 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", "Darkness at Noon, Part 2"
  • Volume 2: "The Infernal Machine", "Grundelesque"
  • Volume 3: "Back in the Saddle, Part 1", "Back in the Saddle, Part 2"

Contents


Egon Spengler - The only OGB (Original Ghost Buster) to make a long term return to the series, Egon took on the role of a mentor for the new Ghost Busters. Having lived in the old Fire Station since the first team disbanded, Egon is sometimes flustered from both the younger team and Janine's rekindled affections.

Janine Melnitz - Taking Egon's course at College in the pilot episode, Janine soon returns to her role as the receptionist (And according to Egon, accountant and collector) to the Ghost Busters. She still keeps her smart tongue from the original series and has seemed to develop exceptionally bad baking skills along the way.

Eduardo Rivera - Seemingly a lazy, loud mouthed and somewhat stupid character, Eduardo nevertheless makes himself an integral part of the team by being determined and (to an extent) reliable. Eduardo also has one of the more questionable lines of the show. When Roland and Garrett try to stop him from kissing a possessed Kylie, a clueless Eduardo simply replies "Why not? She's legal!"

Roland Jackson - The mechanic of the group. Roland is certainly the most practical and mechanically gifted of the new Ghost Busters, helping Egon repair and improve the Proton Packs and Ecto-1. Roland also seems to have the most clear head of the group, when slapstick gags aren't involved at least.

Garrett Miller - Despite being confined to a wheel chair throughout the entire series, it does little to affect Garrett's ability as a Ghost Buster. He is the most head strong and enthusiatic of the new Ghost Busters, even going as far to sign onto a college course so that he can listen to Egon talk about the original team.

Kylie Griffin - The only member of the new team to have any sort of paranormal knowledge before signing up as a Ghost Buster, Kylie was actually in awe of Egon when the series began but this soon shifts to a more equal footing. Kylie's calm exterior often sets her as a foil against Eduardo's brashness. She is also the one who most commonly wields the Ghost Traps.

Slimer - Slimer remains the most unchanged of all the characters in terms of personality. He is given a less cartoony look to fit in with the series' overall style.

1. Darkness at Noon, Part 1 (aired September 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 (aired September 2, 1997)

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

3. The True Face of a Monster (aired September 3, 1997)

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

4. Fear Itself (aired September 4, 1997)

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

5. Deadliners (aired September 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 fiction have become blurred.

6. Casting the Runes (aired September 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 (aired September 9, 1997)

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

8. Home is Where the Horror Is (aired September 10, 1997)

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

9. Killjoys (aired September 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 (aired September 12, 1997)

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

11. The Crawler (aired September 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 than man.

12. The Pied Piper of Manhattan (aired September 23, 1997)

The XGBs are left agape when a man appears to be able to lead ghosts away with his piper music. However, things take a turn for the worse when the mayor won't pay the piper.

13. Be Careful What You Wish For (aired September 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 (aired September 25, 1997)

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

15. The Jersey Devil (aired September 26, 1997)

The XGBs must protect a town from the Jersey Devil despite not having any of their equipment.

16. Dry Spell (aired September 29, 1997)

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

17. Sonic Youth (aired September 30, 1997)

The hunt to track down a Banshee takes on an extra level of difficulty when the Banshee's peace-loving sister, the Siren, enchants Roland with her beautiful voice.

18. Ghost Apocalyptic Future (aired October 1, 1997)

A disturbance in the space-time continuum results in Kylie switching places with a rebel fighter from the future, where New York is ruled by a paranormal tyrant called Tempus.

19. Bird of Prey (aired October 2, 1997)

A huge, bird-like spirit known as the Hraesvelg causes the weather in New York to change drastically, and the XGBs must stop it before the weather threatens the city.

20. Seeds of Destruction (aired October 3, 1997)

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

21. The Luck of the Irish (aired November 3, 1997)

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

22. The Ghostmakers (aired November 4, 1997)

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

23. Slimer's Sacrifice (aired November 5, 1997)

Slimer becomes trapped in the Containment Unit and the Ghostbusters are being picked off one by one by a huge, dog-like spirit called 'Fenris'. Eduardo decides he must save the green spud and it is discovered that this is all a plot by the demon god Surt to bring about Ragnarok.

24. Grundelesque (aired November 6, 1997)

An old enemy of the original Ghostbusters, the Grundel, resurfaces and brings with it two questions: what does it have to do with Kylie, and how can the Grundel be free if it's in the Containment Unit?

25. In Your Dreams (aired November 7, 1997)

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

26. Moby Ghost (aired November 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 creature before somebody is killed.

27. Fallout (aired November 12, 1997)

The XGBs have to devise a new plan when it becomes apparent that an entity that feeds on nuclear isotopes is unaffected by their Proton Packs.

28. Eyes of a Dragon (aired November 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 (aired November 14, 1997)

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

30. Glutton for Punishment (aired November 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 (aired November 25, 1997)

When a formerly abandoned oil well is reopened, it becomes obvious that the oil from the well contains more that—to be more specific, the remains of long dead animals.

32. Dog Days (aired November 26, 1997)

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

33. Mole People (aired November 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 (aired November 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 what she seems.

35. Rage (aired December 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 responding as part of the NYPD.

36. Heart of Darkness (aired December 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 Kirilian.

The Real and the Extreme Ghostbusters
The Real and the Extreme Ghostbusters

37. Back in the Saddle, Part 1 (aired December 3, 1997)

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

38. Back in the Saddle, Part 2 (aired December 4, 1997)

The two generations of Ghostbusters must 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 Ghostbusters discover it is heading for Manhattan and that it has come from the Bermuda Triangle.

39. The Sphinx (aired December 5, 1997)

The intellectual elite of Manhattan are being ridden near brain-dead, and upon investigation, it appears they are being left in this state by a Sphinx that asks the riddle: "What crawls on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?"(aired out of sequence- storywise, this episode takes place near the beginning)

40. Witchy Woman (aired December 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. However the source of their power could lead to trouble for the entire world.(aired out of sequence- storywise, this episode takes place near the beginning)

  • Garrett is the only Ghostbuster in the history of the franchise to never to be made as a toy (all other Ghostbusters received at least two toys including Louis and Janine).
  • At the end of the episode "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.
  • The episode "The Jersey Devil" was originally titled "The Jersey Devil Made Me Do It."
  • In the episode "Heart of Darkness", Dr. Edward Kirilian is played by Star Trek: The Next Generation actor John de Lancie.
  • Near the end of the episode "Glutton for Punishment", one of Roland's lines is clearly spoken by actor Billy West (the voice of Slimer).
  • The Crawler, The Pied Piper of Manhattan and Be Careful What You Wish For were all about ghosts in human form and they were made three in a row in episode order.

  • The Ghostbusters firehouse underwent numerous revisions, presumably remodeling done either before the business closed in 1992 or while Egon lived there. Wallpaper was redone and furniture replaced. In addition, a helipad was painted on the roof, an elevator installed, a fire exit built into the garage, the fencing in the alleyway replaced by a concrete wall and an alleyway entrance was added to the basement.
  • Egon teaches at the University of Columbia. This is the same school that Egon, Ray, and Peter were fired from in the first movie.
  • In Season 2 of The Real Ghostbusters, Janine went through several drastic changes which affected her appearance, voice, and character that proved to be increasingly unpopular. The changes led to a brief return by Real Ghostbusters producer J. Michael Straczynski, who wrote the episode "Janine, You've Changed", offering an explanation behind Janine's changes. 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.
  • Maurice LaMarche and Frank Welker were the only two original cast members of The Real Ghostbusters (from the series premier in 1986) to reprise their roles. Both Buster Jones and Dave Coulier were brought into the series starting with the ABC run, replacing Arsenio Hall (Winston Zeddemore) and Lorenzo Music (Peter Venkman), respectively.
  • 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 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 nose.
  • The "top hat demon" seen in the Real Ghostbusters episode, "Slimer, Come Home", also makes 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 childhood friend Jack was the second Grundel. However, the episode was also filled with inconsistencies -- the "ten years" mention, with Kylie recounting the Grundel taking Jack when she was seven, would make her 17 (though Eduardo has indicated that Kylie is at least 18). 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.
  • A statue of Peter Venkman, using the animation model from The 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. The only time it was ever aknowledged was when Janine took its equipment to chase after a ghost.
  • 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.

  • 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 with a few exceptions. 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 XGBs inhabit.
  • The villains of the episode "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 episode "The Pied Piper of Manhattan" takes its inspiration from the children's tale, The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
  • Two episode feature references to other series made by Sony. The episode "Grease" featured two FBI agents clearly based on Agent Kay and Agent Jay from Men in Black: The Series, and the episode "Bird of Prey" features a movie theatre playing "Gozilla vs. Killerwatt." a reference to Godzilla: The Series and one of the early episodes of The Real Ghostbusters featuring a ghost named Killerwatt.
  • In the episode "Deadliners", a children's horror writer is named "J.F. Kline", a reference to Jeff Kline, one of the show's executive producers. The name abbreviation may also be an indirect reference to horror writer R.L. Stine.
  • The episode "Deadliners" also included similarities to the films In the Mouth of Madness (a writer's story becoming reality), and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (demons summoned by a story, taking the form of its characters).
  • The episode "Sonic Youth" is a direct reference to indie rock band Sonic Youth.

Ghostbusters
Movies: Ghostbusters | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters III
Television: The Real Ghostbusters | Extreme Ghostbusters
Video Games: Ghostbusters (Activision) | Ghostbusters II | Ghostbusters (Sega) | Ghostbusters (Xbox 360)
Technology: Proton pack | Ectomobile | Ghostbusters equipment
Characters: Peter Venkman | Egon Spengler | Ray Stantz | Winston Zeddemore | Janine Melnitz | Ivo Shandor
Ghosts: Slimer | Stay Puft Marshmallow Man | Vigo the Carpathian | Scoleri Brothers | Samhain | Bogeyman
Misc: Ghostbusters: Legion | Ghostbusters: The Return | Ghostbusters (role-playing game) | Filmation's Ghostbusters
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