The Real Ghostbusters: Difference between revisions

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But from this observation was born an idea. The animated continuation of the movie ''Ghostbusters'' was released under the title ''[[Take That|The Real Ghostbusters]]''. (The two animated series debuted in the same year, furthering the confusion.)

The main characters from the film (with the [[What Happened to The Mouse?|notable exception]] of Sigourney Weaver's character) were all present and fought a variety of spectral adversaries. Unlike many other [[Animated Adaptation|Animated Adaptations]], this series took the basic premise of the movies and turned it into an example of the day-to-day busting that the movie didn't have time to show. The primary difference lay in the appearances of the main four characters: to get around having to get the rights to use the likenesses of the cast members of the film, each character was given a new face and look (Egon became a blonde with a [~~http://en.~~wikipedia~~.org/wiki/Pompadour_~~(hairstyle) pompadour], Ray became a red-headed short guy, and in the case of Peter, a complete character overhaul to make him a young 20-something instead a 30 year old, balding [[Bill Murray]]). They gained color-coded uniforms and slightly redesigned equipment, but overall retained the same basic personalities.

The main characters from the film (with the [[What Happened to The Mouse?|notable exception]] of Sigourney Weaver's character) were all present and fought a variety of spectral adversaries. Unlike many other [[Animated Adaptation|Animated Adaptations]], this series took the basic premise of the movies and turned it into an example of the day-to-day busting that the movie didn't have time to show. The primary difference lay in the appearances of the main four characters: to get around having to get the rights to use the likenesses of the cast members of the film, each character was given a new face and look (Egon became a blonde with a [[wikipedia:Pompadour (hairstyle)|pompadour]], Ray became a red-headed short guy, and in the case of Peter, a complete character overhaul to make him a young 20-something instead a 30 year old, balding [[Bill Murray]]). They gained color-coded uniforms and slightly redesigned equipment, but overall retained the same basic personalities.

"Slimer", a green ghost who slimed [[Bill Murray]] in the first film, was added to the regular cast as a comic relief [[Non-Human Sidekick]] (Also [[The Unintelligible]]) (His nickname in the first movie was "Onionhead"). Somewhat atypically for cartoons of this genre and epoch, there was never a [[Big Bad]], or any hint of larger forces at work. There were just ghosts who needed busting. (Although some of them came back for second tries..)

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Voice actors include Lorenzo Music (as Peter Venkman, the role originated by [[Bill Murray]]; it has not escaped notice that [[Bill Murray]] would eventually play a live-action [[Garfield (Film)|Garfield]], [[[Western Animation]]/[[[Garfield and Friends]] one of Music's best known voice roles]]), Dave Coulier (as Peter in later seasons), Arsenio Hall (as Winston Zeddmore), and noted voice actors [[Maurice La Marche (Creator)|Maurice La Marche]] (as Egon Spengler) and [[Frank Welker]] (as both Ray Stantz and Slimer).

Writers from this show included [[J Michael Straczynski (Creator)|J Michael Straczynski]], who went on to create ''[[~~Babylon 5 (TV)|~~Babylon 5]]'', as well as Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle, the creators of ''[[Kim Possible]]''.

Writers from this show included [[J. Michael Straczynski (Creator)|J Michael Straczynski]], who went on to create ''[[Babylon 5]]'', as well as Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle, the creators of ''[[Kim Possible]]''.

Briefly revived in 1997 as the [[Sequel Series]] ''[[Extreme Ghostbusters (Animation)|Extreme Ghostbusters]]'', with a new team and Egon as [[The Obi-Wan]].

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** "Slimer, Is That You?" and "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" features a weird example. The former was produced as part of the syndicated package and the latter for ABC. However, the two were somehow flipped, with "Slimer, Is That You?" premiereing September 26, 1987 on ABC and "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" December 11, 1987 in syndication (the last premiere episode in the syndication run, no less.) It's largely noticeable due to the different voices for Peter and Janine (though the latter maintained her original design in both episodes).

* [[Paranormal Investigation]]

* [[Plot Driven Breakdown]]: A few episodes introduced these to deprive the Ghostbusters of their equipment to force them to think their way out. While sometimes reasonable, one excuse--running out of juice after hours and hours of constant busting--was [[Jossed]] by the second movie establishing the astonishing half-life of the proton packs.

* [[Plot-Driven Breakdown]]: A few episodes introduced these to deprive the Ghostbusters of their equipment to force them to think their way out. While sometimes reasonable, one excuse--running out of juice after hours and hours of constant busting--was [[Jossed]] by the second movie establishing the astonishing half-life of the proton packs.

** I think what they were talking about in the second movie was if the equipment would work after being unused for several months.

* [[Post Modernism]]: If "Take Two" isn't this, then this Troper doesn't know what is.

* [[Post Modern Magik]]: Part of the premise, and especially apparent when the Ghostbusters have to get creative against a supernatural enemy (such as charging up a roller coaster rail to briefly turn Cthulhu into a lightning rod).

* [[Post-Modern Magik]]: Part of the premise, and especially apparent when the Ghostbusters have to get creative against a supernatural enemy (such as charging up a roller coaster rail to briefly turn Cthulhu into a lightning rod).

* [[Power Levels]]: From 1-7 is standard, though there's always a few "stronger than Gozer" beasties that pop up from time to time.

** Among others, Cthulhu and the antagonist of "Ragnarok and Roll" were stated to be so far off the scale nothing the Ghostbusters have can so much as scratch them.

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** The tease even went on to ''[[Extreme Ghostbusters (Animation)|Extreme Ghostbusters]]'' as Egon and Janine (as well as Slimer) are the only original members of the group remaining to help with the new blood.

*** Hell, ''Extreme Ghostbusters'' had several moments that blatantly imply and Egon and Janine ''are'' in a relationship, but are remaining private about it.

* [[Shout Out]]: One of the outros features the Ghostbusters dancing in a similar way as the 1984 Ray Parker video.

* [[Shout-Out]]: One of the outros features the Ghostbusters dancing in a similar way as the 1984 Ray Parker video.

** On the other hand Ray Parker Jr. played a major role in the music for the first two seasons of the cartoon show. He wrote the songs that played in the chase scenes (the duo Tahiti performed then). He did the whining guitar solos for the background music. He even sung and reorchestrated the theme song for the intro and outro, playing the guitar along with the band.

** In the episode "Ragnarok and Roll", there's a scene where the villain of the episode says 'magic words' to gain power. These words are "Ash nazg durbatuluk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatuluk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul. Khazad-dum!" The first sentence contains the words inscribed on the One Ring as read in the tongue of Mordor from ''[[Lord of the Rings]]''. "Khazad-dum" is the Dwarven name for the Mines of Moria.

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* [[Theme Music Power-Up]]: The main theme often plays during an episode's climax and the Ghostbusters are about to save the day.

* [[This Is a Work of Fiction]]: The cartoon disclaims any resemblance to persons "living, dead, or ''undead''".

* [[~~Tickertape~~ Parade]]: The ending credits.

* [[Ticker Tape Parade]]: The ending credits.

* [[Title Drop]]: A few times, most triumphantly in "Citizen Ghost":

{{quote| '''Ray:''' Say goodnight, fellas, cause the Real Ghostbusters are here to stay!}}

* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: The city workers digging for a new subway tunnel in "Knock Knock"; they stumble across a [[Door of Doom]] that warns them not to open it until the [[The End of the World As We Know It|end of the world.]] They open it anyway, because they ''refuse to let a talking door tell them what to do'', and release [[Hell On Earth]].

{{quote| '''Doomsday Door:''' [[Don't Touch It You Idiot|Do Not Open Until Doomsday!]]}}

{{quote| '''Doomsday Door:''' [[Don't Touch It, You Idiot!|Do Not Open Until Doomsday!]]}}

* [[Tome of Eldritch Lore]]: The Neconomicon and The Nameless Book both appear.

{{quote| '''Peter:''' What's the big deal? It's just a book!<br />

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* [[Viewers are Morons]]: Done in-universe when [[Corrupt Corporate Executive]] Paul Smart displays Robo-Buster's apparently superior ghostbusting abilities by seemingly ''destroying'' ghosts rathe than just capturing them the way the Ghostbusters do. Egon protests that Smart's claims are impossible, because ectoplasmic physics don't work that way, but no one at the press conference where Smart is showing off Robo-Buster understands what he's talking about, and they don't believe him.

* [[Vitriolic Best Buds]]: Peter and Janine are Type 2.

* [[Weaponized Landmark]]/[[Famously Mundane Fictionally Magical]]: "The Ghostbusters in Paris" revealed that the Eiffel Tower was actually a [[Steampunk]] ecto-containment grid.

* [[Weaponized Landmark]]/[[Famously Mundane, Fictionally Magical]]: "The Ghostbusters in Paris" revealed that the Eiffel Tower was actually a [[Steampunk]] ecto-containment grid.

** On a slightly lesser scale, the statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center in "Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster".

* [[We Help the Helpless]]:The Ghostbusters' clients have included everyone from elderly women who live alone to families and business owners to Detroit auto companies and even the French government.

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** Interestingly enough, the [[Marvel]] UK comics based on the show featured Dana as [[The Unseen]] -- she would never actually appear, but Peter would sometimes mention her, and he would occasionally be seen preparing for a date with her. (The Norwegian translation of the comic featured a [[Crowning Moment of Funny|suprisingly witty]] lettercolumn where Peter answered the kids' letters, and the kids would sometimes ask why Dana Barett never appeared in the comic. Peter's answer varied -- "She's too beautiful to appear in the comic," "Because my personal life can't interest anyone," "I asked but I think she's too shy.")

* [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?]]: One episode deals with an enormous multitude of ghosts coming to find the Ghostbusters not to harm them but to find refuge against a creature that eats ghosts and destroys everything around itself. Eventually, the Ghostbusters think of a plan to defeat it but need to lead it somewhere, which they do by emptying their storage tanks and throwing hundreds of ghosts who only wanted to be kept safe at it to be eaten. Nobody gives sacrificing all these ghosts a second thought, but then again the Ghostbusters series as a whole rarely hits upon showing ghosts much compassion.

* [[Whole Episode Flashback]]: "Citizen Ghost", which details how Slimer came to live at the firehouse.

* [[Whole-Episode Flashback]]: "Citizen Ghost", which details how Slimer came to live at the firehouse.

** Also the "Haunting at Heck House," as Peter relates the story to a bunch of schoolchildren touring the firehouse on a field trip.

* [[Who You Gonna Call?]]: Well, OBVIOUSLY.

* [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?|Why Did It Have To Be Cockroaches?!?]]: Peter can stare down murderous ghosts, spirits and phantoms without fear, but he will [[Freak Out]] at the sight of a cockroach.

* [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?|Why Did It Have To Be Cockroaches?!?]]: Peter can stare down murderous ghosts, spirits and phantoms without fear, but he will [[Freak-Out]] at the sight of a cockroach.

** Egon can stare down Cthulhu and other powerful beings without wincing but the Boogeyman is enough to almost shut him down out of pure fear. While it's true that Egon was tormented by the Boogeyman as a child, there is a serious difference between it and Cthulhu.

*** Plenty of possible reasons for that, aside from simple childhood trauma. Some people have severe problems with the [[Uncanny Valley]]... the Boogeyman actually might be more scary to them since it's something not human, but seems like it's trying to ''look'' human. Cthulu isn't the least bit human, being basically the definition of alien and strange... someone, especially Egon, might find it easier to deal intellectually with something so obviously different than something stuck in between monster and human.