Top 10 Real Ghostbusters episodes + New Art!
In celebration of Ghostbusters Day, we've picked our top 10 episodes of the great, animated sequel to the first Ghostbusters movie. While the likenesses weren't quite there, the core pieces of the franchise were front and center. And, perhaps more importantly, the writing on Real Ghostbusters was top notch and very much ahead of its time. In the same way that Batman: The Animated Series (a few years later, btw) created evergreen, engaging stories that appealed to kids and adults alike, Real Ghostbusters often included 80's/90's pop culture references and the occasional line that would go over kid's heads back in the day. The stories, especially in the earlier episodes, would features such literary or well-known characters such as the Headless Horseman, Sherlock Holmes, Cthulhu, and even a take on the Salem witch trials and the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Here are our top 10 in no particular order.
"Halloween II 1/2" - Our fav of the Halloween episodes features the return of Samhain as the spirit of Halloween takes control of the firehouse.
"The Thing in Mrs. Faversham's Attic" In one of the more mature episodes, the Ghostbusters must help an old lady who's late father imprisoned a spirit in the attic. This one hints that Peter's mother is likely deceased. And who can not take note of the excellent music from the Real Ghostbusters? I can't believe this hasn't bee released officially (at least in recent. years).
"The Halloween Door" This episode originally aired in prime time and features a non-Samhain take on Halloween as a disgruntled old man tries to end the spooktacular holiday.
"Ragnarok and Roll" Another mature episode features a man who turns to darkness when life doesn't treat him right. This one also featured Norse gods, a fact I never picked up on as a kid. Another musical delight in the final coda, too!
"No One Comes to Lupisville" A very spooky episode when I first saw it, this one tells the tale of vampires vs. werewolves!
"The Revenge of Murray the Mantis" Another of my favorite episodes, we see the Ghostbusters taking part in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade when a haunted balloon attacks the city. And who can save the day? The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. This is the first one that I remember seeing that had the extended Ghostbusters theme playing during the episode.
"Captain Steel Saves the Day" Comic books in Ghostbusters! Yet another one where the music shines.
"Flip Side" I love alternate universe stories and this one features People Busters in Boo York!
"Cry Uncle" Egon's uncle forces him to quit the Ghostbusters and head to the midwest. Plus, an appearance by an angry Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man!
"When Halloween was Forever" The tenth spot could've been filled by our honorable mentions or probably many others, but I love Halloween and this first Samhain episode was spooky and set the stage for multiple Halloween episodes, which all appear on this list.
Honorable Mentions:
"Knock, Knock" This episode always felt like it was the first one for some reason (actually the first of the second season). The tone and coloring of this one is very orange/purple colors and had a very spooky feeling throughout.
"The Bird of Kildarby" I added this one to the list because, as a kid, I loved the giant bird monster attacking the Ghostbusters and tearing the roof off Ecto-1.
"The Collect Call of Cthulhu" This one tackled the gothic horror of H.P. Lovecraft, which, like many episodes, show there could be a live-action TV version of the Ghostbusters even today.
"If I Were a Witch Man" This one may belong on the main list because it has a Halloween-ish feel as we learn about Egon's ancestor who caught a witch. It's one of the better later episodes the series.
As I made this list, I did it all from memory including episodes I've seen recently and some I have seen in many years. Then, I went back to look at an episode listing and I saw many, many more that I could've added here. I'm sure everyone has their favorites and it's a testament to the quality of The Real Ghostbusters and the Ghostbusters franchise that it's still going strong all these years later. The Real Ghostbusters premiered on September 13, 1986 as part of ABC's Saturday morning cartoon block and aired its final episode on October 5, 1991. Including the Slime! mini-episodes and those airing in syndication, a total of 173 were aired.
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