Credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment / Ghost Corps / Pixmondo / PlayStation Studios / Epic GamesWhen it comes to Ghostbusters, it’s more than reasonable to say that the films are the most popular installments, which is hardly surprising when you consider they’re the only live-action entries in the entire franchise and occupy the only timeline that’s primary canon.
Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) make up the main timeline–at least where the films are concerned. The reboot, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016), is a standalone entry.
That’s not to say other corners of the franchise don’t get love and attention, though. The animated cartoon series The Real Ghostbusters (1986 — 1991) has long been a cult classic within the fandom, and the same can be said about “Ghostbusters: The Video Game” (2009).
Start a conversation about the Ghostbusters franchise with any diehard fan and they’ll chew your ears off about how there’s also a long-running comic book series from IDW, which is far richer than anything the films have conjured up in 40 years (it really is quite awesome).
The series ran from 2011 until shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. While it follows on from the events of the films, it also crosses over with other franchises, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers, and even explores the Ghostbusters Multiverse.
But there’s one Ghostbusters installment that tends to fall by the wayside. While often said to be an underrated entry by many fans, more often than not, it’s still the last thing to roll off the tongue when you’re enjoying a good old chinwag about the wider franchise.
Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) has become something of a “forgotten” part of the franchise’s 40-year history. It’s the second, and, for the time being, the latest animated series, following on from The Real Ghostbusters, serving as a sequel of sorts and a darker, edgier spinoff.
Now, let’s release this beast from the Ecto Containment Unit (ECU) for some spectral analysis.
Extreme Ghostbusters
What’s It About?
Extreme Ghostbusters takes place several years after the 1986 cartoon series to find New York City now mostly ghost-free, which has put Peter Venkman (Lorenzo Music/Dave Coulier), Egon Spengler (Maurice LaMarche), Ray Stantz (Frank Welker), Winston Zeddemore (Arsenio Hall/Buster Jones), and Janine Melnitz (Pat Musick) out of business.
While the others have long since moved on, Egon Spengler (Maurice LaMarche reprises his role) resides in the firehouse where he keeps the ECU in check. He also teaches a class on the paranormal at a local college, and when spooks and specters suddenly start appearing in Manhattan again, he recruits his only four students as the new generation of Ghostbusters.
Related: How ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’ May Hint at Cross Over With Reboot in Next Sequel
Which Ghostbusters Are in It?
The main Ghostbusters team is comprised of gothic cult enthusiast Kylie Griffin (Tara Strong), cynical wise-cracker Eduardo Rivera (Rino Romano), disabled athlete Garrett Miller (Jason Marsden), and mechanical whizz Roland Jackson (Alfonso Ribeiro).
While Kylie Griffin voice actor Tara Strong has previously criticized the wider franchise for lacking representation, she, along with her co-stars and fans of the show, have praised Extreme Ghostbusters for including a disabled character and “all kinds of ethnicities.”
Kylie Griffin is the most popular out of the four, having become a recurring character in IDW’s long-running comic book series and a popular cosplay at comic conventions worldwide. However, she’s yet to make her live-action debut in the film series.
In addition to Egon Spengler, legacy characters Janine Melnitz and Slimer also appear in the series, this time voiced by Pat Musick and Billy West, respectively.
In the two-part finale, “Back in the Saddle,” Dave Coulier, Buster Jones, and Frank Welker reprise their roles as Peter Venkman, Winston Zeddemore, and Ray Stantz, respectively.
Related: ‘Ghostbusters’: Louis Tully’s Return Explained
Is There a Trailer?
Finding a trailer for the series online isn’t easy, but you can check out the intro below:
As you’ll notice, Ray Parker Jr.’s iconic “Ghostbusters” song was replaced with a punk-inspired rendition by Jim Cummings (written by Jim Latham), which certainly sets the tone for the rest of the series, which is considered the darkest entry in the franchise to date.
Not only does it feature some of the more terrifying ghosts, the overt sexual tension between Kylie and Eduardo is also what makes the series geared mostly towards older audiences.
While there’s plenty for younger kids to enjoy, the series is aimed towards older children from 11 and above, however, some of the content is obviously targeted towards adult viewers. In fact, it was such a gritty departure from its 1986 predecessor that some TV networks listed it as being called Ghostbusters Dark.
Related: Sony Releases Brand-New ‘Ghostbusters’ Short Film Online
Is Extreme Ghostbusters Canon?
Extreme Ghostbusters is not canon with the film series. At one point, it could have easily been thought of as following on from the first two films, Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, however, Ghostbusters: Afterlife states that Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) fled New York not long after the events of the 1989 sequel, contradicting the fact that he goes on to run a new team in the city (the Extreme crew) years later.
How Many Episodes Are There?
Extreme Ghostbusters lasted for one season which has 40 episodes.
In 2023, during a cast reunion on The Ship-It Show podcast with co-stars Tara Strong (Kylie Griffin), Billy West (Slimer), Pat Musick (Janine Melnitz), Maurice LaMarche (Egon Spengler), Rino Romano (Eduardo Rivera), and Dave Coulier (Peter Venkman), Garrett Miller voice actor Jason Marsden explained that the reason the show was canceled was due to toy sales, saying, “That’s all it was, and because the toys didn’t sell, despite all the amazing work everyone did, in front of the mic, and behind the mic, and the art department, and all the animators, it suffered.”
Strong added that the merchandise was “crappy,” saying, “I never knew that was the reason it got canceled. Like, that’s so sad, and you know, they didn’t really put out a lot of toys, so what were they expecting? You know, usually, when you’re on a show that you know comes with a built-in fanbase, you do some dope-ass merch. There’s some kind of crappy toys, but there weren’t, like, amazing things, right?”
Are They Are Any Follow-Ups?
There are no follow-ups to Extreme Ghostbusters, however, Kylie Griffin becomes a recurring character in IDW’s comic book series, helping out as a Ghostbuster and an assistant at Ray’s Occult Bookstore.
There are also five video games based on the cartoon series.
Where Can I Watch Extreme Ghostbusters?
The series is currently available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and on the official Ghostbusters YouTube channel.
A complete 9-disc DVD was released by Sony Pictures on March 19, 2024.
What To Expect From Ghostbusters in 2025
There’s plenty to look forward to from the Ghostbusters franchise. With a brand-new comic book series from Dark Horse Comics on the horizon, and an animated show and an animated film, we wouldn’t advise turning off your proton packs just yet.
Are you a fan of Extreme Ghostbusters? Let us know in the comments down below!