The Real Ghostbusters

The continuing adventures of paranormal investigators Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Egon Spengler, Dr. Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, their secretary Janine Melnitz and their mascot ghost Slimer.

The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991) is an American animated paranormal comedy series created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis for ABC. It follows the team of ghost hunters Dr. Peter Venkman (voiced by Dave Coulier and Lorenzo Music), Dr. Egon Spengler (voiced by Maurice LaMarche), Dr. Ray Stantz (voiced by Frank Welker), and Winston Zeddemore (voiced by Arsenio Hall), along with their secretary Janine Melnitz and their mischievous mascot ghost Slimer. Their engine is simple and effective: each episode sends the team into New York City to answer a call about a haunting, a monster, or an otherworldly nuisance, and they must trap the spirit with their proton packs before it escapes. The seven-season run keeps the case-of-the-week structure while letting the rapport between the four investigators drive the humor. Its tone is breezy, playful and affectionate, with spooky imagery softened by slapstick and quick wisecracks. Produced as a Saturday morning cartoon with DiC and Columbia Pictures Television, it sits in the tradition of 1980s kids animation and extends the world of the Ghostbusters films. Fans of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and the 1984 Ghostbusters film will find the same mix of supernatural mystery and comic teamwork here, delivered with a cozy, nostalgic warmth.

Audiences regard the animated continuation of the Ghostbusters films as a fun, reliably positive kids' adventure series with a rating that holds up well across its run.

• Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!shared kids animation with paranormal comedy and monster-of-the-week structure
• Ghostbusters (1984)shared workplace-team comedy among quirky specialists with a ghost-hunting premise
• Gargoylesshared supernatural adventure with a close-knit team fighting monsters in a big city
• Jemshared 1980s animated action-comedy with a team of heroes battling otherworldly threats

Created by

Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis

Release Date

1986-09-13

Episode runtime

25 min

Rating

7.6 / 10 (304)

What is The Real Ghostbusters about?

The Real Ghostbusters follows a team of paranormal investigators and their ghost mascot as they battle spectral threats in New York City.

What is The Real Ghostbusters like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Real Ghostbusters as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is The Real Ghostbusters violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Real Ghostbusters.

What did critics think of The Real Ghostbusters?

Audiences regard the animated continuation of the Ghostbusters films as a fun, reliably positive kids' adventure series with a rating that holds up well across its run.

Which shows are like The Real Ghostbusters?

Shows with a similar feel include Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Ghostbusters (1984), Gargoyles, and Jem.

How long is The Real Ghostbusters?

The Real Ghostbusters: 7 seasons, 140 episodes.

Is The Real Ghostbusters still running?

No, The Real Ghostbusters has ended.

Where can I watch The Real Ghostbusters?

In United States, The Real Ghostbusters streams on The Roku Channel, Tubi TV.