11 Classic 80s Movies With Awesome Animated TV Shows You Forgot Existed

The Real Ghostbusters was a hit with fans and critics, spanning seven seasons and 140 episodes. Columbia Pictures teamed up with DIC Enterprises, then best known for Inspector Gadget and Care Bears, to bring it to life with a few notable changes.

For starters, the word “real” was inserted into the title to avoid any mix-up with another series titled The Ghost Busters. While the original quartet remained, their appearances were also changed to avoid legal issues. Egon Spengler had blonde hair, Ray Stanz was ginger while Peter Venkman and Winston Zeddemore were drawn differently.

The most significant change was the inclusion of Slimer as a friendly ghost companion. In the film, Slimer didn’t even have a name and only appeared briefly to attack Peter. Interestingly his popularity on the cartoon prompted his inclusion in the film sequel. He wasn’t the only one to return from the film, with EPA antagonist Walter Peck popping up in one episode, while the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man also reappeared.

Known for '80s pop duo Tahiti’s cult original soundtrack and inventive array of ghosts, the show remains a rare retro treat. Not everyone was happy; Bill Murray complained Peter sounded like Garfield. In fairness, the actor behind it, Lorenzo Music, did voice the animated cat. He was later replaced by Dave Coulier. Ultimately, network interference and the decision to remove the show’s scarier elements in favour of a kid-friendly vibe that focused on Slimer, led to its cancellation.