Years after the events of The Real Ghostbusters, the original Ghostbusters crew have all moved on to different careers — except for Egon Spengler. After a prolonged quiet period, Egon is now a college professor on the paranormal and the sole caretaker of the firehouse — and Slimer. When supernatural activity suddenly resurges across New York and once again threatens the city, he recruits the help of four college students to form an all-new Ghostbusters team.
For thoughts on Extreme Ghostbusters: The Complete Series, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Extreme Ghostbusters: The Complete Series arrives on DVD in a nine-disc set with a 480p transfer that is dated yet passable in place of an HD option. These discs sorely lack the definition that a Blu-Ray would provide, but they at least avoid an abundance of digital anomalies such as overwhelming artifacts and digital noise. The series consists of 40 episodes which are given decent room to breathe. The transfer does exhibit some blurry line detail at points, but the animation is decently detailed. There are numerous vibrant colors throughout the run, but they cannot match the vividness an HD presentation affords. The discs would look better with deeper black levels as the image is not completely free of crush. We will do not expect to ever see a high definition release, so this DVD set is of a strong enough quality to satisfy those who want to own this outing.
Audio Quality
This release provides a Dolby Digital 2.0 track that rarely elevates itself to something special, but it never devolves into a sonic mess. Dialogue is rendered mostly clearly with no issues of clipping or dropped audio during more active moments. There is decent texture in the channels during the chaos of certain outlandish situations, but it is not going to blow you away. The music of the series is showcased with a pleasing fidelity and clarity. Sony has done a fair job with this audio track considering the limitations of the format. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this set.
Final Thoughts
Extreme Ghostbusters does not quite reach the creative heights of The Real Ghostbusters, but it still stands as a pretty fun time within this universe. The main characters are not terribly captivating, but most audiences come for the titular supernatural entities, and the series delivers some fun designs and amusing gags. If you have nostalgia for this era of Saturday morning cartoons, you should find this to be a nice way to spend your time. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has provided a DVD set with a passable A/V presentation that should please fans, but nothing in the way of special features. With the inconsistent nature of how the series was initially dispatched on DVD, it is a treat to finally have the entire run in one package. Recommended
Extreme Ghostbusters: The Complete Series can be purchased on DVD directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the DVD.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.