Real Ghostbusters "Mean Green Teen Machine"

*DrSpengler* · 02-11-2012, 04:36 PM

I recently wrote up this article for Adventures in Poor Taste and thought I'd share it:

The Real Ghostbusters vs. the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

It's a review of an episode of The Real Ghostbusters that aired in 1990, "Mean Green Teen Machine", that was conceived as an attack on the Fred Wolf TMNT cartoon.

Due to forum policies, I can't provide the link, but the episode is on You Tube if you feel so inclined (personally, I used my DVD boxset of The Real Ghostbusters for reviewing and screencapping).

The episode is... interesting. It even ends with the lesson that the "Teen Machine" may be younger, but the Ghostbusters are smarter (as Egon puts it). It's about as subtle in its commentary as a brick to the face.

Unfortunately, this was a terribly, terribly written episode that came out when The Real Ghostbusters was at the end of its embarassing decline in quality, so the whole lesson pretty well falls flat.

What IS fun about the episode, though, is that it stars Cam Clarke as the leader of the Teen Machine ("Guggenheim") basically doing a Michaelangelo impression. Clearly he was in on the joke and it was pretty cool that they cast him for the part; about the only inspired thing in the whole parody.

*oldmanwinters* · 02-11-2012, 04:37 PM

Oh, man, time to whip out my RGB Complete Series DVD collection!

cryan · 02-11-2012, 05:03 PM

I remember that epidoe of the Real Ghostbusters as well.Egon invents a dream machine the the guys hook themselves up to it.The Green Teens somehow get ahold of the device and go into the Ghostbuster's dreams.Yeah,the lead ghost did sound a lot like Mikie.

**Jester** · 02-11-2012, 05:14 PM

Kinda reminds me of the parodies on Animaniacs and Tiny Toons that had Rob Paulsen parodying the Turtles...also in a psudo-Mikey voice. The Tiny Toons spoof even had Jim Cummings as the Shredder analogue, a role he played from time to time.

*DrSpengler* · 02-11-2012, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

Kinda reminds me of the parodies on Animaniacs and Tiny Toons that had Rob Paulsen parodying the Turtles...also in a psudo-Mikey voice. The Tiny Toons spoof even had Jim Cummings as the Shredder analogue, a role he played from time to time.

Oh yeah, I remember that one. "The Iodizer", I think he was called.

At least the parodies on Tiny Toons and Animaniacs were relatively good, though.

*pannoni1* · 02-11-2012, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cryan

I remember that epidoe of the Real Ghostbusters as well.Egon invents a dream machine the the guys hook themselves up to it.The Green Teens somehow get ahold of the device and go into the Ghostbuster's dreams.Yeah,the lead ghost did sound a lot like Mikie.

It sounds more like Rocksteady to me, though. I find more pizza references here than in the Case of the Killer Pizzas episode. That lead ghost is admittedly a Tokka meets Slash meets Mondo Gecko combo. Even though there is a show called "Wheel of Pizza", a Jeopardy-type question is then answered. Like the OT, I find this show got goofier as the seasons progressed.

Foot Soldier Clang · 02-11-2012, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

Kinda reminds me of the parodies on Animaniacs and Tiny Toons that had Rob Paulsen parodying the Turtles...also in a psudo-Mikey voice. The Tiny Toons spoof even had Jim Cummings as the Shredder analogue, a role he played from time to time.

Immature Radioactive Samurai Slugs was awesome. My favorite slug was Grandma Moses

**Jester** · 02-11-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foot Soldier Clang

Immature Radioactive Samurai Slugs was awesome. My favorite slug was Grandma Moses

*Voiced by Rob Paulsen...

EDIT: On Cam Clark, his Guggenheim voice almost sounds like a surfer-fied Rocksteady.

*ToTheNines* · 02-11-2012, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

Kinda reminds me of the parodies on Animaniacs and Tiny Toons that had Rob Paulsen parodying the Turtles...also in a psudo-Mikey voice. The Tiny Toons spoof even had Jim Cummings as the Shredder analogue, a role he played from time to time.

Your boy Rob actually kinda pissed me off in an episode of "Biker Mice From Mars". Some kids were asking the Mice for Christmas presents and Modo tells him "Aw, c'mon, you don't really want some water-logged turtle do ya?".

I don't mind the other stabs and parodies, but Biker Mice is an awful show.

**Jester** · 02-11-2012, 07:52 PM

By that point, wasn't Turtles a non-entity on Saturday mornings? I mean, Biker Mice from Mars was one of the last "great rip-offs," wasn't it?

*ToTheNines* · 02-11-2012, 07:54 PM

96, so yeah. Still, show sucks lol.

**Jester** · 02-11-2012, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToTheNines

96, so yeah. Still, show sucks lol.

Must have been, considering it was taking pot shots at a "dead" franchise. Oh, how edgy. At least Animaniacs, Tint Toons, and The Real Ghostbusters did it when it was actually popular.

Was my attempt to deflect away from Rob and on to the show effective?

*gobo* · 02-11-2012, 08:12 PM

Yes. Now, let's talk about Cam.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

EDIT: On Cam Clark, his Guggenheim voice almost sounds like a surfer-fied Rocksteady.

I guess you never watched the Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes cartoon. That's his 'Igor' voice.

**Jester** · 02-11-2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobo

Yes. Now, let's talk about Cam.

I guess you never watched the Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes cartoon. That's his 'Igor' voice.

You caught me, I didn't. Though from what little I remember this voice is a bit raspier than Igor.

EDIT: Found the Animaniacs and Tiny Toons clips. But they're just that. Still can't believe I sat through the whole episode where "Turtles like pizza...that's the joke" had to be the whole reasoning behind it's writing.

Favorite line: Our arch enemy wants us iodized, but he can't beat us 'cause we're merchandised!

"Now for a brief reality check. Michelangelo was a brilliant artist... NOT A TURTLE!"

Boy Wonder · 02-16-2012, 08:38 PM

Huh, never knew about this, I was working my way through the RGB on Youtube before I got on this Turtles kick and started making my way through all of those and buying the DVDs.

I'll have to check this out. I would watch it on my Real Ghostbusters DVD box...

IF I HAD ONE!

*ToTheNines* · 02-16-2012, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

Was my attempt to deflect away from Rob and on to the show effective?

Lol, yes. He's lucky to have you as a fan

Fugitoid Jones · 02-17-2012, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jester

You caught me, I didn't. Though from what little I remember this voice is a bit raspier than Igor.

EDIT: Found the Animaniacs and Tiny Toons clips. But they're just that. Still can't believe I sat through the whole episode where "Turtles like pizza...that's the joke" had to be the whole reasoning behind it's writing.

Favorite line: Our arch enemy wants us iodized, but he can't beat us 'cause we're merchandised!

"Now for a brief reality check. Michelangelo was a brilliant artist... NOT A TURTLE!"

It's clips like these (and listening to Rob Paulsen's podcasts) that really make me want to get the dvd's of Animaniacs and Tiny Toons. Those shows were brilliant!

RGB was a great cartoon as well, I have vol. 1 already, but I do remember that show's quality declining over the years, especially when Slimer began to take over the majority of the episodes.

*oldmanwinters* · 02-17-2012, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fugitoid Jones

It's clips like these (and listening to Rob Paulsen's podcasts) that really make me want to get the dvd's of Animaniacs and Tiny Toons. Those shows were brilliant!

Yeah, they were!

Curses to WB for not finishing the series DVD releases though. *grumble*grumble*

02-11-2012, 04:36 PM	#1
DrSpengler Foot Elite Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 4,842	Real Ghostbusters "Mean Green Teen Machine" I recently wrote up this article for Adventures in Poor Taste and thought I'd share it: The Real Ghostbusters vs. the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles It's a review of an episode of The Real Ghostbusters that aired in 1990, "Mean Green Teen Machine", that was conceived as an attack on the Fred Wolf TMNT cartoon. Due to forum policies, I can't provide the link, but the episode is on You Tube if you feel so inclined (personally, I used my DVD boxset of The Real Ghostbusters for reviewing and screencapping). The episode is... interesting. It even ends with the lesson that the "Teen Machine" may be younger, but the Ghostbusters are smarter (as Egon puts it). It's about as subtle in its commentary as a brick to the face. Unfortunately, this was a terribly, terribly written episode that came out when The Real Ghostbusters was at the end of its embarassing decline in quality, so the whole lesson pretty well falls flat. What IS fun about the episode, though, is that it stars Cam Clarke as the leader of the Teen Machine ("Guggenheim") basically doing a Michaelangelo impression. Clearly he was in on the joke and it was pretty cool that they cast him for the part; about the only inspired thing in the whole parody.

02-11-2012, 04:37 PM	#2
oldmanwinters Overlord Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Between yesterday and tomorrow! Posts: 15,501	Oh, man, time to whip out my RGB Complete Series DVD collection! __________________ Experience the TMNT Fan Commentaries! Check out my TMNT fan comic, "Nothing to Fear"! View my sketch work! I'm selling some of my hard-to-find TMNT items!

02-11-2012, 05:14 PM	#4
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,301	Kinda reminds me of the parodies on Animaniacs and Tiny Toons that had Rob Paulsen parodying the Turtles...also in a psudo-Mikey voice. The Tiny Toons spoof even had Jim Cummings as the Shredder analogue, a role he played from time to time. __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

02-11-2012, 07:52 PM	#10
Jester Rat-faced Dude-guy Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 26,301	By that point, wasn't Turtles a non-entity on Saturday mornings? I mean, Biker Mice from Mars was one of the last "great rip-offs," wasn't it? __________________ "Clearly, you're Ninja Turtling incorrectly." - Leo656

02-16-2012, 08:38 PM	#15
Boy Wonder Random Punk Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 33	Huh, never knew about this, I was working my way through the RGB on Youtube before I got on this Turtles kick and started making my way through all of those and buying the DVDs. I'll have to check this out. I would watch it on my Real Ghostbusters DVD box... IF I HAD ONE! Last edited by Boy Wonder; 02-17-2012 at 07:29 AM.

02-11-2012, 05:03 PM	#3
cryan Stone Warrior Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Athens,AL Posts: 743	I remember that epidoe of the Real Ghostbusters as well.Egon invents a dream machine the the guys hook themselves up to it.The Green Teens somehow get ahold of the device and go into the Ghostbuster's dreams.Yeah,the lead ghost did sound a lot like Mikie.

02-11-2012, 07:54 PM	#11
ToTheNines Col. Stinkmeaner Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 19,363	96, so yeah. Still, show sucks lol.