#sgctc | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

popculturebuffet · 3 months ago

Text

Space Ghost Coast to Cost George Lowe Memorial Reviewathon

Greetings citzens and welcome to a very special tribute to a very special man. A few weeks ago the world lost a true legend. George Lowe, voice of Space ghost and generally great guy, passed on, joining series writer and voice of Zorak and Moltar C Martin Croaker in the great ghost planet in the sky. It was a truly gutting day. While he did at least come out of retirement for one last ride as space ghost on jellystone, it was still gutting. So many bits were a part of my brain, so many great performances, a truly nice man now lost.

So to honor him i'm looking at all my favorite episodes of space ghost coast to coast so those of us who knew the show can enjoy some of the hits, and those of you newer to it like my friend emma who graciously sponsored this have some on ramps to try this wonderful show.

For those less familiar SGCTC was the FIRST adult swim show , using a shoestring budget, stock footage from the old space ghost cartoon and pure insanity to craft the story of Space Ghost, a former superhero turned talk show host who conscripted two of his villains into working for him as band leader and director. Simple premise. Add in chopped up interviews with various celebrities and the show slowly grew into comedy gold, largely playing off the characters banter, Space Ghost being kinda nuts and ever increasing weirdness. This show set the blueprint for adult swim, creating a new space for adult animation and setting the tone that's still followed to this day by a bulk of the shows. So thank you space ghost, thank you george, and thank you clay. Let's get started.

Jerk (Season 2, episode 8)

Season 1 was a bit rough and it's why we're jumping over it. It wasn't bad, but the longer run time the show had back then coupled with them figuring it out meant the show took a bit to really find itself. There were still good episodes , Banjo, Batmantis, but season 2 is where the show really found it's groove and Jerk is a prime example of that.

For this episode Space Ghost is trying to do "a real doozy". He's added a call in portion, got a live audience, and even got Sandra Bernherdt.

Naturally none of this goes well: the audience are all Zorak's family including his aunt and uncle... which is awkward for him given he ate their son in a previous episode, but that's okay, they was gonna eat him anyways. The guest besides sandra is a nice guy who owns a hardware store which honks off space ghost, but the call in guests love him, and the call ins are either for mr mills, zorak or threats from Space Ghosts brother tad. It's a delighful snowball as Space Ghost's own ego only makes things worse.

I'd also be remiss if I closed this segment without mentioning the dawn of Brak. While he'd made cameos before, first as beavis and butthead and then with the council of doom, it's here the brak we know and love begins: shouting ALL HAIL BRAK, singing an adorably off key version of the theme song, and then crying when space ghost insults him. A star was born this day.

20.01 (Season 3 Episode 2)

This was suggested by friend of the blog ChaoticBrush, and they made a good one. I'd forgotten one of the geniuses of our time, MST3K creator Joel Hodgeson had been on the show. Throw in Penn and Teller and you have some of the shows best guests. The best ones are the ones that knew exactly what they were dealing with and played with it accordingly. While sometimes you'd get a good guest from pure nonsense, we'll get to that, the ones who play along got to actually play off space ghost instead of just getting chopped up. While for me personally the interviews are secondary to the nonsense, when they work they really bring the whole package together.

In this case all three inteviews are brilliant: Penn offends space ghost by revealing he dosen't actually belivie in magic, not even in a young girls heart, Space Ghost is offended when he realizes Teller is a mime and Joel refuses to play along with the kayfabe space thing, then does to space ghosts annoyance. Pissy space ghost is some of the best space ghost. We also get Space Ghost's disdain for his actual name, preferring to call him Joel Robinson. The bit where he breaks down hodgson vs robinson is gold.

It's also a nice piece showing one of the key factor's of space ghost's character; He's his own worst enemy: he blames the guests, zorak and moltar, who he demotes to janitors and replaces with super computer MOE 3000. But as MOE correctly figures out space ghost is why the show tanks: his ego, insanity and general impulsiveness are the issue. We know that, zorak and moltar know that, but it's still fun to point out and to see Space Ghost spin out a bit.

Lovesick (Season 3 , Episode 3)

Season 3 was really on a roll, and Lovesick is proof. While the previous episode is good, Lovesick combines a great guest spot with a good a-plot. Space Ghost's girlfriend Ms. Nesbitt has broken up with him, so we spend a whole episode with space ghost miserable and spiraling. She wanted space, he couldn't understand because "that's great, i'm space ghost. I am space!". Zorak takes every opportunity to needle him. This one would be great on that alone.. but then they brought on Carrot Top. Normally "They brought on carrot top" would be a death sentence... but having Space Ghost not remotely in the mood to deal with this jackass makes it funnier: Carrot Top does schitck while Space Ghost stone facedly rejects every bit, as pissed as the audience is to put up with this guy. I told you pissy space ghost was some of the best space ghost, and we somehow got two in a row both unique both truly hilarious. It also ends with a cow insulting space ghost. That's all the context your getting

Jacksonville (Season 3, Episode 11)

While these are all some of my faviorites, Jacksonville was brought up by my friend @yellowskinnedwackyman and is a true classic. I liked the show watching the dvds before it but I feel this is where I started loving it.

Jacksonville is part 2 of 2.. but really stands on it's own in part due to it's fun charlie's angels style transitions and truly amazing previously on segment. While a fake previously on segment where almost nothing presented actually happened last episode is one of comedies most treasured bits, Space Ghost truly perfected it. We get Zorak telling space ghost he's pregnant, multiple moltars, surgery, and of course "a stolen treasure map?!". We also get various cut ins. The pregnancy bit could've easily just been "Lol mpreg" but it's saved by the fact each person tells it diffrently: Zorak plays it entirely straight, Brak just kinda mumbbles his lines, and Lokar is overly formal.

The meat of the episode is phenominal. Metallica show up and play an awful original song for space ghost, whose busy with his own problems: he replaced Moltar with one of the shows best recurring characters Tansuit, a weenie who looks similar enough but can't operate the controls and gives Space Ghost metallius instead. It's the rare instance where Space Ghost is the straight man and it's glorious. His just popping in saying I heard that after Tansuit half heartedly threatnes to punch him so bad like a child is amazing.

Add in a fun dragnet style where are they now including the phrase cracklin tatah, zorak killing metallica in the vaccum of space and WHOM WHOM WHOM WHOM and you have another fantastic episode.

Boo Boo Kitty (Season 4, Episode 12) Boo Boo Kitty is on this informal list/tribute/thing I what did for one reason: that quote above. That quote has been stuck in my head for years and is one of the funniest things i've ever heard. The way George Shouts it like a disgruntled teen both times in flashback, or the way he casually brings it up to guest Micheal McKean

What starts with hopes of staying up late and having cheese dogs becomes like living in a living nightmare. MIcheal McKean is a fine comedian.. but is really just a prop as Space Ghost breaks down over his new roommate demanding space ghost "fix him a sandwich and dry his skull" and lets his boo boo kitty out "yesterday". To help with his grief space ghost makes a giant pin... that sadly ends up popping his boo boo kitty. It's a terrible day for space ghost, and a great day for mankind. We also get Tansuit's last day announcing the guests as the poor guy gets fired. Not a great day for him either but what comedy.

Fire Ant (Season 6, Episode 7)

I always loved fire ant but on this rewatch it may be the single best episode of the show. It has a lot of great compettition but fire ant is joke dense, bonbkers and has possibly the best guest in the shows history.

That guest is Conan O'Brian, late night legend and the exact perfect type of guest for this show: someone whose used to doing weird shit and thus understands what he's on ala Joel, Penn and Teller earlier. The entire episode is conan playing an overly serious version of himself who can't fucking stand Space Ghost while Space Ghost proceeds to prove him absolutley right. He enters the episode being lowered from the celing despite being able to fly with a dramatic entrance and mid interview asks for a speaker to be attached to his head for no real reason. Conan for his rebuttal claims Space Ghost is a space man who died and choked on a muffin and demands Space Ghost admit he's dead. It's two absolute legends just being absolutely batshit together and it's every bit as wonderful as that sounds. George's talent for just having Space Ghost spew fre flowing nonsense pairs perfectly with conan loosing his shit and taking this way TOO seriously cumilating in Conan giving a scathing monologue about how bad the show is while Space Ghost gets distracted by an ant. Honestly I haven't been able to tell many jokes for this one as the series is so insane just descirbing it is a joy.

Said ant bites space ghost who has a totally resonable reaction

It's the low way George says this, this weirdly serious tone of voice. And the fact in the extended cut he repeats this every so often as he indeed follows the ant home for 11 minutes. I just watched the standard 11 minute cut as this thing kept balloning more and more as I remembered more episodes I liked I wanted to spotlight or more perofrmances of george's, but it has the same fantastic ending: Space Ghost finding out the ants parents are giant ant monsters, complaning to them then running from them but not before indignantly shouting YOUR SON IS A MORON. I... can only do so much. The episodes are all on adult swim.com. Should be on tubi or something less obtuse but thems the breaks.

Knifin Around (Season 7, Episode 3)

Now this one I, Ironically debated cutting once or twice. I thought this one and the one where Space Ghost makes a satanic pack with yogi bear and ends up starring on Zorak's hot new show blood dumpster were the same. We will not be covering that one.. this time. Maybe some other day.

Still Knifin Around is kept for two reasons: the intro which showcases moltar as host who puts on the fakest voice possible, a triumph for c martin croker.. then challenges radio head front man thom yorke to fight "with knives". Space Ghosts reaction is also priceless as he gives the impression this isn't the first time Moltar has challenged a guest to a knife fight and Thom Yorke refuses to backup Moltar's bs story about showing thom his knife "ISN'T THAT RIGHT THOM".

The back half is... questionable if funny. Space Ghost ended up married to bjork and they cut her up.. .and on first watch If elt this was kinda insulting. That they took his woman , cut up her dialouge and have space ghost make her out to be even weirder and also uhinged. Then I remembered the person saying these things is space ghost, and it became a thousand times funnier. While Space Ghost is saying thigns about Bjork as this entire thing so far should make clear, he is not a well man so it takes on the extra lair of "Is bjork really a nightmare of a wife" or "is this just space ghost being space ghost.".

Baffler Meal (Season 8, Episode 1)

Baffler meal was one of the last episodes of the show, and has an intresting history: it was pitched in season 7, but scrapped for not focusing on space ghost enough. So the crew recycled the episode as kentucky nightmare and revamped said characters for thier own show, the one that would pick up Space Ghost's torch as the longstanding elder statesmen of the lineup: Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Yes #1 in the hood G.

Thankfully the shows popularity meant they were allowed to finish this weird ass backdoor pilot where our familiar food friends are all vastly different yet still massively entertaining. While the Aqua Teens do invade the show and the focus, they play off our heroes well and are here entirely due to Space Ghost's own hubris.

Space Ghost made a deal with fast food chain burger trench for a house boat and "One serious speaker". He finds out later he'll get the other when all hunger is eliminated. So our heroes are forced to play host to the aqua teens: Master Shake, the domineering corprate shill with ignignot's voice who won't stop hyjaking the show, plays the weird backdrop you see and generally steals the episode, frlyock, an awkward crinkle fry man who zorak bullies and later just eats and Meatwad who only says the bun is in your mind and begs Moltar to kill him before they scoop out his eyes so people can hold him while they eat him. Moltar hollowing him out after kinda proves why he dosen't get a cup despite wearing a cup.

The episode is a fun fever dream that's mostly Shake being a dick in a different way than the shake we're used to, hunger being eradicated, and Space Ghost eventually getting fed up, leading to the bizzare ending of classic rock being changed forever as a weird colonial band plays a fast food version of black dog while space ghost screams noooooo. A fitting end to one of the fittingly bonkers shows of all time.

And so we've come to the end of this tribute/pile of episodes I what like. I hope this convinces you to watch a few. For George. George wherever you are,.. thank you. For everything.

#space ghost coast to coast #space ghost #moltar #zorak #tansuit #animation #adult swim #cartoon network #brak #ALL HAIL BRAK

10 notes · View notes