Space Ghost Coast to Coast
A surreal talk show hosted by a reimagined 1960s superhero.
Space Ghost Coast to Coast is an American live-action/adult animated parody talk show that aired on Cartoon Network, hosted by a reimagined version of the Hanna-Barbera superhero Space Ghost. It was the first original series produced for Cartoon Network that was not an anthology of pre-existing cartoons, and the first TV series produced by Williams Street, the studio that later launched the Adult Swim late-night programming block. The show helped launch the careers of numerous creators and spawned several spin-offs, including Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Comedy
- Surreal humor
- Talk show
- Satire
- Parody
- Based on
- Space Ghost, Alex Toth
- Developer
- Andy Merrill
- Mike Lazzo
- Khaki Jones
- Showrunner
- Mike Lazzo
- Writer
- Matt Maiellaro
- Dave Willis
- Matt Harrigan
- Various
- Voices
- George Lowe
- C. Martin Croker
- Andy Merrill
- Opening theme
- "Hit Single" by Sonny Sharrock
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Premise
Space Ghost Coast to Coast subverts the traditional talk show format, with Space Ghost interviewing live-action guests who appear on a monitor beside his desk. Space Ghost typically believes his guests are fellow superheroes and begins interviews by asking about their superpowers. His interactions are often awkward because guest answers are altered in post-production to humorously match his questions, though later episodes allowed guests to interact directly with the characters. Space Ghost is portrayed as highly idiotic, lacking basic concepts and common sense, and becomes increasingly eccentric and egomaniacal in managing the show and treating guests. His bandleader, Zorak, an evil talking mantis, and his director-producer, Moltar, a red-helmeted lava man, work as forced unpaid labor as punishment for their crimes in the original series. Their passive-aggressive relationship with Space Ghost provides much of the humor through banter and sabotage, though the trio sometimes unwillingly defend each other in disasters. Other Space Ghost villains, particularly the Council of Doom, make frequent cameo appearances and disrupt the program. Early seasons featured music by Zorak's band The Original Way-Outs, with the original theme song "Hit Single" composed by free jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock. Later seasons used a new closing theme by Man or Astro-man?, and the opening theme was nearly abandoned in later years.
Production
Cartoon Network programmer Mike Lazzo came up with the idea for this show after being told to create a cartoon aimed at adults. The project first tried to revive Hanna-Barbera’s Wacky Races with Khaki Jones and Andy Merrill, but eventually narrowed its focus to Space Ghost alone. The title originated in early 1993, when Andy Merrill and Jay Edwards brainstormed names for a Cartoon Network marathon of the 1960s Space Ghost by looking for words that rhyme with “Ghost.” Tight budgets forced Michael Cahill to reuse clips from the original series, which he rearranged on an Avid non-linear editor to build a talk show. Because the show remixed limited animation, editing consumed the most production time. The crude lip movements, stiff motions described as “paper dolls glued to Popsicle sticks,” and continuity glitches became part of the comedy. Designefx handled the first season in Atlanta, chosen for its closeness to Cartoon Network’s offices. Lazzo hired animator C. Martin Croker, who suggested Zorak and Moltar as Space Ghost’s sidekicks and voiced both characters so well that Lazzo was impressed. The writing staff used the pseudonym Alan Laddie. Andy Merrill put together a proof-of-concept pilot in April 1993 with old footage of Denzel Washington and Merrill voicing Space Ghost; it never aired, though an edited version without Washington later appeared on DVD. A second pilot featured an interview with Emma Thompson, with original Space Ghost voice actor Gary Owens in the role. George Lowe took over as Space Ghost when the series was officially ordered.
Characters
Space Ghost, voiced by George Lowe, was a 1960s superhero who fought supervillains before being brought back as a talk show host in the 1990s. Zorak, voiced by C. Martin Croker, is a mantis-like alien who serves as bandleader of The Original Way-Outs and remains a member of the Council of Doom despite being Space Ghost's prisoner; he also co-hosts Cartoon Planet with Brak and Space Ghost. Moltar, also voiced by Croker, is the show's director and producer, an alien with a lava body who wears a full-body containment suit with a breathing receptacle; he acts as the straight man and is a fan of CHiPs, particularly star Erik Estrada. Brak, voiced by Andy Merrill, is a lion-like alien who, though a villain, is the weakest and least-threatening, appearing in sporadic cameo roles often with the Council of Doom and frequently victimized by Space Ghost; he is more prominent on Cartoon Planet. The Original Way-Outs, the band providing music, consists of former adversaries Zorak, The Sorcerer (voiced by Merrill), Parko, and original character Christy, though only Zorak and the Sorcerer have spoken lines. Lokar, voiced by Merrill, is a locust-like alien with a British accent and pretentious behavior who harbors a grudge against Space Ghost and is a Council of Doom member despite lacking malevolence. Tansut, voiced by Don Kennedy, is an overweight, cowardly alien in an orange costume and helmet who announced the show off-screen for about half of season 4 until being fired. Metallus, voiced by Michael Tew in 1994, is a large metallic Council of Doom member who initially spoke English but later communicated only in an incomprehensible metallic drone that other characters seem to understand.
Other media
Space Ghost has hosted Coast to Coast-style interviews outside the series, including with Jim Carrey and Chuck Russell for The Mask VHS, Zoe Saldaña for Avatar, Jack Black for Gulliver's Travels, Steve Nash for VitaminWater, Tommy Wiseau during Adult Swim's April Fools' broadcast of The Room, and Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis for The Campaign. The character appeared in commercials for Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, AT&T, Nestea, Esurance, and VitaminWater, as well as network promos for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. In 2002, Space Ghost, Moltar, Zorak, Brak, and Mojo Jojo from The Powerpuff Girls interviewed soccer player Hugo Sánchez on Latin America Cartoon Network, and in 2003 they interviewed Óscar Pérez Rojas, also featuring Eustace from Courage the Cowardly Dog. Space Ghost makes cameo appearances in episodes or promos for other Cartoon Network or Adult Swim series, including a 2002 promo for The Powerpuff Girls Movie, episodes of The Brak Show and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, a promo for Tom Goes to the Mayor, the Adult Swim special Anime Talk Show, Robot Chicken, the film Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, and the pilot Earth Ghost. He appeared on Donny & Marie in 1998 to promote the CD Space Ghost's Surf & Turf and served as announcer for the 2011 video game Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion. The character is referenced in music, including Rasputina's song "The Olde Headboard," the Danger Doom song "Space Ho's," and the Glass Animals song "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" on their 2020 album Dreamland. Rapper SpaceGhostPurrp named himself after the character and used his image for the cover of his NASA mixtape.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Space Ghost Coast to Coast are there?
Space Ghost Coast to Coast has 109 episodes across 10 seasons.
When did Space Ghost Coast to Coast first air?
Space Ghost Coast to Coast first aired on 15 April 1994.
When did Space Ghost Coast to Coast end?
Space Ghost Coast to Coast last aired on 22 July 2001.
More in 2000s American Late-night Television Series
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