Space Ghost Coast to Coast - Volume Two (1994)
Space Ghost DVDs

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Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast seems to be an acquired taste, with a silly and dry wit that I find quite palatable. Its theme is a very bad talk show, which Space Ghost (real name Tad Ghostal) hosts, along with his old enemies Zorak, Brak, and Moltar.

Back in 1966, Space Ghost was a real cartoon (that I used to watch) that aired for 2 years, only 42 episodes. It was cheesy back then, and SGCTC takes cheese to a whole new level. The guests are real, appearing on a TV screen for their interviews. If you like oddball humor like Mystery Science Theater 3000 then you will love Space Ghost Coast To Coast. And speaking of MST3K, Joel Hodgson appears in the first episode here in Season Two. Here is a quick line up of the episodes:

DISC ONE:
1) $20.01 - Guests are Penn & Teller and Joel Hodgson (from Mystery Science Theater 3000!!). SG replaces Zorak and Moltar with the MOE 3000 Sidekick Computer System to replace Zorak and Moltar. The interview with Joel Hodgson is priceless.
2) Lovesick - Guests are comedian Carrot Top and Star Lady. I can't stand Carrot Top but he held his own against SG. Star Lady is a cow. I mean, a real cow.
3) Transcript - Guest is singer-songwriter Jonathon Richman. He sounds like he's been doing nose drugs for a while. This guest was so bad my hinder hurt.
4) Sharrock - Guest is Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth performing as Fred Cracklin. Very boring episode. Dedicated to Sonny Sharrock.
5) Boo - Guests are Michael Norman and Bill Nye The Science Guy. Norman is a ghostwriter, and gives a great interview. The interview with Bill Nye was way too short.
6) Freak Show - Guest is Bill Manspeaker from Green Jelly, at least that's what the DVD says. There's Wylie who does really bad yodeling, and Commander Andy Of The Cosmos, a guy in a red one-piece pajama. The episode is probably the worst they've done.
7) Switcheroo - Guests are Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady) and Major "B" horror Goddess Elvira. Tad Ghostal's evil twin Chad Ghostal,
8) Surprise - Lots of stars listed on this episode, including Bobcat Goldthwait, Judy Tenuta, Cameron Diaz, and more, but they make only visual appearances before Zorak blasts them. The crew is getting ready for Space Ghost's 30th birthday.
9) Glen Campbell - Guest is Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons and Futurama). Good interview with Groening, just remember this was before Groening did Futurama. Moltar leaves the show.

-- Extras on Disc One are the real, live interview with Matt Groening. Great insight into how and why the guests answer the questions the way they do, and also great Groening stuff. Second is the Thurston Moore performance, just guitar playing.

DISC TWO:
1) Jacksonville - Guests are James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica. Tansit messes up the feed so Space Ghost has to find Moltar, who's headed to Jacksonville. Zorak, Brak, and Lokar tell Space Ghost they are pregnant. Metallica's Kirk and James are awesome.
2) Late Show - Guests are Janeane Garofalo, Dave Grohl from The Foo Fighters, Flip Orley the Hypnotist, and hamonicist John Popper. Everyone gets jazzed. SG plays a short called "Fun With Moltar". Great lines: SG, "Zorak can lick my center of gravity!" Zorak, "Not even with Moltar's tongue!"
3) Cookout - Guests are chefs Emeril Lagasse, Nathalie Dupree, and Martin Yan. The cook-off is judged by the Council Of Doom, made up of Lokar, Metallus, Black Widow, Tansit, and Brak. Emeril and Yan actually cook dishes for the show! Yan is hilarious, he threatens to cook Space Ghost and "relaxes a chicken". SG to Yan, "You killed the chicken!" Yan, "No, I didn't. I just dissected." Zorak demands bones.
4) Art Show - Guests are performance artist Laurie Anderson and percussion group Stomp. Pretty boring episode.
5) Woody Allen's Fall Project - No guests, but a live action episode. Features highlights performed by the Ghost Planet Dinner Theater Ensemble. Skip this, its pretty boring. Stupid-Bad, not Stupid-Funny.

-- Extras on this disc are 'Andy's Pilot' (a partial episode unable to air because the guest's rights were too expensive), '1993 Pencil Test' (nothing but pencil raw sketches in pencil), and 'Sharrock Bonus' (a one-page tribute to Sonny Sharrock).

It seems that with Season Two, the guests are a little more relaxed and cooperative in their interviews. Space Ghost is in top form with such remarks as, "I'll spank you smartly with my spank ray ... whoops, sorry, that was my smell ray." And, "We'll caper about in our little grass pinafores to delicious calypso melodies."

All in all, if you love zany comedy, SGCTC is hilarious way to pass away some time, and will certainly lift your mood with its sharp but silly wit. Enjoy!