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WATCH: Everything you didn't know about Space Ghost Coast to Coast

By SYFY WIRE Staff

Back in 1994, Cartoon Network hadn't quite become the powerhouse that it was destined to be. There simply wasn't a big budget for original programing, and it was a few years away from unleashing Adult Swim. The key to the network's turnaround was Space Ghost, an obscure TV superhero created by comics legend Alex Toth. Space Ghost's original run only lasted 20 episodes, but his breakout moment finally arrived when Space Ghost Coast to Coast premiered nearly 25 years ago.

Mike Lazzo and his team completely abandoned the more straightforward aspects of Space Ghost and set about making the animated talk show as absurd as possible. Celebrity guests appeared in video interview segments as they awkwardly interacted with Space Ghost himself. The guests who embraced the show's surreality tended to come off better than those who were genuinely mystified by it. That's why the Bee Gees infamously lasted a mere 19 seconds on the show, as seen in this video.

Coast to Coast also brought back Space Ghost villains Moltar, Zorak, and Brak with far more personality than they had on their original show. Arguably, the villains were more entertaining than Space Ghost himself, and they weren't shy about expressing how much they hated him.

As noted in these clips, the Coast to Coast team was forced to survive on meager resources for the show's first few years. But it ultimately grew to become Cartoon Network's flagship series and paved the way for Adult Swim's Sealab 2021; Aqua Teen Hunger Force; Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law; and more.

Coast to Coast even managed to survive cancellation twice and ran for a combined 11 seasons. It was truly ahead of its time, and the impact of the series is still felt on the network over a decade after its final episode.

For more tidbits about Space Ghost Coast to Coast, watch the full video. Then leave a comment for us below!