What's in the Ghostbusters’ Netflix queue?

Ash Walker • 29 Oct 2024 Features

Who you gonna call… for movie recommendations?

With Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire now showing on Sky Cinema, there’s never been a better time to revisit the past exploits of everyone’s favourite spook hunters.

Whether they’re facing off against ancient Sumerian gods, icy demons or haunted paintings, the boys in grey are always busy saving the world - for a fee, of course. But have you ever wondered what Venkman and co. get up to between jobs?

They watch TV, of course! Just like everybody else. And we’ve been pondering just what exactly the guys have been adding to the firehouse Netflix watch list.

Spengler - Explained (2018 - 2021)

The brains of the group, Dr Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) is an eccentric genius with many disparate interests. He’s into ghosts, of course, but also physics and human psychology - and let’s not forget he famously collects spores, moulds and fungus.

A man with so many intellectual pursuits would surely appreciate a documentary series like Explained, which covers all manner of subjects, from aliens to cryptocurrency to pirates.

And with bite-sized 30-minute episodes, Spengler could easily fit them in between missions.

Credit: Explained | Official Trailer [HD] (Netflix, YouTube)

Stantz - Unsolved Mysteries (2020 - present)

Of all the Ghostbusters, Dr Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) is the true believer. He’s utterly obsessed with ghosts, ghouls and all things that go bump in the night - so much so that he opened an occult book shop when the ‘Busters fell apart.

All of which is why he’d be into a show like Unsolved Mysteries, a reboot of the classic ‘80s series that looks at real life cold cases and reports of paranormal phenomena. With atmospheric dramatisations of ghost encounters, time slips and alien abductions, Ray would be absolutely in his element with this show.

Credit: Unsolved Mysteries | Official Trailer (Netflix, YouTube)

Venkman - Love is Blind (2020 - present)

Right from his very first scene, it’s clear that Dr Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) is much more interested in chasing women than busting ghosts. 

He’s all laid-back charm, dodgy behaviour and witty one-liners. Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) says it best herself in the first movie - “You know, you don't act like a scientist. You're more like a game show host.”

Peter even goes on to host his very own TV show in Ghostbusters II, which is exactly why he’d be deeply invested in something like Love is Blind. It’s a social experiment, full of speed-dating, shock twists and sudden engagements, and the format could have sprung directly from the mind of the rakish parapsychologist.

Let’s be honest: Pete wouldn’t just watch this show, he’d be a contestant.

Credit: Love is Blind | Official Trailer (Netflix, YouTube)

Zeddemore - Moneyball (2011)

Winston Zeddemore is the everyman on the team. He’s dependable, unflappable (most of the time) and all about getting paid. He arguably doesn’t even believe in ghosts in the beginning; as he says himself: “If there’s a steady paycheck in it, I’ll believe anything you say.”

After all of his supernatural adventures Winston would appreciate something down-to-earth in his downtime, and this nuts-and-bolts story about sports, statistics and, yes, money would be right in his sweet spot.

Or he’d just stick on Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, in which he’s become a super-wealthy entrepreneur. It’s, you know, aspirational.

Credit: MONEYBALL - Watch The Official Trailer (Sony Pictures Entertainment, YouTube)

Slimer - Chef (2014)

The Ghostbusters’ slippery mascot/sidekick/menace is all about excess. He’s living his best afterlife, consuming every bit of food and drink that he can get his grubby green hands on, and occasionally sliming unsuspecting paranormal investigators.

If Slimer got hold of the remote he’d exclusively be watching films about food, and there’s few better than Jon Favreau’s 2014 classic Chef. It’s a sweet story about a high-class chef who hits the road in a food truck with his son and best friend… but it’s the grub that makes this a must-watch.

Pasta, grilled cheese and cuban sandwiches, all shot as if they’re the real stars of the movie - which they sort of are. It’s absolutely mouthwatering, and there’s no way Slimer would be able to resist.

Credit: Chef (2014) - Official Trailer (LionsgateFilmsUK, YouTube)

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is on Sky Cinema now, and all of the movies and TV shows mentioned here are available to stream on Netflix. So why not add them to your own Watchlist, grab a Twinkie and get stuck in?