How did the first season have two editions (ABC and Syndication)?
Was this show originally supposed to be only in First-Run Syndication, and the order of ABC episodes were added at the last minute?
shareI think the network wanted episodes on weekdays and Saturdays so maybe that's why the split. Either way the syndicated episodes are mostly referred to as Season 2 episodes.
shareAlso, weren't the Syndicated episodes originally intended for Fall 1986, but ended up airing a year later instead? They all have a 1986 Copyright Date.
shareNot sure now. They may have aired at the same time or after the network episodes as you say. Air dates can be wrong.
shareAfter doing some digging, here's what I've discovered:
1) The Syndicated episodes were planned for Fall 1987 as early as January1986. The cast and crew spent all of 1986 producing and completing all 65 of them, after they finished the 13 ABC episodes.
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-BC-IDX/86-OCR/BC-1986-01-27-OCR-Page-0040.pdf#search=%22real ghostbusters%22
2) Filmation's Ghostbusters, which was also 65 episodes long, and planned first, was produced and completed from 1985 to 1986, in time for the Fall 1986 debut.
http://www.americanradiohistory.com/hd2/Archive-BC-IDX/85-OCR/BC-1985-09-02-OCR-Page-0020.pdf#search=%22filmation ghostbusters%22