The Hole in the Wall Gang

"The Hole in the Wall Gang" is an episode of the animated series The Real Ghostbusters written by science fiction author David Gerrold and first aired in 1987. Taking place in the town of Arkham, Massachusetts, it is one of three episodes of the series connected to the Cthulhu Mythos, along with "The Collect Call of Cathulhu" and "Russian About".
==Synopsis==
A rich cheesemaker named Limburger and his wife move into a new mansion in Arkham, where they find themselves plagued by paranormal activity, with ghosts and apparitions making noises, baying at the moon, and leaving trails of slime around the house. After enduring this situation for three weeks, the couple finally decides to hire the Ghostbusters: a team of paranormal investigators consisting of Egon Spengler, Ray Stantz, Peter Venkman, and Winston Zeddemore. Not wanting to interfere, the Limburgers leave the house while these consummate professionals do their job.
Egon's P.K.E. Meter traces the source of supernatural activity to a small hole in the wall that apparently leads to the realm of spiritual beings. When Peter fires his Proton Pack into the hole, a small creature comes out of it. While trying to capture it, the Ghostbusters fire several shots, resulting in several more holes from which small ghosts of all types and appearances start to emerge. Wacky hijinks apart, the little ghosts seem harmless enough. However, Egon's readings detect something much bigger on the other side of the main hole. To investigate, he sends a remote-controlled probe attached to a cable. Something from the other side captures the probe, and Ray is pulled into the hole as he holds the cable. The others attack the hole with axes in an attempt to save him. When Ray is returned, he seems shaken up by the experience, to the point that his hair has turned white.
Winston finds a tiny hole from which proportionally tiny ghosts emerge, prompting Egon to realise that the size of the hole determines the size the apparitions will take when they come through. This leads to concerns about the enormously enlarged main hole, and what might emerge from it. To counter this, the Ghostbusters cut off a section of another wall containing a smaller hole, and place it in front of the big one, reasoning that anything trying to come out of the large hole will shrink as it is forced to pass through the small one. Egon worries that placing two holes adjacent to each other might result in an interdimensional imbalance that could cause the universe to implode. Instead, it results in an explosion that completely destroys the Limburger mansion, and enlarges the original hole to 50 ft. across. As expected, a behemoth-sized monster emerges from the mansion's debris.
Winston finds that he still has the tiny hole in his pocket, and decides to try to create another imbalance by throwing the small hole into the big one, hoping that the result would be the implosion of the gate itself and not the universe. When the giant ghost swallows the hole, its body collapses back into its native dimension, and the door between realms is finally closed. With the problem solved, the Ghostbusters leave, as the Limburgers return and complain about the loss of their mansion.
==Behind the Mythos==
Despite taking place in Arkham, the episode doesn't have many Mythos references apart from its setting. Miskatonic University is mentioned, and the Limburgers describe the ghosts in terms that might be deemed evocative of H. P. Lovecraft's prose, such as using the expression "nameless horrors".
At one point, Ray mentions that he once played against Miskatonic's football team, the Slugs. He describes the experience as "slimy".
==External Links==
*"The Hole in the Wall Gang" at the Ghostbusters Wiki
Category:Expanded Mythos Film & Television
Category:David Gerrold works
Category:Crossovers