The Garfield Show - pleasantly surprised

[Yorick]

I also give a positive review to The Garfield Show! From the few I've seen, it seems Nermal is kind of...out to get Garfield, where in Garfield & Friends he was innocent (but a pain to Garfield, of course). But even though it feels totally different from G&F, I still like it - I just remember it's a different take. I saw the episode with Angent X and Mr. Tig. That was pretty funny

 

[Xerus]

After seeing an episode, I have to say, I really liked it, but there were a couple things that seemed lacking.

Now, I'm alright that the only voice actors they brought back were Frank Welker and Greg Berg... Wally Wingert does a pretty good Jon (though he lacks Thom Huge's BOOMING shouts and screams... something integral to Jon), and I kinda like the direction they took Nermal... at least you can tell he's a boy now.

But what it comes down to is that it really feels like a dub, a well written one, but a dub (whihc is the case, as it's a French cartoon). Mark Evanier ONLY writes the English dialogue, not the scenarios (which really took a hit on the wacky factor that Mark's solo writing of both that made Garfield and Friends amazing). And a lot of key running gags (so far that I know of) are missing. There's no attempt at breaking the fourth wall (something that was absolutely routine, characters griping about their lousy part in the episode, begging Garfield for more screen time is missed here). And I really am disappointed they didn't try to get Binky the Clown somewhere in the series. I can let the entire US Acres farm go (I don't know who would be a suitable Wade, anyway. Tom Kenny or Billy West seem like they could do a serviceable job, but without Howard Morris, it wouldn't be the same).

Plus, it seems like they redid old scenarios from the old series... one where Garfield is mistaken for a Sabre-tooth Tiger and one where Jon gets locked out of the house, and Garfield's paranoia keeps him locked out (replacing a horror movie with a news report). Not that that was a bad thing, since the old series used a LOT of the same scenarios over and over (especially later on in the series).

So overall, I really DO like it, and I'd buy a DVD if it was released in a season/series set (I HATE kiddy volumes), and I'd watch it as much as I could if I had cable. But it really seems like it's trying to be its own show AND Garfield and Friends at the same time.

Actually, it's Gregg Berger, not Greg Berg. They're two different people.

Also Mark Evanier said that only Jon's voice is dubbed. Because Wally Wingert is busy announcing for the Jay Leno show so Wally ends up doing Jon's lines once the animation is done.

Also, I like how the Garfield Show has Jon's brother Doc Boy in it. Doc Boy never appeared in the Garfield and Friends series.

 

[Drtooth]

I can't believe I got that one confused, since I usually never confuse the two.

I can see that Jon really is the only one that's dubbed, since his mouth movements never match right.

I still say Mark should have written the scenarios too. He had some of the best genre busting episodes out there. Remember the one where Garfield walked into a typical 1980's cartoon with Robots and He-man types?

 

[Evanier]

Hi, guys. There seems to be some misinformation going on here about our show...

1. From the old series, we brought back several of the original voice actors. Gregg Berger still does Odie and many supporting characters. Julie Payne still does Liz. David L. Lander, who played Doc Boy in the original Garfield's Christmas special, still plays Doc Boy.

2. Wally Wingert does his work as Jay Leno's announcer late in the afternoon. We record in the morning and early afternoon so Wally is always there doing Jon (and other roles) with all the other actors when we record. He does not record his Jon lines later.

3. I write some of the scenarios. If my name's the only one at the beginning of a cartoon, I was the only writer involved.

4. I decided to retire a lot of the running gags (and some supporting characters like Binky the Clown) because I decided they'd run their course. I also decided to cut back on breaking the fourth wall because I thought that was being overdone in some cartoons these days. But we do it occasionally and there's a little more of it in the second season, which is now in production.

5. I'm told there will be an announcement about DVDs soon.

Glad you're enjoying the show. We're having a lot of fun doing it and I always hope that translates to the screen.

 

[Drtooth]

4. I decided to retire a lot of the running gags (and some supporting characters like Binky the Clown) because I decided they'd run their course. I also decided to cut back on breaking the fourth wall because I thought that was being overdone in some cartoons these days. But we do it occasionally and there's a little more of it in the second season, which is now in production.

No Klopman diamond?

I'm really enjoying what I've seen so far, don't let the tiny criticism fool you. I'm glad they've brought you back as a writer, since no one quite writes for the fat cat quite like you. Heck, I like the writing in both cartoon series better than the strips. Hearing a second season and DVD's are on the way sweetens the deal.

Keep it up, dude!

 

[Xerus]

Hello Mr. Evanier.

I'm sorry about posting the wrong information about Jon's voice work. Thank you for visiting us and giving us the right information. And I love your work on shows like Garfield and Friends, Mother Goose and Grimm, Channel Umptee-3, and the Garfield Show.

 

[Evanier]

No problem, Xerus. I'm glad you and others here are enjoying the show.

 

[Xerus]

No problem, Xerus. I'm glad you and others here are enjoying the show.

Thank you for understanding. One question though, I heard that Stan Freberg was one of the guest voices. Did he do a character named Dr. Wipall, the doctor who tried to get Garfield how to behave? Because it sounded like him.

 

[Evanier]

Thank you for understanding. One question though, I heard that Stan Freberg was one of the guest voices. Did he do a character named Dr. Wipall, the doctor who tried to get Garfield how to behave? Because it sounded like him.

ME: The character's name is Dr. Whipple and, yes, that's Freberg. You'll hear him popping up from time to time in the second season playing other roles and also Dr. Whipple again. We recorded one episode where I had June Foray playing Dr. Whipple's wife. It was great to get the two of them working together again.

I have no idea when, by the way, the second season will begin airing. We're still writing 'em and recording voice tracks.

 

[Drtooth]

I just wanna say, Mark... The Mother Goose and Grimm cartoon you wrote about the Boogie Man is one of the top funniest cartoons I've ever seen.