It's hard to believe that it was almost 30 years ago that Garfield took over the world. He was everywhere. Newspapers carried his strip at the top of the page. He had books in every gas station. He had calendars, T-shirts, posters and dolls. He was stuck to far too many car windshields. So what happened?The 90s, that's what. He was a passing fad, replaced by The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes. But both of those comic strips have long since died. So why, oh why, and HOW, is Garfield still being drawn? It isn't funny. It never was funny. I loved it as a child, but looking back on it, I have no idea why. Garfield is stupid and ugly. Jon is stupid and ugly. Odie is...well, he's pretty cute. But stupid. I am sad to report that I owned almost all of the Garfield treasuries as a child. I honestly don't know what happened to them, but I can only guess that they hurled themselves into a Hefty bag out of absolute shame.
What I am getting at is that no matter how bad the actual comic strip was, and is, they also made a TV version on Saturday mornings. Garfield and Friends was my version of Must-See-TV. And you know why? It's actually funny. It's actually cute. It's actually a good cartoon. I think you really need to hear Garfield's voice (the fabulous Lorenzo Music) for his sass and snark to come through.
A Garfield Christmas is the very best of all the TV episodes. Not only is it gut-bustingly funny, but it also has some of the sweetest family moments I have ever seen. There is a scene in particular that is genuinely touching because it is played with nary a hint of schmaltz; Grandma sits in her rocking chair with Garfield on her lap, wistfully reminiscing about the last Christmas with her husband. I can barely get through writing this sentence without bursting into tears. And I rarely cry.
This is when Garfield is at his very best. He does not make a snide comment, but instead sits patiently on Grandma's lap and does what only a cat can do. He really shouldn't be starring in newspaper comic strips, but he can leap into my lap any time he pleases.
Till next time,
Bradley
:')
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