Could Garfield Originals Be A Nice Touch?

Garfield Originals is the new upcoming animated adaption of everyone’s favourite lazy and gluttonous feline [6] [16] [24]. It was firstly announced on the official website of Dargaud Media back in 2018 while many fans of the funny feline are celebrating his fortieth anniversary [14] [23]. It will be the third Garfield television series that is set to be first aired in Autumn 2019, possibly in France first since Dargaud Media is a French animation company [6] [7] [24] [28]. Additionally, Dargaud Media is the same company that produced The Garfield Show, the second Garfield television series that aired from 2008 to 2016 [7] [20]. Aside from the mixed to negative reception of The Garfield Show [5] [20] [21] [26] [27], part of the production seems to be in the hands of Jim Davis [6] [16] [24], the creator of Garfield, so I guess the third series could be an improvement. So far, we are able to see one image of what Garfield Originals will truly turn out to be [16]. Furthermore, let us examine how it can bring Garfield’s glory back on the air, as well as in digital formats as a…well…nice touch.

A promotional image featuring the final concept art for the main stars and how the series will be formatted. Who’s going to clean up Odie’s drool? [16]

 According to one rather optimistic comment, the way that about each short will last for thirty-second shorts could be classified as the very late 2010s equivalent to the Garfield Quickies from Garfield And Friends [6] [10] [15] [16] [24] [29] [30]. And since I enjoyed watching Garfield And Friends on Boomerang when I was a child, I can agree with that statement. A number of 120 segments in total sounds very passable and quite impressive by simple production standards [6] [16] [24], so five of each definitely ought to be sorted into a single segment in order to guarantee a tasty dose of satisfaction that is almost as delicious as lasagne, according to the fat cat himself [13]. At least one season of Garfield Originals should be enough to entertain older and younger fans, including those who enjoyed watching the Garfield Quickies back in their simpler days [10] [15] [29] [30]. I still remember my mother laughing at the Garfield quickie from Garfield And Friends that featured Odie barking at Garfield and Garfield meowing at him during my childhood [10].

This individual’s claim about the format of Garfield Originals seems agreeable. [16]

 

Meow! [10]

The new designs of the characters feature a nice choice of colours and quite an accurate display of the art style from the comics [6] [16] [24]. Even though I think the choice of colours is fairly accurate and eye-catching, I personally find the light blue outline around the eyes of Garfield, Odie and Jon quite off-putting. I also have a feeling that some viewers might find some of the colours too saturated. Luckily, a little extra effort is the lighting and shading at certain angles, which can increase the potential of the new style. Unfortunately, I am not too sure about a few anatomy features that might slightly decrease the appeal for some Garfield fans, including Jon’s squared buttocks and how Garfield’s ears look a little bent. At least they do not look as unappealing as Fred and Shaggy’s legs in Be Cool, Scooby Doo [3]. As for the mouse who could possibly be Squeak, I wish he looked as cute as he did in The Garfield Show [18]. I can say the characters at least look very convincing, despite the slight deformation of their anatomy in Jim Davis’ art style, thus the potential is already around.

Swiggty swooty! Jon Arbuckle’s square booty! [16]

Our lasagne lover in his new design. Highly convincing, but slightly off-putting with a wonky tail, bent ears and strange choice of colour for the outline around his eyes. [23]

I have noticed that the backgrounds are only coloured in some shades of a specific colour [16] [24]. I can see that it can help the characters stand out splendidly, especially when they will display their expressions for the humourous moments. On the other orange paw, I am not entirely sure about that decision as I remember the backgrounds looking rather variant with a small variety of different colours in Garfield And Friends [9] [29] [30], along with how I remember witnessing a similar variety of different colours for the backgrounds of The Garfield Show when I was a teenager [4] [5] [20] [22]. The comparison between the backgrounds in a segment of Garfield And Friends and the preview image of Garfield Originals feels like how one would notice the decline of background quality in the third and fourth seasons of Dexter’s Laboratory [27]. At least the objects that the characters will use shall consist of an entirely different colour to stand out, such as an indigo sofa for Garfield to unwind on and the dark brown and grey television set for a mouse to look unimpressed on [16] [24]. The minimal aesthetic of the background in the preview image at least looks decent, so the art quality still seems quite passable.

An example of how colourful and detailed the backgrounds were in a pleasant style that suited the style of Jim Davis characters' Garfield And Friends. [9]

I guess the decline of colour and detail in the backgrounds for Garfield Originals was probably a cost cutting decision during the production. [16] [27]

Apparently, there shall be no dialogue in every single short whatsoever, leaving the humour up to the characters’ movements and expressions [16] [24]. I have nothing against characters who lack dialogue as the Pink Panther, Tom and Jerry managed to entertain audiences with hardly any words coming from their mouths [1] [25]. But for the sake of the humour we often see in the Garfield comics, I believe that the shorts should include speech bubbles and thought bubbles [8] [13] [14] [23]. They should appear at the right time of each short with text that looks similar to the font we see in the comics and match each of the characters’ expressions so that the series will consist of the repetitive charm that the comic strip formula has maintained for forty years [8] [12] [13] [14] [23]. Even if speech bubbles and thought bubbles will be absent when the final outcome airs, there is always fandubbing performed by several Garfield fans and aspiring voice actors and actresses.

Despite the lack of voice acting, speech bubbles and thought bubbles for the jokes can make each Garfield Originals short seem as if the Garfield Quickies from Garfield And Friends have been combined with the format of the comic strips. [8]

 Can all five thirty-second shorts display something to get a good laugh from, as well as the traits of the main characters for a younger audience in this generation in the way many older fans have admired [6] [16] [24]? Let us hope Garfield will still be the arrogant and sarcastic Monday hater we have adored since 1978 [13] [14]. As for Odie, I bet we would still be the adorable canine who barks and licks his best buddy. I would like to see some examples of Jon doing his job as a cartoonist in a few of the upcoming shorts as it has been mentioned in his debut with Garfield [17]. However, if he gets a job as a mailman in Garfield Originals, that would explain why he is wearing light brown trousers instead of his usual dark blue trousers in the preview image [16] [17]. But I digress. I would hope to see him as a cartoonist getting smitten with Doctor Liz Wilson [17]. If the mouse in the preview image really is Squeak, then I would be up for seeing some cute mousey antics of his [17] [18]. Let us hope the shorts will be as if the comics from the newspapers have come alive.

Let us remember where it all started. [13]

“I’m just here, so that I can get paid with cheese.” [16]

I am also up for seeing any of the minor and supporting characters from the comics in some shorts. I think it would be lovely to see Liz on some kind of date with our Jonny boy as a shout-out to all the Jon x Liz lovers [17]. I would not be surprised if Nermal, the cute, but vain kitten would show off how adorable he looks and unintentionally annoy Garfield. It definitely should be quite like how he would in Garfield And Friends, as long as Nermal does not end up being a jerk like he did in the episode “King Nermal” from The Garfield Show [22] [26]. Perhaps Jon’s brother Doc Boy could appear in one short, but let us not call him “Doc Boy”…for now [12]. If Arlene ought to make an appearance in any one of the shorts with her sweetness and grace [11], I wonder where Garfield could take her to on a date in Garfield Originals? We will have to wait to see what the final outcome has to offer when it comes to keeping the beloved Garfield crew in character, including the minor characters.

Yeah. Let us hope that Garfield Originals will not go down THAT route. [22] [26]

As for the Garfield x Arlene lovers, it would be nice to see some romantic hints between the two kitties. [11]

In conclusion, perhaps Garfield Originals could be a decent interpretation of the orange tabby’s repetitive and often laid back life. They might not have as much heart and soul as the Garfield television specials from the 80s and early 90s [2] [19], but I am sure it might capture the simplicity of the comics we often see in newspapers and the official website. Moreover, the animation and portrayal of the characters should hopefully make up for what was quite flawed in The Garfield Show [5] [20] [21] [26] [28], as well as providing the right elements of bringing the charm of the comics to life. I sure hope that Garfield Originals will turn out to be the modern equivalent of the Garfield Quickies from Garfield And Friends for those who grew up with the diet dodging kitty, despite how some of us miss hearing Garfield’s low and cynical voice and how the new art style might be slightly off-putting to some viewers. Garfield is one of the most iconic cartoon cats of all time, so feed him [13]. No raisins or anchovies please!

“I’m not overweight. I’m undertall. And I’m not self-centred. I just happen to receive another animated series soon.” [6]

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