“Tom and Jerry” – a favorite for decades
Tom and Jerry is a hilarious American Television series that has been running since the 1940s. It has been ranked, as one of the best cartoon series of all time and is one of the longest running cartoon series. Each episode consists of two short films about a cat named Tom and a mouse named Jerry, who constantly argue and fight. Tom and Jerry is based around slapstick comedy, which “…is the recourse to humor involving exaggerated physical activity, which exceeds the boundaries of common sense.”
Tom, is a grey cat, who usually lives a pampered life, and takes pleasure in tormenting a mouse named Jerry. Jerry, is a small, brown mouse, who lives in the same house as Tom. Each episode usually revolves around Tom and Jerry quarreling and chasing each other around. Most episodes end in Jerry being the triumphant one out of the two. Although Tom constantly chases Jerry he hardly ever tries to eat him. Although they fight and argue a lot, at the end of some episodes, Tom and Jerry set aside their differences and act like friends. In fact, if either Tom or Jerry is put in grave danger, the other is willing to do his best to help and try save the other.
The series’ recurring characters
Tom and Jerry has some reoccurring characters throughout the series which include Spike and Tike, Butch, Toodles Galore, and Nibbles. Spike is a vicious and sometimes unintelligent dog. Although at times he lets his temper get the best of him, he always has a soft spot for his son, Tike. Tike is Spike’s young, innocent, sweet, and lovable son. In the episodes Spike and Tike are seen in throughout the series, Spike constantly chases around Tom.
If anything ever happens to Spike or Tike, Spike immediately blames Tom no matter what the circumstance and begins to chase him. Butch is a black cat, who is acquainted with Tom. Most often, Butch and Tom are seen fighting over a lady cat named Toodles Galore. The one thing Tom and Butch do have in common, however, is that they both want to catch Jerry. Nibbles is Jerry’s young and care-free nephew. Nibbles is less aware of his surroundings than Jerry is, which sometimes gets him into trouble. Nibbles, is also part of the mousketeers along with Jerry.
Less talk and more slapstick
Since it is a slapstick comedy, not much talking goes on throughout the Tom and Jerry series. Although Tom and Jerry themselves only talk a little, other reoccurring characters such as Butch and Spike, have quite a few lines in their episodes. When Tom and Jerry do talk, Tom usually has the most lines. Tom’s lines usually consist of him singing to his “love” Toodles Galore, in an attempt to gain her affection.
Tom and Jerry was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1940. Since then, Tom and Jerry has been directed and produced by many different people and companies. These include William Hanna and Joseph Barbera from 1940-1958, Gene Deitch from 1961-1962, Chuck Jones 1963-1967, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera again for a second time from 1975–1977, Ted Turner in 1986, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for a third time from 1990–1994 and the Warner Bros. from 2006-2008. Cartoon Network has recently announced that this year in 2014, Warner Bros. will be producing a new series of Tom and Jerry episodes. The Tom and Jerry legacy seems as if it will live on forever.