The Kablama Slam continues! Last time, I talked about a certain cartoon cat that we all know and love. I thought I’d keep the theme going with another feline who might not have had the same impact as his orange tabby predecessor, but certainly left his mark on my childhood Saturday mornings.
The Premise: Eek is a kind and optimistic cat who never fails to put others’ needs before his own, despite the fact that doing so consistently causes disaster. He’s the pet of two bratty children and the constant victim of Sharky the Sharkdog, the neighbor’s… dog? Fish mutant? Seriously, what is that thing?!
Eek! the Cat, or Eek!Stravaganza as it was later retitled, was the product of Nelvana Animation, the Canadian company responsible for The Care Bear Movie!... as well as... well... many other properties that were NOT The Care Bear Movie. Overall, Eek! felt like a cruder version of Garfield. Not that that's a bad thing. Especially at the time, "cruder" cartoons pushed the envelope of "family friendly" animation in the same way the greats like Tex Avery and Chuck Jones did back in their day.
This show was a must-watch for my brothers and I every week and, while I might not be able to recall any specific plot line, I could list random elements from it all day! I remember Sharky, of course. I remember that Eek had a morbidly obese girlfriend who he never realized was fat because he only saw her personality… Sweet? I remember a Star Trek parody where Mr. Spock was a sock puppet named Mr. Sock, and I remember the Squishy Bears: crude knock-offs of... Oh! Look at that! The Care Bears!
I keep using the word 'crude,' but the show still had a sense of charm. Eek's cracked smile, frazzled whiskers, and overall strung out look are the product of his relentless optimism in the face of constant adversity. It's a trait that I personally strive to emulate and, while I probably wouldn't cite Eek! the Cat as a personal inspiration, you'd be remiss if you didn't find the little guy's attitude just a little inspirational.
After a couple of seasons, the show tacked on another cartoon than ran as a separate segment, the same way Garfield and Friends did with U.S. Acres. It was called The Terrible Thunderlizards and told the story of three mercenary dinosaurs named Doc, Kutter, and Squatt attempt to kill two inept cavemen and, in classic cartoon fashion, NEVER succeed.
Kablama Slam! Fun Fact: Eek! the Cat was originally titled "The Six and a Half Lives of Eek the Cat."
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