Tom and Jerry: American Icons

During my tumultuous youth, there was nothing so electrifying as sitting in the living room with a bowl of fruit loops and watching the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion light it up with a massive roar. It was incredible, because it meant for the next 7-10 minutes, I’d be in slapstick comedy heaven. Originally created in 1940 for a series of 114 shorts, Hannah-Barberra struck gold with their spin on the classic duo of cat and mouse. For their efforts, they earned themselves 7 Academy Awards and millions of young fans across the United States and eventually, all around the world. The show went on to produce many years worth of episodes, varying in both quality and production teams, but Tom and Jerry elitists like myself know that the original 114 are the only canon. (kidding...) So today, we're going to be breaking down their four greatest episodes (in no particular order) and discussing what made them so good. These two are American Icons, and damn it, we owe them the respect of acknowledging them in the modern age.

The Cat Concerto (1947)

The Cat Concerto was the fourth Oscar winning short for the duo, winning them Best Short Subject: Cartoon. It takes place on stage, where Tom Cat is trying to play Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No.2, but is routinely upstaged by Mr. Jerry Mouse. What makes this particular short unique is that for its entire duration, Jerry is on or within the piano, screwing things up for big man Tom from the inside. It's a really pleasant watch, with gorgeous music and fun, interesting visuals that reels you in for its short runtime.

Solid Serenade (1946)

This short is by far my favorite short in the original 114 episode run. Its concept is so simple, yet so entertaining due to its liberal use of concepts outside of the regular cartoon, like using a song with lyrics, or having Tom speak. In this short, Tom Cat goes up against Spike Bulldog and Jerry to woo his female counterpart, Toodles Galore. How does he do this? By kicking the shit out of him with a goddamn Double Bass, then serenading Toodles with the timeless classic, “Is you is or is you ain’t my Baby'' by Louis Jordan. This episode catches everyone in the sweet spots of their respective dynamics. Spike and Toodles make welcome additions, Jerry is on the top of his game, and though Tom may be a cat, he is one dirty dog.

Johann Mouse (1953)

This episode of Tom and Jerry was the final one to win an Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoon in the series. It retells the Story of Tom and Jerry through the music of Johann Strauss, and relies on a narrator to tell the story. It's a comment on the cyclical nature of their relationship, and it's just as beautiful as it is funny. This short really speaks to the creativity of the Hanna-Barbera team, and though it may not be their funniest short, It allowed the producers to take their vision to new heights, and proved to both the team and the audience that Tom and Jerry can do their thing just about anywhere. Plus the illustrations of 19th century Austria are stunning.

Heavenly Puss (1949)

This episode of Tom and Jerry is a super simple, sweet story. In it, Tom dies, goes to heaven, gets kicked out of heaven, and given an hour to ask for forgiveness from Jerry. It’s definitely a conceptual episode, letting the writing team really get creative and explore ideas while the animators draw beautiful and vivid landscapes. And if you know me, you know I’m all about kick ass landscapes.

Tom and Jerry is a show that I hold really near and dear to me. My parents were dicks, and a lot of the time, Tom and Jerry were the only ones there for me. Daddy issues aside, it is no doubt that this show has left its mark on the world. Beautiful hand drawn animation, Impressive storytelling through visual movements and slapstick comedy that even still can make me laugh deeply, are all the reasons I love Tom and Jerry, and I’m sure I’m not alone. If you haven’t seen much of the show, these episodes are a great place to start. Further recommendations include Mice Follies, Texas Tom, Tee for Two, and The Little Orphan. These are all great episodes that I think will be just as enjoyable. Thanks for bearing with me as I gush about a 40’s cartoon.