Calling Cat-22

Last updated
Calling Cat-22
Genre Comedy
Spy fiction
Slapstick
Created byMatthew Schwartz
Directed byJai Anthony-Lewis
Voices ofGarrett Fisher
David Markus
Theme music composer Nova Social
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes5
Production
ProducerSteve Patrick
Running time2 minutes approx.
Production companies Cartoon Network Studios
Turner Studios
Release
Original releaseJune 1, 2008 (2008-06-01)

Calling Cat-22 is a short-lived flash animated comedy series created by Matthew Schwartz through Turner Studios for the Cartoon Network Wedgies series, and was produced by Steve Patrick, and directed by Jai Anthony-Lewis Husband. Schwartz and Patrick share the rights to the series. [1] The title of the series is a parody of the 1961 novel Catch-22. [2]

Contents

The series theme was performed by electronic pop duo Nova Social. [3] The series debuted on June 1, 2008 on the Cartoon Network channel in the intervals of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack ; and was used thereafter as an interstitial until 2010, when it was moved to Cartoon Network's sister-network Boomerang, where it ran till 2015.

The series consists of five two-and-a-half-minute episodes. [4]

Summary

In form, the series is a parody of spy thrillers of the James Bond variety, in which the eponymous Cat-22, an agent for a secret organization of cats directed by Gato Primo (voiced by Garrett Fisher), [5] seeks to discover the mysteries associated with the life of dogs (who, despite their oblivious imbecility in the series, are treated by the cats like agents of a hostile superpower or enemy agency).

Each episode's plot follows a set formula. 22, [6] (a rail-thin black cat in a stereotypical "men-in-black"-style secret agent suit) is found relaxing in some foreign venue, until given a briefcase containing an assignment by Agent Andrew (a short, stout black cat with a poncy English accent); the briefcase conveys a communication from Gato Primo to investigate some (usually disgusting) feature of canine life, invariably concluding with a Mission: Impossible -like warning from Gato that "This briefcase will self-destruct..." and 22's subsequent resulting injury.

Thereupon, 22 is seen in "disguise" (a brown beanie with doggie ears), attempting to gain information from his moronic canine friend, Guthrie (David Markus) (and, on occasion, the brutal bulldog, Percy); invariably, complications follow, involving comic injury and humiliation, which are generally only heightened by Gato's attempts to extract him from the situation. Typically, Andrew generally reappears at the end of the episode to reassure 22 that he will soon be back on assignment, whereupon 22 attempts to escape (often resulting in further injury).

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Hydrant"Jai Anthony & Lewis HusbandSteve Patrick & Matthew SchwartzJune 1, 2008 (2008-06-01)101
2"Bones"Jai Anthony & Lewis HusbandSteve Patrick & Matthew SchwartzJune 1, 2008 (2008-06-01)102
3"Flying Discs"Jai Anthony & Lewis HusbandSteve Patrick & Matthew SchwartzJune 1, 2008 (2008-06-01)103
4"Stink"Jai Anthony & Lewis HusbandSteve Patrick & Matthew SchwartzJune 1, 2008 (2008-06-01)104
5"Sniff"Jai Anthony & Lewis HusbandSteve Patrick & Matthew SchwartzJune 1, 2008 (2008-06-01)105

Related Research Articles

<i>Mission: Impossible</i> (1966 TV series) Television series 1966

Mission: Impossible is an American espionage television series that aired on CBS from September 1966 to March 1973. It was revived in 1988 for two seasons on ABC. It also inspired the series of theatrical motion pictures starring Tom Cruise beginning in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speedy Gonzales</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Speedy Gonzales is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He is portrayed as "The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico" with his major traits being the ability to run extremely fast, being quick-witted and heroic while speaking with an exaggerated Mexican accent. He usually wears a yellow sombrero, white shirt and trousers, and a red kerchief, similar to that of some traditional Mexican attires. To date, there have been 46 theatrical shorts made either starring or featuring the character.

<i>Top Cat</i> American animated sitcom

Top Cat is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and originally broadcast in prime time on the ABC network. It aired in a weekly evening time slot from September 27, 1961, to April 18, 1962, for a single season of 30 episodes. The show was a ratings failure in prime time, but became successful upon its time on Saturday morning television. The show also became very popular in Latin American countries, and the United Kingdom.

"Assignment: Earth" is the twenty-sixth and final episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Art Wallace and directed by Marc Daniels, it was first broadcast on 29 March 1968.

<i>Freakazoid!</i> Television series

Freakazoid! is an American superhero comedy animated television series created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and developed by Tom Ruegger for the Kids' WB programming block of The WB. The series chronicles the adventures of the title character, Freakazoid, a crazy teenage superhero who fights crime in Washington, D.C.. It also featured mini-episodes with the adventures of other bizarre superheroes. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Amblin Television, being the third animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven Spielberg and Warner Bros. Animation after Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs.

<i>The Brak Show</i> American adult animated sitcom

The Brak Show is an American adult animated sitcom created by Jim Fortier, Andy Merrill, and Pete Smith for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. The Brak Show serves as a spin-off of the animated television series, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, for which the show's creators originally wrote, and featured recurring characters from Space Ghost Coast to Coast and Cartoon Planet. Both programs used stock footage from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Space Ghost, for which The Brak Show serves as a prequel for. The protagonist is Brak, voiced by Merrill, who developed a quirky persona for the character.

<i>Codename: Kids Next Door</i> American animated television series

Codename: Kids Next Door is an American animated television series created by Mr. Warburton for Cartoon Network. The series follows the adventures of a diverse group of five 10-year-old children who operate from a high-tech treehouse, fighting against adult and teen tyranny with advanced 2×4 technology. Using their code names, they are Sector V, part of a global organization called the Kids Next Door.

<i>The Itchy & Scratchy Show</i> Fictional TV show on The Simpsons

The Itchy & Scratchy Show is a show within a show featured on The Simpsons. The show depicts a blue mouse named Itchy, who repeatedly maims or kills a black cat named Scratchy, and is typically presented as 15- to 60-second-long cartoons that are a part of The Krusty the Clown Show. The show is filled with graphic violence that almost invariably prompts laughter from The Simpsons characters, including Bart and Lisa.

<i>Cat City</i> 1986 film directed by Béla Ternovszky

Cat City is a 1986 Hungarian animated comic science fiction film, directed by Béla Ternovszky and written by József Nepp. The title Cat City was used in the United States distribution. The film was selected as the Hungarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 59th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.

<i>Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi</i> Japanese/American television series

Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi is an American animated television series created by Sam Register and produced by Renegade Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, which aired on Cartoon Network from 2004 to 2006. The series stars fictionalized and animated versions of the Japanese pop rock group Puffy AmiYumi. The series premiered on November 19, 2004 and ended on June 27, 2006, with a total of three seasons and 39 episodes, leaving a total of 34 episodes aired and five episodes unaired in North America.

<i>The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat</i> American animated television series

The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat is an American animated television series produced by Film Roman. The series first aired on September 16, 1995 on CBS lasting for two seasons with the final episode airing on April 12, 1997. The first season consists of 13 episodes and the second and final season consists of 8 episodes.

Masquerade is an American espionage television series that aired on ABC from December 15, 1983, until April 27, 1984.

Your Mother Wouldn't Like It was a children's sketch show broadcast on ITV between 1985 and 1988. A unique aspect of the show was that the performing cast were almost entirely children.

<i>Avenger Penguins</i> Television series

Avenger Penguins is a British animated series produced by Cosgrove Hall Films and Granada Television in 1993, and animated by both Alfonso Productions, a Spanish-based animation studio also responsible for bringing Cosgrove Hall's shows Count Duckula, Victor and Hugo: Bunglers in Crime, Fantomcat, Sooty's Amazing Adventures and The Foxbusters to life, and in-house by Cosgrove Hall themselves. It aired originally on Children's ITV and was originally going to be called Hell's Penguins, although was it renamed out of concern for how the religious audience in the US would respond. 26 episodes aired from 1993 to 1994.

<i>Uncle Crocs Block</i> American TV series or program

Uncle Croc's Block is an hour-long live-action/animated television series. It was produced by Filmation, and broadcast on ABC in 1975–76.

The Dick Tracy Show is an American animated television series based on Chester Gould's comic strip crime fighter. The series was produced from 1961 to 1962 by UPA.

<i>Special Agent Oso</i> American childrens animated TV series

Special Agent Oso is an American computer-animated children's television series. The series was created by Ford Riley. It premiered on April 4, 2009 with 2 episodes airing that day as part of Disney Channel's Playhouse Disney block, and aired two seasons of 60 episodes through May 17, 2012.

<i>Generator Rex</i> American animated television science fiction series

Generator Rex is an American animated science fiction television series created by Man of Action for Cartoon Network, with John Fang of Cartoon Network Studios serving as supervising director. It was inspired by the comic M. Rex, created by Aaron Sowd, Joe Kelly and Duncan Rouleau, and published by Image Comics in 1999. The series premiered in the United States on April 23, 2010, on Cartoon Network, and concluded on January 3, 2013.

Dangerous Assignment was an NBC Radio drama starring Brian Donlevy broadcast in the US 1949–1953, a syndicated television series distributed in the US 1951–52, and an Australian radio series broadcast in 1954-56 as remakes of the original American radio scripts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cat–dog relationship</span> Interaction between the main house pets

Cats and dogs have a range of interactions. The natural instincts of each species lead towards antagonistic interactions, though individual animals can have non-aggressive relationships with each other, particularly under conditions where humans have socialized non-aggressive behaviors.

References

  1. "Calling Cat-22!" Bones (TV Episode 2008) - IMDb , retrieved 2023-05-13
  2. The title is a pun on Joseph Heller's novel, Catch-22 , referring to the impossibility of the title character's avoiding humiliation in each episode.
  3. "Nova Social - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  4. "Calling Cat-22! - TheTVDB.com". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  5. The name "Gato Primo" comes from Matt Schwartz's original sketch for the character. In the series itself, Gato Primo's name appears only as "Gato." It is possible that "Gato Primo" may be his title or code name as chief of the organization, and the organization itself may be called "Gato." Strictly speaking, "Gato Primo" is Spanish for "Cat Cousin," but it may simply be a mistake for "Primer Gato," which would mean "first cat" or "Cat Number One" (or even "Cat-1").
  6. He is called "Cat-22" by Gato once (in "Hydrant") and simply "22" thereafter.