eag11
My 8 year old asked what cartoons I used to watch. I'm 56 so I mentioned Top Cat.I explained to him it was a show about cats that acted out people roles.There was no violence or evil villains, just a bunch of guys trying to beat the system.The old get by while the other guys do all the work.They always had a get rich quick gimmick going that was going to put them on easy street and every time they made it on to easy street they missed the good old days and officer Dibble.It was similar to Bilko, McHales navy and other popular sitcoms of that era.I was amazed my 8 year old hadn't seen an episode. We have DISH TV so I did a search and it did not come up. I thought Boomerang or Cartoon network would have had it on. My 17 year old son came home and caught me looking up Top Cat. He remembered the show. He told his brother it was a great show where a cat had a bunch of trash can buddies that hung out in an alley. How the cartoon network can not have this show on the air is a crime against children everywhere.
stevenfallonnyc
Top Cat has always been my favorite cartoon series. set in my town, NYC, Top Cat and his gang (Chooch, Fancy Fancy, Benny, Spook and Brain) struggle on the streets trying to survive and make a buck. Their efforts are always being thwarted by the cop on the beat, Officer Dibble, who in reality actually has a soft spot for the cats (as they do him).
This was a primetime series, hence the slightly-adult humor from time to time. One way Top Cat and the cats always try to make a buck is by fleecing people (especially tourists) in various different creative ways. They even try to set up gambling, as Dibble once caught Top Cat with a roulette wheel! They even like to bet on the horses (Spook: "Hey TC, like when are we going to the track?" Top Cat: "As soon as we raise the two bucks for a bet!").The dynamic between Dibble and the cats is often exhibited in many ways, because really Dibble doesn't actually want to run them in the slammer. Dibble even narrated the beginning of one episode explaining the delicate balance of his beat, it being "non-scientific" but he keeps that balance. And his unique relationship with TC and the others is a big part of that balance.So far only one episode (to my knowledge) has been released on DVD, on a cartoon compilation release. I really hope the entire series gets a DVD release, that'll be incredible! Every second of all 30 episodes is a winner.
Big Movie Fan
We all love Top Cat. If you didn't like Top Cat then you must be either a zombie or a robot.In the show, Top Cat lived in a dustbin and along with his friends caused trouble for Police Officer Dibble. One thing T.C. did frequently was using the police telephone for his own calls. T.C. generally was always looking for ways to make money and mischief, the two things generally going hand in hand.Top Cat kind of reminds me of my childhood many many years ago. I was a good child and I tended to hang around on the streets kicking balls around and trying to figure out games we could play with a stick and a tin can. There were also the constant trips to the shop to waste pocket money on cans of pop and sweets. I was never a naughty child but there always seemed to be miserable adults (of which I am now one) around trying to spoil the fun. I didn't have my own Officer Dibbles but I do remember one elderly guy who seemed to hate kids having any kind of fun.That must be why I liked watching Top Cat as a child-because really I was looking at me and my friends in the mirror. But isn't hanging round on street corners with your friends something that kids having been doing since time began?All in all, Top Cat was my hero and I urge you to check him out if he comes on your screen.
pire
This is a jewel of a show: fun, clean, sometimes even very clever. Why was this show so short running? Maybe it was ahead of its time. As not as cynic as more recent cats (like Garfield), Top Cat has its dose of pinching quotes and memorable, clever one-liners, as the 'hobo-like' background puts the acid dose to the series. The show is maybe naive for the 90's and beyond, but in the innocence of the early 60's it had punch and spice, maybe 20 years before its time.