The Tom and Jerry Show (2014)

[Donatello19]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmJ_qag4itY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lQsQsbPB8w

I don't like the animation...but it'll be cool to see T&J again. Doesn't look very good, honestly...and it probably won't last for more than 2 or 3 seasons, but I'll watch the premiere. Thoughts?

[TMNT_Guy]

The art style is great!

The animation looks like it was done in Macromedia Flash...back in 2001.

[Raph's Girl]

Classic slapstick humour! I love it!

[Wildcat]

Ah, so its become cool to hate Flash animation now, the way people hate CGI in movies

People really need to stop with the old-is-superior attitude. Its so dumb and pretentious.

The show looks great. Probably best since the original even though I liked "Tales".

[CyberCubed]

The animation looks really poor.

[Shred Head]

Ugh I hate Flash animation while yes it can look good its mostly used because its a cheap substitute for traditional animation and the clips above pretty much prove this. I hope they dont pull this bullcrap with the new Loony Tunes series.

[TMNT_Guy]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Ah, so its become cool to hate Flash animation now, the way people hate CGI in movies

People really need to stop with the old-is-superior attitude. Its so dumb and pretentious.

Nothing wrong with flash, a lot of great things are animated using it. Take this awesome cartoon for example:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv8_ga6-4xE

The animation for the Tom and Jerry Show reminds me of a Homestar Runner cartoon, which works for Homestar because the humor comes from the dialouge, it dosen't need fluid animation.


http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail80.html

Tom and Jerry, however, is not dialogue heavy. In fact, there is hardly any dialogue at all. All of the humor comes from the facial expressions and movement of the characters. Comedy is all about timing and if the movement of the character is jumpy and all over the place then it won't connect with the audience, because if the animation is stiff and jumpy, it distracts the audience from what's going on. Now, characters like Yogi Bear and Rocky and Bullwinkle work because their designed with limited animation in mind, so it's not distracting. This is why famous animator Chuck Jones, who worked on a few of his own Tom and Jerry cartoons, described early cartoons as illustrated radio. Even if you couldn't see the cartoon, you'd be able to understand what’s happening because everything is done through dialogue, not body movement.

Theres no excuse for this since the last Tom and Jerry cartoon had good animation, not fantastic, but good animation.

[Wildcat]

TMNTGuy, uh ya I know all that. Im not against flash. Thats why I said people need to stop with that kind of mindset.

This flash isn't the best but its fine for the cartoon.

[TMNT_Guy]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

TMNTGuy, uh ya I know all that. Im not against flash. Thats why I said people need to stop with that kind of mindset.

This flash isn't the best but its fine for the cartoon.

Never said nor implied you were against flash, I just explained why the animation does not work for this kind of show.

But, hey, that's just my opinion.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by TMNT_Guy

Never said nor implied you were against flash, I just explained why the animation does not work for this kind of show.

But, hey, that's just my opinion.

Oh I see you were saying its not suitable for Tom and Jerry.

To me its about how the actual characters are animated, not the force behind making the animation. In this case a computer program. I mean they can still make them do all the essential movements and slapstick actions as long as they program it to.

Thats the thing I think people are confusing...animation and animation style. The style is still there. It looks and acts just like Tom and Jerry. The animation used is Flash. 2 separate things.

Ignoring for a moment its flash...how do the actions in these clips not look like Tom and Jerry?

[Turo602]

The show doesn't look that bad...

[TMNT_Guy]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Ignoring for a moment its flash...how do the actions in these clips not look like Tom and Jerry?

Originally Posted by TMNT_Guy

The art style is great!

Nothing wrong with the art style, they undeniably look like Tom and Jerry. The problem is the jerky animation, which as I've said, fails to deliver the slap-stick comedy it's trying to deliver.

I'm not expecting Golden Age era animation, but I'm expecting decent animation, like they had in Tom and Jerry Tales.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by TMNT_Guy

Nothing wrong with the art style, they undeniably look like Tom and Jerry. The problem is the jerky animation, which as I've said, fails to deliver the slap-stick comedy it's trying to deliver.

I'm not expecting Golden Age era animation, but I'm expecting decent animation, like they had in Tom and Jerry Tales.

Well, Im not seeing jerky-ness and Im sure they're not using a standard home computer.

If you don't like it thats fine. I just don't see the flaws everyone else does apparently.

[TMNT_Guy]

I'm defenetly in the minority with this one.

To me, if you're doing classic style cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Animaniacs, etc you can not skimp on the animation. If you can't use fluid animation, then you're characters must be designed around this limitation like all the classic Hannah-Barbera characters were. You can’t take slapstick characters like Tom and Jerry and use them in limited animation, you just can’t.

Otherwise, you get this:

[TheBlueTurtle1]

looks great!

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by TMNT_Guy

I'm defenetly in the minority with this one.

To me, if you're doing classic style cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Animaniacs, etc you can not skimp on the animation. If you can't use fluid animation, then you're characters must be designed around this limitation like all the classic Hannah-Barbera characters were. You can’t take slapstick characters like Tom and Jerry and use them in limited animation, you just can’t.

Otherwise, you get this...

While I can see the difference in the animations in all the versions thats not the only reason I like Tom and Jerry.

For me part of the appeal is that they're the classic "cat and mouse game". I think they're cute likeable characters and I like seeing them outwit each other in funny scenarios. Ive always thought this was part of their success.

I enjoyed that cartoon. Hadn't seen it for a long time.

[TMNT_Guy]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

For me part of the appeal is that they're the classic "cat and mouse game". I think they're cute likeable characters and I like seeing them outwit each other in funny scenarios. Ive always thought this was part of their success.

I agree with that, it's just that there’s more to Tom and Jerry's success then their characters. If their personalities were the only thing they had, then Tom and Jerry would've had a successful series of novels by now.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by TMNT_Guy

I agree with that, it's just that there’s more to Tom and Jerry's success then their characters. If their personalities were the only thing they had, then Tom and Jerry would've had a successful series of novels by now.

Well that could be said about alot of cartoons then. Looney Tunes wasn't just funny for its silly action. They had genuinely entertaining scenarios and personalities.

Just because they're not always classic slapstick doesn't mean they shouldn't get screentime. I mean do you dislike that cartoon you posted just because its not traditional Tom and Jerry animation?

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I think the animation looks okay. As long as they follow the classic "cat and mouse" formula, that's really all I care about. I am someone who enjoyed Tom and Jerry Tales because it emulated what the classics were to us except with a more modern twist. However, there were still a few things that the show was missing that made the classics memorable. This new show looks like it will be even more closer to the classic shorts.

[TMNT_Guy]

The thing is, Tom and Jerry are not the only Cat and Mouse cartoon characters. Back in the day theaters were littered with Cat and Mouse cartoons, Chuck Jones created the Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons as a parody of all the Cat and Mouse cartoons there were. So why are Tom and Jerry remembered and not all the others? Because William Hanna and Joseph Barbera understood the importance of comedic timing with animation.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to watch The Tom and Jerry show, I just feel disappointed with the animation because I know they can do better. I’m still looking forward to seeing it this April, but the subpar animation can’t be ignored. Anyone else think that maybe the reason traditional cartoons are in a decline is because nobody seems to care about the quality of the animation anymore?

Originally Posted by Wildcat

I mean do you dislike that cartoon you posted just because its not traditional Tom and Jerry animation?

Books have been written about what’s wrong with the Gene Deitch era Tom and Jerry cartoons. If the problems with Gene’s Tom and Jerry cartoons were that the animation was too stretchy and fast, then The Tom and Jerry Show’s problem is that the animation is too stiff and flat. There are more problems with “It’s Greek To Me Ow! then just the animation. Let’s just look at it from a writing perspective, why does Tom want to get into that building so bad? The cartoon never gives us a reason for it, is he trying to get into the building so he can get food? Does the building even have any food? Why is Tom freaking out when he sees that man In the horse carriage? Is this a man of great importance that could do harm to Tom? When Tom latter lands in the carriage, the man is mysteriously gone. Did the man get out of the carriage? If so, then why are his horses still running? At the very end, what is Tom running away from and yelling “Help” over? There’s nothing chasing him, there’s nothing to imply Tom is in any sort of danger. I'm not trying to sound smart or be rude, if anyone could please explain what is happening in that cartoon I would very much appreciate it.