Terrible Christmas Cartoon Advent Calendar #3: A VERY GARFIELD CHRISTMAS SPECIAL.
One of the more amusing aspects of post-Garfield existence is understanding the "correct" way to read a Garfield cartoon. Basically, one just ignores everything Garfield "says", and focus on the fact that Jon is clearly insane. Beginning with Jon cavorting around in tights and an elf outfit (complete with jingle bells), and featuring a visit to his bizarrely dysfunctional family (featuring Jon's rarely seen brother, Doc-Boy, voiced by none other than SQUIGGY, and PAT FUCKING HARRINGTON as Jon's dad), this is one of Phil Roman's more ludicrous outings.
In true Christmas Special fashion, the Jon Family allows their cat to sit at the table and then proceed to sit around it on only one side, a la the Last Supper. Jon's mother is blind, by the way. Jon's grandmother, who seems to be wearing Homestar Runner's shirt, and delivers the greatest line of this monstrosity: "How did you know I needed a kitty in my lap?"
As we delve deeper into Jon's schizophrenic behavior, we learn that it's genetic. Grandma proudly exclaims that Grandpa was a sociopath except on Christmas. Don't miss the highlight of the piece, Jon's father reading their sacred religious text, "Binky, the Clown Who Saved Christmas".
Not exactly Lorenzo Music's best work, but I imagine it would be just as much fun with Bill Murray in a giant foam Garfield suit and ping-pong balls on everyone's eyes. Garfield gets particularly maudlin in the third act (as if that's in some way possible for Garfield to get MORE maudlin than he usually is). Between Jon's delusional behavior, Doc-Boy's perpetual adolescence and male pattern baldness, and Grandma's intolerable hatred of Jews, this is possibly the worst Third Act ever.
What say you?!