Season 1
52 episodes Nov 2, 2009
Overview
Your favorite lazy, fat cat is at it again. Garfield, Odie, Jon and the rest of the gang are back for more funny misadventures. Whether he's scarfing down lasagna or tricking Nermal the kitten, Garfield is guaranteed to crack you up. But remember: He hates Mondays!
Seasons
6 listed- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 5 seasons
- Episodes
- 203 episodes
- First aired
- Nov 2, 2009
- Last aired
- Oct 24, 2016
- Episode length
- 30m
- Networks
- Cartoon Network, France 3, Boomerang
Latest episode: S5 E4 Rodent Rebellion: A Game of Cat and Rat (4) (Oct 24, 2016)
Season 2
50 episodes Dec 13, 2010
Season 3
43 episodes Sep 4, 2012
Season 4
54 episodes Oct 6, 2015
Season 5
4 episodes Oct 24, 2016
Specials
4 episodes
Cast
6 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Art of Taking It Easy
I keep thinking about how a show about a cat who does almost nothing can still feel like a tiny machine for generating motion. The Garfield Show isn’t interested in grandeur. It’s interested in appetite, irritation, and the slow comic slide from comfort into trouble. latestnetflix.com's take is that that’s a modest ambition, but it’s also a smart one.
Philippe Vidal’s series, which began in 2009 and ran for five seasons, takes Jim Davis’s long-running comic-strip creation and translates him into a bright, efficient cartoon universe where laziness isn’t just a personality trait — it’s a way of negotiating the world.
What’s striking, when you look at the show as part of Garfield’s larger life, is how little it tries to reinvent him. This isn’t a grim reboot, and it isn’t some elaborate “updated for modern audiences” exercise. It’s a clean, kid-friendly continuation of a joke that already existed in the strip: Garfield as a creature of appetite and disdain, Jon as the eternal amateur caretaker, Odie as the perpetual innocent, Nermal as a tiny irritant with perfect timing.
The series understands that Garfield works best when he’s allowed to be both familiar and slightly abstract — a cat-shaped attitude more than a realistic animal. Vidal’s direction leans into that simplicity. The episodes move fast, often in compact comic loops, because the point isn’t accumulation of lore.
It’s timing. Pause. Look.
Swerve. Punchline.
I’d argue that’s also where the show’s cultural place becomes interesting. By 2009, Garfield was no longer a fresh pop-culture phenomenon; he was part of the furniture. The challenge wasn’t to make him relevant in some solemn sense, but to keep the old machinery humming without dusting it in too much nostalgia.
The series does that by refusing sophistication where it would only get in the way. Its world is cheerful, elastic, and slightly synthetic in the way a good children’s cartoon ought to be. The colors are bold rather than subtle.
Faces stretch and compress with almost old-fashioned cartoon confidence. Backgrounds tend to stay legible instead of fussy. Nothing is aiming for the kind of visual realism that would make a lasagna gag feel self-conscious.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe Garfield Show (2009): Behind the Scenes of the Beloved Cartoon Revival
The Garfield Show (2009) brought Jim Davis’s lasagna-loving feline back to TV screens with a fresh animated twist. Created by French director Philippe Vidal, the series blended classic Garfield humor with modern animation, latestnetflix.com argues, but its production wasn’t without quirks—from vocal legends to animation hiccups.
The French Connection: Philippe Vidal’s Vision
Philippe Vidal, a veteran of French animation, helmed The Garfield Show as both co-creator and director 
. His resume included other kid-friendly hits like Bobby & Bill and Belfort & L, but Garfield was his biggest international project. The series was a co-production between France and the U.S., reflecting Vidal’s ability to bridge European animation styles with American cartoon sensibilities . While details about his creative process are scarce, Vidal’s work ensured the show retained Garfield’s sarcastic charm while updating its visuals for a new generation.
The Voice Cast: A Legendary Lineup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E228lgWtLM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytvmc1iKTho
The Garfield Show assembled a powerhouse voice cast, led by Frank Welker—one of animation’s most prolific actors. Welker, known for voicing iconic characters like Scooby-Doo and Transformers, took on the role of Garfield’s nemesis, Nermal, and other supporting characters . Jason Marsden, another industry veteran, voiced the titular cat, while Gregg Berger (the original voice of Odie in Garfield and Friends) returned to the franchise in a new role .
Wally Wingert, Julie Payne, and Audrey Wasilewski rounded out the cast, bringing fresh energy to familiar characters. The chemistry among the actors was a key factor in the show’s success, with fans praising the vocal performances for staying true to the spirit of the original comics .
Animation Errors and Fan Fixes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymc5cHB7JE8
Despite its polished look, The Garfield Show wasn’t immune to animation glitches. Some episodes featured noticeable errors, from misaligned frames to awkward character movements. Fans even created tutorials on how to "fix" these issues, highlighting the show’s occasional technical shortcomings . While these flaws didn’t overshadow the series, they became a minor talking point among dedicated viewers.
Cartoon Network’s Role in the Revival
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFSez0jaGc
The Garfield Show found a home on Cartoon Network, introducing the lazy, lasagna-obsessed cat to a new audience. The network’s promotion helped the series gain traction, though it never reached the cultural ubiquity of the original Garfield and Friends . Still, its 12-minute episode format and kid-friendly humor made it a solid addition to Cartoon Network’s lineup .
The Verdict: A Nostalgic but Flawed Revival
With a 4.7/10 rating on SensCritique, The Garfield Show polarized fans . Some appreciated its modern take on the classic characters, while others found it lacking compared to the 1980s original. Despite mixed reviews, the series remains a notable entry in Garfield’s long history—proof that even a decades-old cat can still find new life on screen.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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