My Third Parent

[Sudy]

No, this thread isn't about finding room in my heart for a stepparent. It's about this episode of Garfield and Friends (1988) and how it helped form the base of my personal lexicon as I watched it (and other shows) dozens of times after recording it to VHS as a child in the early 90s.

It's so strange to revisit the things of your childhood as an adult with mature perspectives. It's the same no matter the era. I can quote most of the lyrics of the song from around 11:00, and its tune pops into my head occasionally to this day. It's a good song! Lyrics could use some work though lol. Many of the show's cultural references I didn't understand as a child entered my lexicon in their parody form anyway, similar in spirit to an ancient text being unearthed by a post-apocalyptic society and evolving into a warped religion.

The music is such a beautiful example of that era that will immediately be recognized as late-80s/90s, with plenty of 70s influences while they were still in vogue. I think the voice acting is also wonderful. There's some pretty bleak sarcasm.... While it was very much a family show, it's amazing to think some lines made it to Saturday morning:

Garfield: "Maybe lightning will strike me and end this humiliation." Then there's, "People who sing like that should be drug out into the street and shot." (link)

I got away with that one a few times before getting a "What did you say??" I understood the words, but had no idea of the context. The comedy in general is pretty average and would be only modestly amusing most of the time to both children and adults, much like the comic strip that inspired it. But that hasn't stopped me from using phrases like, "That's what I get for buying a stereo from a horse!" that no one understand except me, my little sister, and anyone who remembers this slightly above average half-hour of television.

[Blackhawk]

You just confused and alienated me. See what you get for posting things?

[Sudy]

Lol! Well, "That's what I get for buying a stereo from a horse!" definitely has that effect, but I don't use that one around here thankfully.

[Daehawk]

Video unavailable.

Here it is on Dailymotion.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6hu2b1

[Carpet_pissr]

Lol! Well, "That's what I get for buying a stereo from a horse!" definitely has that effect, but I don't use that one around here thankfully.

Legit curious: how often are you able to use that phrase in a sensical context?

It’s kinda the anti “that’s what she said!”

[Sudy]

Yeah, it's most often a non sequitur or general utterance of frustration. It's mostly used around the house where people are used me blurting out nonsense and incongruencies.

Video unavailable.

Here it is on Dailymotion.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6hu2b1

Boooo. And also thanks for finding an alternate link. I was surprised to find full episodes on Youtube as while I doubt the rights are highly sought after, there are DVD releases (and possibly beyond).

[Isgrimnur]

[Sudy]

Heathcliff was the strange alternate-universe orange cat cartoon I always wanted to watch, but I could never figure out when it was on. I was always so excited when I caught an episode.

[Daehawk]

Always loved Heathcliff more than Garfield. In high school art class I made a paper mache Heathcliff. He sat on the library top shelf all summer.

This is him. He is sitting on my wife's old clothes closet in the back room. Good as when I first made him 37 years ago. Well a bit dusty and dried out.

[Holman]

My sense has always been that Heathcliff is the Chaotic Neutral Garfield.

Scholarship on the question is available here.

[Jeff V]

I You Tubed some episodes of Banana Splits for my weirdly retro son once. He liked it, even though the video quality was horrid.

In the 80's, the only cartoon in my life was The Simpsons.

[Carpet_pissr]

I You Tubed some episodes of Banana Splits for my weirdly retro son once. He liked it, even though the video quality was horrid.

Whoa, that’s super retro! A little before my time, but I distinctly remember finding one of those garbage 70’s plastic Halloween masks of one of the Banana Splits in our ‘holiday’ closet. Freaked me the hell out for some reason.

[Blackhawk]

In the 80's, the only cartoon in my life was The Simpsons.

For all five days?

[LordMortis]

In the 80's, the only cartoon in my life was The Simpsons.

For all five days?

It was the only reason to watch Tracy Ulmann, being a fan of Life in Hell, which I remember vividly in High School, so it had to be more than 5 days.

[Blackhawk]

In the 80's, the only cartoon in my life was The Simpsons.

For all five days?

It was the only reason to watch Tracy Ulmann, being a fan of Life in Hell, which I remember vividly in High School, so it had to be more than 5 days.

Yeah, if you include the Tracy Ulmann show it jumps up to about two years of the 80s, while the show itself only launched about a week from the end of December of '89.

[LordMortis]

two years of the 80s

Graduating in 88. that sound plausible.