This show will always have a special place in my heart. It was the first cartoon, as well as the first Hanna-Barbara cartoon I ever saw. The studio pioneered limited animation and the use of plot/wit to create some truly wonderful cartoons – Yogi Bear, the Flintstones, Dick Dastardly, and Scooby-Doo. Top Cat is a little overshadowed by these icons, but can never be underestimated.
In 1960s New York, Top Cat leads a gang of alley cats as they pursue the dream of wealth and the good life, through whatever means they can (illegal, but not lethal – they're decent people and it's a kids' show). Hampering them is the strict by-the-lawbook constable Charlie Dibble, who is always on the prowl for any shenanigans afoot, especially from his nemesis Top Cat. However, though the two annoy and harass each other constantly, they are just as much best friends; TC would rather have Officer Dibble than any other constable, and Dibble often has to deal with criminals that are worse than a flimflam feline (usually with the said feline's help).
The show is notable for showcasing a hero who acts distinctly anti- heroic, even more so than the picnic-pilfering Yogi Bear; TC cheats, fast-talks and uses almost everyone around him to get what he wants (and when he wants it, as part of a larger scheme), but he possesses such charisma and wit (and a rarely-seen good heart) that you end up rooting for him anyway. And the show strikes a balance between success and failure for TC – one episode had him con Dibble and then have Dibble learn the con and throw TC into a garbage truck (For the most part TC's schemes fail, but only due to a plot twist or to maintain the status quo for the show rather than from any morality).
Against him almost all the other supporting characters pale into near- insignificance. All the members of TC's gang are one-note characters, with the exception of Benny the Ball, an innocent tyke who is T.C.'s best friend and conscience, and Choo-Choo, an educated Siamese cat with a romantic heart. Giving the best contrast with TC though is Officer Dibble, who is both rigidly duty-bound to the law and a caring pal to the gang. The dynamic between the two is sparky and sweet, filled with hilarious insults and heartwarming moments.
I recommend this show to everyone. Not just because it's one of my favourites, but because it's well-written, done by Hanna-Barbara in the best years of their career, and features a truly wonderful and unique cop-robber duo. He's the most tip-top, Top Cat!
In 1960s New York, Top Cat leads a gang of alley cats as they pursue the dream of wealth and the good life, through whatever means they can (illegal, but not lethal – they're decent people and it's a kids' show). Hampering them is the strict by-the-lawbook constable Charlie Dibble, who is always on the prowl for any shenanigans afoot, especially from his nemesis Top Cat. However, though the two annoy and harass each other constantly, they are just as much best friends; TC would rather have Officer Dibble than any other constable, and Dibble often has to deal with criminals that are worse than a flimflam feline (usually with the said feline's help).
The show is notable for showcasing a hero who acts distinctly anti- heroic, even more so than the picnic-pilfering Yogi Bear; TC cheats, fast-talks and uses almost everyone around him to get what he wants (and when he wants it, as part of a larger scheme), but he possesses such charisma and wit (and a rarely-seen good heart) that you end up rooting for him anyway. And the show strikes a balance between success and failure for TC – one episode had him con Dibble and then have Dibble learn the con and throw TC into a garbage truck (For the most part TC's schemes fail, but only due to a plot twist or to maintain the status quo for the show rather than from any morality).
Against him almost all the other supporting characters pale into near- insignificance. All the members of TC's gang are one-note characters, with the exception of Benny the Ball, an innocent tyke who is T.C.'s best friend and conscience, and Choo-Choo, an educated Siamese cat with a romantic heart. Giving the best contrast with TC though is Officer Dibble, who is both rigidly duty-bound to the law and a caring pal to the gang. The dynamic between the two is sparky and sweet, filled with hilarious insults and heartwarming moments.
I recommend this show to everyone. Not just because it's one of my favourites, but because it's well-written, done by Hanna-Barbara in the best years of their career, and features a truly wonderful and unique cop-robber duo. He's the most tip-top, Top Cat!