The "Cathy" TV Special is So Sad It's Funny

1987’s TV special titled “Cathy”, is one of the few mainstream, early era animated projects to appear on primetime network tv, that toed the line between classic cartoon comedy, with daring and revealing insight into society through unabashed self-exploration.
Based on the 1976 comic strip by Cathy Guisewite, which follows an animated version of its creator as she tackles the daily struggles of successfully balancing all facets of life, from her career, to dating, dealing with family, and challenges with self-worth, the comic was revolutionary in how painfully truthful it could be, while still maintaining an appealing, and marketable brand.
Would its themes be too depressing for people expecting a more lighthearted affair seeing as it's animated? Or would Cathy’s nervous energy prove to be contagious, and garner a whole other level of respect for the franchise? Let’s look at the 1987 CBS Television special: “Cathy”.
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Edited by:
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Music:
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[@WobblesandBean]

My mother loved Cathy, she said how relatable the character was. Now as an adult, I realize how sad that was.

[@comedrac]

Ack!

[@endymallorn]

Cathy was absolutely a slice of life. As a boy, reading Cathy gave me an insight into what my mother was experiencing, and what the girls around me saw and felt. It was a very “real” comic, built on truth. In 2010, I remember the ending, and how much I honestly missed those insights into the eternal truth of the people around me. It might have been a comic of its time, but it was just as much about the things that make people who they are.

[@2doot]

You've mentioned it before, but i LOVE how they animate Cathy's hair. Just very subtle movements loke it falling on front of her shoulder when she shifts, or moving it back behind her shoulders. Or the slight weight it has as it moves. It's very small but it gives them life (and it makes me want her hair lol, it's just animated so pretty)

[@UlfFormynder]

Being asked who voiced various male cartoon characters from the 80's and 90's is like that scene in Fight Club where Meatloaf dies. His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson.

[@chrisrockett5897]

Fr. He was literally everyone in those days.

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

I really think Caty was pretty much about the creator going through her life struggles. A lot of cartoonist always make their Characters based around them.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

She said that the strips (specifically her best strips) were based off of her insecurities, so her own life seemed to very much be inserted into the comic!

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose oh thanks. Even Curtis is based on the cartoonist. He said it himself on reading rainbow.

[@MatthewPrower]

cathy: the pioneer of the social media webcomic

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

@MatthewPrower my sister never got The comics.

[@TheMightyPika]

Cathy was so ahead of its time, both the comic and show, that it hurts. Edit: My favorite thing about this is that men and women are treated like real equals. No one is weaker or better than the other. It's not 'you need a man to master you' or 'you need a woman to serve you', it's says 'society is throwing loads of expectations at us that are very hard to navigate, and communicating this is equally hard.'

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

When you look back, it's unbelievable how relevant it still is, arguably even more so now. You can read the comics or watch the special today, and aside from the technology, you wouldn't be able to tell that the strip started in the 1970s!

[@TheMightyPika]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose I know!!! It makes me want to find some collections from different decades to read how the subtleties of the social dynamics changed. Btw I love how you pointed out these fantastic touches like how Cathy keeps her speech professional, showing that this ISN'T a story of someone who has only one goal in life, but who has several and is balancing them quite well. Cathy becomes an even more interesting and rounded character right there.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I couldn't agree more. It's not a love story, it's a life story that includes family, love, work, friends... This would've been a great backdoor pilot for a "Cathy" animated series. It's a shame nothing like that ever materialized, but at least we have the two additional specials!

[@TheMightyPika]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Coming back because I was thinking a lot about how you said the crying scene is shown in a way in that it's hilarious when in any other story it would be terribly sad. I was wondering why the creators chose to have this scene at all, let alone make it funny, and I think it has to do with the speech scene. I don't think Cathy nor Irving are taking dating seriously at all. I think both of them just enjoy each other's company on a level that society would call 'casual' as they aren't 'following the rules' but Cathy is a career focused person, clearly. We';re seeing her awkward attempts to follow the social rules of how she is SUPPOSED to live, but as those rules don't make her happy, she isn't taking them seriously. The COMEDY comes with her not being completely aware of this. Will she ever? Who knows!

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I saw it as she is in a "casual" relationship and wants to be a perspn who is comfortable with it even though she wants, possibly due to family and societal standards, a "normal" relationship. She wants both a career, which she thankfully gets, and love, which isn't coming as easy, but it's super fun to see her try and navigate both at the same time!

[@terpsidance.]

This came out the same year I was born and i had no idea of it's existence. I always enjoyed the Cathy strips so thank you for unearthing this for me.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

It's a wonderful extension of the strips. If you watch it, I hope you find it enjoyable!

[@noahbossier1131]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoosethere are also 2 additional specials

[@greencomet2011]

From what I saw of this special it holds that warm and fuzzy feeling that a lot of late 80's and early 90s cartoon had back in the day. Something that I definitely miss from stuff like anime nowadays, especially for the slice of life genre. It just feels good watching it, especially with Cathy's voice actress performance and the overall visual presentation that is only enhanced by the old VHS feel that a lot of youtube footage has of this show.

[@NateTheGnat]

Very underrated cartoon specials. These and the Garfield 80s specials were great.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

Throw in the Peanuts specials, too! All Emmy winners, all sorely underrated and underappreciated these days.

[@Attmay]

People who were not yet born back then don't realize what an event it was to see animation on primetime network television prior to the 1990s.

[@slashbash1347]

I only came across these specials recently, and I gotta say, Irving's voice is pretty much exactly what I expected (probably because Rob Paulsen is everywhere). Cathy's voice wasn't what I expected, but I kinda like the Pepper Ann voice. I wish we had more adult animation like this. Not everything needs to be a South Park clone, and I wish the execs would realize this.

[@2doot]

I think Cathy's voice is adorable fitting IMHO. It's unique in a sort of "cartoonish" was but not so exaggerated or over the top that it takes you out of the realness. The voice cast honestly does such an amazing job and I genuinely don't think this special would have worked at all if it wasn't for the voice cast keeping the characters so down to earth.

[@blackmagician7645]

How Cathy's mom just Jedi masters a meal practically out of thin air. 😅 "There is no empty plate. It's prep or prep not."

[@teranokitty]

To be fair, she did have three whole peas to work with XD

[@Attmay]

Pre-boomer women could do that.

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

​@@Attmay If you're going to bitch about "modern women" like a crybaby, then go do it on one of the near infinite misogynist subreddits, YT channels, podcasts, etc.

[@rumbleroller2154]

(18:25) Spraying pepperspray in your waiter's face is a great way to get yourself arrested... just leading by example there, Andrea. LOL

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

It caught me off guard the first time she did it. So funny! Andrea and Cathy somehow fit so well together.

[@rumbleroller2154]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Actually, I think Andrea has different kinds of spray bottles for varying situations. It looks like Cathy, at one point, reaches INTO Andrea's purse, pulls out a bottle of something, then sprays it into her mouth. Another scene shows Andrea spraying the air as they're both walking the sidewalk. So that tells me that Andrea has can(s) of Bug Spray, Aerosol, Breath Freshener, Perfume, Alcohol, Anticeptic, and mace/pepperspray in her purse. What MIGHT be the scary part is that Cathy probably knows exactly which bottle is where... Thus, Andrea isn't just a friend, she's the female equivalent of a bull dog with a swiss army knife...

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I'm sure she's got shark repellant in there somewhere, too!

[@teranokitty]

@@rumbleroller2154 Heh, I always thought that in the scene where Cathy and Andrea are walking together on the sidewalk, Andrea was just spastically spraying the air with mace!

[@AdahnFlorence]

Always a pleasure hearing Wait till your father gets home is mentioned.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

A good show that's too often overlooked!

[@DanaTheInsane]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose As a kid I watched it when it aired.

[@2doot]

Cathy randomly showed up in my youtube feed when it was making the rounds, and honestly, its just such a charming display. The old Garfield show does an amazing job of capturing the style and spirit of it's comic strip... I feel like Cathy does it as well, if not even better.

[@mattfugate]

From the thumbnail, I fully expected a snarky hit-piece. Instead, I got a warm expression of appreciation. Kudos!

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I appreciate that, thank you! It's a great special, so I was more than happy to talk about it!

[@anonamouse5917]

The very first scenes you showed, I was thinking, "This animation style REALLY reminds me of Peanuts".

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I thought the same thing! The art style is sort of like a grown up version of Peanuts. And with the combination of Melendez and Mendelson, it was bound to be a winner!

[@millsyinnz]

The same people who made the Charlie Brown cartoons, also made the Cathy cartoons. it has sort of a symmerty really.

[@InvdrDana]

@@millsyinnz I kept thinking Andrea could be Lucy's mom, but in the 80s lol

[@zab416]

During Covid, I got to do an little online Zoom gameshow thing with Ron Paulson as a special guest. My friend who was running it has a bunch of entertaininment journalist type connections. Ron seems like a super sweet guy and has a lot of fun stories about meeting other celebrities. That night's show turned into mostly fanboying but that was ok lol. I didn't expect to see him here!

[@LendriMujina]

I... never realized how mature this comic was. It didn't run in my local newspapers when I was growing up, so I only ever heard about it by reputation; that reputation being... basically what the Irving in this special would think about it.

[@mario-mario822]

Discovered this at the beginning of the year after a break up and it was so entertaining ;especially being her age. I was sad that there weren't more specials. I'll have to look into the books :' )

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

Be sad no more, there are two more specials that released each following year!

[@CalTheHogNosedBat]

my favourite part was when she says, "CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, CHOCOLATE, ACK!!!"

[@p.d.l7023]

I met Rob Paulson just this past Spring. He was doing a stage show in Havre DeGrace, MD. Super nice guy.

[@BassGal92]

If I knew he was going to be near my hometown, I would have gone!

[@mariawhite7337]

Things I miss: THAT PAPER! Then paper that is all together with the edges that have the holes. I miss it so much since I would spend HOURS just making little accordions of the edges.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

At least someone remembers paper.

[@UlfFormynder]

@@mariawhite7337 it's not the cheepest, but if you really want you can still buy dot matrix printer paper and have yourself a trip down memory lane.

[@DealWithTheJelly]

Damn, that ending was sad I really wanted her to tell him off

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

The saddest thing is, this ending doesn't feel unrealistic for them! I hope to go over the rest of the trilogy someday. There's more of their story to tell!

[@divine555]

Yeah, it's a morbid look at his easily women can get trapped in abusive relationships

[@gabaghoul-in7eo]

How survive with no man??? Must have man to be complete! /s

[@Steve_Mazza]

At 10:50, I love how Mom tidies up the floor while she waits for Kathy to finish talking. ;)

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

It's the little details that make it feel real!

[@Monacomaverick]

I remember Cathy the comic strip, but I never knew there was cartoon based on her.

[@WhoCaresAlisha]

I almost forgot about Cathy! I used to read this in the Sunday comics when I was little.

[@MarkBonneaux]

The ending made me think of one of my favorite quotes from "Orange County": Look... Sometimes I leave the office at the end of the day and head home... ...and 15 minutes later, I'm here, in front of this house. It's annoying. It's totally out of my way. I made a mistake and I'm tired of paying for it. I want you back. People screw up in relationships, sometimes it ends in a breakup or divorce, sometimes that lets people or even makes them grow as a person, and sometimes they're just lucky enough to get a second chance to do it right with the person they truly care about. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, I can't help but root for them to get it right this time around.

[@Cameroo]

Feel like I should revisit this again. I saw it when I was way too young to really appreciate it. Plus Bill Melendez's animation direction is always great

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

It definitely hits harder as an adult!

[@teranokitty]

Same here, I watched this many times as a kid in the early 90s because our VHS tapes of recorded animated specials were a regular source of entertainment and distraction. I just wanted to watch it as a cartoon when I was a kid, but revisiting it as an adult shows me how expertly crafted and paced the Cathy specials are, especially this one. I love the "Hagar The Horrible" and the "Blondie and Dagwood" specials too! Hagar only got one special, but Blondie got at least two!

[@blackmagician7645]

Now that he revealed it to me. I can not distinguish Pepper Ann from Cathy. How did I not hear it before?😅

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I can't believe I didn't realize it. And now I can't unhear it!

[@bruno17289]

Man Cathy relationship with Irving is messed up. The relationship is sad the more you think about it.

[@drewgeraci8434]

It seems like he's always the thoughtless jerk so why does Cathy accept this one-sided romance? In this cartoon, she apologizes way too much when he's the one who should contributing to the relationship. Showing up at the award ceremony just to pick up stuff is so soulless and one dance makes it all better?

[@Luna-McLu]

​@@drewgeraci8434she doesn't respect herself enough and finds it easier to accept her partner is a shallow jerk than to find someone better

[@madmonkee6757]

Cathy was my favorite newspaper cartoon. I used to clip them out and collect them.

[@msmlovers463Jamboree]

WE MISS YOU CATHY

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I'm shocked we haven't seen her return in any major way! Someday, maybe!

[@msmlovers463Jamboree]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose HOPEFULLY

[@msmlovers463Jamboree]

​@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoosekzbin.info/www/bejne/iImWmGannsytjbcsi=o3ulDyYxGjZ5fVEm

[@msmlovers463Jamboree]

​@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoosekzbin.info/www/bejne/qHjLcqiMfLyGq7ssi=gtUxOsfc1Bs88W-f

[@msmlovers463Jamboree]

​​@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGooseWHAT EVER HAPPENED TO MISTER GO ON MAGIC KIDS IN ARGENTINA 🇦🇷 THE SHOW WAS KINDA LIKE RED AND BLUE FROM MISSERI STUDIO

[@JJ_Animation86]

I never thought I'd see the day when someone would talk about this special. This special certainly gives me that feeling of going back in time to the 80s decade. Which is one of the reasons I like going back to watch this special. I also like the animation and the voice acting. As the said one of the few times Rob Paulson played a character that was more serious than what you expect from the characters he usually plays. Do you think you'll talk about the Doonesbury special or maybe the Opus Christmas Special A Wish for Wings That Work one day?

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I have a special affinity for adaptations of newspaper comic strips (I've also looked at Snoopy Come Home and the Garfield Holiday Specials) and definitely plan on doing more eventually! They're a genre of cartoon that's completely overlooked which is sad, considering how good a majority of them are.

[@JJ_Animation86]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Agreed. There is even a CBS special called The Fantastic Funnies that go into classic comic strips from back in the 80s with some animated segments of certain comic strips which includes the first ever appearance of Garfield in animated form.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll have to check it out!

[@Attmay]

@@JJ_Animation86 is that the one hosted by Loni Anderson?

[@JJ_Animation86]

@@Attmay That's the one!

[@elizabethg-rj5tg]

The way she suddenly frowns when he grabs her from behind.

[@eldergeek6077]

Cathy had 3 television specials that I know of.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

That's true! I wish they would have made an animated series too, based on how good the specials were.

[@animezilla4486]

It should have gotten a series

[@Attmay]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGooseCBS didn't know what to do with it. The IP was too adult for Saturday morning, but when the network actually tried a prime-time animated series, we got *Fish Police* while NBC later in the 1990s had a show called *Caroline in the City* loosely based on the creator of this strip.

[@pierrotlehonque5084]

for some reason Cathy and Andrea look a lot like Jamie and Isabella from Dear Dumb Diary, and parts of their dynamics seem vaguely similar, if the creator of DDD took some inspiration I wouldn't be surprised

[@DivaDivaFashionista]

I love Cathy no one ever knows what I’m talking about when I mention her 👍🏾

[@simsgirlgem]

I found Cathy boring as a little girl as an adult it speaks to me it’s so weird

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

Remember pearls before swine talking About the death of Cathy.😂 She became an Angel and fell on one Of the characters.😂 The creator walked in talking about What happened to Caty and was Like WTF?

[@JohnCrawford1979]

Cathy is kind of the adult version of Charlie Brown.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I couldn't agree more! Even the art style is similar, no doubt helped by Mendelson and Melendez' helping hands!

[@candy-vintageghoul13]

Our standards for men being so low is what's truly sad.

[@fucker661]

Don't worry you won't get one either way

[@nicomeklrowing5935]

Women expect way too much from men while providing little to nothing in return. Let's be serious. There is a reason men are giving up on dating women in today's world.

[@Newtype00]

The For Better Or for Worse tv show and specials also do a good job at dealing with diverse issues.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I'll have to check it out! It was always such a wholesome strip. I would have liked to have seen a "Lockhorns" animated series or special, too!

[@christopherwall2121]

​​@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose When _For Better Or For Worse_ was at the top of it's game, it was a unique achievement in the funny papers. And when it fell off... There is not a more miserable experience than reading the least decade or so of that strip if you don't agree 100% with Lynn Johnston's views, but I digress.

[@chrisrockett5897]

​@@christopherwall2121I never read alot of FOOB, but the falloff sounds insane. I also heard about the rewrites, so give me some examples.

[@christopherwall2121]

@@chrisrockett5897 Mike grows up to become a writer, but is also a hopeless nanchild who hides from his kids; speaking of which, Johnston's divorce sees her take all her anger out on John, who becomes an utter imbecile obsessed with model trains; April gets completely destroyed once she reaches young adulthood, not just by her family but her peers, always treated as a selfish brat for not always clear reasons by everyone (people seem to think Johnston blames her for something); and Liz... What Johnston did to Liz Patterson is downright criminal

[@GreenEyedDazzler]

The crazy thing is, I don’t think most people fondly remember Kathy at least not in my friends or family circle. She’s kind of very outdated. She’s basically not even feminist at this point her biggest goal is getting a husband and losing weight. 😂

[@ryanrockers]

The Cathy animations had no right being as good as they were

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

At least the right studio handled them.

[@Attmay]

@@ChristopherSobieniak Cathy Guisewite was smart to go with Mendelson and Melendez as they had a proven track record of adapting comic strips.

[@montanajackson3713]

Cathy is one of the most relatable characters out there.

[@zacetto]

I wanna do a shout out for the true animators Melendez Films. I recall being about 14 and almost coming to blows with an acquaintance, as he opined on how cartoon strips get lost in translation, whence televised. This was when rumours surfaced of animating Gary Larson’s ‘The Far Side’. He was staunchly against it and had the temerity to use ‘Peanuts’ as an example…. Melendez Films had an almost supernaturally, innate talent of perfectly capturing the nuances and spirit of comic strips. They even managed to make desperately unfunny British strips like ‘The Perishers’ and ‘Fred Bassett’ a treat. Cathy never really took off in the U.K. and I was too young to appreciate the withering pithy observations. Now having seen far too much of the wrong life, I revisit 40 years on - and am spell bound. Yet again, Melendez films did not disappoint and I still watch my Peanuts DVD’s when fortune does.

[@acatfromspace]

my poor girl cathy :(

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

It still managed to be a "happy" ending for her somehow! I may have to go over the other two specials sometime so we can see how things turn out for our heroine.

[@teranokitty]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose I liked Last Resort a lot. I have trouble remembering the Valentine's day special, I need to watch it again.

[@jenn2894]

i loved the Cathy comics when i was little, but ngl....Cathy's life inspired me to get married straight outta high school lol. I'd rather be barefoot and pregnant 😅

[@chellastation]

I will go check this out. I had no idea Cathy got an animated special 😲

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

If you watch it, let us know what you think of it!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

She also pimped for products/brands like Betty Crocker and McDonald's.

[@chellastation]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose awesome, I wasn't able to get through the episode you had in this video, the video disappeared on KZbin. However, I did see the valentines day special and when Cathy went to get away trip. I can say Cathy is a hot mess. 🤣

[@chellastation]

@@ChristopherSobieniak oh yeah

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@chellastation kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5aYYoFpbbN-rJo

[@KevinTRod]

And yet the comic ended with both of them getting married and having a kid.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

At least she gets her happy ending in one iteration!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Not bad at all, all things considered.

[@davidpar2]

“Cathy,” with the heart shape background in the title, was a staple of the Sunday comics in the 80s. Her fused eyes always freaked me out a little

[@jescis]

1987 I was 10(after April 22)… I'd have to get a watch of this special!!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

I was 9 then (turned 10 in Aug).

[@teranokitty]

I was 3, but we recorded it along with many other cartoon specials and I watched them repeatedly growing up.

[@nonamelegend_vapor]

Aww, i haven't thought about Cathy in ages! I read the funny pages religiously as a kid and kept up loosely with Cathy, among other strips. This takes me way back; i had no idea this tv special was a thing

[@AngelinaThumbelina8]

I love how in animated stories, the characters after 34 years have stayed the same age as they were in 1976, and finally in 2010 she & Irving are emotionally ready to have a baby 😅

[@Luna-McLu]

I used to read this all the time and had every book. I discovered it as a kid at the Psychiatrist's office in the 80's of all places 😂😂. I could relate because this is how things were. Emphasis on *were* thankfully!

[@GagsAnimation]

Does anyone know why Cathy is so “unliked” I dont think people hate it but it does seem to have a reputation for being bland and uninteresting.

[@terpsidance.]

Personally as a young boy I liked reading the Cathy strips and seeing what would set her off. Personally if I had to guess it'd just be the fact that it was a a strip told entirely from a woman's perspective in an age when that was almost entirely unheard of, and we still to this day have men who say they can't relate to something where the main character is a woman.

[@gugurupurasudaikirai7620]

I haven't seen one of the strips in forever and I'm older now, but yeah, bland and uninteresting is pretty much a good descriptor of how I remembered the strip. Maybe I should take another look

[@christopherwall2121]

Aside from what has already been said, writing 365 four-panel strips on your own is very different from writing a 22-minute TV show

[@slashbash1347]

It lasted for over 30 decades. I'd say at least someone liked it.

[@slashbash1347]

@@terpsidance. No, we don't.

[@nicomeklrowing5935]

At 8:00, tell me you never actually lived in the 80's without telling me you lived in the 80's. I don't know where you got that idea but women all over the business and working world in the 80's. It was not at all revolutionary.

[@zmbdog]

ikr? I hate when young people analyze the past, they're always so off the mark. That sentence basically described 1957, not 1987.

[@Werebat]

I watched this on KZbin a few years ago and was surprised at how good it was.

[@julesrules7297]

I had no idea this special existed. Kinda curious now.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

It's worth watching even if you're not familiar with the comic strip. Just a good, all-around feature!

[@171QA]

There was also a Valentine's Day special if I'm not mistaken.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

Yes, and a third special, "Cathy's Last Resort"!

[@PowerRangersFanAntiDinoFury]

I know it's a cartoon, but he could just simply go see her at her job. Or call her to say that he loves her.

[@teranokitty]

Very true! Cathy would've appreciated that!

[@BassGal92]

_IF_ he even loved her.

[@AndreaLyon-q4x]

I know I saw this at some point, because I remember "Lean Cuisine" name-checked. (Lean Cuisine meals were newly on the market.) And I remember in very general the whole joke about "romantically-involved men have much more healthy/savory/"not sad and icky" refrigerator contents". Pretty much all else forgotten, but I only turned 21 in late '87. I have to re-watch this now that I'm several decades older. I think I'll be able to endure the sad relationship cliches now that I know the element of truth in them. Maybe the whole "Cathy" franchise was better than I thought, and not just an "unfunny" strip with massive merchandising connected to it? I'm a massive sequential-art nerd and will read/watch any 'toon once...or twice. Good documentary!

[@moonxtalstar920]

My mom taped this off the TV and I watched the hell out of these specials ( there were a couple) I never fully understood the comedy, or the subject matter, but I just loved the cartoon.

[@seto749]

I didn't realize they reunited in the strip. One of the last things I remembered about it was that Irving finally proposed and that was when Cathy dumped him - I thought for good. Then she got a young boyfriend who seemed unsustainable for her, but then soon after that the strip disappeared from my paper or I moved. How upsetting the ring was to Cathy was the strongest abiding memory I had of the strip's run.

[@sacvideo1998]

Cathy was never really a comic strip that resonated with me, but after listening to Jamie Loftus's podcast about it (Aack Cast) I have a lot more respect for it

[@m00k61]

As one of my favorite bands, Poison the Well puts it..... I COULD NEVER SWALLOW YOUR FALSE IDEALS OF A LIFELESS HAPPY ENDING lol

[@Arroyo2099]

Just a tip I think background music that has a bit of a faster tone. Your voice with this one was hard to get through since you have such a natural relaxing voice combined with this music made sleepy had to come back a few times to finish. Good video though

[@as4180]

it's so confusing being a girl

[@sabertooth1980]

I'd ship Cathy and Andrea...

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

They probably have a better chance than Cathy and Irving!

[@kidokoala]

Why does she put up with Irving, who cheated on her?

[@JaneDoe-em7zi]

I remember this show, lol, Cathy was always going at Irving. 😂

[@bsabruzzo]

Well it's obvious that Irving and Kathy weren't actually dating, they were just friends having some fun. She is married to her job and seeks all her satisfaction through that. Irving is seeking a type of relationship, maybe romantic or maybe just sex, from actual women. Neither are giving each other what they want and neither are going to admit that maybe. That being said, I only read the comic strip when I was a child, so it's possible these are healthy adult responses and not a toxic couple.

[@justwaiting5744]

Congratulations on your employee of the year nomination.

[@Lynxan]

I remember seeing at least one of these back in the day, though not much else about them as the time would had put my age in the single digits and many decades ago. Since there where 3 as you said, might not even been this one.

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

Watching the specials, it makes me wish they had made a companion animated series. I think it could've done very well, at that time. The specials do deserve more attention, regardless!

[@nypinstripes]

I had this recorded on VHS. Great special.

[@sosofia8787]

I don't know if you take KZbin requests but I was wondering if by any chance you could take a look at the little critter cartoon just me and my dad someday. Little critter is one of my favorite book series from when i was a kid and aside from that one off short never received an animated adaptation. Please reply back whenever you can to let me know if the video is possible. Thanks in advance!

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

I used to love Little Critter! I would love to do more young children's shows (including the Richard Scary series), and Little Critter is definitely on that list!

[@sosofia8787]

@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose thank you!!! That's awesome!!! P.s. I also love Richard scarry! I'll keep my eyes out for that one!!!

[@Attmay]

That could have been a great animated show in the right hands. Maybe the author just didn't want to sell or nobody asked.

[@COMPFUNK2]

I never heard of this one, but I did see Cathy’s Last Resort and Cathy’s Valentine. …Wait, I did see this. I clearly remember Cathy freaking out about what was inside Irving‘s refrigerator-freezer. I didn’t understand a lot of the jokes, though; because I was only six.

[@javielalvarez5459]

2:02 Cathy looks like Sailor Jupiter with the green she’s wearing!

[@jerb82]

Is there an option to turn off the uptalk?

[@JimiGenX]

Yes. Tell people to stop being so linguistically affected. Every-damned-thing ain't gotta sound like a question.

[@musicinthewildwood]

Loved the strip right to the end. Btw: it's "Irving and SHE".

[@wolfgang1097]

Considering how relatable as Cathy is, I (as one of the youngest millennials) can totally empathize with her quite a bit. Her mother reminds me so much of my late maternal grandmother. Off-topic but, is it just me or does Cathy's character design look kinda like that of a character from the Cross/Rogers (formerly Leach/Rankin) animated Halloween special "Witch's Night Out?"

[@Herola279]

I loved reading comic strips including Cathy. This story however is off. She literally treats the relationship as if it goes behind everything else. When the guy who it is clearly stated they are not “official” has dealings with another woman he is viewed as in the wrong. Like it is to say that he should be happy to be similar to a loose piece of candy in her purse. Of course when he gets another woman it has to be awful so that he is more weary. It just simply doesn’t make sense and is used to remove any responsibility from the other person (Cathy) in the relationship.

[@heartpath1]

The takeaway: Ladies, I’m sorry but you cannot have it all. You’ve been sold a lie.

[@max_e_maxxy_]

It really bothers me that you don't actually show any scenes from the cartoon with the audio also

[@WobblesandBean]

6:50 Hey man, that sounds like an awesome night to me!

[@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose]

That's a good time, kid OR adult!

[@hanschristianbrando5588]

If you're old enough to remember "Cathy" in its prime, back when it made all the feminist points the "Barbie" movie would try to make 40 years later (only "Cathy" did so with more warmth, insight, and genuine humor), it may be a little disconcerting to think of 1987 as "early era," which you'd think would be better applied to, say, the '60s. But time goes on. And perhaps by "early era" the narrator means pre-"Simpsons." The animated "Cathy" didn't do badly by the characters, but the animators completely missed Cathy Guisewite's iconic wide open mouth with the upturned top and sagging bottom. They also could have had a little more fun with Cathy's more manic moments ("YAAAH"!). Actually, Cathy's design always seemed inspired by a 1974 (two years before "Cathy's" debut) Canadian cartoon called "The Gift of Winter," in which the monochromatic characters (voiced by pre-"SNL" Gilda Radner and Dan Aykroyd) are named with adjectives: "Tender" is a ringer for the early Cathy.

[@Attmay]

Barfbie was third-waver trash. This mercifully overlapped with the second wave of feminism.

[@mopbrothers]

I remember Cathy! I never understood it, but I was a boy so it wasn’t on my priority comic list.

[@dml83]

We recorded this off the tv! I totally forgot about it. They also did a Blondie cartoon!

[@johntuel2375]

I never understood Cathy as a kid. Lots of usage of the word ACK!!! and complaining and the artwork didn't appeal to me. I didn't hate it, it just didn't grasp my attention well, and I was little and preffered stuff like Calvin and Hobbes or The Far Side because they were actually silly.

[@mittens4859]

I love a good caliginous relationship ♠️ Great video!

[@slashbash1347]

13:06 My God, it's Cathy's nose!

[@functionatthejunction]

I was a young man and I loved Cathy!

[@COMPFUNK2]

I never understood why Cathy was the only character in the strip who didn’t have a nose (until she turned to the side, that is).

[@JimiGenX]

Krillon?

[@JoeOConnellAllNew]

Cathy always bothered me because she had no nose. It's not like a trait like three fingers that everyone in the "universe" has. All the other characters in the strip were drawn with noses, but Cathy... WHY DOESN'T SHE HAVE A NOSE??? It just... bothers me.

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

Remember mad magazine poking fun At caty during a book review. Talking about she came out with a Comicbook where she was a psychopath and killed her husband Watching t.v. and took his heart. WTF mad?

[@BuckarooBanzai84]

I may ID as female, but I was never really a 'Cathy' fan. That being said though, it IS quite fascinating to see that 'Peanuts' aesthetic applied to a completely different conic strip! I didn't even KNOW there were 'Cathy' specials! XD

[@brianpbillingsley3687]

I didn't know Cathy was that old. 😶😵‍💫

[@LaceCoveredSkies]

I loved Cathy. But this comic was more toxic than I realized back then.

[@dunsparce4prez560]

I have a memory of watching this. I would have been 5 yo.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

I was 9 when it first aired.

[@jonhillman871]

this video needed audio from the show.