Utica Cartoon HD

Utica Cartoon (2001) was a pilot I made with my brother Will Krause for Cartoon Network. We've been really happy to see so many nice comments on the version I uploaded 15 years ago, so I dug into my backup drives and found a nice HD transfer of the 35mm film print. The version that aired on Cartoon Network was a lower-resolution scan, so this is the nicest it's ever looked, and is much closer to what we'd intended 22 years ago. We hope you enjoy it!

[@Heshbakes]

i found the original vid like 2 weeks ago and ive already watched it 8 times i love everything about it. thank you so much for this!!

[@PotatoPatatoVonSpudsworth]

Same here. What a lovely surprise!

[@glittergelpenlyrics]

Same here!!

[@quantyy]

Same story here

[@TamagoGangan]

actually same, what the hell november 28th it just dropped and i thought it was a contemporary thing until i saw it was posted 15 years ago and now this shows up

[@ABMODEUS]

Haha same

[@novamachi]

Seeing the credits have a list of "cel painters" made me appreciate this cartoon even more. There's just so much extra work and care that goes into traditional animation that makes me respect the people behind them. this is cool.

[@frankrause]

At some point I remember totaling up the time sheets, and I think the cel painters spent about a thousand hours coloring this cartoon.

[@BananaPhoPhilly]

Always gotta appreciate stuff that’s animated in-house on cels. Always looks beautiful

[@cookiecowchu]

@@frankrause Do you plan on selling the cel sheets like most cartoons do? and if not I perfectly understand, this whole cartoon is beautiful.

[@frankrause]

I hadn't thought of it, but I have some of them in a closet somewhere, I think! @@cookiecowchu

[@mrsmeap1143]

@@frankrause omg id pay good money for a utica cel lol, this is one of my favorite cartoons ever despite it only being one episode

[@kasuba4798]

This cartoon invokes a strong feeling of nostalgia in me. I feel like I’m a kid turning on Cartoon Network for an episode or two before I have to go to school. It almost always put me in a good mood for the day. I hope this cartoonist knows what a precious little gem they created.

[@mushybutton]

Funny because this pilot WAS created for Cartoon Network

[@theoddbox]

It definitely has an "eating breakfast before school" feel to it, i can almost see my reflection in the still dark window early in the morning in my old living room while watching this

[@Gunger-H-Gunter]

God this is so beautiful thank you and your brother for making this, and thank you for coming back 15 years later with an HD upload!

[@CheesyHfj]

i didn't even pick up the first time how johnny and marty were actually in opposite policeman disguises to the ones that logically made sense for their body shape

[@frankrause]

One of my favorite things is to make things that nobody realizes are jokes for 22 years. For instance, when Dan stands up at 4:12 I added the noise of a chair scooting out of the way, even though he's at a booth and the chairs are clearly the kind that don't scoot out of the way. To me, this is the highest form of humor. However, the nation's eight-year-olds disagree, and this was not made into a series.

[@ImaBigNerd]

@CheesyHfj It's so cool that you like Utica Cartoon, I can definitely see the inspiration in your writing. Very based 👍

[@gupoll]

@@frankrauseI love little jokes like that!

[@Sourlemonosc]

Osc spotted

[@LolaliciousSmiley]

I have been saying "If you spray dog, you're disqualified" constantly since I saw the original upload. I can't express how much I love this cartoon.

[@ZunkleFunkle]

I vividly remember being 4 years old and watching the pilot for this. It's a shame it never got picked up, but I'm so glad to see it survived and ended up on KZbin.

[@user-yr8mu1ce1m]

This could’ve been the Regular Show of the 90’s had it been picked up. I could see Rigby doing something like this.

[@grantwilliams2650]

*2000s

[@user-yr8mu1ce1m]

Ahh, sorry about that. Just noticed it says 2001 in the description. Thanks!

[@grantwilliams2650]

@@user-yr8mu1ce1m All good 2001’s pretty close to the 90’s so there’s still quite a lot of 90’s vibes

[@dankmemes4794]

It's funny you mention Regular Show as the sound effect at 1:03 sounds straight out of that show to me

[@SpongeSebastian]

Remember seeing this on Cartoon Network decades ago, and it's nice to see it again in such pristine quality! It's a shame the HDTV era and cel animation era didn't really overlap.

[@paulbunyangonewild7596]

Eh, film animation is pretty well preserved at this point, I saw my aunt watching Robin hood last night and I've got to say it looked wonderful, (also I see what the fuss about HIM was).

[@lollybowser]

​@@paulbunyangonewild7596animated films like Robin Hood are generally well preserved but animated shows? Not very often. Even popular ones like the Simpsons or SpongeBob don't have the cleanest quality on early seasons cause tv productions didn't use as high quality film or care to store them as well.

[@CrashLung]

@@paulbunyangonewild7596 Everything's fine and good as long as the original creator is here on youtube to share the film reel with us! Sadly this is the miracle story we rarely get to see - the cel animation world is filled with gems, short films, pilots, promos and rare releases which only survive on TV broadcasts or out-of-print VHS releases...

[@ChipVD]

painting hot dogs... that weird static that happens between cell paint and acetate... Also other memories. thank you for including me. It was such a memorable experience.

[@azokoloko]

you worked on this?? tell me more!

[@frankrause]

Chip! You painted cels so good! So nice to see a familiar name out here on the KZbin!

[@Geferulf_TAS]

Never thought I'd see the day this thing was in full HD. Still a great pilot.

[@BR44INZ]

3:04 is nobody gonna talk about the fact the "fancy mustard" was named motor oil? xD

[@BR44INZ]

I like Johnny, he's a cool cat.

[@jeremykrane4855]

i love how this was specifically sourced from a 35mm film print. i already appreciate the aesthetic of 35mm film, so seeing it here is wicked cool. this short and it's art style is still awesome btw. always makes me hungry for beef franks for some reason.

[@cillobillo1059]

Found this just recently and I’m so happy to see it in high definition. So much stuff you don’t see, the textures in the lines and the buildings, the shadows of the cels. Great stuff. Unbelievable.

[@fluffyrock2345]

Beef franks in cartoons always look more sweet than savory and are always pink for some reason I swear

[@GooeyGremlin]

Completely and utterly adore this.

[@n2oshotandironman]

A classic remastered!

[@ImaBigNerd]

omg this is like wearing glasses for the first time

[@SouthJerseySam]

Damn great quality to an underrated cartoon

[@PinataTimeExtras]

This looks amazing! Love cels in HD.

[@sox2010]

the ending song is so fun, is there a full version of it somewhere?

[@william_krause]

Sadly, this pilot didn't become a series, so we never got to tell the full story of their life on the lam in Ontario.

[@lumpofpooonastring]

I want a full song too!

[@Spacelofi-c9j]

This gives major 90's cartoons vibe.

[@shrekkitkat6164]

Honestly Cartoon Network made a mistake for not picking this up

[@TinyIdolsRarities]

thank you for making such a charming show

[@Hexnano]

LONG HAVE WE WAITED!

[@globbster413]

i would do anything for more utica

[@sunsetappleton6080]

i started watching through all the cartoon network pilots i could find a couple months ago and thought Utica Cartoon was the most unique and one of the best among them. it's such a treat to see it in HD--i hope some of the creators behind those other pilots share similar re-uploads!

[@bismuthdistrict]

i didn’t know this existed until 8 minutes ago but oh my god i love this😭😭

[@kewdii]

I saw some comments on the original video about the end credits song (which I love to pieces) It's so charming in the exact way the whole animation is. If you ever do music stuff it would be sweet to hear a newer rendition or even just a longer version. So cool to see Utica in HD.

[@flmalegre]

Jesus this has been hidden in a dark recess of my mind for ages

[@gruwidge]

This is awesome! I love this short so much, I feel like I find something new to love about it everytime I watch it. Good to see it get the love it deserves❤.

[@Worldlordcupcake]

Really love thie piliot was a true shame it wasnt picked up

[@knuclear200x]

This was so bizarre. Unlike most previous pilots, it didn't really have that Hanna-Barbera/Tartakovsky-esque animation/comedy style i was already accustomed to at the time. But I really missed it anyway, and seeing it again in HD is a great Christmas present

[@TraphouseTCG]

Definitely used that “I am shocked and appalled” quote when I was 10

[@plink.........]

saw the original like a month ago this is pretty cool 2 see

[@jellystone07]

I honestly wish this got picked up

[@vincentthelego7967]

This always felt like a 2000s styled Regular Show to me. Its really sad this didn't win the CN Big Pick Contest, but I believe it's competition was Billy and Mandy that year, so that's at least understandable. Also, kudos on the HD grab on this. It's super crisp. (Edit: didn't realize you were one of the creators; my bad. But regardless, I thank you for your great work doing this restoration and bringing me back to a time before I hit my teens.)

[@AliSakurai]

If by some chance you guys decided to do a Kickstarter campaign to at least flesh out 5 episodes of this, I would gladly donate because I loved this pilot when I was a kid! I still remember the day I first saw this! I was sitting in my father's very empty loft and watching potential pilots, I remember this one the most! Seriously how come Cartoon Network didn't reach out to you guys when they were thinking of the regular show? Not a fan of that show but its elements easily matched this one in a way.

[@martingarabal]

I love it

[@martingarabal]

I wait for Moonraker en HD

[@high55550]

this show needs to be picked up by somebody, i fucking love this video

[@nathangibbons9492]

Love the character design and the backgrounds. If this was made I feel like it would've run for 2 or 3 seasons and remembered fondly by kids who remembered it. You two deserved more.

[@castleyonder6035]

Thank you!!! This short is such a classic and I'm so happy to see it as originally intended. Thanks again!

[@bobble13345]

I remember seeing this when it aired originally

[@BlamoStramo]

8 DAYS AGO?? how fitting. I saw this for the first time a month ago and absolutely love it

[@jabarbors]

Thank you!

[@carreto2995]

I love it when it aired in "What a Cartoon". It had a good dub here in Mexico.

[@zib7178]

yoo!! happy to see you still care about this animation.

[@SnoozeAnimation]

goated cartoon

[@enoinoi99]

this is too good, i wish it became a show

[@arliskstudios]

It’s been so long, nice to see a new upload, keep it up it is amazing

[@holdmeclosertinyprancer]

watching this I am now remembering that "marty, it's not chocolate" was a joke that I was OBSESSED with for ages after seeing this pilot. I'm really glad to see this cartoon again and in such great quality!

[@jaysonklein6018]

Yeah baby! HOT DOGS!!! Good to find Utica Cartoon again!

[@phenylxeon]

That was excellent

[@Redeadhunter]

Today on "Cartoons I thought I hallucinated"

[@flimsylad]

This is so awesome!!! I wish this show had multiple episodes!

[@pickerel23]

I love this!

[@TortillaYT]

Just after I found the original upload yipee!

[@jamesminnow]

It looks absolutely beautiful! So glad you found this print, it's such a charming cartoon

[@The-Pizza-Zone]

I just got the old upload in my recommended and found it super charming. I checked your channel to see what else you had uploaded to see this less than 24 hours old. What are the odds?

[@SeveralRatsEachWithArcanePower]

I'm from Utica and we call those Steamed Hams.

[@BruselskySluzebnik]

Netflix will buy it.

[@ExlhkA]

I would kill to have this as a full length series of this tbh

[@holybirdlibrary2633]

This is so good

[@DrewP.Bahlls]

i woulda loved this as a kid, it feels like a Saturday morning cartoon.

[@noctarin1516]

Hey dude I just have to say, I just found out about this cartoon recently and I LOVE it!! I've watched it a couple of times already, the humor, artstyle and soundtrack seal it all for me. I can see why it wasn't accepted into Cartoon Network tho of course, it's probably a bit too mature for kids to get, even compared to regular show (which has battle scenes in space so I mean), but I would have loved to have seen this on Adult Swim or something!

[@VampyKitsune]

Thanks to the chef for preventing an instance of vore

[@shrekkitkat6164]

I wish people knew about this you are an amazing and gifted man I love every piece of work you’ve created I just love your art style you probably won’t see this but I’m a huge fan and I don’t want to sound stereotypical but I love your content

[@shrekkitkat6164]

I love your content

[@antinpcraidresponse]

I love this cartoon sm the animation is so cool and the drawings are so awesome

[@therandomdudeguy1687]

one of the cartoons that lost the big pick weekend 2001 in great quality I definitely do love this pilot from the original upload but seeing it from one of the creators is crazy. If I have to speculate why it lost was because a lot of people were not interested from the show especially kids but your work will still live on and I think that you’re amazing Artist for what you do.

[@infinitefun527]

YES!

[@celanimaddr]

the animation is as scrumptious as the hot dogs

[@MsBonnieArt]

Awesome! Like many others, I came across this cartoon on your channel recently. It’s a treat to wake up from a nap and see it remastered! ^^

[@bingus281]

I'm so nostalgic for this aesthetic

[@HankMFWimbleton]

God has answered my prayers

[@micolord]

awesome!!!

[@savinotubeproductions8795]

5:25 This one of the funniest gags I’ve seen in a cartoon 😭

[@Jaffersin]

The algorithm showed me this two weeks ago but I remember seeing the original airing way way back. I really miss when CN was so willing to show off unique ideas like these, there's a degree of realism you don't get from the modern stuff since it all has to be so polished and groomed to succeed from day one. I know it's a major product of it's time (sadly even just the concept of a handful of unemployed friends trying to handle their day to day affairs in the city seems harder to relate to than being talking animals cracking open a warhead for chocolate) but people clearly would love to know more about this world you crafted. Might I suggest a blog or something to put some of the ideas you originally had?

[@Punkskaarchive]

I really want the extended intro song it sounds so good

[@Sahgee]

We the public, want more 😭😭😭❤ very well done. The original added that nostalgic flair

[@Madisongs]

Never heard of this before, and that’s a real shame because I love this pilot! Wish I could’ve seen it sooner. Also wish it could’ve gotten picked up

[@chrisvanvlair2577]

I remember watching this back when I was a tiny lad and thinking it was funny, although I don't think I understood all of it back then. The guess who spoof and the bit with Marty thinking the quarter is chocalate stuck with me the most as a kid.

[@Samoystar]

I’ve revisited this pilot every so often for the last decade and always loved it! Thank you for this new version!

[@mecayeye]

The fact this was a sibling endeavor is really charming to me. Hope you guys are doing great! This is one of my favourite pilots around.

[@thebulbmin-CD]

Literally just watched this video 3 weeks ago

[@teddielolnada]

Thanks so much for uploading this! Utica was such a cool short, and I'm super happy to see it again in such a good quality

[@aPonderousChain]

Truly could have been the Regular Show of it's time.

[@hardlyworking_]

beautiful art style, especially the penciled backgrounds. would love to see any BTS content if you have it!

[@ZevvWasHere]

I found the original cartoon on youtube a few weeks ago and, then you release the HD version. I wish the show got picked up.

[@hotelmario510]

Huh, I guess we all got recommended the original video at the same time.

[@bonkmaykr]

I saw the original upload just a while ago... KZbin gives ideas like this a place to thrive where a TV station might not and that's wonderful. Maybe adult swim will finally pick up this pilot one day

[@lucassssssssssssssssss]

One of my favorite shorts ever! Who made the music for this short? I hope one day you could post full songs form the short :)

[@poptaffy]

what!! this is the best thing I have ever seen!! Im charmed!!!!

[@stupidproductions9]

What's really interesting but dumb, was that JG Quintel had the same premise and kids absolutely loved, like it was the greatest show of all time, yet we have this masterpiece nearly the same, and sadly was cancelled for not being a CN show.

[@learn_with_gern]

Have you guys thought of re-pitching the pilot, even to Cartoon Network again?

[@riverscuomo7140]

I just realized this totally predicted No Rolls Barred's "Guess Who Based On Vibes" video.

[@thepeaceofbread9905]

Woah HD? Holy Moly :O

[@EdibleKnife]

i loved this little short back on cartoon network before the entire channel lost its way. i always wondered what wouldve happened over donuts

[@boogybooger11]

can you upload the soundtrack of the pilot?, if your not the one with a copy of it. its fine, its still great to see this pilot on hd after so long, its a shame that it was the ,ast one in the big pick list.

[@timbermicka]

Was CN carrying out test screenings of these shorts with children at the time? 'Cause I remember reading that Nick did this to see how kids reacted to the pilots. This one is kinda weird and surreal but I dig it, as an adult.

[@william_krause]

They did do test screenings - I still have the report that the nice development folks at Cartoon Network gave us. It has a post-it stuck to the front cover telling us that the focus group didn't go well, but the people in development still liked us.

[@polygawn]

Also…Dan, Marty, AND Johnny? THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS REFERENCE MAYBE IDK?