Slacker Cats Review

Slacker Cats is an animated comedy series on ABC Family. The Slacker Cats cartoon may have been shocking ten years ago, but now inspires yawns. Slacker Cats smacks of desperation, a half-hearted attempt to ride on the coattails of Adult Swim and South Park. The plots are boring. The characters are boring. The jokes don't work because they're too easy and, yes, boring. Skip Slacker Cats. If you want an edgy show about animals that talk, watch Family Guy or old Ren and Stimpy episodes.

I had high hopes for Slacker Cats. Number one, it airs on ABC Family, which has to have some big bucks for big budgets. Number two, Slacker Cats features an A-list cast with Nicole Sullivan and Alex Borstein. Number three, Slacker Cats has an interesting premise: lazy cats who mooch off their owners and actually communicate with them. Number four, the characters seemed varied with a homeless cat, a druggie cat, a mastermind cat and a needy loser cat.

Sadly, Slacker Cats did not deliver on its promises. Slacker Cats expects us to laugh at the very idea of the characters and premise of the show, without actually telling stories or jokes. The great cast and interesting premise go nowhere without great writing and great animation. The stories are disjointed, meandering here and there, never really paying off. The jokes are so, so predicatable, because they're said by characters that are painfully one-dimensional. (Eddie likes drugs and chicks! Buckley is stuck in an existential crisis! Dooper's crazy and homeless!)

And let's talk about the animation. First, it looks like a Saturday morning cartoon. That look would work if the humor was ironic enough. Second, how about some sight gags that told you this isn't a kiddie cartoon? Sexy church marquees, or witty store names? Well, keep looking 'cause they ain't there.

Slacker Cats could really mine great comedy if some thought was put into it. I love the idea that Buckley is in love with his owner, Louise. But even though the show is willing to joke about sex with multiple partners, it won't do more than wink at Buckley trying to get it on with Louise.

Make up your mind, Slacker Cats: are you an adult cartoon or not? I'm sure that's the same dilemma the marketing folks at ABC Family have. Hopefully, it will get the axe or someone will "fix" Slacker Cats.