Tom and Jerry in New York
Tom and Jerry in New York
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Tom and Jerry in New York is a fast-paced, madcap cartoon with plenty of chase scenes and lots of cartoon violence. As expected in the Tom and Jerry universe, the cat, Tom, chases the mouse, Jerry -- but in this show (like the 2021 movie), Tom is living large in a New York City hotel. Hijinks in the big city involve a visit to the zoo, mayhem in Central Park, bagels with lox (both stolen and earned), and street vendor hot dogs (same). Slapstick violence is the mainstay; expect broken teeth, hammered heads, black eyes, electrocution, punched faces, falls from great heights, and being painfully stuck in a grand piano.
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What's the Story?
In TOM AND JERRY IN NEW YORK, Tom the cat has taken a gig as head mouser at the Royal Gate Hotel. He has access to service and amenities any big city cat might want. But a certain mouse named Jerry gets him riled up, and chaos ensues. Fancy ladies in fur coats are provoked, bellboys are exasperated, even a grand piano gets the slapstick treatment. There are chase scenes outside the hotel as well -- department stores are ransacked in one episode; in another, a hot dog vendor gets irked. A trip to the zoo sweeps a newborn baby panda into the action. Not to be confused with the movie release of the same name, this series of shorts focuses on chase scenes rather than a larger story arc.
Is It Any Good?
Slapped-together slapstick cartoon recycles violent gags. Watching Jerry the mouse balance and spin on a gumball might remind a viewer of him doing outrageously cute things in the original show, but Tom and Jerry in New York is not as cute, and it's not very original. The grand backdrop of New York City goes to waste here; the chase scenes in the park could be chase scenes in any park, the shenanigans in the zoo make the zoo just another venue for violence. Even the violence isn't original. The lump on Tom's head that grows after a heavy object is dropped on it just isn't funny anymore. (See Bugs Bunny's violent but funny "one lump or two?" bit.)
Overstimulation is the name of the game in this show. Kids might even get bored after watching the same gags over and over. Parents will probably wish they could leave the room, or at least watch an original Tom and Jerry episode -- the kind with the lovingly illustrated backdrops and real orchestral accompaniment. Sorry, New York, this series doesn't deliver what The City That Never Sleeps deserves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in Tom and Jerry in New York. Is some violence more acceptable than other violence? Why or why not?
Tom's girlfriend is usually shown kissing Tom or slinking around. How does this stereotype make you feel? What would make that character more realistic?
Curious about big city life if you don't live in one? What do Tom and Jerry do in New York that you'd like to do? What do they miss out on?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 1, 2021
- Network: HBO Max
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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