by Linda Kay

Original Air Date: May 21, 1980

Directed by: Charles Swenson, Fred Wolf

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!

Synopsis: The memorable character who was heard but not seen on the sitcom Rhoda stars in this animated pilot for a spin-off series which was never sold. Lorenzo Music provides Carlton’s unmistakable voice as he struggles through a difficult day being reprimanded by the building’s owner, seduced by the man’s lustful wife and responsible for an accident regarding the couple’s annoying dog Pumpkin.

Cartoon Cat: As the show opens Carlton is climbing out of bed and getting ready for work. His gray tabby cat, Ringo, is sleeping on the pants of Carlton’s uniform and pulls them over himself to get warm.

Carlton reaches down and puts on the pants with Ringo still in them. The cat pokes his head out of the fly and meows in loud protest.

This is apparently a recurring event as Carlton scolds Ringo, saying, “I told you never to do that!” then opens the window to throw the cat outside. Ringo continues to struggle and meow in anger but Carlton simply tells him, “Hey, don’t worry! You guys always land on your feet!” as he chucks him onto the fire escape.

Ringo tries to jump back inside but Carlton closes the window (ironically looking like one of the popular Garfield plushies that would become popular in a few years, in no small part because of Lorenzo Music voicing the cartoon cat on television.)

Ringo makes his way down the fire escape and watches as Carlton exits the building and speaks to his mother who happens to be rooting through the trash. When Carlton turns to leave, Ringo leaps down upon him, knocking the man to the ground.

Carlton scruffs the angry cat and calmly says, “See, what did I tell ya? Feet first. So what took you so long?”

While taking his boss’ dog Pumpkin for a walk, Carlton flirts with a jogger, trying to keep pace with her. While this leaves Carlton short of breath it proves to be too much exercise for the canine and the pooch expires. Carlton has the dog buried in a pet cemetery and then looks for a replacement but has no luck. Returning home he sits on his front step with Ringo and tells the cat about his troubles and worries he will get fired. Ringo seems only slightly concerned.

It isn’t until Carlton takes Ringo onto his lap that the cat offers a sympathetic meow.

Moments later Carlton gets a worrisome gleam in his eye and Ringo tries to stalk away but Carlton scruffs him again.

Carlton takes Ringo to his girlfriend’s beauty parlor to have her transform the cat into a dog. Ringo is definitely not keen on the idea.

The cat undergoes a series of washing, dying, curling and shaving and ends up looking exactly like Pumpkin, with the glaring difference being Ringo can only meow and not bark. Carlton suggests the cat let him do all the talking. Ringo remains looking like the dog throughout the rest of the episode (it actually would have been funnier if the cat had only slightly resembled the dog and still looked like a cat, but this was not to be).

At the end of the episode Ringo stands in for Mimsie, the adorable kitten who usually appeared in the MTM logo (Mary Tyler Moore’s adorable spoof of the classic lion in the MGM logo) but refuses to meow. “C’mon, meow!” Carlton urges, then mutters, “Damn cat.”

Final Mewsings: Cats agree that some people should be heard and not seen.

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