by Mark Murton
Original Air Date: April 12, 2022
Starring: Seamus
Directed by: Michael Lennox
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!
Synopsis: In this episode of the Irish-set British sitcom the gang are worrying about their impending GCSE results and after running into sister Michael, who implies they haven’t done well, they decide to break into the school to get an advanced look at their results. Meanwhile, Joe’s new cat is causing issues within the Quinn household.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Gerry Quinn (Tommy Tiernan) enters the house, angrily calling for the as yet unidentified “Seamus,” telling his wife “he’s a psychopath and he’s outstayed his welcome.” At this point Gerry’s father-in-law Joe (Ian Mcelhinney) enters cradling a ginger tabby cat in his arms. Gerry informs Joe of another addition to the menagerie of dead animals left on the doorstep that’s accumulated since Joe took in a “feral cat.” “Seamus wouldn’t hurt a fly,” retorts Joe only to be be met with the repost, “I’ve seen him eat flies!”
Joe insists it must have been another cat, declaring “there’s a tabby two streets away that has a vendetta against him.” Unconvinced, Gerry implores, “You could at least put a bell on him.” “He doesn’t want to wear a bell,” counters Joe, “He’s made that very clear” (without offering any explanation as to exactly how he made it clear).
On another night, while putting the bins out, Gerry finds the body of someone’s pet rabbit. Joe’s claims that it might just be a wild rabbit is somewhat undermined by the fact it’s wearing a collar and name-tag, but still he insists “He is innocent” as Seamus looks innocently at them from a nearby armchair.
They decide to bury the body on the moors and when they return home they find their neighbour Jim and his visiting young niece, the rabbit’s owner, asking if they’ve seen the rabbit. They deny all knowledge but are left in no doubt that retribution will follow if Jim learns any different. In the final cat scene, Seamus is seen wearing a bright blue collar with a bell as Joe tells him, “Don’t look at me like that, you. I had no choice.”
The Animal Handlers on this episode were Kenny Gracey and Matthew Megahey. Seamus has his own page on X where you can follow him.
Final Mewsings: It doesn’t take much deducing to realize cats don’t like being belled.
Many thanks to Stevie Holcomb for also spotting the cat in this episode.
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