The Story of Garfield: His 9 Lives
Garfield: His 9 Lives isn't your typical half-hour cartoon. This 48-minute animated special takes the comic strip's central conceit—that cats have nine lives—and actually runs with it. Rather than a linear narrative, the special is structured as an anthology, moving through different historical periods and timelines to show us who Garfield might have been in each of his previous existences. The premise is delightfully absurd: we're not just watching one cat's journey, but a kaleidoscopic tour through feline history itself. From the prehistoric era to the distant future, the special reimagines Garfield in contexts that the daily newspaper comic could never quite manage. It's a format that lets the creators play with tone, genre, and setting in ways that feel genuinely inventive for mid-80s television animation.
How Garfield: His 9 Lives Came Together
Produced for television in 1988, Garfield: His 9 Lives adapted Jim Davis's 1984 anthology book of the same name—a book that had already explored this nine-lives concept through illustrated segments. The animated version brought together directors Bob Scott, Doug Frankel, and Phil Roman, each bringing their own sensibilities to different segments. Phil Roman, in particular, was no stranger to the Garfield universe; he'd been instrumental in bringing the character to television throughout the 1980s. The voice cast was anchored by Lorenzo Music, the original voice of Garfield, alongside Thom Huge, Gregg Berger, and others who'd become familiar faces (or rather, familiar voices) in the Garfield TV universe. While this special didn't land the mainstream cultural footprint of some of its contemporaries, it found its audience among Garfield devotees and animation fans who appreciated its willingness to experiment with structure. The special aired on CBS, reaching millions of households during the era when network television still commanded prime real estate for animated content.
What Makes Garfield: His 9 Lives Stand Out
What's striking about this special is how it refuses to be just another Garfield product. Instead of retreading the strip's familiar rhythms—Jon's dating disasters, Odie's dopiness, Garfield's sardonic indifference—the anthology format gives the writers room to play with parody and pastiche. Each segment's a different flavor. The voice work, particularly Lorenzo Music's performance as Garfield across wildly different contexts, gives the special a kind of tonal coherence even as the settings shift dramatically. Music brings that same deadpan delivery to a medieval knight-cat that he does to a futuristic space explorer, and somehow it works. There's an earnestness to the production that you don't always find in Saturday-morning cartoon specials—the animators and writers clearly cared about making each segment feel distinct and worthwhile, not just padding out the runtime. I keep coming back to how the special treats its source material with genuine affection without being slavish to it. It's not trying to be the definitive Garfield story; it's trying to be a fun, weird tangent.
Where to Stream Garfield: His 9 Lives Online
Garfield: His 9 Lives is currently available on Paramount+, making it accessible to subscribers looking to revisit this particular corner of the Garfield catalog. The special's presence on Paramount—which holds much of the CBS animation archive—means it's easier than ever to track down if you're curious about the character's deeper television history. If you're already tracking Garfield content across multiple platforms, Movie OTT keeps an up-to-date index of where each title lives, so you won't waste time searching. The Where to Watch widget at the top of this page will show you current availability, but Paramount+ remains the primary streaming home for this 1988 special.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who voiced Garfield in the 1988 special?
Lorenzo Music provided Garfield's voice throughout the special. Music was the original and iconic voice of Garfield across multiple TV series and specials during the 1980s, bringing his signature deadpan delivery to the character across all nine lives.
Q: Is Garfield: His 9 Lives based on a book?
Yes. The 1988 animated special adapted Jim Davis's 1984 anthology book titled Garfield: His 9 Lives, which explored the concept of the cat's nine lives through illustrated segments before the television adaptation brought it to animated life.
Q: How long is the special?
Garfield: His 9 Lives runs 48 minutes, making it a full-length television special rather than a standard 22-minute cartoon episode. This extended runtime allows for multiple distinct segments exploring different eras and incarnations.
Q: Who directed Garfield: His 9 Lives?
The special was directed by Bob Scott, Doug Frankel, and Phil Roman, with Phil Roman being a longtime collaborator on Garfield television projects throughout the 1980s.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for this special?
Garfield: His 9 Lives holds a 6.4 out of 10 rating on IMDb, reflecting a mixed but generally positive reception among viewers who appreciate its experimental anthology approach to the character.
Final Thoughts on Garfield: His 9 Lives
This special won't revolutionize your opinion of Garfield as a character, and it's not essential viewing for casual fans of the comic strip. But if you're the type who actually enjoys exploring how beloved characters have been adapted and reimagined across different media—if you're curious about the deeper cuts in an entertainment property's history—then Garfield: His 9 Lives deserves a look. It's a product of a specific moment in animation history when networks were still willing to greenlight experimental, anthology-format specials. The 48 minutes move quickly, and there's real charm in watching creators stretch themselves within the constraints of a character and premise they clearly loved. Don't expect it to be the best thing you've ever seen. Expect it to be genuinely weird, occasionally funny, and surprisingly earnest about its premise.
