For fans of Jim Davis’ Lasagna loving feline, the “Garfield Holiday Collection” is now on DVD, bringing together group of some of the best holiday specials starring Garfield, Odie, and their owner Jon. I’m not usually one to call boxed sets perfect these days, but hot damn is this compilation of Garfield TV specials perfect. I wish I’d seen more of the Garfield Halloween Special when I was a kid but I don’t remember it being on very often. That said, it’s still a damn good special in which Jim Davis acknowledges he purposely tried to scared children.
Clocking in at two and a half hours combined, the “Garfield Holiday Collection” features the excellent “A Garfield Christmas.” I used to watch this every single year as a child on CBS here in America, and loved it. For a while it was paired with “Mickey’s A Christmas Carol” and then aired on its own night eventually. In it, Garfield has to celebrate his least favorite holiday: Christmas. Jon, though, is ecstatic to go back home to his old farm and bicker with his dad and brother. As the family engage in their typical battles, Odie looks for the perfect gift for Garfield, and Garfield finds a friend in the Arbuckle’s grandmother, an often grumpy woman who feels excluded from festivities. When Garfield gives her a stack of old letters from the attic, we find out why she’s so sour.
It’s a shockingly heartbreaking moment in a fantastic special. “A Garfield Thanksgiving” finds Garfield having to go on a diet as his favorite food related holiday, Thanksgiving approaches. Meanwhile, Jon asks his favorite veterinarian out for a date, and disaster strikes as Garfield tries to fight his hunger. “Garfield Halloween Adventure” sees Garfield celebrating his favorite holiday (and mine): Halloween. Preparing to trick or treat, he and Odie go out for the night and come across a spooky mansion, a creepy old storyteller, and ghost pirates! “Garfield on the Town” sees Garfield finding his actual family, when he escapes Jon’s car during a trip to the vet.
He meets his birth mother and extended family and decides to stay with them, but is surprised when his mother insists he go back home. It’s a touching and sweet special perfect for Mother’s Day. “Garfield in Paradise” sees Jon and Garfield on a trip to Hawaii that turns disastrous when Jon’s attempts for discounts lead the pair in to a horrible motel, zero fun, and a run in with a tribe of Hawaiian natives obsessed with the 1950’s who are convinced Jon and Garfield are meant to save the village by sacrificing themselves. It’s one of the weaker specials from the Garfield library, but still and solid finisher for the compilation.
Among the DVD Extras, there’s “The House That Garfield Built” is a twenty minute tour of Jim Davis’ studio and home, as well as a look at the Garfield Legacy. He also discusses the character while teaching us how to draw him. Finally, there’s an Image Gallery of old Jim Davis works, and pictures of him working on the comic.
Available on DVD on November 4th and iTunes on November 11th.