Created in 1940 and a brainchild of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, “Tom and Jerry” is not merely a classic chase comedy cartoon series but a worldwide one that captures the hearts of many viewers across many generations. Centering on the rivalry between the famous characters of the cat Tom and the mouse Jerry, the cult series took the world by storm with its creative storylines, some taking audiences to the future or on the moon made of cheese.
Today, it will be sad to imagine not growing up watching Tom and Jerry as it has already become an integral part of everyone’s childhood. And while growing up, chances are you’ve rooted up for Jerry and wished for Tom’s demise. Yet, unlike most others, some people cheered for Tom, proving that the other character in this duo has his own charm.
If you’re still turning a blind eye to the idea, here are the best things that made Tom – one of the most famous cats in movie and TV history – lovable too.
Tom’s energy and perseverance
From getting all his teeth knocked out, getting smoldered inside a chimney to being frozen inside a fridge only and then burned in the oven, name it, and Tom probably has experienced all the unfortunate things under Jerry’s hand. Yet, despite fate not turning in his favor and even if he ends up getting blamed by his owner for all the mess that ensues their wild pursuit, Tom never stops. He seeks out every opportunity to chase Jerry and exact revenge, always having that energy and perseverance even though Jerry’s own surprising strength and wit get the best of him.
Tom’s resourcefulness
Another thing to love about Tom is his resourcefulness. Tom carries out his own plans and makes use of various tools to combat Jerry’s cleverness. While Jerry often anticipates Tom’s schemes and turns things the other way, it’s still adorable how the famous house cat tries to be crafty and devise solutions to catch the equally lovable little brown mouse.
Tom is a genuine friend
Tom and Jerry’s “love to hate” or typical “predator-prey” relationship is apparent. You can see them chasing, attacking, and retaliating the entire runtime of the show. Yet, there’s a powerful and genuine friendship behind all that. When facing a common adversary or when they’re threatened, you can see Tom’s protective instinct shine through. He sets their differences and issues aside to face the situation together, showing that Tom is capable of true friendship after all.
Tom reflects us in real-life relationships
Sometimes, they’re yes. Other times they’re no. A few times, they’re in. Most of the time, they’re no. Indeed, Tom and Jerry’s relationship is a twisted one, resembling many of our relationships.
It can be with your siblings, who you never give up on despite having the worst of situations. Do you remember having to fight over that remote control or for the last chocolate bar in the fridge? Is it still clear in your mind that one time you cried while getting at odds with each other but still be at peace in the end?
Otherwise, it can be your relationship with your intimate partner, who you fight with, break up, but still end up making up with. Our relationships aren’t perfect, often surrounded by various obstacles, like how Tom and Jerry face strange events of their own.
Yet, despite us being in the same pursuit and flight relationship or in a ‘cat and mouse game,’ you know you’re unable to exist without your sibling or partner together.
All those bickering and misunderstandings won’t end, but chances are your sister or brother is still your best friend, and your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend is still your best partner in life.
Tom never really wants to put Jerry in harm’s way
No matter how hard Tom tries to go at it with Jerry, at the end of the day, you’ll never see Tom putting Jerry in peril and causing real harm. Jerry may go through a lot of torture at Tom’s hands, but karma always plays its charm. Plus, in over 160 episodes, Tom never (or rarely) eats Jerry no matter how much he does.
What’s more common is seeing them in a kind of truce and sharing cute moments together before each episode ends. However, that’s only to be ruined by a last-minute event that breaks the truce, setting them for more mischievous adventures together.
Tom is a jack-of-all-trades
Tom is not your typical domestic shorthair cat. In some episodes, you’ll see him and Jerry leave their original, lovable house setting to portray different characters. You’ll see Tom play as a royal guard, an astronaut, a posse cat, as a New Yorker, or even fly high and bring doom as the vampire cat. Whatever character he and Jerry may be in, what’s certain is that the same rivalry and playful bond ensues.
Tom brings a glorious amount of fun
Tom, together with Jerry, just brings lots of pure entertainment. No surprise that their partnership lasted for a decade and received love, affection, and appreciation from their audiences. Through the years, their slapstick comedy, perfectly timed gags, incredible facial expressions, nuanced reactions, and brilliant musical scoring sure have brought lots of excitement.
Made during the golden age of animation, the hapless cat and quick-witted little brown mouse in realistic backdrops and human-like behavior didn’t even need words to communicate, only seen whispering unknown words to each other. Yet, we somehow understand them and roll in laughter amidst the mayhem as we witness them tell unique stories in every episode. Thus, all results into entertained kids, teens, adults, and families alike.
Takeaway
Though most love Jerry for being the underdog and continually pursued by the bigger Tom, his equal power and better wit prove that this duo is an equal match for each other. As such, there are also many things to adore with Tom, making him more than just a frenemy of Jerry. In fact, the magic of this duo lies in their partnership. They win many hearts as individuals, but they charm us and get us all hooked as a team.