"Gopher Broke" is the eleventh episode of The Tom and Jerry Show (1975).
Synopsis[]
The vegetables in Tom and Jerry's garden are being devoured by a gopher, and all of their attempts to get rid of him fail to work.
Plot[]
Tom and Jerry have planted a garden and are about to pick some vegetables for lunch. As they water the lettuce it is sucked under the earth by a hungry gopher. Tom and Jerry decide to combine forces to exterminate the underground pest. At first, they attempt to flush him out of his hutch with a garden hose, but the gopher emerges in a small bathtub! The duo chases the gopher to Spike's doghouse, where they unwittingly disturb the bulldog from his slumber. Grinning, Tom and Jerry restore Spike's personal effects and rock him back to sleep. Tom and Jerry then employ the use of a seesaw, Karate, a gold-detecting device set to track gophers, a do-it-yourself fake gopher hole, and Gopher Go Rodent Remove repellant spray, none of which proves to be a big success. Little by little the whole garden disappears as Spike, Tom and Jerry chase the teasing gopher around the garden, until finally Spike managed to save one measly beet as Tom and Jerry clap, which they divide between each other--until the gopher comes up through the bowl and swipes it! Tom, Jerry, and Spike trying to find the gopher end up jumping in and out of the gopher's holes chasing all over the yard as the gopher sits on a nearby porch of a house and eats the turnip as he gives out chuckles.
Characters[]
- Tom Cat
- Jerry Mouse
- Spike Bulldog
- Gopher Broke (main antagonist)
Notes[]
- This episode's plot is very similar to that of the 1950 MGM animated short "Garden Gopher".
- Gopher Broke emits the same chuckle often used for Jerry in one scene.
- Jerry previously partook in a karate match with Tom in "The Wacky World of Sports." The karate robe he uses (the same one he donned in "The Wacky World Of Sports") is identical to that of Hong Kong Phooey (ABC, 1974-76). (Repeats of Hong Kong Phooey preceded The New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show on ABC Saturday Morning in 1975-76.)
- You could say that Tom's use of a bowling ball here foreshadows the very next episode, "The Super Bowler."
- An unused segue from "Gopher Broke" finds a dejected Tom & Jerry finally buying salad ingredients, but as they sit down to eat, Gopher Broke pops up again and steals their store-bought salad.
- The scene of Spike, Tom and Jerry seated down to share the turnip recalls a similar caper in the 1948 MGM Tom and Jerry short, The Truce Hurts.
- There was a sequel to this called "Son of Gopher Broke."
- This short wasn't included on the Boomerang app, most likely because it and "Son of Gopher Broke." were confused for being the same cartoon.
Gallery[]
Main article: Gopher Broke (episode)/Gallery