All Rise...

Judge Josh Rode always preferred the episodes that featured Tom and Jerry working together.

The Charge

Tom and Jerry let the dogs out.

The Case

Tom and Jerry have been chasing each other around for a long time, so nothing in Tom and Jerry in the Dog House paves new cinematic ground. Tom wants to catch Jerry for varying reasons, Jerry naturally doesn't want to be caught, and hilarity ensues as the mouse outwits the cat. Of course, "hilarity" is in the eye of the beholder, and your enjoyment of this lengthy compilation will be entirely dependent on your preconceived feelings. Nothing here will change anyone's mind, one way or another.

As the title suggests, the overarching theme of this compilation is the inclusion of dogs. Specifically, Spike, the humongous bulldog, plays at least a small part in every episode. While this is a bonus for Spike fans, it means that the twenty-two episodes are even more concentrated than if there had been no theme. Some variation of the "Jerry uses Spike as a bodyguard" trope plays a part almost every time, which makes each one feel basically the same as all the others.

There is no apparent rhyme or reason behind the order of the shorts. They span the entire extensive catalogue, from original Technicolor Hanna-Barbera bits to episodes from 2006's Tom and Jerry Tales. As with any compilation, the quality of the individual episodes is sporadic. For every classic such as "Solid Serenade," featuring a surprisingly sultry-voiced Tom singing Louis Jordan's "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," there is a "Bend It Like Thomas," the title of which is just as dated as the Brandi Chastain sports bra reference contained within.

Here is a list of the episodes:
•  "24 Karat Kat"
•  "Destruction Junction"
•  "Beefcake Tom"
•  "Bend It Like Thomas"
•  "Tom's Photo Finish"
•  "Game Set Match"
•  "Cat Napping"
•  "Cat Fishin'"
•  "The Bodyguard"
•  "Quiet Please!"
•  "Solid Serenade"
•  "Slicked-Up Pup"
•  "Puttin' on the Dog"
•  "The Framed Cat"
•  "Tot Watchers"
•  "The Invisible Mouse"
•  "Pet Peeve"
•  "Feeding Time"
•  "DJ Jerry"
•  "Beach Bully Bingo"
•  "A Life Less Guarded"
•  "The Dog House"

Most of the DVD is shown in the original full screen aspect ratio, and the sound is mostly mono, both of which are more than adequate. There are occasional defects and minor grain in the older shorts, as might be expected, but it is not in any way distracting. Colors are bright, simple, and clean.

If you like Tom and Jerry and Spike (especially), Tom and Jerry in the Dog House will give you everything you're looking for, and a lot of it. The fact that it has shorts from different eras is as much of a bonus feature as it offers, but it does add a very interesting twist to what amounts to basically twenty-two episodes with the same premise.

The Verdict

Listen, pussy-cat. You'll like this or I'll pulverize ya!

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