Even after 18 years, "Garfield in the Rough" holds up very well. One of the reasons is a strong script by Jim Davis, Garfield's original creator. He deftly weaves humor and tension.
Excellent voices help this production, too. Garfield, everyone's favorite overweight house cat, is voiced as always by the late, very talented Lorenzo Music. Thom Huge does the voice of his owner, Jon Arbuckle, a role he performed in every Garfield special (sadly, to date he has not found any success elsewhere). Gregg Berger, voice acting veteran, plays both the brainless but loyal dog Odie, and the first Ranger. The other Ranger is played by George Wendt, better known to millions as Norm on "Cheers." Woodland creatures Dicky Beaver and Billy Rabbit are played by highly respected actors Hal Smith and Orson Bean, respectively. And several girl cats, existing only in Garfield's fantasies, are played by Desirée Goyette.
Goyette, along with Music, and no less a figure than Lou Rawls himself sing several lovely songs in the show (and of course, Huge sings a couple as well). The music does a good job of setting the mood. Special notice must go to a song which is briefly heard on the radio, after the news report about the deadly panther. Not only is it an excellent joke (it's described as "Fun Music" but sounds like the most depressing song in the world), but the brief seconds we hear of it, combined with the report, do an excellent job of turning the frivolous atmosphere into one of foreboding.
The animation is perhaps the one area where it could have used some work. Occasionally it gets a bit rough, and not very detailed. But most of the time it was great.
Oddly enough, the rough look was the only possible look that would have worked for the show-stealer: the panther. If it was *more* detailed, it wouldn't have been as scary. And let me tell you, to children, that panther is terrifying. Even adults get chills down their spines from that beast. Garfield's attack on it is almost certainly the most selfless thing he's ever done.
All in all, "Garfield in the Rough" is a very good animation special that anyone can view over and over again.
