Do television animals need back-up dancers?

There's a downside to making a living writing about what you love.



I mean, I can't even take my dog to the park without finding myself examining every interaction for its potential as blog or column fodder. Talk about not being in the moment.



And now in one of my rare non-pet writing gigs, I'm recapping the television show "Glee" for AfterEllen.com and AfterElton.com, MTV's gay and lesbian media entertainment websites. So now every time I'm walking down the halls of my high school singing as my backup dancers and personal band follow me everywhere I go, all I can do is... oh, wait.



Back to reality. Which is this, and really, too small a point to have such a long lead-in: How come none of my favorite television shows has any animals in it? I just mentally listed them all in my head: Xena (okay, she had a horse, but still...), West Wing, Queer as Folk, ER, Cagney and Lacey, NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues... I can't find a single show that I liked that featured an animal.



Is it because shows that feature animals are terrible? Or is it some awful character defect in me?



Am I alone here? Can you think of a good show that had an animal character in it? Let's limit it to the last couple of decades, so no "Lassie" or "Rin Tin Tin" or "National Velvet." Anything?



Photo: Xena and Gabrielle on Argo.

Comments

[Dorene]

Another one with a horse -- "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." Loved that show!

[Christie Keith]

There was All Creatures Great and Small... forgot that one!

[Susan Fox]

Given what some trainers are willing to do to get a "performance" out of their animals, I'm not entirely sure that's a bad thing.

[Eucritta]

I second 'Brisco County, Jr.' Comet the Wonder Horse was clever and funny.



I don't think I'd call it 'good,' but the new show, 'Terriers,' is nonetheless the first I can recall in a long, long time with a recurring animal character, a bulldog named Winston. I suspect Winston is really more of a prop, though.

[Mary Mary]

Frasier.

[Amy Lorentz]

Ever see the show "Due South" about the Mountie in Chicago? He had a deaf wolf named Diefenbaker.

[Haley H]

Miss Kitty Fantastico from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Although she was only in a few episodes. And apparently met an untimely death as a result of crossbow incident.

[H. Houlahan]

As Eucritta says, most of the time TV shows with animals in them use the animals as props.



Very few writers can write animals as characters. Then it requires the same talent and commitment from the director and actors, not to mention a top-notch trainer and critter.



I can think of lots of shows that had animals in them, but like you, can't think of any *favorites.*



I tend to cringe when I see a promo for a show and an animal is featured -- because I'm sure it's going to be awful. Sort of like an adowable widdle smart-talking toddler.



I like kids just fine, but child actors, as they are usually written and directed, give me the wiggums.



The horse in Brisco County Jr. was good, and the show was cute, but it didn't send me.

[dodo]

There's a pit bull named Backup in Veronica Mars.



In Mad Men, Duck Phillips abandoned his Irish Setter. The Draper household has a Golden Retriever.

[Judi]

Wasn't there a dog in Mad About You?

[laura]

Salem in Sabrina the Teenaged Witch?

[Kat]

I believe so, Judi.

[Shizu]

I think there was, Judi.

[Tina Clark]

Porthos in Star Trek: Enterprise. Again, mostly a prop, but I can remember one episode where he featured rather prominently.

[Nathan]

The only animals that I remember are Comet from Full House and Happy from 7th Heaven...and then of course theres the short lived Tiger from the Brady Bunch

[Ingrid King]

Addison on Private Practice got an orange cat last season, but it hasn't been seen in too many episodes since. Kyra Sedwick on The Closer had a cat. There was a show I loved back in the 90's (I think) called Second Noah that featured a character who was a veterinarian at Busch Gardens, so lots of animals in that one. The Nanny had that little Pomeranian. And don't forget Alf, although his love of cats was a bit, ahem, disturbing, for this cat lover!



And clearly, I'm watching way too much tv....

[K]

Don't forget Paul Anka from the Gilmore Girls! (although again only a prop)

[K]

And wow - can't believe I forgot to mention the Littlest Hobo! Canadian TV at it's finest :)

[cathy]

Fringe has a cow.

[Debbie]

The witches in Charmed had a cat, of course.



Tales of the Gold Monkey had a really cool one-eyed dog named Jack. But perhaps this short-lived 80s t.v. show goes back too far. It did just come out on DVD, though. It was a Raiders of the Lost Ark type adventure show with Stephen Collins. I loved it when I was a kid.

[Gina Spadafori]

Any reason to run a picture of Xena and Gabrielle, eh, Christie?

[Christie Keith]

You know, Gina, it's tough, but I soldier on!

[Stacey]

I good show with a dog character is Cowboy Bebop. There is a Pembroke corgi named Ein who is a significant character in the story. Cowboy Bebop is an animated show (PG-13ish) in the bounty hunter theme. It is very well done and has excellent music, particularly if you like jazz.



It’s typically on late night Cartoon Network.

[Dee Dee]

Don't forget Vincent the yellow Lab on "Lost." He was even an actual character, instead of a prop. Sort of.

[Kim]

Speaking of Glee, was I the only one who was a little put off by Kurt dropping the f-bomb at 8:00pm on public television?



At first I was convinced he said "Fricking" but we listened to it every which way and I can assure you it was the very real f-bomb.



There was barely even a mention about it - anywhere. Was I the only one who was shocked?

[Marie]

I can't believe Wishbone didn't make the list. I kinda loved that show even though I was a grown up when it was on. But maybe it was because of the subject matter.



Anyone else remember Run, Joe, Run about an Army GSD with PTSD?



There was a frenchie in the sci fi show about aliens called Threshold.



I agree with worrying about animal actors though. I would hope things would be different these days but who knows.

[Michelle]

Glad you mentioned Wishbone -- I was a kid for that series, and absolutely adored it.

[Michelle]

Also, there was the Colonel's horse in M*A*S*H...kind of a plot device more than anything but she featured prominently in several episodes. Or is M*A*S*H too old to count?

[Cait]

the Cardigan on Dharma and Greg, of course! ('She' was played by brother and sister dogs who were full siblings from repeat breedings- and half sibs to my first Cardigan, Taikoubou)!

[Suzanne]

If Porthos got mention, then so should Data's ginger tabby 'Spot' from Star Trek: Next Generation.