Top 15 Coolest TV Pets Throughout Time
They run the gamut from loyal to cute to funny to just plain awesome but the one thing they have in common is that they all just plain rock. (I thought up this list in about half an hour last night, so if I'm missing anybody you think deserves to be here, please let me know in the comments. FYI, I did NOT forget Lassie. I just didn't want to include her.) I decided to stick to TV pets because I realized if I included movie pets, the list would be a mile long and composed of 90% Disney characters. I may have limited myself a little too much though; I never realized how few TV families had pets!
15. Buttons
Buttons was the modern-day Lassie, or at least, he was a parody of the beloved Collie, working overtime to protect his own 'Timmy', a cutesy coverall-clad tyke named Mindy, who was a magnet for trouble. Poor Buttons never could catch a break, nearly killing himself to save Mindy only to get blamed for her being in trouble to begin with, but he never shied away from his duty. At least Mindy knew what was up, even though she caused the problems to begin with. Funny fact: I once took a 'Animaniacs Personality Quiz' and I have no idea how, but I ended up as Mindy, so I guess it's no surprise that Buttons made my list. I'd love a dog like Buttons following me around, like a personal guardian angel and uber-protector.
14. Bronx
I never really got why the Gargoyles needed a Gargoyle dog. I mean, aren't they already Gargoyles themselves? Where is the distinction between Gargoyle-pet and Gargoyle-man? This has always bothered me, to a degree, but I try not to let it get to me too much, because Bronx was totally fucking cool. He was one of my favorite parts about the 90s cartoon, and if you were a kid in that era then chances are you wanted one of these guarding your rooftop too!
13. Little Boy Cat
OK, so Little Boy Cat really only appeared in one episode of "Psych"... and in all likelihood was not, in fact, a little boy at all (nice observation skills, Shawn!) but I still think he deserves to be on this list. Just think of this as a petition to bring back Little Boy Cat full-time. I mean, who doesn't want a crime-solving cat around the house? This is a one-off appearance that deserves a more prominent role, but maybe I'm just saying that because James Roday looks cuter cuddling with a kitty.
12. Hakuryuu
Hakuryuu was a pint-sized pet dragon owned by Hakkai from the Anime "Saiyuki" who was cool enough as a dragon companion, but was actually DOUBLY awesome because in his off-time he transformed into a Jeep, in which the Saiyuki guys rode around on their many nomadic adventures. Because of this unlikely trait, Hakuryuu has to be, like, the most useful pet ever. Need a ride? Hakuryuu. Need a magic dragon to help you fight? Hakuryuu. Need your ride to quickly disappear without finding a giant bush to hide it in? HAKURYUU. Do you see where I'm coming from here? He's cute, he's loyal, and he gets great mileage to the gallon! What more could a warrior priest and his demonic companions ask for? I'm sure Taylor could tell me a whole lot more cool stuff about Hakuryuu but you'll have to suffice with what you see here.
11. Santa's Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper, also known as the Simpsons' family dog may not have been the smartest or the cutest dog in the pack but gosh darn it if you didn't love him anyway. There was even a whole episode revolving around Bart getting a new dog, one who was highly intelligent, beautiful, and bravely loyal to boot, but finding out at the end that he still wanted the old 'bad' dog back. SLH proved that even bad dogs needed love, and really exemplified the valor of a true dog lover, who loved their pet dearly no matter what kind of an animal they were. Your dog is your dog, and Santa's Little Helper is here to stay, going on 20 years now!
10. Kodo and Podo
Kodo and Podo were two little rascally ferrets owned by Dar in the movie/show "The Beastmaster." They were so adorable, even when--no, especially when they were causing trouble. I'm so glad the TV show decided to ignore the fact that one of them was thrown in a volcano at the end of that awful 80s movie so that they could be together for more misadventures in the show. Dar would probably balk at the insinuation that they were his 'pets', as animals are free and owned by no man, but who are we kidding? They were pets of the best variety--that is, the sneaking about and stealing keys to free their owner variety.
9. Rowdy
You couldn't find a dog more well behaved the Rowdy. He never barked, he never shed... Well, OK, he occasionally had the habit of wandering off when you weren't looking, appearing in random places, or humping your leg. but I would say that was really more of an owner's mishandling than true rotten nature. JD and Turk purchased him at a garage sale--already in his current condition, mind you, and became attached. At some point during the show, Carla, who found Rowdy creepy (What?! Whatever for?!) accidentally lost Rowdy and secretly had him replaced with "Stephen." JD and Turk didn't notice until Rowdy showed up again one day and, to Carla's dismay, decided to split the two dogs up so they would each have one!
8. Salem
Salem was the sometimes-real, sometimes-animatronic pet cat from the show "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" who used to be human, cursed to cat form. He handled it relatively well, as his lush and indulgent nature was well-suited by his new species. Salem was lascivious, entitled, and a troublemaker, but he was usually a good friend. We were probably better off leaving Melissa Joan Hart's fame in the late nineties, because let's face it: Salem was kind of the best part about "Sabrina." And not at all creepy in animatronic form... O_O
7. Cochise
I'm new to the wonderful world of "Bonanza" but I can already tell you with firm confidence that Little Joe and his horse Cochise are a classic team. They just go together so well that it's impossible to distinguish one without mentioning the other. You can laugh all you want, but watching Michael Landon interact with this horse is a thing of beauty, and they share a lot of cute scenes, like sharing coffee so Cochise can get a fresh start on his day too. Sadly, there's an unfortunate story attached to the original Cochise, which led to his being replaced on the show by similar ponies, but nothing could beat the original.
6. Seymour
If anyone ever says "Futurama" is strictly a comedy or that cartoons aren't capable of strong emotion, then you have to watch "Jurassic Bark." For a one-time character who didn't even have any lines apart from barking the tune to "Walking on Sunshine", Seymour is pretty high on my list, but it's for a good reason. Seymour was the best friend a guy could ask for, meeting Fry by his work every day, searching for him ruthlessly following his disappearance and actually FINDING him, only to be pulled away. Seymour was by far the most loyal dog I have ever seen depicted, having waited patiently for Fry TWELVE YEARS in front of the pizza parlor until he just laid down and died. Thankfully they rewrote this history in a time-traveling episode which proved that Seymour was reunited with Fry and lived a happy life at his side.
5. Perry the Platypus
"Phineas and Ferb" is another show I'm relatively new to, but I don't think you need to go far to realize that Perry the Platypus is one of the coolest pets out there. For one thing... he's a freakin' PLATYPUS! And how many kids do you know that own a PLATYPUS for a family pet? But, his unusual species aside, Perry is still cool because he leads a secret double life as 'Agent P' a spy for the government who constantly foils the 'evil' plans of Heinz Doofenshmirtz, his sworn nemesis. Doofenshmirtz is pretty terrible at being evil, but he keeps trying, and as long as he does that, Perry is there to stop him, to hilarious results.
4. Eddie
In the heyday of "Frasier" Eddie was practically a superstar. Sales of Jack Russell Terriers as family pets soared for a few years there, and who can blame them? Eddie just made it look that good. The feisty little dog that belonged to Frasier's dad Martin was sort of a nemesis to Frasier, but everyone loved him anyway. The terrier packed a mountain of personality into a tiny package, and was often one of the most charismatic characters on screen, which is saying a lot since "Frasier"s cast was full of charisma. Plus he's just so darn cute!
3. Brian
It's hard to remember some times that Brian is a pet, with reason, since the show never makes it clear who can understand Stewie, and yet everyone can understand Brian. There's also no golden rule for talking animals, as some are upright and talking and some are just plain animals, but that's "Family Guy" for you. Brian is an exceptional character, becoming even more so when paired with his sometimes-friend-sometimes-nemesis Stewie. He has an amazing singing voice, a love of Sinatra and classical music, and a weakness for martinis. He is also prone to addictions and has a phenomonally imposing ego, but we forgive him because he's just so cool. He loses points on the Loyalty Scale because he harbors a crush on his best friend's wife, but he always earns our love back with acerbic wit and inherent goodness.
2. Wishbone
"Wishbone", which only ran for 3 years in the mid-90s but spawned plenty of book series and a lasting impression, was about yet another Jack Russell Terrier, but this one was a little more vocal than Eddie. "Wishbone" was about a dog and his boy, Joe, and their after-school-special adventures, but it was also about books. Wishbone would imagine himself as the main character in a classic book then draw comparisons between the story being told and the real-life problems of Joe and his friends. Sure, it was corny and silly, and nobody was standing around the set waiting to hand out Oscars, but none of that mattered because "Wishbone" was doing something few others could do pre-Harry Potter, which is to foster an interest in reading in young children. It was successful in this endeavor because they used everyone's weakness: a cute PUPPY! Who wouldn't want to pick up "Robin Hood" or "The Count of Monte Cristo" when Wishbone makes it look this adorable?!
1. Marcel
I'm gonna be honest with you: the top five entries on this list are pretty much tied. I had a real hard time deciding on an order and in the end just picked sort of randomly, but that doesn't lessen my love for Marcel any. I don't even like monkeys very much, so that a monkey is number 1 on my list is pretty decent. Marcel just brought so many laughs to the show that I couldn't help it. The "Friends" characters never had a whole lot of pets; apart from a few one-off cats owned by the girls and of course, the beloved chick and duck belonging to Joey and Chandler, their lives stayed relatively pet-free. The only one that truly stood out was Marcel, the adorable little Capuchin monkey that belonged to Ross. Normally I dislike physical comedy with monkeys and humans, as I find it a little cheap, but Marcel transcended this to become a lovable, if brief addition to "Friends."
15. Buttons
Buttons was the modern-day Lassie, or at least, he was a parody of the beloved Collie, working overtime to protect his own 'Timmy', a cutesy coverall-clad tyke named Mindy, who was a magnet for trouble. Poor Buttons never could catch a break, nearly killing himself to save Mindy only to get blamed for her being in trouble to begin with, but he never shied away from his duty. At least Mindy knew what was up, even though she caused the problems to begin with. Funny fact: I once took a 'Animaniacs Personality Quiz' and I have no idea how, but I ended up as Mindy, so I guess it's no surprise that Buttons made my list. I'd love a dog like Buttons following me around, like a personal guardian angel and uber-protector.
14. Bronx
I never really got why the Gargoyles needed a Gargoyle dog. I mean, aren't they already Gargoyles themselves? Where is the distinction between Gargoyle-pet and Gargoyle-man? This has always bothered me, to a degree, but I try not to let it get to me too much, because Bronx was totally fucking cool. He was one of my favorite parts about the 90s cartoon, and if you were a kid in that era then chances are you wanted one of these guarding your rooftop too!
13. Little Boy Cat
OK, so Little Boy Cat really only appeared in one episode of "Psych"... and in all likelihood was not, in fact, a little boy at all (nice observation skills, Shawn!) but I still think he deserves to be on this list. Just think of this as a petition to bring back Little Boy Cat full-time. I mean, who doesn't want a crime-solving cat around the house? This is a one-off appearance that deserves a more prominent role, but maybe I'm just saying that because James Roday looks cuter cuddling with a kitty.
12. Hakuryuu
Hakuryuu was a pint-sized pet dragon owned by Hakkai from the Anime "Saiyuki" who was cool enough as a dragon companion, but was actually DOUBLY awesome because in his off-time he transformed into a Jeep, in which the Saiyuki guys rode around on their many nomadic adventures. Because of this unlikely trait, Hakuryuu has to be, like, the most useful pet ever. Need a ride? Hakuryuu. Need a magic dragon to help you fight? Hakuryuu. Need your ride to quickly disappear without finding a giant bush to hide it in? HAKURYUU. Do you see where I'm coming from here? He's cute, he's loyal, and he gets great mileage to the gallon! What more could a warrior priest and his demonic companions ask for? I'm sure Taylor could tell me a whole lot more cool stuff about Hakuryuu but you'll have to suffice with what you see here.
11. Santa's Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper, also known as the Simpsons' family dog may not have been the smartest or the cutest dog in the pack but gosh darn it if you didn't love him anyway. There was even a whole episode revolving around Bart getting a new dog, one who was highly intelligent, beautiful, and bravely loyal to boot, but finding out at the end that he still wanted the old 'bad' dog back. SLH proved that even bad dogs needed love, and really exemplified the valor of a true dog lover, who loved their pet dearly no matter what kind of an animal they were. Your dog is your dog, and Santa's Little Helper is here to stay, going on 20 years now!
10. Kodo and Podo
Kodo and Podo were two little rascally ferrets owned by Dar in the movie/show "The Beastmaster." They were so adorable, even when--no, especially when they were causing trouble. I'm so glad the TV show decided to ignore the fact that one of them was thrown in a volcano at the end of that awful 80s movie so that they could be together for more misadventures in the show. Dar would probably balk at the insinuation that they were his 'pets', as animals are free and owned by no man, but who are we kidding? They were pets of the best variety--that is, the sneaking about and stealing keys to free their owner variety.
9. Rowdy
You couldn't find a dog more well behaved the Rowdy. He never barked, he never shed... Well, OK, he occasionally had the habit of wandering off when you weren't looking, appearing in random places, or humping your leg. but I would say that was really more of an owner's mishandling than true rotten nature. JD and Turk purchased him at a garage sale--already in his current condition, mind you, and became attached. At some point during the show, Carla, who found Rowdy creepy (What?! Whatever for?!) accidentally lost Rowdy and secretly had him replaced with "Stephen." JD and Turk didn't notice until Rowdy showed up again one day and, to Carla's dismay, decided to split the two dogs up so they would each have one!
8. Salem
Salem was the sometimes-real, sometimes-animatronic pet cat from the show "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" who used to be human, cursed to cat form. He handled it relatively well, as his lush and indulgent nature was well-suited by his new species. Salem was lascivious, entitled, and a troublemaker, but he was usually a good friend. We were probably better off leaving Melissa Joan Hart's fame in the late nineties, because let's face it: Salem was kind of the best part about "Sabrina." And not at all creepy in animatronic form... O_O
7. Cochise
I'm new to the wonderful world of "Bonanza" but I can already tell you with firm confidence that Little Joe and his horse Cochise are a classic team. They just go together so well that it's impossible to distinguish one without mentioning the other. You can laugh all you want, but watching Michael Landon interact with this horse is a thing of beauty, and they share a lot of cute scenes, like sharing coffee so Cochise can get a fresh start on his day too. Sadly, there's an unfortunate story attached to the original Cochise, which led to his being replaced on the show by similar ponies, but nothing could beat the original.
6. Seymour
If anyone ever says "Futurama" is strictly a comedy or that cartoons aren't capable of strong emotion, then you have to watch "Jurassic Bark." For a one-time character who didn't even have any lines apart from barking the tune to "Walking on Sunshine", Seymour is pretty high on my list, but it's for a good reason. Seymour was the best friend a guy could ask for, meeting Fry by his work every day, searching for him ruthlessly following his disappearance and actually FINDING him, only to be pulled away. Seymour was by far the most loyal dog I have ever seen depicted, having waited patiently for Fry TWELVE YEARS in front of the pizza parlor until he just laid down and died. Thankfully they rewrote this history in a time-traveling episode which proved that Seymour was reunited with Fry and lived a happy life at his side.
5. Perry the Platypus
"Phineas and Ferb" is another show I'm relatively new to, but I don't think you need to go far to realize that Perry the Platypus is one of the coolest pets out there. For one thing... he's a freakin' PLATYPUS! And how many kids do you know that own a PLATYPUS for a family pet? But, his unusual species aside, Perry is still cool because he leads a secret double life as 'Agent P' a spy for the government who constantly foils the 'evil' plans of Heinz Doofenshmirtz, his sworn nemesis. Doofenshmirtz is pretty terrible at being evil, but he keeps trying, and as long as he does that, Perry is there to stop him, to hilarious results.
4. Eddie
In the heyday of "Frasier" Eddie was practically a superstar. Sales of Jack Russell Terriers as family pets soared for a few years there, and who can blame them? Eddie just made it look that good. The feisty little dog that belonged to Frasier's dad Martin was sort of a nemesis to Frasier, but everyone loved him anyway. The terrier packed a mountain of personality into a tiny package, and was often one of the most charismatic characters on screen, which is saying a lot since "Frasier"s cast was full of charisma. Plus he's just so darn cute!
3. Brian
It's hard to remember some times that Brian is a pet, with reason, since the show never makes it clear who can understand Stewie, and yet everyone can understand Brian. There's also no golden rule for talking animals, as some are upright and talking and some are just plain animals, but that's "Family Guy" for you. Brian is an exceptional character, becoming even more so when paired with his sometimes-friend-sometimes-nemesis Stewie. He has an amazing singing voice, a love of Sinatra and classical music, and a weakness for martinis. He is also prone to addictions and has a phenomonally imposing ego, but we forgive him because he's just so cool. He loses points on the Loyalty Scale because he harbors a crush on his best friend's wife, but he always earns our love back with acerbic wit and inherent goodness.
2. Wishbone
"Wishbone", which only ran for 3 years in the mid-90s but spawned plenty of book series and a lasting impression, was about yet another Jack Russell Terrier, but this one was a little more vocal than Eddie. "Wishbone" was about a dog and his boy, Joe, and their after-school-special adventures, but it was also about books. Wishbone would imagine himself as the main character in a classic book then draw comparisons between the story being told and the real-life problems of Joe and his friends. Sure, it was corny and silly, and nobody was standing around the set waiting to hand out Oscars, but none of that mattered because "Wishbone" was doing something few others could do pre-Harry Potter, which is to foster an interest in reading in young children. It was successful in this endeavor because they used everyone's weakness: a cute PUPPY! Who wouldn't want to pick up "Robin Hood" or "The Count of Monte Cristo" when Wishbone makes it look this adorable?!
1. Marcel
I'm gonna be honest with you: the top five entries on this list are pretty much tied. I had a real hard time deciding on an order and in the end just picked sort of randomly, but that doesn't lessen my love for Marcel any. I don't even like monkeys very much, so that a monkey is number 1 on my list is pretty decent. Marcel just brought so many laughs to the show that I couldn't help it. The "Friends" characters never had a whole lot of pets; apart from a few one-off cats owned by the girls and of course, the beloved chick and duck belonging to Joey and Chandler, their lives stayed relatively pet-free. The only one that truly stood out was Marcel, the adorable little Capuchin monkey that belonged to Ross. Normally I dislike physical comedy with monkeys and humans, as I find it a little cheap, but Marcel transcended this to become a lovable, if brief addition to "Friends."