Salmon Cat is a 1970s TV show for kids that appeared in an episode of the TV show Sam & Cat. Salmon Cat features six, fun-loving puppet characters who live under the sea and teach important life lessons.
Characters edit
Salmon Cat - Part salmon and part cat, Salmon Cat is the friendly main protagonist of the series. His main color is red.
Octo Piggy - Part octopus and part pig, Octo Piggy is the series' secondary protagonist. His main color is green.
Trout Puppy - Part trout and part dog, Trout Puppy serves as the series' tritagonist. Her main color is pink.
Ponyphin - Part dolphin and part horse, Ponyphin is another of Salmon Cat's friends. Her main color is aqua blue.
Lobster Beaver - Part lobster and part beaver, Lobster Beaver is friends with Salmon Cat and the others. His main color is orange.
Puffer Cow - Part puffer fish and part cow, Puffer Cow is another fun friend. Her main color is purple.
Format edit
Episodes of Salmon Cat have a format with differing segments followed in each episode, as is the case with other puppet shows of the era such as Sesame Street.
The format:
- Opening Scene: Narrator says the famous line: "Hey kids, it's time for the wet and wacky world of Salmon Cat. Today's episode is about (topic covered in episode)." as Salmon Cat swims around.
- First Salmon Cat segment: Introduces the episode theme (said slowly by the characters). An original song is always included in this segment. The song has to do with the theme and is sung by the puppet characters who appear in the segment.
- SPECIAL SEGMENT
- To the camera segment: One of the puppet characters provides the viewers with a tangible activity or craft that integrates the theme into the viewers' daily lives.
- Second Salmon Cat segment: Builds on the theme.
- SPECIAL SEGMENT
- SPECIAL SEGMENT
- Foreign cartoon/stop-motion segment.
- Third Salmon Cat segment: Relates to theme and builds on it more. Sometimes includes another song.
- SPECIAL SEGMENT
- SPECIAL SEGMENT
- SPECIAL SEGMENT
- Goodbye segment: The narrator and Salmon Cat recap on the events of the episode and all the puppet characters say goodbye.
Special Segments edit
The "special segments" shown throughout the episodes include:
Nurse Katerina: A live-action lady named Katerina, dressed in a nurse's outfit, interacts with several kids and shows them how to be healthy. Nurse Katerina is well-known for its little theme song, "Everybody, Be Happy." It was influenced by the aerobics/fitness craze sweeping the 1970s and 1980s. This segment first appeared in Season 4.
Groovy Kids: A few kids showcase their "groovy" talents to the audience at home.
Salmon Cat Theater: Salmon Cat and his friends act out various fairy tales, but in their own whimsical underwater way.
Captain Eel-Ectric: Sometimes Salmon Cat will read a comic book of his favorite superhero, "Captain Eel-Ectric," an eel with super electric powers. The comic book is shown in an animated way and the characters all have unique voices, as if Salmon Cat is picturing the animated scenes to really happen as he reads. This is beneficial to young children as it shows them the power of imagination.
Sea Stories: A short, animated story relating to the theme.
Solve that Problem!: A game show where Salmon Cat challenges two other characters to solve the problem to a certain situation that relates to the theme
Trout Puppy Hunt: Salmon Cat searches for Trout Puppy in fun places, with help of the narrator, who adds jokes to the segment to make it funnier.
Salmon Cat's Band: The puppets perform a short song that may or may not relate to the theme, in their unnamed band.
Shops: Sometimes a puppet character will pretend to be a shopkeeper and another puppet character will come into the shop.
Salmon Cat in Space: Salmon Cat will sometimes hop on board a rocket and head off to various fun planets, where he is accompanied by his sidekick, a monkey named Astro. Salmon Cat and Astro meet some friendly...and even not so friendly...aliens along the way. It was influenced by the astronaut/outer space craze sweeping the 1960s and 1970s. This segment appeared in seasons 1-3 and was replaced by Nurse Katerina beginning in season 4.
Foreign cartoons/stop-motion shows edit
The foreign cartoons aired as part of Salmon Cat include:
- Mio Mao (Italy)
- Ivor the Engine (UK and Ireland)
- The Adventures of Parsley/The Herbs (UK and Ireland)
- Quaq Quao (Italy)
- The Clangers (UK and Ireland)
- Tales of the Riverbank/Hammy Hamster (Canada)Note: This is not a cartoon or a stop-motion show but it was still aired.
- The Toothbrush Family (Australia)
- Kukori & Kotkoda (Hungary)
Series run edit
Salmon Cat, if it were real, would've debuted in 1972 and ended in 1980. It would've had 5 seasons' worth of episodes and 130 episodes.
Season airdates edit
- Season 1: 1972-1973
- Season 2: 1973-1974
- Season 3: 1974-1976
- Season 4: 1976-1978
- Season 5: 1978-1980
Episodes edit
Not all are listed, and they're not in the proper order:
- Sharing
- Being a Good Sport
- Forgiveness
- Friendship
- Taking Turns
- Patience
- Honesty
- Being Nice
- Being Happy
- Christmas
- Thankfulness
- Jealousy
- Respect
- Teamwork
- Manners
- Leaving Home
- Helpfulness
- Feelings
- Easter
- Imagination
- Bedtime
- Summer
- Kindness
- Growing Up
- Jobs
- Obedience
- Sharing II
- Being a Good Sport II
- Being Happy II
- Imagination II
- Friendship II
- Teamwork II
- Confidence
- Fairness
- Halloween
- Being Scared
- Family
- Responsibilities
Pronunciation edit
"Pronunciation" is a short segment featuring the characters of Salmon Cat produced by the original creators of Salmon Cat in 2013. It is basically a self-satire; in the clip, which oddly does not feature the iconic narrator, Salmon Cat gets mad at Octo Piggy for mispronouncing his name. Background character Fox Crab, who had a bit of a cult following by fans in the show's later seasons, reappears in the short as well.