Many people tend to think of the 70's as the worst decade for cartoons. About anything was either a rehash, or a spinoff. But then, Uncle Croc's Block came into view, produced by Filmation. UCB had four cartoons on its roster; Wacky and Packy, M-U-S-H, Fraidy Cat, and Waldo Kitty.
Fraidy Cat is a surreal experience, but it's worth the viewing. The show follows the life of an anxiety-struck cat named Fraidy. Fraidy lived through eight of his nine lives, and on his ninth and final life. As said in the intro, he wants to "make it last."
His only problem? Every time he says the numbers "one" to "eight", a homonym or word that rhymes with a number, he summons a past life from different time periods. For example, his first life comes from the stone age, and his fifth life the cowboy age.
Fraidy always gets into trouble in every episode. In one episode, for example, he gets stuck in a bird feed store, which is inhabited by love-hungry cockatoos. Another has him swiping food from a dog show, which has the contestants noticing.
It's actually very easy to sympathize with the main character, with all the things he goes through in each episode. Plus, some characters actually help him, such as Hep Cat, the eighth life, and Kitty Wizard, the second life. Some characters are very unlikeable such as Boss Mouse and Cloud Nine, the nine-shaped storm cloud that chases Fraidy whenever "Nine", or "Nein" is uttered.
Some scenes can be funny and light-hearted such as the scene where Fraidy gets an entire bucket of lollipops even though he hates them.
Sure, the animation is crusty, very stiff, and the voice acting could've used more emotion, but it gives the show the charm and aesthetic of a cheap mid-70's show.
Overall, if you're an obscure animation buff, give this show a watch!