Okay, so some of the edge of Tom & Jerry playing literal Cat and Mouse games has been lost, but that's not altogether that bad a thing! Most of the old Tom and Jerry cartoons were hilarious, but let's not forget the instances when Tom was blown up or beaten with mallets by white mice or even other cats!
As a child I loved both incarnations of the duo, but somehow this later version was more likeable with Tom and Jerry as best friends. This was handled in such a way that the characters' mannerisms were still intact and recognisable, but the one-gag stories of "I'm gonna get you because you're a mouse and I'm a cat, and that's the way it is!" were eliminated, along with much of the violence! Luckily it was handled so well, that this series opened the door to some really funny adventures with wacky sports episodes ("What a disastah!"), and the rescue of dying, but still witty desert drifters ("Please give me a drink! Anything! Oh, Cherry Lime? I'm not so crazy about Cherry Lime! You got Grape?")
All in all this is a better series and definitely not a kinder-gentler sellout! Spike's still there! The action's still there, but you can let your kids watch without worrying about them spanking your cat with a hammer when you're not looking! In short, a Tom & Jerry without the Itchy and Scratchy in them!
