“I Am Weasel” ran from 1997 to 1999 on Cartoon Network, and it remains one of the oddest shows the network ever put on its schedule. Created by David Feiss, the series started life as a segment of the larger Cow and Chicken cartoon, and it grew into its own show by the time the first season ended. The premise is simple: I.M. Weasel, a brilliant and noble weasel, spends his days helping people, while I.R. Baboon, his dim-witted rival, spends his days failing miserably at everything he tries.
Weasel and Baboon
The core pairing is the engine of the show. Michael Dorn voices I.M. Weasel, and Charlie Adler voices I.R. Baboon. Weasel is the straight man, endlessly patient and clever. Baboon is the opposite: loud, foolish, and convinced of his own greatness. Their dynamic is the reason the series works at all. When Baboon fails spectacularly, Weasel is there to clean up the mess, and the contrast between the two is the show’s comic engine.
“I am Weasel!”
That catchphrase, delivered with a raised finger pointed toward the sky, is the show’s signature moment. It lands every time, even after years of repetition. Baboon’s attempts to outshine Weasel are uniformly disastrous, and the show leans into that failure for most of its run.
Red Guy Joins the Mix
Starting in season two, the Red Guy joins the show. He is a main character from Cow and Chicken, voiced by Charlie Adler, and he takes on the role of the villain. His addition shifts the dynamic: Baboon stops being the constant antagonist and starts becoming more of a friend to Weasel. The show’s title itself is a nod to the formula — I.M. Weasel, I.R. Baboon, I.B. Red Guy — and the Red Guy’s presence changes the balance of the series.
As the series progresses, Weasel’s role shifts too. He starts to show frustration with people’s antics and his hero status begins to feel less secure. Baboon, meanwhile, gains a “hero” status as the world around him grows increasingly stupid. The show’s final episode presents Baboon as the true star of the show, which is a strange move for a series built around Weasel.
The Supporting Cast
The show draws heavily on its Cow and Chicken roots, and many characters from that series make cameo appearances. Among them are Cow, Chicken, Mom, Teacher, Dad, Flem, and Earl. Loulabelle, a blonde nurse voiced by Susanne Blakeslee and Teresa Ganzel, is implied to be Weasel’s girlfriend in season two before her role is downsized. Jolly Roger, a fat man in a sailor costume, becomes a recurring character by season five. Admiral Bullets, a short admiral, appears mostly in the early seasons.
The supporting cast gives the show some variety, but the show is ultimately about Weasel and Baboon. Their relationship is the heart of the series, and nothing else quite matches it.
What Works
The humor is broad and physical, with slapstick taking precedence over wit. Baboon’s failures are elaborate and frequently involve falling or exploding. The show also leans into its absurdist premise, with characters behaving inconsistently and logic bending in ways that make sense only within the show’s universe. This can be disorienting at times, but it also gives the show a distinct identity.
The voice acting is solid across the board. Dorn brings a calm, exasperated quality to Weasel, and Adler’s Baboon is consistently funny. The show’s animation is simple, but it is effective. The character designs are easy to read, and the action is clear even when the jokes are fast.
What Falls Short
The show is uneven, and some episodes feel like filler rather than stories. The humor relies heavily on repetition, with Baboon’s schemes failing in similar ways across multiple episodes. The show’s later seasons lean harder into the idea of a world growing stupider, which stretches the concept thinner than it needed to be. Some of the guest appearances from Cow and Chicken feel like leftovers rather than integrated storytelling.
The show’s ending, presenting Baboon as the star, feels abrupt and unsatisfying. It is a bold choice, but it leaves the series feeling unresolved rather than complete. The show also lacks a consistent tone. Some episodes are genuinely funny, while others feel tired and rehashed.
The Legacy
“I Am Weasel” was the fourth Cartoon Cartoon on Cartoon Network and the final one produced solely by Hanna-Barbera. It was a spinoff of Cow and Chicken, and it shares that show’s absurdist sensibility. The show’s influence is visible in later Cartoon Network programming, though it never reached the same heights as its predecessor.
The show’s cultural footprint is modest. It is remembered fondly by fans of the era, but it has not aged into a classic. Its appeal is narrow: those who enjoyed the show’s brand of slapstick and absurdist humor will find plenty to love, while viewers looking for subtler comedy or character-driven drama will likely find it thin.
The Verdict
“I Am Weasel” is a flawed but entertaining show. Its strengths — a strong central pairing, sharp physical humor, and a distinctive absurdist sensibility — are undercut by uneven pacing and a weak ending. The show deserves credit for trying something different in its genre, and it succeeded more often than it failed.
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