The twenty-first episode of the second season of Garfield and Friends.
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Invasion of the Big Robots
Garfield wakes up from his nap, only to find out that he's not in his cartoon. He's in an action-packed cartoon filled with giant robots.
Shelf Esteem
When Roy finds out that Orson can't put his books away because he reads them all first, he makes a bet with Wade and Lanolin, with the loser having to do the winner's chores for a month.
Housebreak Hotel
Jon goes on vacation and leaves Garfield and Odie at Howie's Housebreak hotel, which at first appears to be a luxury hotel for pets, but Garfield and Odie soon find out that it's more like a pet prison.
"Invasion of the Big Robots" provides examples of:
- Art Shift: The cartoons that Garfield finds himself in have notably higher-quality animation than his own show.
- Faux Horrific: This episode begins with Garfield awakening from a nightmare where he ate 300 cheeseburgers but had no ketchup.
- Sickeningly Sweet: This episode ends with Garfield escaping from an action-packed cartoon filled with giant robots, only to end up in a forest inhabited by cutsey animals, including a deer and a rabbit, who announce that they'll teach Garfield to be nice. Garfield then exclaims "I want the giant robots back!"
- Take That!: This episode is a rather scathing one directed at Merchandise-Driven action cartoons of the 1980's such as The Transformers and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983), as well as cartoons with groupthink morality like the Buddy Bears were. The plot has Garfield wake up in another cartoon and being annoyed by all the trappings of it, with the character Star Wolf as an unflattering portrayal of the protagonists of those kinds of cartoons by having him automatically assume Garfield is the enemy just because he's different. Eventually, Garfield escapes the cartoon, only to end up in another one inhabited by cutesy animals who announce that they'll teach Garfield to be nice. Garfield then hurriedly tries to make his way back to the robot cartoon on the grounds that he finds it preferable to the saccharine cartoon he's in now.
- Transforming Mecha: Garfield takes control of a giant robot that can transform into a car, a refrigerator, a gumball machine, and a parking meter.
"Shelf Esteem" provides examples of:
- Idea Bulb: A variant; in Orson's caveman fantasy, when Orson's prehistoric ancestor gets an idea on how to defeat a dinosaur that chases him and his friends, a candleappears in his thought balloon.
- Identical Grandson: In Orson's caveman fantasy, the prehistoric ancestors of Orson and his friends all resemble their present-day counterparts.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Roy cheats by putting his own library books in Orson's pile to ensure that he wins the bet against Wade and Lanolin. When Lanolin puts a book that says "How to Be a Good Librarian" in the pile of books, this inspires Orson to put all of his books away. As a result, Roy ends up losing the bet and has to do both Wade and Lanolin's long lists of chores.
- Mr. Imagination: Roy knows that Orson can't put a book down, as he likes to act out the stories in his imagination. Sure enough, that's exactly what Orson does.
- Shout-Out: This episode begins with Wade shouting "Oh, panic! Oh, jeopardy! Oh, Double Jeopardy! Oh, Final Jeopardy!"
"Housebreak Hotel" provides examples of:
- Alliterative Title: Housebreak Hotel.
- Department of Redundancy Department: This line from Garfield when he complains about having to stay at Howie's Housebreak Hotel:"No TV, no fluffy pillow, no microwave, no TV! I said TV."
- Even the Rats Won't Touch It: The cat food that Howie serves is so bad that even Garfield won't eat it. Even Garfield is surprised to find something he refuses to eat. Garfield eventually serves it to Howie as he makes his escape, and Howie says "Boy, that stuff is terrible!" before chasing Garfield. Odie is the only one who finds the cat food delicious.
- Gilligan Cut: With Jon unable to find a pet-sitter for Garfield and Odie, he decides to put them in a pet hotel, and says that Garfield won't object to that too much. Cut to Garfield objecting as much as he can.
- Hell Hotel: This episode exploits this, as the advertiser makes it look like a luxury resort for pets to lure unsuspecting and gullible owners, figuring the pets can't talk and likewise register a complaint anyway. That is, until Garfield steps into the picture.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: When Garfield sets the other cats free, just as he is about to escape, he pauses and looks at the viewers to tell them, "Yes, I'm going to rescue Odie, too."
- Only One Finds It Fun: Odie is the only one who likes the cat food that Howie serves, much to Garfield's bewilderment.Garfield: You'd think with a tongue like that, he'd have a little taste.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Garfield tastes the cat food that Howie serves him, Garfield complains to Howie that he refuses to eat it. He then says "You know, it's the first time I ever said that."
- Very False Advertising: Howie's Housebreak Hotel promises a luxury stay in its commercial. When Jon leaves Garfield there, Garfield discovers that the sleeping accomodations are stacked cages in rooms, and the food is worse than raisins.
- Shockingly Expensive Bill: When Jon arrives at Hotel LePosh to pick up Garfield and Odie, he finds out that Garfield is staying in a luxury hotel room and charging for room service. When he asks Garfield if he knows how much a room like that costs, Garfield reveals to him that he charged it to Howie's Housebreak Hotel, and Jon joins him in enjoying the services.
- Toilet Humor: This episode's title card has Odie's picture above a hydrant and Garfield's picture above a litter box near a pair of restroom doors.
