Jeff Haas wrote, directed, edited, produced, and animated all five episodes of Scratch And Sniff. Each episode took between 12 and 16 weeks to complete, as the filmmaker refused to use artificial intelligence in creating his situational comedy. As if that weren’t enough, Haas also voices the owner of the titular pets as well as the animals themselves. Is this passion project worth all the blood, sweat, and tears spread across so many years? Or is it dead on arrival?
Scratch (Haas) is a quick-witted cat; however, he has no filter and often demeans and talks down to whoever he is speaking to. That is often the dimwitted dog Sniff (Haas), who is always game for the strange ideas the feisty feline concocts. In the first episode, that idea would be gluing themselves to the ceiling. Obviously, this upsets their owner, Jeff (Haas), who tries his best to treat the furry friends like humans, not just pets. However, a possible treasure map falls from the hole now in the living room’s ceiling.
Episode two of Scratch And Sniff sees Sniff get into trouble for pooping in the neighbor’s yard. So Jeff installs an electric fence and a shock collar on the pooch. Since the fence is invisible, Sniff does not believe it exists. Scratch has a lot of fun toying with Sniff. The next episode involves the cat and dog teaming up to make a low-budget horror flick, recruiting Jeff’s girlfriend, Jennifer (Jami Cullen), to be the lead. In the episode after that, Sniff does a heroic deed and dons a superhero persona. Yet all his attempts to do good backfire in slapstick fashion. The finale puts Scratch, Sniff, Jeff, and Jennifer in a car for a 10-hour road trip to visit family over the holidays. Between Scratch driving Sniff crazy, and vice versa, and pit stops, the journey is anything but smooth.
“Scratch is a quick-witted cat; however, he has no filter and often demeans and talks down to whoever he is speaking to. That is often the dimwitted dog Sniff…”
The important thing to know about the show’s storytelling is that it is episodic. Lessons learned from one episode don’t travel over to the next. But the writing is consistent throughout. Scratch’s caustic comments and dry delivery are ever-present. Sniff’s slapstick antics are also on full display. The way Haas marries those two elements is very natural, leading to comedy hijinks on numerous levels. Jeff and Jennifer serve as the audience surrogates, reacting believably to whatever mischief the pets get into, whether it is accidentally breaking a water pipe or a cape getting caught in the back of a truck.
The animation of Scratch And Sniff is colorful and cute. It is not the most detailed, but there is enough there to attract the eye. The real wonder of Haas’s one-man operation, animation-wise, is the movements. The exaggerated moves and speed of the characters give off Looney Tunes vibes in the best possible way.
The voice acting is also quite good. Haas ably changes his voice for each character so it is not apparent that he is doing so many of them. Cullen’s comedic timing is spot on, keeping the fun up through her spirited delivery. Beth Kesler plays several roles in some episodes, most notably a pet therapist. She is hysterical.
Scratch And Sniff is a little rough around the edges, especially when it comes to the details in the animation. But the scripts for each episode are always funny, and Haas balances sarcastic dialogue with slapstick expertly. The characters are likable, or at least interesting (liking Scratch is nigh impossible). Should Haas have another decade to create it, a second season would be most welcome.
Scratch And Sniff is available on Tubi. For more information, visit the Perpetual Motion Studios site.
