Ricky Gervais‘ spirit animal is undoubtedly a cat. He’s used that to conjure up new Netflix adult animated comedy series Alley Cats.
Alley Cats follows “a group of feral British cats from all walks of society, who seek companionship while ruminating on everyday life,” its synopsis reads. “From the funny to the absurd, the series is packed with Gervais’ signature style of heart and social commentary that audiences have come to expect.”
The standout piece of Alley Cats thus far is its tagline: “Nine lives, zero fucks.” You simply can’t do better.
Each of the six Alley Cats episodes are 15 minutes long.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a trailer,” Gervais, the show’s creator, writer and director said in a statement shared with the media on Monday. “I can’t wait for everyone to get to know these cats.”
Elliot Dear co-directs the cartoon. Gervais, Steven Hamilton Shaw, James Stevenson Bretton and Ben Lole executive produce, and Hugo Donkin produces. Tang Heng is production designer; Blink Industries is the animation studio.
In addition to Gervais, Alley Cats also stars Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley and Diane Morgan. It features Natalie Cassidy and Tony Way.
Gervais’ character is, of course, chubby and orange. Because for some reason that has come to equate “sarcastic TV cat” in the tradition of Garfield and Heathcliff.
Alley Cats premieres on Aug. 7, 2026. Until then, catch the old Garfield and Friends (1988) on Peacock — it holds up.
Watch the Alley Cats trailer.
Gervais is the creator and star of The Office, Extras, Derek and Netflix’s own After Life. He famously hosted the Golden Globe Awards five times: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2020.
Netflix has a strong history of adult animated sitcoms. Standouts include BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth and Bill Burr’s F Is for Family.
