Oggy and the Cockroaches
| Company type | Animated television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation, Television |
| Founded | September 1998 |
| Founder | Jean-Yves Raimbaud |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Animated television series |
Oggy and the Cockroaches () is a French animated television series originally created by Jean-Yves Raimbaud. The production was handled by Gaumont Multimedia for the first two seasons, with Xilam Animation taking over from seasons three through seven. The storyline centers on Oggy, a pale blue feline whose peaceful existence is frequently disturbed by three troublesome cockroaches named Joey, Marky, and Dee Dee. The show employs silent comedy, relying on expressive gestures and sounds instead of spoken words.
The series debuted in September 1998 on France 3 and continued for seven seasons until January 2019, gaining international distribution. Its humor is rooted in slapstick, reminiscent of Tom and Jerry, but often includes more exaggerated antics involving explosives and submarines.
In September 2020, a reboot titled Oggy and the Cockroaches: Next Generation was announced, introducing Oggy as a caretaker to Piya, a young Indian elephant. This updated version, which premiered worldwide on Netflix in July 2022, features refreshed animation and tone while being regarded by Gulli as the eighth season of the original series. Furthermore, in 2021, the spin-off Oggy Oggy was launched, spotlighting a kitten version of Oggy without the presence of the cockroach characters.
Premise
Oggy is an anthropomorphic feline who enjoys watching television and eating throughout his day but is persistently bothered by three cockroaches: Joey, Marky, and Dee Dee. Their slapstick mischief includes raiding Oggy's refrigerator and even commandeering a train he boards. Oggy often receives help from his cousin Jack, who is more aggressive and similarly vexed by the cockroaches. Other recurring figures include Bob, a short-tempered bulldog neighbor, and Olivia, who serves as Oggy’s romantic interest.
Main
- Oggy is a pale blue cat characterized by green eyes and distinctive black “cap” markings on his head. When not pursuing the cockroaches, he typically spends time watching television or performing household chores. Although constantly targeted by their pranks, Oggy exhibits a complex love–hate dynamic with them and occasionally misses their presence when alone. His name pays homage to punk icon Iggy Pop and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972). In early seasons, Oggy was primarily subjected to slapstick violence—a role that diminished in later installments. He also harbors a fear of heights linked to construction sites.
- The Cockroaches—Joey, Marky, and Dee Dee—take their names from members of the Ramones band. They enjoy creating chaos for Oggy and Jack but share a bond that would leave them feeling lost if separated.
- Joey is the smallest cockroach with a purple-pink body and heterochromatic eyes. As the group’s leader and strategist, he is motivated by greed; however, his plans frequently backfire. Initially sporting a lavender “cap,” this was later altered to black.
- Marky stands as the tallest member with a silver body topped by a green head. While originally as mischievous as the others, he has mellowed over time and often teams up with Dee Dee. Known for his romantic pursuits and reading interests, Marky suffers from halitosis. His eye color has alternated between pink and red.
- Dee Dee is the youngest cockroach featuring a dark blue body with an orange head. His voracious appetite drives him to consume enormous or inedible objects. He appreciates opera performances and possesses feet with a toxic odor strong enough to melt items.
Recurring
- Jack is an irritable and conceited feline characterized by an olive-green coat and yellow eyes. Motivated often by greed, he alternates between opposing and collaborating with Oggy for monetary benefits. Jack is known for inventing intricate devices, especially those designed to catch cockroaches, showcasing his enthusiasm for physics and chemistry, although this interest diminishes in later seasons. He maintains a strong friendship with Oggy, frequently visiting him and accompanying him on trips in his green jeep. Jack’s romantic endeavors include multiple attempts to propose to Monica, which are regularly interrupted by cockroach antics. In episodes such as "Don't Rock the Cradle"/"Oggy the Babysitter," Jack and Monica are depicted as having a baby, while in "Just Married," Jack’s wedding plans with a poodle are disrupted by the cockroaches.
- Bob is a tough brown bulldog who lives next door to Oggy and is notorious for his quick temper. When provoked or injured by Oggy, Jack, or the cockroaches, he usually retaliates offscreen. Despite his gruff exterior, Bob reveals a softer side through his collection of toys and occasional friendly interactions with Oggy and Jack. He appears as a police officer in several episodes and briefly takes on the role of a teacher in "Back to School."
- Olivia is a white cat introduced in the fourth season as Oggy’s optimistic romantic partner. She enjoys nature and recreation, is aware of the cockroaches’ troublesome behavior, and sometimes confronts them assertively. In some episodes, Olivia even maintains amicable relations with the cockroaches. She is conscious about her appearance, demonstrated when she refuses to leave home due to a pimple. Olivia marries Oggy in "Oggy Is Getting Married!" following their journey to Venice, Italy; however, their married life is rarely shown afterward.
Other
- Oggy's grandma makes occasional appearances as a strict yet supportive figure toward Oggy and Jack. She combats the cockroaches with surprising energy fueled by coffee but sometimes falls prey to their tricks. Her interactions depict a nuanced relationship with the roaches that blends confrontation with occasional sympathy.
- Monica, Oggy’s athletic twin sister and Jack’s romantic interest, participates in daring activities like skydiving and bungee jumping. Though she appears infrequently, Monica plays significant roles such as being Olivia’s rival-turned-friend in "Sharing Oggy" and has a brief appearance in "Oggy Is Getting Married!".
- Lady K is a pale yellow female cockroach introduced in season four as Joey’s new love interest along with others. Secretly living inside Olivia’s residence, she manipulates the cockroaches to serve her objectives while harboring hostility toward Olivia.
- Pit is a robust gray dog from the neighborhood introduced in season four who resembles Bob in stature.
- Bobette, introduced in season five as Bob’s daughter, becomes Jack’s love interest. She also appears as Napoleon’s partner in romance during "Emperor for a Day."
- The Policeman is an unnamed human officer regularly seen managing traffic or addressing incidents caused by the cockroaches’ mischief; he does not appear in season five.
- The Doctor is an unnamed medical professional who visits Oggy’s home when necessary and occasionally appears portraying an artist or nurse; absent from season five as well.
Various characters make cameo appearances across Xilam productions including Zig & Sharko, The Daltons, and Go West! A Lucky Luke Adventure. The primary characters also briefly feature in Space Goofs, creating cross-promotional connections within Xilam’s franchises.
Production
The initiative commenced in 1997, following the popularity of Space Goofs, when Marc du Pontavice commissioned Jean-Yves Raimbaud to develop an animated series aimed at "countering the rise of superheroes, manga, and Franco-Belgian comic characters." After Raimbaud passed away, director Olivier Jean-Marie preserved Oggy's initial design, including his signature blue hue. The trio of cockroaches—Joey, Dee-Dee, and Marky—derive their names from members of the punk band Ramones, while Oggy’s name pays homage to singer Iggy Pop and David Bowie’s persona Ziggy Stardust. Notably, Iggy Pop also performed the theme for Space Goofs.
Following a production break lasting four years, season 5 was launched in late 2017, with plans for two further seasons. Episodes from season 6 began broadcasting on K2, while season 5 made its debut on Gulli.
Music
Hugues Le Bars was responsible for composing the music from seasons one through four. Hervé Lavandier, who composed for Space Goofs, contributed only during the initial two seasons. From season five onward, Vincent Artaud—recognized for his work on other Xilam productions like Zig & Sharko, Hubert & Takako, and FloopaLoo, Where Are You?—took over composition duties. Some of Artaud’s pieces are adaptations from Oggy and the Cockroaches: The Movie.
Broadcast
Originating in France, Oggy and the Cockroaches first aired on France 3 (seasons 1 and 2, with reruns of seasons 3 and 4), followed by Canal+ Family (seasons 3 and 4), and later on Gulli (seasons 5 through 7). The series was also rebroadcast on several French channels including Canal J, Canal+, Télétoon+, France 4, and Tiji.
In the Philippines, it premiered on TV5 in 2010 before joining Cartoon Network’s schedule from late 2011 until 2022, becoming one of its most-watched programs. It also aired on Disney Channel between 2009 and December 2013, subsequently moving to GMA Network in September 2022 within its Astig Authority segment.
Across Southeast Asia, season 3 was shown on Disney Channel and Disney XD from 2009 to 2013, while seasons 1, 2, and 4 were broadcast on Cartoon Network between late 2010 and 2017; seasons 4 through 7 continued airing there until 2022. Nickelodeon featured seasons 1 to 4 from 2015 through 2019.
In Arab regions, broadcasts occurred on Ajyal TV, MBC3, Basma Channel, as well as Morocco’s 2M and Tunisian stations like Tunis 7.
In Italy, the show appeared on networks such as Italia 1, Hiro, Boing, K2, and Frisbee.
Within India, Nickelodeon aired the series from 2009 to 2012 before Cartoon Network took over through season four. Nickelodeon resumed reruns of seasons 1 to 3 in 2015. Later, Sonic Nickelodeon also broadcast these seasons. Season 5 premiered on Cartoon Network India in August 2017, with seasons 3, 6, and 7 following between 2018 and 2019. Sonic Nickelodeon re-aired season 4 in 2020. Cartoon Network continued showing seasons 5 to 7 until March 2022. Since 2021, all seven seasons have been licensed by Sony YAY!.
In the United States, the series briefly aired on Fox Kids (1998–1999) and returned to Nickelodeon in early 2015; however, its run ended prematurely due to controversy involving a background image in one episode. It also appeared on Nicktoons before quietly being removed by May that year. Later, it was part of the KidsClick block from 2018 until that programming block ended.
Home media
In 2003, the United States saw the release of five DVDs, each comprising 12 episodes. Additionally, several VHS tapes were distributed in New York City in 2005.
On 8 October 2008, a French DVD collection featuring the entire first season—including the pilot and the episode "Working Cat"—was introduced. By September 2010, three DVD box sets covering the first three seasons had been issued in France, followed by a complete set of seasons one through three in July 2011. DVDs for seasons four to seven have not yet been released. Various VHS versions were also marketed in Italy.
| # | DVD title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volume 1 | 4 November 2003 |
| 2 | Volume 2 | 4 November 2003 |
| 3 | Volume 3 | 25 November 2003 |
| 4 | Volume 4 | 25 November 2003 |
| 5 | Volume 5 | 25 November 2003 |
Magazine
The French publication Oggy et les Cafards, le mag appeared with two issues in 2009 and a third installment in early 2011. It was created to engage fans and promote the show's brand.
- Issue n°1: 11 July 2009
- Issue n°2: 21 October 2009
- Issue n°3: 14 January 2011
Music
A music album entitled Oggy et les Cafards: Le Show du Chat was launched in France on both CD and digital formats on 6 September 2010, broadening the franchise’s merchandise offerings.
Comics
A comic book adaptation originating in France was published starting in 2010 by Dargaud, with writing by Diego Aranega and artwork by Sylvain Frécon.
- 16 April 2010: Plouf, prouf, vrooo !
- 5 November 2010:
- 23 September 2011:
An American comic series was introduced by American Mythology Productions on 11 December 2019 after some delays. Issued every two months, it halted following two editions due to the COVID-19 pandemic; issue #3 was released on 24 June 2020. As of October 2020, this series remains on pause.
CD drama
In October 2012, Sony Music Entertainment released the French CD drama Oggy et les Cafards Volume 1, which includes narrations of five episodes performed by Anthony Kavanagh.
Film
The movie Oggy and the Cockroaches: The Movie premiered on 7 August 2013, featuring four segments: "Oggy Magnon," "Prince Oggy II," "Jack Holmes," and a CGI segment titled "Oggy-Wan Kenoggy."
Video game
A Game Boy Advance title based on the series was developed by Xilam but was ultimately cancelled before release.
Spin-off
The CG-animated spin-off Oggy Oggy, focusing on a kitten version of Oggy without the cockroach antics, debuted on 24 August 2021. It premiered on Netflix, marking the platform’s first French original animation.
Reboot
The reboot series Oggy and the Cockroaches: Next Generation features Oggy alongside the troublesome cockroaches and introduces Piya, a seven-year-old elephant from India.
Controversy
In March 2015, controversy arose in the United States when a topless female figure was visible in Oggy's trailer during its airing on Nicktoons. Following complaints from parents, Nickelodeon swiftly removed the episode from its programming.
Reception
By November 2023, the show maintained a rating of 7.5/10 on IMDb and has achieved cult popularity especially in India and Southeast Asia. Emily Ashby from Common Sense Media awarded it two out of five stars, highlighting its dependence on slapstick and physical comedy for humor.