Ep 2. The Discontented Canary

The Discontented Canary is the second episode of the first season of MGM Cartoons. The episode was directed by Rudolf Ising and released on July 8, 1934. The cartoon centers around a canary named Tweety who is dissatisfied with the life he leads in a birdcage and longs to explore the world outside.

The episode's opening shot shows Tweety singing happily in his cage, only to be interrupted by a curious cat named Tom who gazes at him through the window. Tweety immediately becomes nervous and insecure, saddened by the fact that he can't fly away like the other birds. He starts to sing a melancholic song about his discontent, which makes Tom curious and intrigued about the canary's emotions.

Tom watches Tweety as he tries different ways to escape his cage, including trying to push the bars with his beak and using a saw. However, every time Titty tries to escape, he is thwarted by his own lack of wings and the bars on his cage. The upbeat score of the cartoon adds to the humour in each of Tweety's attempts.

As the day goes by, Tweety becomes more and more desperate to escape, as he watches other birds fly freely outside. The clever cat Tom sees the canary's desperation and tries to help him escape by offering him several escape plans. However, each plan fails miserably, which Tom finds comical.

The climax of the episode arrives as Tweety finally manages to escape his cage and flies around the room in joy. However, a ruthless hawk swoops in and threatens to attack him. Tweety manages to evade the hawk by cleverly using a roulette wheel and a fan, which he tricked Tom into helping him with earlier.

In the end, Tweety returns to his cage, having enjoyed a brief taste of freedom. The final shot shows him grinning mischievously at Tom through the window, as if he had won in their ongoing banter.

The Discontented Canary is a classic cartoon that captures the theme of wanting freedom and the lengths one would go to achieve it. The relatable character of Tweety and the comical situations he finds himself in, all whilst being observed by the mischievous Tom, is sure to leave audiences entertained and smiling. MGM cartoons remain a milestone in the history of animation, and the second episode of the first season is a timeless masterpiece.