Spend a few minutes watching a squirrel scamper around a city park and you can’t help but start to wonder: just what is he thinking? Always on the move, kind of scattered, smart as a whip, a little edgy, a little playful, watching you watch him… put those things together and you’ve got Martin Squirrel XI, the star of this animated television series called Urban Squirrel.
It’s a look at life from the ground up, in a setting that’s diverse, gritty, and urban. The animals can’t understand humans and that leads to conflicts and misunderstandings ripe for pantomime and physical comedy, with layers of meaning that will entertain children and adults alike.
The series follows Martin and his two best friends, Kojii (a laid-back stray cat) and Awesome Possum (prickly on the outside, tender and insecure on the inside), as they pit their wits against arch nemesis Park Guy, a control freak who lives to keep Martin off the bird feeders.
Martin is a hero for all ages, a reluctant leader full of flaws. The park denizens need and admire his ingenuity and he’s often the one who must bridge the gap between animals and humans. The animals feel they have a right to be in the park and resent human intrusion, yet they depend on the humans for access to food and shelter. This never-ending struggle sets the scene for many of the Urban Squirrel episodes.