What is Sheep in The Big City?

A transparent image of Sheep, he has one leg up in the air.

Sheep in the Big City is a Cartoon Network show released in the year 2000, which ran for 2 seasons before getting cancelled for low views despite being one of the highest-rated shows of its time. It was created by Mo Willems, who you may recognize from his popular children’s books (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and the Elephant and Piggie series). The plot revolves around the titular character Sheep and his various relatable problems in the Big City, like escaping from an evil Secret Military Organization that wants to put him in a sheep-powered ray gun, escaping from an evil little girl that wants to keep him as a pet, and getting an affordable apartment.

If you have the time, I heavily recommend you watch the show yourself. It’s short, only having 26 episodes in total, and they’re all available on YouTube for free. While watching it I had to pause multiple times just to laugh. It’s perfect if you love shows with heavy amounts of humor and very little plot.

WATCH THE SHOW!

Characters

A transparent bust of Sheep. He's looking off to the side.

Sheep (Voiced by Kevin Seal)

Sheep is a sheep. He lives in the Big City. What truly sets him apart from others in the flock is the fact that he can’t go a day without dealing with the Secret Military Organization!

A square screenshot of Farmer John looking at the camera with a smile on his face.

FARMER JOHN (Voiced by James Godwin)

Sheep’s (former) owner, Farmer John is, well, a farmer. Though he doesn’t show up often, in later episodes he becomes a real nuisance to Sheep as he keeps begging for him to go back to the farm.

A square screenshot of General Specific looking to the left with his characteristic toothy frown.

GENERAL SPECIFIC (Voiced by Kevin Seal)

General Specific is the head of the Secret Military Organization, and dead set on capturing Sheep for his sheep-powered ray gun. He also happens to be hot-headed, childish and completely incompetent at catching a single sheep.

A square screenshot of Private Public looking worriedly towards the right.

PRIVATE PUBLIC (Voiced by James Godwin)

Private Public is General Specific’s second-in-command (see: underling) who is completely loyal to him and his plans. Despite this, he harbors some amount of admiration towards Sheep, and serves as the more rational one of the military duo.

A square screenshot of the Angry Scientist. He has his arms raised and his mouth open mid-dialogue.

THE ANGRY SCIENTIST (Voiced by Mo Willems)

The SMO’s head scientist, the Angry Scientist speaks in a peculiar fashion (such as using the suffix -ing in places where it shouldn’t be) and is constantly irritated by the fact that nobody can get his name right. How hard could it be to remember he’s not a Mad Scientist?!

A square screenshot of Swanky smiling towards the right.

SWANKY (Voiced by Stephanie D’Abruzzo)

Swanky is the beloved pet of Lady Richington, a pink poodle and Sheep’s love interest. If you thought Sheep was animal-like, Swanky is even moreso. She doesn’t speak at all and walks on all fours.

A square screenshot of Lady Richington. She has her arms crossed and an irritated look on her face.

LADY RICHINGTON (Voiced by Stephanie D’Abruzzo)

Lady Virginia Richington is Swanky’s ridiculously rich and snobby owner, who just happens to hate sheep. Her main ‘thing’ in the show is bashing Sheep in the head over and over with her stainless steel wig.

OTHERS

There’s a great amount of secondary and/or one-off characters in the show which add to the colorful cast that is SITBC, some of these include: Ben Plotz (the show's narrator), The Plot Device, the Ranting Swede, Lisa Rental, Great Scott, Victor, Incredibly Powerful Man & Sidekick Boy, Buddy Somebody, X-Agent, General Lee Outrageous and Private Party, Little Bo Peep, Victor and Oxymoron.

(Yes, there were toys!)

Sheep in the Big City Subway Toys

Similar to Time Squad, Sheep in the Big City also received a small amount of Kids Pak toys during Cartoon Network’s partnership with Subway, around May 2001. There were 4 toys in total: Private Public Sheep Launcher, General Specific Helicopter, Sheep Ray Gun and one apparently titled just Sheep in the Big City. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any images of the Helicopter toy out of its bag.

A picture of the Private Public Sheep Launcher toy, wrapped in its original platic packaging.

A picture of the General Specific Helicopter toy, in its original packaging.

A picture of the Sheep Ray Gun toy, out of its packaging and set up.

A picture of the self-titled toy, in its original packaging.

A picture of the 4 toys together, all wrapped in plastic.

A picture of 3 of the 4 toys (General Specific Helicopter missing) out of their packaging.

I cannot imagine Sheep (or any of the characters, for that matter) being an easy character to sculpt...

Proposed Final Episode

On January 2012, Mo Willems wrote a post on his Blogspot in which he discussed a special episode meant as a finale for Sheep in the Big City. Since the show got cancelled, it unfortunately never saw the light of day.

Comics and Goodies

Besides the TV Show, Sheep in the Big City also had 5 comic issues, the first published in Cartoon Network Starring and the others in Cartoon Cartoons. The 5 issues in chronological order are Shear Terror, A "Sheep in the Big City" Shortie, I Wool Survive, Raging Wool and Beware The R.O.B.A.A.T!!!.