Watch Father of the Pride

Father of the Pride was an animated sitcom created by Jeffrey Katzenberg for NBC. The series was set in Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat in Las Vegas and featured a family of white lions who perform in the duo's show. The voice cast included John Goodman as Larry, the pride's patriarch, Cheryl Hines as his loyal wife Kate, and Orlando Jones as their flamboyant friend and neighbor Snack. The series was produced by DreamWorks Animation, the studio behind the Shrek franchise, and was touted as the first prime-time animated series to use CGI technology.

The show's pilot aired on August 31, 2004, and introduced viewers to Larry, a high-strung lion who is proud of his status as one of Siegfried and Roy's top performers. He and his wife Kate enjoy a comfortable life in their enclosure, where they raise their two cubs, Sierra and Hunter.

The series followed Larry and his family as they navigate the ups and downs of show business, dealing with egotistical co-stars, demanding trainers, and the occasional run-in with the zoo's other residents. Along the way, they encounter a host of colorful characters, including a trio of penguins who help run the show, a group of hard-drinking flamingos, and a neurotic koala.

Throughout the series, Larry wrestles with his desire to be the best, both in his career and as a father. He often clashes with Kate, who is more practical and tends to put their family's needs above his ambition. Meanwhile, Sierra and Hunter struggle with the challenges of growing up in the public eye, learning about their place in the pride and the world beyond their enclosure.

Despite its creative team and star-studded cast, Father of the Pride struggled to find an audience during its initial run. Critics praised the show's cutting-edge visuals and irreverent humor but criticized its reliance on animal gags and slapstick comedy. Some viewers were put off by the series' portrayal of Siegfried and Roy, who had been attacked by one of their own tigers the year before the show premiered.

The series' run was cut short by NBC in late 2004 due to poor ratings, but it was initially planned for 40 episodes. Only 14 episodes were produced, with the final one airing on July 28, 2005. The series concluded with several unresolved plotlines, including the fate of Siegfried and Roy's show following Roy's injury and the question of whether Larry would ever achieve his dream of becoming the top lion.

Despite its brief run, Father of the Pride remains a fascinating relic of mid-2000s pop culture, when CGI animation was still in its infancy and the notion of a prime-time series about talking animals was still a novelty. Its talented cast and impressive animation continue to make it a curiosity for fans of the genre, though it remains a cautionary tale about the difficulties of launching a successful animated series on network television.

Father of the Pride is a series that ran for 1 seasons (13 episodes) between August 31, 2004 and on NBC