Ricky Gervais Brings Alley Cats to Netflix in 2026
Netflix has officially announced Alley Cats, a new adult animated comedy created by Ricky Gervais. The series will premiere in 2026 and marks Gervais’ latest collaboration with the streamer following After Life.
The six-episode series, each running 15 minutes, takes Gervais’ signature mix of satire and melancholy and drops it into the lives of a group of feral British cats. Produced by Blink Industries, the show uses bold 2D animation to bring Gervais’ characters to life.
What Is Alley Cats About?
At its core, Alley Cats is a slacker sitcom. A group of British street cats grapple with the everyday absurdities of companionship, identity, and survival. While the premise sounds simple, it’s loaded with potential for the kind of biting commentary that Gervais has built his career on.
In his own words, Gervais describes his character as “a fat, lazy, rude, opinionated creature with fangs, who’s not as smart or brave as he thinks he is. So quite a stretch.” The self-deprecation is classic Gervais, setting the tone for what viewers can expect.
Cast and Creative Team
The Alley Cats voice cast includes:
- Ricky Gervais
- Tom Basden
- Andrew Brooke
- David Earl
- Kerry Godliman
- Jo Hartley
- Diane Morgan
- Natalie Cassidy
- Tony Way
Behind the camera, Gervais co-directs with Elliot Dear. Executive producers include Gervais himself (Derek Productions) and Steven Hamilton Shaw of Gnomeo & Juliet. Production design comes from Tang Heng (Kung Fu Panda), while Blink Industries (Dead End: Paranormal Park, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared) leads the animation.
Why Ricky Gervais Chose Animation
The adult animation space has been crowded in recent years, yet Alley Cats enters with a distinct angle. Gervais is not reinventing the sitcom format but reframing it through a distinctly British lens and a group of anthropomorphic outsiders. Cats, often used as cultural shorthand for independence and chaos, become stand-ins for the flawed human condition.
Like After Life and Extras, Alley Cats is likely to mix sharp comedy with moments of raw introspection. The shorter runtime (15 minutes per episode) could also sharpen the pacing, making each installment feel more like a sketch-driven meditation than a traditional sitcom episode.
Alley Cats will premiere on Netflix in 2026 with six episodes, each running 15 minutes. The voice cast includes Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley, Diane Morgan, Natalie Cassidy, and Tony Way. Produced by Blink Industries, the series follows a group of feral British cats navigating companionship and daily survival, blending comedy with social commentary in Gervais’ trademark style. While not connected to his earlier shows, it carries the same mix of satire and human observation, and it will be available to stream worldwide.
Alley Cats Key Details
What is the premise of Alley Cats?
The series follows a group of feral British cats navigating companionship, society, and daily survival, blending comedy with social commentary.
Is Alley Cats connected to other Ricky Gervais shows?
No, it is an original project, though it carries the same mix of satire and human observation found in Gervais’ earlier work.
Will Alley Cats be available worldwide?
Yes, the series will stream globally on Netflix in 2026.
Looking Ahead to 2026
With Alley Cats, Netflix and Ricky Gervais return to the intersection of comedy, critique, and character-driven storytelling. The short-form format, combined with a strong ensemble and Gervais’ familiar voice, positions Alley Cats as a project that could redefine his place in the adult animation space when it arrives in 2026.