Sheep in the Big City is an American animated television series created by Mo Willems for Cartoon Network.

[2] It also features several unrelated sketches and shorts, similar to those from The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends.

[3] With an emphasis on sophisticated (in particular, literal) humor, using different forms of rhetoric from characters to plots, it included comic references to filmmaking and television broadcasting.

Unfortunately, a Secret Military Organization, led by General Specific, needs Sheep for its Sheep-Powered Ray Gun (with a sheep-shaped hole in it).

In addition, Sheep has to come to grips with the Big City and trying to romance his love, Swanky the Poodle.

All the while, he has to avoid the attentions of a host of unwelcome characters—Lisa Rentel and Swanky's owner, the sheep-hating Lady Richington, wielding a stainless-steel wig.

Sheep in the Big City was created by Mo Willems, who began his career doing stage comedy in the 1980s and aspired to be an artist.

"[6] After graduating from New York University Tisch School of the Arts, Willems began making short films for Sesame Street and writing for The Muppets.

[6] He would also work on Nickelodeon's short-form animated series The Off-Beats, which had a similar art style to Sheep in the Big City.

Sheep presses a button on his remote to change the channel, which segues into the theme song.

For instance, the vast majority of the characters make references to the show's structure, script, and, occasionally, its premise.

Sheep leaves Farmer John's farm in pursuit of a happy life in the big city.

[14] The characters Sheep and Swanky were featured as playable racers in the 2003 game Cartoon Network Speedway.