All Hail ‘The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell’s Rankle, The Snarky Mummy Cat Puppet of our Dreams!

The breakout star of the Fall TV season is Rankle, a talking cat puppet on Netflix’s wild and wondrous The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell. Rankle (played by Muppets performer Michael Oosterom) is an adorably creepy hairless cat covered in mummy wraps. His backstory is the stuff of legend: once worshipped as a god in Ancient Egypt, his brilliance inspired jealousy and some ungrateful humans plotted to murder him. Years later, Christine McConnell stumbled upon him in an antiques shop, recited a mystical incantation, and brought him back to life. He’s cranky and crotchety and upset that he has to share Christine’s house with a raccoon/skunk/mongrel/thing named Rose. I love him dearly.

Rankle is a key member of The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell. The kooky series — which is part crafts and cooking show, part wacky gothic comedy — owes most of its charm to the ragtag cast of critters who live in Christine’s house. Chief amongst them is Rankle, who adds to the comedy with his snarky, scathing zingers.

There’s the way he know just how to compliment his housemate Rose…

Or how Rankle truly appreciates the glory of a truly romantic dinner date…

Rankle’s also eager to assist his housemates in their personal goals. Like when Rose wanted to contact someone using Christine’s shortbread ouija board and was having trouble…

But where Rankle shines the most is in his witty responses to Christine’s great ideas. Take, for instance, the episode where the house welcomes a nosy neighbor…

Rankle’s right! It does take years to actually murder someone with kindness.

But real talk: I’m obsessed with this churlish cat puppet. I love his gothic style and pompous swagger. I dig his sharp line delivery and enjoy his macabre humor. He is the best part of Fall TV, and The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell is my new obsession.

Watch The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell on Netflix