Cathon and Iris are inseparable. One likes to show off her knowledge, the other enjoys sharing off-the-wall theories. The two friends’ quirky humour and wild, free-floating imaginations will make you want to learn more about the objects that surround us. Travel with them through history as they explain the origins of such things as the lightbulb or pants. But don’t believe everything you hear.

Based on a French-language comic book, The Great List of Everything features artists Cathon and Iris—two endlessly curious young women who share a passion for everyday objects. Directed by Cathon, Iris Boudreau, and Francis Papillon, this 13-episode web series takes you into a wacky world that will make you laugh and think in equal measure.

Voiced by Angela Galuppo and Cat Lemieux, The Great List of Everything was produced by La Pastèque and the National Film Board of Canada in collaboration with Télé-Québec. Produced with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund.

Based on a French-language comic book, The Great List of Everything features artists Cathon and Iris—two wildly imaginative young women who share a passionate interest in everyday objects.

The two friends’ quirky humour, broad knowledge, and endless curiosity will make you want to learn more about these objects. Travel with them through history as they explain the origins of such things as the light bulb or pants. But don’t believe everything you hear.

Voiced by Angela Galuppo and Cat Lemieux, The Great List of Everything was produced by La Pastèque and the National Film Board of Canada in collaboration with Télé-Québec. Produced with the financial participation of the Shaw Rocket Fund.

Episode 1: The Phone

Iris has finally acquired a cell phone—her first. Cathon would love to help her learn how to use it, but Iris insists on figuring it out all by herself. How did people communicate before the telephone was invented, anyway?

Episode 2: The Microwave

Iris and Cathon are shocked to discover how big and heavy the first microwave oven was. Turns out that inventing it involved melting a bar of chocolate.

Episode 3: The Bread

Cathon bakes Iris a very special kind of bread for her birthday, and pretty soon the two friends have gone down the rabbit hole, in search of the origins of bread. They even tell the tale of a whole army sculpted from bread.

Episode 4: The Fishing Rod

Cathon has a new best friend—Ruben the goldfish. Iris’s latest hobby is fishing. A fine kettle of fish to be sure. The fishing rod is an amazing piece of gear, but where did it come from?

Episode 5: The Camera

Cathon has borrowed her aunt’s camera and wants to take some nice pictures of Iris. But she discovers that her best friend isn’t particularly photogenic. The two pals explore how people preserved memories in the past.

Episode 6: The Stamp

Iris wants to send her grandfather a birthday card. Touching, right? But Cathon doesn’t want her friend to raid her collection looking for a stamp. Did someone really once pay $9.5 million for a single stamp?

Episode 7: The Clock

Cathon has found something wonderful in the recycling bin—a birdsong clock. But Iris isn’t totally on board with her friend’s taste, so she seeks a compromise. She wonders how people told time before clocks.

Episode 8: The Glasses

Cathon proudly shows off her new glasses. Iris is at a loss for words—she’s speechless with admiration. Where do eyeglasses even come from, and how did people first get them to stay on their noses?

Episode 9: The French Fries

Iris is about to greedily devour her lunch—a mountain of fries—and her friend gives her a lecture. In Cathon’s opinion, fries are not a balanced meal. And yet they’re in Canada’s Food Guide. Or are they? Maybe not.

Episode 10: The Swimsuit

Iris and Cathon are at the beach, and they both have new swimsuits. Cathon makes fun of her friend’s choice of beachwear. You’ll learn a lot about the origins of the bathing suit.

Episode 11: The Noodles

Iris loves noodles so much she could eat them morning, noon, and night. Cathon prefers using them to make little gifts for her friend. Any idea where noodles actually come from?

Episode 12: The Lightbulb

Iris believes that every time you turn the lights on or off in a room, it costs 25 cents. Cathon sets her straight, and then explains where the light in lightbulbs comes from.

Episode 13: The Pants

Iris wants to help out by doing Cathon’s laundry, but accidentally shrinks her friend’s favourite pair of pants. When were trousers first worn? And is it true that women were not always allowed to wear them?

The year 2011 was the dawn of comic strip blogs. We two admired each other from afar, and we left complimentary comments on each other’s blogs. We eventually met IRL and decided to start a joint blog to get to know each other better. And that’s how the blog La liste des choses qui existent was born. It was the first incarnation of our interest in the history of things, beginning with their invention and progressing to personal anecdotes about them, featuring our alter egos. This blossomed into a very real and great friendship. We had a blast doing the project, and it resulted in two comic books published by La Pastèque in 2013 and 2015, with a complete volume coming out in 2018. The books were a hit, and La Pastèque approached us to adapt La liste into the web series The Great List of Everything. It was a great idea, since the book was already there in the form of short vignettes. We were super-excited to get a chance to work with the NFB and Télé-Québec, and, most of all, to work together again. We had published storyboards for years, but this was our first animated series, and we learned so much about the limitations and challenges involved in this kind of production. We were fortunate to work with a team of passionate, thorough perfectionists who were generous with their time and support. It was a truly memorable experience—one that we hope will open the door to other exciting projects. As we said to each other when La liste was completed, “I think our work is NOT done here…”

— Iris and Cathon

When I was asked to co-direct the web series The Great List of Everything, I was absolutely thrilled! Not only was I already a fan of the comic book, but Cathon and I had developed a bond during our time together studying visual arts at CEGEP. I was excited to have the opportunity to work with these two incredibly talented women, and I jumped at the chance. As the co-director specializing in animation, my main job was to preserve the world of Iris and Cathon, to maintain their sense of humour and their graphic style, and above all to make sure that the friendship between the two characters remained at the core of the series. I hope the series will make you laugh, make you think, and perhaps pique your curiosity about the world around us.

— Francis Papillon