You remember the first time you saw a spork with googly eyes have an existential crisis, right? It was 2019. Toy Story 4 had just hit theaters, and suddenly, we were all obsessed with a piece of literal trash named Forky. But after the credits rolled on the big screen, Disney did something kind of brilliant and a little bit weird. They launched Forky Asks a Question on Disney+. It wasn’t a massive cinematic epic. It was just a series of three-minute bites where a confused utensil tries to understand how the world works.
Honestly, it’s one of the most underrated things Pixar has ever produced.
If you haven't sat down and watched these shorts, you’re missing out on some of the tightest writing in the Toy Story universe. Tony Hale returns to voice Forky, bringing that same nervous, high-pitched energy that made the character a breakout hit. The premise is simple. Forky sits in Bonnie’s room and asks his fellow toys about big, complicated concepts. What is money? What is time? What is love? What is... cheese? It sounds like a preschool show. It isn’t.
The Chaotic Philosophy of a Spork
The thing about Forky Asks a Question is that it operates on two levels. Kids like it because Forky is floppy and makes funny noises. Adults like it because it’s basically a Beckett play disguised as a cartoon.
Take the episode "What is Time?" for example. Forky talks to Rex, the neurotic dinosaur. Rex tries to explain the concept of linear time, and within two minutes, they are both spiraling into a deep existential dread about the heat death of the universe. Okay, maybe not that dark, but it gets surprisingly deep. It’s funny because it’s relatable. We’ve all been in that position where a kid asks a "simple" question and you realize you actually have no idea how to explain the answer without sounding like a crazy person.
The animation is top-tier, obviously. It’s Pixar. But because the scale is so small—usually just two characters in a room—you get to see the textures in a way the big movies sometimes gloss over. You see the scuffs on Hamm’s plastic. You see the fuzz on the carpet. It feels intimate.
Why Forky Asks a Question Works (When Other Spin-offs Fail)
Most spin-off shorts feel like deleted scenes or marketing fluff. This feels different. The creator, Bob Peterson—who you might know as the voice of Dug from Up or Roz from Monsters, Inc.—clearly had a blast writing these. He leaned into the absurdity.
One of the standout episodes features the "Melephant," a small, blue, plastic elephant who is somehow the most profound character in the room. In the episode "What is Love?", Forky interviews some older toys who have been through the ringer. It’s sweet, but it never gets too sugary. There’s always a punchline waiting to undercut the sentimentality. That's the secret sauce.
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Breaking Down the Episodes
There are ten shorts in total. They don't need to be watched in order. You can jump around.
In "What is a Friend?", Forky talks to a mug. Just a mug. He spends the whole time trying to get a response from an inanimate object that isn't alive in the way the toys are. It’s a meta-commentary on the rules of the Toy Story world that fans have been debating for decades. Why do some things come to life and others don't? Forky doesn't care about the rules. He just wants to know why the mug won't talk back.
Then there’s "What is Money?", where Hamm tries to explain capitalism to a creature that was born in a trash can. It’s a masterclass in comedic timing. John Ratzenberger’s dry delivery as Hamm is the perfect foil to Forky’s high-octane confusion.
- The Humor: It’s fast. Blink-and-you-miss-it visual gags.
- The Length: Each episode is about 3 minutes. Perfect for when you’re waiting for the microwave to finish.
- The Voice Work: Tony Hale is a genius. His "wut" is iconic.
- The Educational Value: Zero. You will learn nothing factual about money or time. You will learn a lot about how to be a chaotic friend.
A Masterclass in Voice Acting
We need to talk about Tony Hale. Without him, Forky Asks a Question would fall flat. Hale has this specific ability to sound both incredibly innocent and deeply stressed. It’s the same energy he brought to Gary in Veep or Buster in Arrested Development.
When Forky is asking about "Art," he’s talking to Mr. Pricklepants (voiced by the legendary Timothy Dalton). The juxtaposition of a classically trained Shakespearian actor playing a hedgehog who takes community theater too seriously against a spork who thinks a popsicle stick is a masterpiece? That’s comedy gold. It’s high-brow and low-brow colliding in a toy box.
The Cultural Impact of the Spork
Is it weird that a character made of trash became a symbol of the "new" Pixar? Maybe. But Forky represents something important. He’s the first protagonist in this franchise who wasn't built for a purpose. Woody was a collectible. Buzz was a high-tech gift. Forky was literally assembled from scraps.
Forky Asks a Question leans into that "outsider" perspective. Because he wasn't born a toy, he doesn't have the baggage the other characters have. He doesn't care about "being there for Bonnie" in the same way Woody did. He just wants to know why things are the way they are.
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It’s refreshing.
Production Secrets You Might Not Know
Bob Peterson actually directed all ten episodes. He wrote them, too. That’s why the voice feels so consistent. Often, these shorts are farmed out to junior teams to give them experience. Pixar treated these like a prestige project.
The episode "What is a Computer?" is particularly funny because Trixie (the triceratops) is the only one who actually knows how technology works. Everyone else is just guessing. It highlights the generational gap between "old" toys and "new" toys, a theme that has been the backbone of the franchise since 1995.
Is It Only for Kids?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Definitely no.
The jokes about "What is Art?" are specifically targeted at people who have spent too much time in galleries. The episode about "What is Cheese?" is just pure, unadulterated nonsense that appeals to anyone who likes the theater of the absurd. It’s one of those rare shows that feels like the creators were making it to make themselves laugh, and we just happened to be invited along for the ride.
Actionable Steps for the Toy Story Fan
If you want to get the most out of your rewatch, or if you’re diving in for the first time, here is how to handle Forky Asks a Question.
First, don't binge them all in one go. I know, they’re short. But the humor is so dense that if you watch all 30 minutes at once, it starts to blur. Treat them like a palate cleanser between other shows.
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Second, pay attention to the background. Pixar loves hiding Easter eggs. You’ll see references to Monsters, Inc., A Bug's Life, and even some of the older shorts like Knick Knack.
Finally, use it as a conversation starter. If you have kids, ask them the same questions Forky asks. Their answers are usually just as weird and insightful as Forky’s. It’s a great way to see how their little brains are processing the world.
Watch "What is Cheese?" last. It is the pinnacle of the series. It’s the weirdest, most nonsensical three minutes of television you will see this year. It involves a lot of screaming and a very confused Jeff Garlin (Buttercup).
Check out the "Lamp Life" short next. If you finish these and want more Toy Story lore, Lamp Life explains what happened to Bo Peep between the second and fourth movies. It’s not as funny as Forky’s show, but it fills in some major plot holes.
Follow the voice actors. If you love the vibe of this show, look for Tony Hale’s other work or Bob Peterson’s social media. They often share behind-the-scenes tidbits about the recording sessions, which were mostly improvised.
Keep an eye on Disney+ for "Short Circuit." These are experimental shorts from Disney Animation that share the same DNA as Forky’s series. They are often weird, artistic, and totally different from the main features.
Forky isn't just a toy. He’s a vibe. And in a world that feels increasingly complicated, sometimes we just need a spork to ask the questions we're all too embarrassed to ask ourselves. Honestly, we're all just trying to figure out what cheese is.
To dive deeper into the world of Pixar's short-form storytelling, start with the episode "What is a Leader?" on Disney+. It features Dolly and gives a great look at the hierarchy of the toy box that you don't always see in the feature films. After that, look for the "Pixar Popcorn" collection for more bite-sized stories from your favorite characters.