Rescue Squad Mater

Not to be confused with the book.

Rescue Squad Mater is the first installment of the Cars Toons series of short films, and the second short film in the overall series, preceded by Mater and the Ghostlight. It was released on October 27, 2008 where it aired on Disney Channel, setting a precedent for many future shorts.

Story

Lightning McQueen and Mater are driving in Radiator Springs and past Red, who is hosing some plants near Stanley. Mater tells Lightning that he used to be a firetruck, but Lightning doesn't believe Mater.

The screen then shows a burning building (the gasoline and match factory) and many cars are scared. Mater is then shown as a firetruck and the fire alarm rings. Mater quickly zooms over to the burning building and shoots water at the burning building. Tia and Mia are there, too and are painted white with black spots like Dalmatians.

Then, the film goes back to Lightning McQueen and Mater. Lightning tells Mater that he doesn't believe him about being a firetruck everyday. Mater tells McQueen to remember that "you was there, too".

The film then goes back to Rescue Squad Mater rescuing Lightning from the building and put into an ambulance just when the building blows up. Lightning is then rushed to the hospital and seen going though many doors and then seen in Dr. Mater's office revealing that Mater is a doctor too. Mia, Tia and Kori Turbowitz also appear as nurses, along with a yellow GTO. Lightning is then seen screaming as he is getting repaired.

Back in Radiator Springs, Lightning argues and says that it didn't happen, but when the yellow nurse drives by, Mater says, "Did, so." and drives away, and the short ends.

Characters

• Lightning McQueen
• Mater
• Red (does not speak)
• Mia and Tia
• Kori Turbowitz (cameo)
• Nurse GTO
• Rescue Squad Chopper
• Rescue Squad Trooper
• Rescue Squad Ambulance
• Orderly Pitties (do not speak)

Cast

• Larry the Cable Guy as Mater
• Keith Ferguson as Lightning McQueen

Goofs

• Mater's eyes are usually hazel-colored, but when the episode shows him as a fire truck and a doctor, his eyes are blue.

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Rescue Squad Mater/Gallery.

Reception

While the short received generally positive reviews from critics, some common complaints about it centered around it's short length, as well as primarily revolving around Mater, and featuring less screen time for other established characters in the Cars series.

IMDb's average score for the short is 6.6/10.

Titles in other languages

• Danish: Brandbilen Bumle

Trivia

• The character Nurse Kori is actually based on the RSN newscaster, Kori Turbowitz.
• Mater's eyes are usually hazel-colored, but here his eyes are blue. However, some toys based on this short still depict him with with his usual hazel eyes.
• Mia's license plate says GRU P 1, and Tia's says GRU P 2, according to their die-casts. The first digits may stand for "groupie".
• Mater's license plate reads RSQ M8R, his normal one is A113. When he is Dr. Mater, his license plate reads DR M8R. The last digits, M8R, are an allusion to Mater's name, while the first digits refer to his job.
• The die-cast of the Rescue Chopper was also re-released for Cars Take Flight, a competition where people make videos of themselves saying one of McQueen and Mater's lines from Air Mater and Moon Mater to win a vacation to Cars Land.
• This is the first appearance of Lightning McQueen in his Piston Cup rookie livery since Cars.