Pixar’s short-form series featuring Mater and Lightning McQueen is titled Cars Toons.
Cars Toons is an anthology of animated shorts built around characters from the Cars franchise. The series is also associated with the title Mater’s Tall Tales, because many episodes are framed as stories Mater tells about his supposed adventures. Lightning McQueen often appears as a listener or participant.
The shorts use a looser, more exaggerated style than the feature films. Mater may claim to have been involved in improbable events involving spies, monsters, astronauts, or famous places. The comedy often comes from the contrast between his confidence and the questionable details of his storytelling.
The series began with the short “Rescue Squad Mater,” which premiered in 2008. Cars Toons helped extend the franchise between feature releases and gave supporting characters more screen time. It should not be confused with the feature films Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3, or with the separate animated series Cars on the Road.