'The Pink Panther' "Pink Outs" (1967)
Opening thoughts: 'Pink Outs' idea was a nice one and had no doubt that it would at least work. Not the most original on the block on the whole, but this sort of idea has more often than not worked very well before (a classic premise if you will) and it does so here. As a cartoon, it is decent but also uneven. 'Pink Outs' is not one of the best Pink Panther cartoons while also not one of the worst. If anything it is around solid middle, doing a lot right while not succeeding at everything or exceeding it.
Bad things: The weakest asset was the story, which was rather thinly structured and seemed like just an excuse to string a series of gags together. If most of the gags and the timing weren't as good as they were 'Pink Outs' would be considered by me as pointless.
Also there are a couple of gags that fall a little flat from being too obvious, and while it is fitting the ending could have been much more rounded off, it just seemed really abrupt and like another gag was supposed to happen after it.
Good things: However, the animation maintains the minimal simplicity seen usually with the Pink Panther cartoons, and does so in a colourful and attractive way and everything is drawn very nicely. The theme tune is still positively infectious even after hearing it umpteen times, and the scoring accompanying the cartoon is similarly catchy, as ever orchestrated in a way that was in keeping with 60s jazz while also appealing now too.
Furthermore, the timing in 'Pink Outs' is very good, never rushed or dragged, and the gags are clever and most importantly funny, not ground-breaking stuff nor did it need to be. Pink is a strong lead character, cool, fun and likable, even if he wasn't in the best of scenarios to show off his personality and comic timing.
Closing thoughts: All in all, good cartoon, funny and well-animated but falls short in the story and ending.
7/10.
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