Wacky Races

"Wacky Races" was created in response to the rather violent adventure/superhero cartoons of the previous two seasons, and even upon its premiere, it was blackballed by the watchdog group Action For Children's Television. They claimed that since it was bankrolled by game show producers Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley ("Hollywood Squares"), it was enticing children to place monetary wagers on the outcome of each of the show's 34 races. (Hogwash. I had the over/under on how many times Dick Dastardly's contraptions backfired on him.)

For all the atypical Hanna-Barbera use of repeat animation and low-budget movement, "Wacky Races" was still an unusual and entertaining cartoon which would beget such shows as "Bailey's Comets," "Laff-A-Lympics" and "Yogi's Space Race." A lot of the humor derived from Dastardly's machinations, although many of the other racers got to shine as well. In the Gold Key comics, Penelope Pitstop would eliminate Peter Perfect and Red Max by conveniently getting them to fight over her. That wasn't used in the show, although it should have. And it's dotted with great lines. When the narrator calls Dastardly "The Dracula of the drag strip," Dastardly counters "I resent that remark!" Narrator: "But do you deny it?" Dastardly: "No, I just resent it!" It's a comedy cartoon that doesn't forget it's a comedy cartoon, something that many cartoon shows of the 70s and 80s forgot.

And a bit of trivia, Dastardly did cross the finish line twice but was disqualified both times. The first time he extended the nose of the Mean Machine ahead of the others (yet in another episode, Rufus Ruffcut physically extended his neck to reach the finish line and the judges gave him the win--go figure). The second time, a chain reaction collision caused Dastardly and Muttley to get bounced into the Arkansas Chuggabug, which was in the lead. Dastardly also set a precedent the following year--being the first (and to anyone's knowledge, only) villain to get his own show, "Dastardly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines.

I love this show! It was so hilarious, and brilliant. Dick Dastardly, and Muttley (with his hilarious snickering when Dasterdly had a foul up) were HILARIOUS!! I loved it how Dastardly cheated all the time (and this was when he was winning too!!) when he was in the lead. It was too funny!! The Ant Hill Mob were cool too. This show also had 2 surprisingly good spinoff shows as well ("Dastardly, and Muttley in Their Flying Machines", and "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop). THIS SHOW RULED!!!

When I was five years old I never missed Wacky Races. Even though I'm now a grown man I still occasionally tape it. I think Dick Dastardly must be credited with introducing the phrase "drat and double drat" into the English language. My mother used to use old Dick as a piece of moral instruction telling me that he showed that people who cheat never win. They keep on doing remakes of cartoons with real actors these days so how about one of Wacky Races with say Rowan Atkinson as Dick Dastardly.

You had the Flintstones, which was essentially an animated version of the Honeymooners, and you had the Jetsons, which was essentially a futuristic version of the Flintstones. You had Bugs and Daffy, Tom and Jerry, Woody Woodpecker and Popeye and Bluto, but nothing comes close to the Wacky Races for originality.

For the uinitiated, each week there is a "wacky race" to determine the "world's wackiest racer." A dozen cars participate, each with a unique characteristic. There's Dick Dastardly, and his sidekick, Muttley; Penelope Pitstop and her compact-on-wheels; Peter Perfect and his turbo-charged (and "symbolic") long-nosed racing car, and a host of other "Wackos" who became like an extended family of crazy uncles to a generation of youngsters.

A Hanna-Barbera classic, i would probably rate this in the top 5 H-B cartoons of all time. Its a half hour show, with about 8 wild looking cars duelling out to the end. Dick Dastardly was H-B's Wile E. Coyote, using many contraptions to try and stop his opponents. Only difference was that Dick's partner, the snikering Muttley, is there to openly laugh at Dick's foul ups. Cartoon stands the test of time, being funny today as much as it was when it first aired. My personal favorite was the Ant Hill Mob.