I didn't enjoy many cartoons as a child, but this one is so clever and stylish. The "stories" (or scenarios) are funny without being too corny. It's hard to think of anything being "clever" without thinking of dialog, but this has no dialog and yet is clever.
Many cartoons, notably the Warner Brothers cartoons, obviously have elements of absurdity and physical impossibility (like objects falling through the air landing on or passing other objects also falling through the air). But in the Pink Panther, the absurd element is more sublime, sometimes almost breathtaking.
Maybe it's partly because, unlike Bugs Bunny and co., whose fast-talking and whirlwind pranks stun and confuse his assailants, the Pink Panther is non-verbal and more subtle. His stunts can range from blunt physical comedy, to smart and suave, to a series of bizarre visual tricks reminiscent of M. C. Escher. Sometimes it is almost the equivalent of a special effect.
This flexibility seems to be tied into the fact that the Pink Panther is not necessarily one fixed character. He lives in different places, and has different habits, interests and projects in the different cartoons. Sometimes there is no story, no explanation for the actions we are seeing. Sometimes it's more "normal" and the Pink Panther seems to be a plausible guy in society.
Also the Henry Mancini soundtrack sets a fabulous mood.
