Little Televillain

Smedley the dog works for the head of programming of Station 6 and seven eighth. They need a new Saturday night show, so Smedey is ordered to keep everyone out while his boss goes through scripts and proposals. Smedley tries, but fails to reckon with Chilly Willy, who keeps sneaking past him to audition.

Willy never says a word. That's how he became one of Lantz' longer-lasting stars, by being cute, inserting himself to the discomfort of everyone around him, and generating some laughs thereby. This one pretty much lives up to the formula, with a few nasty things to say about television while it's at it.

Chilly Willy's best cartoons were perfect examples of how a potentially one-joke character and concept could end up actually being a perfect mix of the cute and the funny with a lot of colour and good comic timing to go with it.

'Little Televillain' to me is one of Chilly Willy's best, with a unique environment for a Chilly Willy cartoon (a television studio instead of the Arctic) and a stronger story than most of his outings. Still on the formulaic side, revolving around Smedley's attempts to stop Chilly disturbing the producer, but at least there is more of one than the thin, predicable and repetitive story-wise period the series went through in a few of his previous cartoons. The different environment and the vastly entertaining look at the world of television helps it. Smedley's attempts to stop Chilly creating any disturbance was also somewhat different, when often the conflict revolves around Chilly's pursuit for warmth or food.

There is a huge amount to like in 'Little Televillain' on top of how it succeeds at doing something different. While the drawings are not always refined, The animation does have a lot of luscious colours and handsome backgrounds, Chilly and Smedley also well drawn and the setting has a nice atmosphere that suits the formula well. The music is full of lively bounce and character, with luscious orchestration. It not only adds to the action and visuals but enhances them too.

Every single one of the gags do amuse and beautifully timed (enough to make Tex Avery, who directed the two best Chilly Willy cartoons in my opinion, proud), lifted by the sparkling chemistry between Chilly and Smedley, and it is always remarkable at what Chilly has up his sleeve and how he does it. Underneath all that irresistible cuteness he is one clever, funny and at times fairly brutal penguin.

Chilly is adorable and is also a lot of fun, with his actions speaking far louder than words. He may be a nuisance to his opponents but he wins the viewer over with his cuteness and timing. Daws Butler (in his distinctive Huckleberry Hound voice) delivers some solid voice acting as Smedley, the slightly funnier and more interesting character and a lot of his dialogue is hilarious.

Overall, excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox