Prehistoric Pink

Seeing the Pink Panther in a loincloth in the opening seconds was the only scene I laughed out loud, but this was a very clever story.

In a nutshell, we see how some of the great inventions of all time - like the wheel - were invited. I never knew the Pink Panther invented them. He was amazing. All of it started with he and the Little Tan Guy (not White, in this episode) trying to move a large rectangular block of rock. Slowly, the Panther thinks of more progressive ways to shape and move the rock and each time something backfires. Usually, it's the Little Man who gets physically abused for the chinks in these great inventions.

In the end, the Panther sees the future of wheels and transportation and has second thoughts. Not a very funny cartoon, but a "smart" story.

Somehow the Pink Panther is taken back to the prehistoric times, where he helps the pointy-nosed caveman push a rock. When the task proves to be too difficult, the two devises different methods to transport the rock, from putting on wheels to pulling it with a vine. However, every attempt hilariously backfires, leaving you with some chuckles.

Not a lot of gags or action in this one - just a lot of rock pushing. You might get impatient, wondering when those two would push that dang rock and where are they hoping to push it to. But, it's still a pretty entertaining cartoon short.

Grade B-

Admittedly there's not much to add to what's been said already. Prehistoric Pink is a fun cartoon, though some of the gags are predictable and the whole Pinky and caveman dynamic is not much new to what has been before since and since with Pinky and his other adversaries. The gags do benefit from being very well-timed, and most of them are amusing if not hilarious, as well as vibrant pacing. The ending also is a very nice surprise, and one of the cartoon's most entertaining parts, and the story is a good. The animation is done in the minimal style that is characteristic of the Pink Panther cartoons but this style is done in a fluid and elegant way, very little of it is sparse or rushed-looking. The music is nothing to complain about either, anyone looking for the jazzy and infectious orchestral music that accompanies the action will not be disappointed, and the theme tune is still a classic. Pinky is as always smart, cool and effortlessly funny, he doesn't have the freshest of scenarios to work from but it serves him well still. The caveman greatly counterbalances Pinky and you do feel some sympathy for him. Overall, fun, clever stuff if predictable. Worth seeing definitely. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This was in no doubt inspired by the success of ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (which premiered in 1966) with Rachel Welch and the popularity of THE FLINTSTONES (which ended in 1966). Here the Pink Panther and the pointy-nosed little caveman try to move a slab of rock (perhaps inspired by the then-new film 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY). Along the way, they discover the creation of the wheel, but find out that it is dangerous and reject it. All in all, it is a really entertaining and funny cartoon. Rated G, so it is worth the watch.