Of the 1978 Pink Panther cartoons, Sprinkle Me Pink and Pink Arcade are the best to me(with the weakest three- and three of the worst of the entire collection as well- being Pinkologist, Cat and the Pinkstalk and Yankee Doodle Pink), but Pink in the Drink is also one of the better ones without being a Pink Panther classic.
Where it is let down is in the animation, which like a lot of the 1978 cartoons(and several of the pro-1975 Pink Panther cartoons) had a rushed look to it, with some overly-bright colours, some backgrounds lacking in detail and sketchy rather than elegant drawing. Before 1975, the Pink Panther cartoons always did have a simple visual look but in a colourful and elegant way but from 1975 and onwards the animation in a number of(but not all) Pink Panther cartoons looked too simple to the point it was simplistic. Some of it repeats itself too, especially with the Little Man's tantrums. The cartoon does go at a snappy pace and is never what you call dull, but some of the first half did seem a tad hurried and over-stuffed.
The theme tune though is a classic and one of the most memorable there's ever been in animation or anywhere. It is one that has been heard so many times, but it's still not irritated me. The music fits very well, has a nice jazzy vibe and is not as in-your-face as some of the orchestration in the pro-1975 cartoons were prone to(admittedly though it is not much different to the incidental writing for the other 1978 cartoons, if anything it's very samey). Pink in the Drink has a nice story efficiently told with some convincing conflict between Pinky and the Little Man/pirate, while the gags are funny and timed well without being abrupt or too drawn out. The energy and fun factors thankfully are enough to stop the cartoon from being too predictable, despite that apart from a quite original setting for Pink Panther it is a little formulaic for Pink Panther. Pinky is cool and brings great charm and likability while also being funny without saying a single word, and the Little Man is equally entertaining in the adversary role(though previous Pink Panther cartoons did a better job at allowing us to feel sorry for him). The shark doesn't have an awful lot to do but is hardly useless.
Overall, not amazing and it has its problems but Pink in the Drink is still enjoyable and among the best of the 1978 batch. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Where it is let down is in the animation, which like a lot of the 1978 cartoons(and several of the pro-1975 Pink Panther cartoons) had a rushed look to it, with some overly-bright colours, some backgrounds lacking in detail and sketchy rather than elegant drawing. Before 1975, the Pink Panther cartoons always did have a simple visual look but in a colourful and elegant way but from 1975 and onwards the animation in a number of(but not all) Pink Panther cartoons looked too simple to the point it was simplistic. Some of it repeats itself too, especially with the Little Man's tantrums. The cartoon does go at a snappy pace and is never what you call dull, but some of the first half did seem a tad hurried and over-stuffed.
The theme tune though is a classic and one of the most memorable there's ever been in animation or anywhere. It is one that has been heard so many times, but it's still not irritated me. The music fits very well, has a nice jazzy vibe and is not as in-your-face as some of the orchestration in the pro-1975 cartoons were prone to(admittedly though it is not much different to the incidental writing for the other 1978 cartoons, if anything it's very samey). Pink in the Drink has a nice story efficiently told with some convincing conflict between Pinky and the Little Man/pirate, while the gags are funny and timed well without being abrupt or too drawn out. The energy and fun factors thankfully are enough to stop the cartoon from being too predictable, despite that apart from a quite original setting for Pink Panther it is a little formulaic for Pink Panther. Pinky is cool and brings great charm and likability while also being funny without saying a single word, and the Little Man is equally entertaining in the adversary role(though previous Pink Panther cartoons did a better job at allowing us to feel sorry for him). The shark doesn't have an awful lot to do but is hardly useless.
Overall, not amazing and it has its problems but Pink in the Drink is still enjoyable and among the best of the 1978 batch. 7/10 Bethany Cox
