The Solid Tin Coyote

Not one of the more imaginative Roadunner/Coyote adventures, but as a kid this was the one I always hoped would show up on Saturday morning. I think some of the preceding reviews are a bit harsh, it's not that bad.

This one gets my vote as the flat-out worst Road Runner cartoon ever. At least when Chuck Jones spent an inordinate amount of time on a single gag set-up (as with the earthquake pills in "Hopalong Casualty"), the pay-off was worth it. This one spends an inordinate amount of time on a stupid coyote robot. The cartoon also violates one of Jones' sacred rules, that RR should never get caught. Watching RR about to get chewed up by that robot is one of the most thankless moments of any Rudy Larriva cartoon.

A good indication of how good this cartoon is is shown by the fact that even the music gives up halfway through. Not good at all. Poor even for a Rudy Larriva cartoon.

This is one of three RR/WEC cartoons whose storyline is summarized in its title. All others are either mere sight gags or hidden themes. But it begins with a pond of tar and no reference to any robotics. The next sight gag involves a mirror at the edge of the cliffs that have been the bane of the Coyote's progress for ages. He falls off, naturally, but instead of hitting solid ground he lands in a bathtub in the clearly indicated DUMP. There he finds all the material he needs to build his very own version of a Frankenstein monster. Much to the Road Runner's dismay, he does. You rarely see the Road Runner being nailed in any short feature. But when the Coyote instructs his creation to "EAT... STUPID," the pathetic creature winds up in the robot's mouth. Crawling out through its ear, he signals, "ONE MORE TRY, YOU IDIOT!" The robot obliges to the point that it pays no heed to the upcoming cliff. Imagine all the fun the Coyote could have with ACME Internet merchandise today.