It's Looney & I Like It

Despite myself, I just can't hate The Looney Tunes Show.  It's just a really fun spin on a classic.  Given some of the recent manifestations of Bugs Bunny and his cohorts such as Loonatics Unleashed, we obviously could do far worse.


Loonatics Unleashed - Really?


But quite honestly, I can't find anything wrong with the new Merrie Melodies program.  And frankly, I laugh out loud at it consistently.  You see, they've managed to capture the what made the originals great.  Whether it be spot-on snide humor or the expression on the face of the characters and their personalities, it's tapping into the 'Old School.'

One of the aspects which make it different, of course, is the character and setting designs.  When first promoted, it didn't sit quite right with me.  I never outright disliked it.  But it seemed off... Well, that changed once I actually saw it in action.  It fits well with the whole package.  As do the voices.  Okay, yes, they're not dead ringers for the originals.  But really, how could they be?  No one, not even relatives, can be the master vocalizing genius Mel Blanc.  That said, they're more than unacceptable.  They're excellent.  A bit off, but again, like the newly drawn version, it's enough to pay homage but keep it as it own version.

What has really changed, however, is the entire premise.  Imagine if you will:  Bugs and Daffy are roommates.  Well, more like Daffy is mooching in Bugs's house.  Yes, house.  They live in suburbia, where their neighbors are the likes of Yosemite Sam, Porky Pig and Witch Hazel.  I know what you might be thinking... and I didn't think it would work either.  But it does.  It's as if the mundane life of everyday activity is precisely what these beloved characters needed to bring them into the spotlight again.  It's delightful to see these strong personalities evoked into minutia.

Perhaps you don't believe me or don't agree with me if you've seen it.  In fact, not so long ago I'd been "defending" to an acquaintance of mine.  She'd been saying, and rightly so, that Bugs and Daffy aren't meant to be shown in daily lives.  I told her I thought so, too.  Until I watched it happening.  She agreed to give it a try... as she also admitted that she avoided it on circumstance and preview alone.

One other thing... one of my favorite Looney Tunes characters has always been Wile E. Coyote.  In The Looney Tunes Show his misadventures with Road Runner are CGI.  That's just not right.  Looney Tunes shouldn't be computer renditions of themselves.  But, darn it.  It's funny.  It, too, harbors the core of what we love about the coyote's capers.  And darn it, it looks good.  It's not fully rendered to a horrific degree, nor is it watered down or "over-smooth" looking (if that makes sense.)  It's pleasing, and as I said, despite myself I just can't hate it.

They also have musical vignettes during the show.  They've written clever songs about characters and feature them in music videos for the tunes.  They're good, but not great.  But they are entertaining rather than annoying.

Another music mention:  The theme song is wonderful, too.  It's a tweaked version of the original.  It sounds familiar yet fresh and in my mind also matches the spin that's come to be so appealing.

So, yes, send me hate mail if you must, but I love The Looney Tunes Show.

And that's all, folks.