ShelbyTMItchell
Again the cartoon does not take itself seriously. As you have to not take yourself seriously in order to watch a cartoon like both the Roadrunner and the Wile E Coyote.At first the Coyote tries to take matter into his own hands. As Coyote later learns that he can't just do it all by himself as the bird proves to be fast and clever from time and time again.So he of course revolts to the now famous and infamous depending on your own opinion, Acme company. Which is now and has been a trademark for the Coyote to fail.Always funny but sad in a way to see Wile E get knocked around and just beaten while trying to get the Roadrunner as his prey.
DaniGirl1969
After the very funny and clever third episode of the "Road Runner" series ("Going! Going! Gosh!"), creator Chuck Jones and writer Michael Maltese seemed to backslide a bit on this fourth episode of the series. I always felt "Road Runner" worked best when Coyote was a victim of his own obsession, his own miscalculation, or his own horrible luck (helped along by Acme's guaranteed-to-backfire merchandise). Road Runner generally never laid a feather on him, other than occasionally bowling him over, but instead would trick him or startle him ("MEEPMEEP!") into his own calamities. That's why I often think of Road Runner as actually being female, cheerfully teasing her pursuer. But in this cartoon, Road Runner not only bowls coyote over, but repeatedly kicks him while he's down in the opening sequence, which seems a bit mean. And the artists also gave Coyote rather noticeable incisors, lessening his "cute" factor... and first and foremost, Wile E Coyote was always cute! Nevertheless, there are some funny moments, and those patented woebegone Wile E expressions (such as when he's gazing up at a huge steel ball that's about to flatten him, or at a hand grenade about to detonate in his teeth) are as priceless as ever. And the end gag is hilarious, as another of those rogue trucks sends him straight into his own booby trap. (Just why did he need that much dynamite for one little bird, anyway??) Overall, an enjoyable cartoon -- but a much better one was on the way!
TheLittleSongbird
The story is somewhat unexceptional, and the pacing is a little uneven here, but there is much to enjoy. The Roadrunner is a good character, but I have always found Coyote the better of the two, he makes all these traps but he never gets that bird.The animation is very nicely done with good backgrounds and character features, the music is also good, not generic or annoying and the gags all work from the giant kite with the bomb, the magnet, various mousetraps and falling telephone poles. Predictable maybe, funny absolutely! Overall, for the Roadrunner and Coyote's fourth pairing, it works very well. It isn't a classic, but I enjoyed it, and I do think it is worth watching. 8/10 Bethany Cox
phantom_tollbooth
Chuck Jones's 'Zipping Along', the fourth cartoon in the Road Runner series, is notable for how it increases the relationship between the Coyote and the audience. The gags are hit and miss, ranging from hilarious (the mouse trap gag is still among my favourites) to dull (the bomb and the kite) or genuinely weak (the double "meep meep" from the Road Runner and the dust he leaves behind). However, the reaction shots of the Coyote are all priceless and there are many more of them than in the opening trio of cartoons. His endearingly defeated glances to the audience are capable of turning a weak gag into a hilarious one. For example, the nonsensical joke with the giant magnet and the TNT is improved 100% by the extremely brief look of horror the Coyote shoots our way a millisecond before the explosion. It's the tiniest piece of animation but it's monumentally effective. There are numerous little moments like that all the way through 'Zipping Along', considerably heightening its enjoyment factor. It's also notable for the fact that it is the first Road Runner cartoon not to close with the Coyote being hit by a vehicle which the Road Runner is on board. He is hit by a vehicle at the finale and we do hear a "meep meep" afterwards but it doesn't come from the Road Runner!
AD
