The Ralph Wolf and Sam the Sheepdog series was very short-lived, but unjustly so. It was very much a very good series of cartoons, and of the series of cartoons short-lived it's one of the better ones.
'Ready, Woolen and Able' is up there with the best of the Ralph and Sam cartoons. Story-wise it may not be exactly original, and while the cartoon is never dull and very lively in pacing it is occasionally a tad rushed as a result of having so much material.
However, 'Ready, Woolen and Able' is animated beautifully, for a series of cartoons made late in Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies' prolific output the Ralph and Sam cartoons were generally some of the better-looking cartoons from this period, being colourful and inventively detailed with smooth and fluid character designs. The music is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.
Chuck Jones' trademark visual style and humour is all over the cartoon, and has lost none of its imagination or the clever and razor-sharp wit present throughout his career. The sight gags are unmistakably Jones and even if slightly familiar are still hilarious at their best with not a misfiring gag among a cartoon full of them. The ending especially is one of the best scenes in a Ralph and Sam cartoon.
Sam is a strong character and is very likable, but Ralph makes even more of an impression, being funnier and more interesting (agree with the Wile E. Coyote comparison). Mel Blanc is characteristically fantastic.
To summarise, in an unjustly overlooked series of cartoons 'Ready, Woolen and Able' is one of the best. 9/10 Bethany Cox
'Ready, Woolen and Able' is up there with the best of the Ralph and Sam cartoons. Story-wise it may not be exactly original, and while the cartoon is never dull and very lively in pacing it is occasionally a tad rushed as a result of having so much material.
However, 'Ready, Woolen and Able' is animated beautifully, for a series of cartoons made late in Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies' prolific output the Ralph and Sam cartoons were generally some of the better-looking cartoons from this period, being colourful and inventively detailed with smooth and fluid character designs. The music is lushly and cleverly orchestrated, with lively and energetic rhythms and fits very well indeed.
Chuck Jones' trademark visual style and humour is all over the cartoon, and has lost none of its imagination or the clever and razor-sharp wit present throughout his career. The sight gags are unmistakably Jones and even if slightly familiar are still hilarious at their best with not a misfiring gag among a cartoon full of them. The ending especially is one of the best scenes in a Ralph and Sam cartoon.
Sam is a strong character and is very likable, but Ralph makes even more of an impression, being funnier and more interesting (agree with the Wile E. Coyote comparison). Mel Blanc is characteristically fantastic.
To summarise, in an unjustly overlooked series of cartoons 'Ready, Woolen and Able' is one of the best. 9/10 Bethany Cox