The Inspector

Gr 2 Up—Loosely based on the character Inspector Clouseau from the "Pink Panther" movies, the serious but befuddled detective hilariously lets the criminals slip right through his clumsy fingers. (The producer, cartoon icon Friz Freleng, created the opening cartoon sequence to the first "Pink Panther" comedy.) Many cartoons from this time (1960s) merely copied much older material, so those new to this character will find it refreshing that this DVD doesn't fall into this trap, using new story lines and gags in most of the episodes. That and the beautiful backdrops make for an engaging cartoon that has aged well for the most part. However, there are a few cringeworthy stereotypes featured throughout, such as a criminal with mockingly Chinese features and Sergeant Deux Deux, a confused Spanish officer who mistakenly says sí instead of oui. The latter example isn't as overt, but like the character Speedy Gonzales, he is out of step for a modern audience.