Was very fond of Woody Woodpecker and his cartoons as a child. Still get much enjoyment out of them now as a young adult, even if there are more interesting in personality cartoon characters and better overall cartoons.
That is in no way knocking Woody, because many of his cartoons are a lot of fun to watch and more and also still like him a lot as a character. He's fun enough and isn't obnoxious, but this is not the manic Woody of his early cartoons. Like in 'Log Jammed', this is a pretty toned down Woody Woodpecker, he's still fun but one does sort of pine for his original personality which would have contrasted more with Dooley, the funnier and more interesting character.
Like in 'Log Jammed', there are a few amusing moments, but the timing lacks zip and the laughs are too far and between. Never rising above amusing. The story is flimsy and at times repetitive, too much of the action veers on the obvious.
It is the animation that fares least in 'Panhandle Scandal', which was not unexpected. Time and budget constraints shows in some of the animation, which is a little rushed looking in the drawing and detail wise it's on the simplistic and careless side like many of Woody's cartoons from this period continuing through to the 60s.
On the other hand, the music however is bouncy, energetic and very lushly orchestrated, not only synchronising and fitting with the action very well but enhancing it.
Some of the cartoon is amusing and the ending is a pretty nice if not exactly surprising (one does have a pretty good suspicion) touch, though Dooley repeating "I don't know him, Senor" didn't make anywhere as much sense when first appearing early in the cartoon.
Voice acting is solid, with Grace Stafford continuing to prove why she was the best voice actor for the character and the one that understood him the most.
On the whole, not a bad cartoon but there isn't really the desire to see it again. 5/10 Bethany Cox
