In the 60s and 70s, DePatie-Freleng Enterprises did a number of animated theatrical series. Some were better than others, there were ones that were mostly quite solid and others that never quite did it for me. One of the studio's better and more popular theatrical series, alongside those for the Pink Panther (or at least the 60s and early-70s outings) and The Inspector, is that for the Ant and the Aardvark.Not animation masterpieces, but the characters were fun and the cartoons generally were entertaining despite not to be seen if one is expecting great stories. 1969's 'The Ant and the Aardvark', where it began, is a very solid start for the series and establishes the tone and the characters for the series very well. The Ant and the Aardvark series lasted for seventeen cartoons from 1969 to 1971, personally think it deserved to last longer than that, and by the last cartoon ('From Bed to Worse') in 1971 'The Ant and the Aardvark' is still one of the best of the series.'The Ant and the Aardvark' is not perfect, but even then it is one of the series' least problematic cartoons come to think of it. The plot is paper thin, feeling too short for the already short running time, and nothing special really. While there were a few cartoons in the series that tried to do something different and try and do more with the formula there were others that were more predictable than others, 'The Ant and the Aardvark' holds very few surprises with a formula that's similar to other cartoon series (couldn't help thinking a little of Wile E. Coyote).Do think that not all the animation is great and can be a little too simple, the drawing for example not always having finesse and there is some flatness.Most of it is fine though and distinctive DePatie-Freleng, the richly coloured and abstract backgrounds and the inventive animation on the Aardvark's reactions being the most well done in this respect. The colours for the Ant and the Aardvark blend very well, simple but never cheap. Really love the light-heartedness and infectiousness of the music score which fits beautifully and gives a lovely energy. That jazzy intro/opening credits sequence alone uplifts the viewer, and the ensemble assembled containing some of the most legendary jazz musicians of their day play the music throughout brilliantly.Although the story is predictable, the numerous gags aren't really and a few of the best are reactions, like the Aardark going red after having tobasco sauce (an example of a frequently used gag in the series regarding sucking up objects with his nose) and with the cigar. The dialogue too is hugely entertaining, like the Aardvark's witticisms (like when he makes an anthill out of himself), the Ant's sarcasm (his line regarding his objects gone) and the breaking-the-fourth-wall type humour. The central heating line was very funny too. The energy is constant without feeling rushed and while the story is thin it didn't feel too dull.Both the Ant and the Aardvark fare really well here, on an equal level rather than one making more of an impression than the other. Both already have interesting and very funny personalities and interact with each to truly entertaining effect and in a plausible way. They are funny in a slightly different way, both excel on the physical and verbal humour present throughout every second of 'The Ant and the Aardvark' but the ant a little more on the verbal and the Aardvark on the physical. John Byner voices both characters, giving both a different voice and personality to each other and making each character individual and not the same. He does a fantastic job in this respect and really liked the Jackie Mason and Dean Martin influences that he seemed to model the characters on when voicing.Overall, very solid start. 8/10