Not all the thirty four cartoons running from 1965 to 1969 in the second largest DePatie-Freleng theatrical series The Inspector are great. There are some average or less ones, but most are above average to very good. So The Inspector series is not an even one, but generally it is worth watching and one of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises' better theatrical series. It helps that the titular character himself is a good and amusing one, with enough personality to be worthy of his own series.
'Tour De Farce' is somewhere in the high middle, if ranking the cartoons in the series. It may not be one of the funniest or most imaginative The Inspector cartoons, but it is above average, pretty solid actually, and entertaining at least. Good but falls short of being great. Deux Deux and the chemistry between him and The Inspector are missed, but the opponent Mack La Truck is at least a worthy one and pretty different. A nice mix of amusing and formidable, a pretty good mix too.
It is very standard and pretty predictable in terms of story and some of the gags agreed are somewhat derivative of, or at least fairly heavily inspired by, Roadrunner/Wile E. Coyote so there is not quite enough of its own spin here.
Hardly a shortage of gags though and despite not being hilarious and being fairly familiar territory they are well timed and are humorous. The ending is a high point. he Inspector does carry the cartoon, he is difficult to dislike, is a strong enough personality in his own right and is one with good comic timing even in most lesser outings. Mack La Truck as said is a worthy opponent and their well contrasted chemistry also helps carry the cartoon.
Animation is fine and unmistakably distinctive DePatie-Freleng in style. Simple but always attractive, with nice attention to detail and especially striking were the rich colours. Liked the jauntiness and jazzy slinkiness of the music, which didn't sound too cheap or repetitive.
Overall, solid but not great. 7/10