1951 might not be the most influential year for the WB cartoons with regard to debuting characters (in fact, there are more recurring characters we see for the last time this year). But there is one new combination of familiar characters that will appear several times later on... and obviously many great cartoons!

Hare We Go
Directed by Robert McKimson
In 1492, Christopher Columbus sets out to prove the world is round after Queen Isabella promises him her jewels if he succeeds. Bugs joins him on his voyage as a lucky mascot, but the crew on the Santa Maria thinks he's bringing them bad luck instead. Not the first funny take on Columbus in the WB cartoons, as Porky had played him in 1939's "Kristopher Kolumbus Jr.", but this one is very entertaining too. Some good lines from not only Bugs but also Columbus and the King, Bugs being clever, and the always amusing historical parody.
9

A Fox in a Fix
Directed by Robert McKimson
A fox tries to break into a henhouse and steal the chickens, but there's a watchdog preventing him from doing so. The fox comes up with a scheme: he disguises himself as a dog by shaving off some of his fur. But he's still not able to carry out his plans, as the watchdog keeps giving him lessons in how to be a good watchdog. A funny take on an old theme. The fox is clearly the star character with his various schemes, though the dog is also a good foil for him. There are some unexpected scenes, especially the ending is a highlight!
8.5

Canned Feud
Directed by I. Freleng
Sylvester's owners go to California for a two weeks' vacation and forget to put out the cat. He thinks he'll starve until he finds a lot of canned food in the cupboard. But a mouse has snatched the can opener, and Sylvester has to try to get it from him. Otherwise the typical funny chase cartoon, but like in the previous year's "Stooge for a Mouse", the mouse is the bad guy (and the cat isn't trying to eat him). Great voice acting (Sylvester's "Oh no" stands out), nice in-jokes (the owners share their last name with animator Ken Champin), and good portrayals of the characters – the mouse is fittingly annoying, while Sylvester is likable, and for once, undeniably justified in all his actions. You can't help but feel sorry for him!
9

Rabbit Every Monday
Directed by I. Freleng
Yosemite Sam is out hunting and comes across Bugs Bunny. Sam's attempts to shoot the rabbit go wrong due to Bugs' cleverness. A hunting cartoon using Sam instead of Elmer? Surprising, but it works well – Sam is one of those characters that seem to fit pretty much any role. The two characters have good chemistry and the gags are great. Bugs singing a love song to a carrot is definitely a nice way to start a cartoon, and the last gag might be one of the most random in the series. Another win for the duo!
10

Putty Tat Trouble
Directed by I. Freleng
Tweety is cleaning snow out of his nest when Sylvester and an orange cat both start chasing him. Their plans keep failing, mostly because they constantly fight each other. One of the strongest Sylvester and Tweety cartoons – the first of many to pit Sylvester against not just Tweety but another cat too. There's a lot of entertaining cartoon violence and the usual Tweety adorableness – for the latter, I especially like a scene involving a drinking bird! Also one of the few WB cartoons set at Christmas, though the cat and bird duo would appear in an even more holiday-themed short the following year...
10

Corn Plastered
Directed by Robert McKimson
A crow who's wearing a propeller beanie and a tuxedo eats corn in a field, while the farmer tries his best to stop him. The crow then enters his house to cause further nuisance. We get the ordinary cartoon gags, but there's one big flaw: the lackluster characters. The farmer is an average foil for the wacky lead character, but the crow (despite his cute design) tends to be more annoying than anything else, especially his voice – I feel there was an attempt to create another trickster character in the vein of Bugs Bunny, but he lacks the likability. Shame, as some of the gags (especially the fridge one) had potential, and the music is good.
7

Bunny Hugged
Directed by Charles M. Jones
In the world heavyweight championship wrestling match, defending champion the Crusher faces challenger Ravishing Ronald. Bugs is Ronald's mascot, and when he's getting beaten badly, Bugs takes over for him with his wrestling persona of the Masked Terror, using clever schemes to challenge the Crusher. The usual silly sports cartoon, and could there really be any sport more fitting for this than wrestling? It's another great Bugs cartoon – the bunny's plans to outwit the Crusher are fun, and the champion wrestler (who previously appeared as a boxer in 1948's "Rabbit Punch") is also an entertaining character in his silliness.
9.5

Scent-imental Romeo
Directed by Charles M. Jones
The animals are being fed at the zoo, but Penelope Pussycat doesn't get any of the delicious meat. She paints herself to look like a skunk in order to get some – this works, but she also manages to attract Pepé Le Pew and desperately tries to get away from the skunk. Entertaining dialogue (the pseudo-French is always fun), nice gags, Penelope being particularly cute – a very strong short, with the skunk's performance of the song "Baby Face" also always standing out to me. A candidate for the best Pepé short.
9.5

A Bone for a Bone
Directed by I. Freleng
Geo. P. Dog buries his bone in a hole in the ground, but it happens to be the home of the Goofy Gophers. The two try to convince the dog to bury his bone somewhere else, but he does it again, not wanting to let the gophers tell him what to do. The dog tries to catch the gophers who keep outwitting him. The gophers' combination of politeness and their violent ways of foiling the dog's plans works well just like in their previous cartoons. Some clever and unexpected gags like one of the gophers playing a card trick on the dog. Another great cartoon for the adorable gopher duo!
9.5

The Fair Haired Hare
Directed by I. Freleng
Sam's house is built on top of Bugs' rabbit hole. After Sam chases Bugs off the property, Bugs takes the issue to the highest court. They decide the two should share the property – but if one of them dies, the other inherits it fully. Sam naturally tries to get rid of Bugs, but the rabbit proves too smart. Some clever gags here, with a very amusing portrayal of both characters (especially Bugs), brilliant animation... There are also a couple of musical scenes, especially Bugs' accented performance of "Home on the Range". Certainly worth a watch!
10

A Hound for Trouble
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Stowaway Charlie Dog ends up in San Carlo, Italy. He goes looking for a master once again, but no one seems to understand English. He eventually meets restaurant owner Pasquale who's not interested in having him as his pet, but Charlie decides to impress him by serving the customers while he's away. The basic plot is essentially the same as in the previous Charlie Dog cartoons, but with a new setting, providing for plenty of humor based on Italian themes. The cartoon is a hilarious one with Charlie's crazy antics – especially his rendition of the song "At'sa Matter for You" needs to be heard! The last cartoon starring the dog, I think this is an excellent sendoff for him!
10

Early to Bet
Directed by Robert McKimson
The narrator introduces the Gambling Bug whose bite causes a compulsion to gamble. He's taking a one-day vacation, but then he spots a dog and a cat – the former wants to play gin rummy for penalties, but the latter doesn't. The bug bites the cat repeatedly, changing his mind on playing the game, and the dog always wins, making the cat suffer awful penalties. Essentially a sequel to "It's Hummer Time", just as great as its predecessor! The gambling aspect is a nice addition, amusingly depicted with an actual bug, and the penalties are interesting and fun to see just like last time around. This short also has a highly satisfying ending!
10

Rabbit Fire
Directed by Charles M. Jones
It's rabbit season, and Elmer is hunting. But Bugs and Daffy soon start fighting over whether it's really rabbit season or duck season. Due to Bugs' cleverness, Daffy repeatedly gets shot. One of the most famous Warner Bros. cartoons, and the first entry in what is often called the Hunting Trilogy. The gags here are all brilliant, especially the famous rabbit season/duck season routine – similar gags have been used before (Daffy and Porky's eagle/pig argument in "Duck Soup to Nuts"), but this is definitely the best-known example. The conflict gets resolved in an equally amusing way. One of the cartoons that best define the true spirit of the Looney Tunes.
10

Room and Bird
Directed by I. Freleng
Granny sneaks Tweety into Spinsters Arms hotel where pets aren't allowed, and another old lady does the same with Sylvester. The cat hears the bird singing in the neighboring room and tries to catch him, but there's another problem for the duo: they need to avoid getting noticed by the security guard! One of Sylvester and Tweety's greatest cartoons – the inclusion of the security guard adds an all-new element, and there are some amazing gags in this one! Even Tweety's theme song that's heard for the fourth time in a row is more of a plot point here than in the previous shorts. A priceless one!
10

Chow Hound
Directed by Charles M. Jones
A mean and gluttonous dog comes up with a scheme – he makes a cat get meat for him by living in various homes (and the zoo) simultaneously. But to his disappointment, no gravy! A mouse is also forced to participate in the scheme. An interesting one-shot – probably the least likable dog character next to Shep from "Fresh Airedale", repeatedly abusing the other two animals as part of his nefarious plans. The short, one of the cruelest in the entire series, isn't the wackiest or funniest WB cartoon... but then there's the ending, which is absolutely amazing. Very close to the top mark for that alone!
9.5

French Rarebit
Directed by Robert McKimson
A crate of carrots falls off a delivery truck, and so does Bugs Bunny. He's in Paris, and two restaurateurs, Louie and Francois, both set their sights on the rabbit. However, Bugs manages to pit the two men against each other and then gets them interested in a recipe by the famous New Orleans chef Antoine. Another great Bugs cartoon, his methods to outwit the two French chefs (who are both quite entertaining) are very fitting and funny. One of the most random cartoons McKimson has made, for sure!
9.5

The Wearing of the Grin
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Porky is going to Dublin, but there's a storm. He goes to a castle to find a room to sleep in and meets a pair of leprechauns who accuse him of trying to steal their pot of gold. After a slow start, the cartoon gets more entertaining later on, even including some Wackyland-esque surrealism. The leprechauns are appealing characters in all their mischievousness, and Porky also fares well in his role in his final solo appearance. Even if it's not one of his or Jones' absolute best, it's still a nice addition to WB's first big star's filmography.
8.5

Leghorn Swoggled
Directed by Robert McKimson
"Rootin' tootin' chickenhawk" Henery is looking for a chicken, but Foghorn tells him he's too little to catch chickens. The Barnyard Dawg, in his eternal rivalry with the rooster, promises Henery he'll tell him how to catch one if he gets him a bone. A cat knows where to find one but wants a fish, leading to Henery having to find things for several animals. Foghorn inadvertently helps him do that. Another very good cartoon for the barnyard trio – the plotline of Henery helping the various animals get what they want in return for something is entertaining, and especially Foghorn gets to shine in his role.
9.5

His Hare Raising Tale
Directed by I. Freleng
Bugs and his nephew are looking at a photo album. Bugs tells him about some of his exciting experiences, such as his time as a baseball player, his vaudeville act with Elmer, and when he fought the boxing champion. Another new cost-cutting method: a so-called cheater cartoon with clips from earlier Bugs cartoons and new wrap-around segments featuring him. The earlier footage is of course entertaining, but I'd much rather watch the original cartoons (in some cases, the clips here are cut off right before a funny gag). The new segments are nice and charming, with the ending being a highlight (even if it's not particularly surprising!), but I can't help but be slightly underwhelmed. Bugs' nephew, later named Clyde Bunny, was one of many child characters introduced around this time – he never became particularly popular, it seems, as he only had a couple of appearances in the classic era.
7

Cheese Chasers
Directed by Charles M. Jones
Hubie and Bertie have managed to sneak into a cheese factory and have eaten so much cheese they never want to have it again. No longer liking cheese, they conclude there's nothing left to live for and try to get eaten by Claude Cat. But Claude thinks there's something wrong and refuses to eat them. A character trying to get eaten by a reluctant cat had been done before in 1945's "Life with Feathers" featuring a debuting Sylvester and a lovebird. But as good as that cartoon was, this one takes the idea to a whole new level. There are more characters involved, Jones' amazing style with the funny expressions, great gags... Writer Michael Maltese often liked to create variations on the typical chase cartoon, and this is the most interesting one. It says a lot about the WB crew's talent that they managed to make a hilarious cartoon about such a dark theme – this was Hubie and Bertie's final appearance, and despite appearing in several impressive cartoons, their last was the best one.
10

Lovelorn Leghorn
Directed by Robert McKimson
The old hen Prissy goes looking for a husband, armed with a rolling pin. After this strategy doesn't work on Foghorn, he convinces her that the Barnyard Dawg is really a bachelor rooster wearing a dog suit, and she goes after him instead. The first Foghorn cartoon to feature last year's debutante Prissy is a hilarious one! Foghorn's portrayal is one of the best he's had – besides his inventive and comedic scheme to get Prissy away from him, he has a lot of great lines in this short. And Prissy is also funny, especially with her reactions to Foghorn's ideas and other expressions. The new formula worked very well – we'll get several more appearances from Prissy in the upcoming Foghorn shorts.
10

Tweety's S.O.S.
Directed by I. Freleng
Sylvester is hungry and notices Tweety on a ship. He gets on board, chasing the bird. Granny protects Tweety, but once she loses her glasses, Tweety has to fend off the cat himself. Another awesome Tweety cartoon – Granny's poor eyesight provides for a couple of good gags and allows us to see a rather active Tweety. All three characters do well here. Sylvester is amusing with his usual failures, while Tweety gets some great lines in. The ending is also one of the best in the Tweety cartoons!
10

Ballot Box Bunny
Directed by I. Freleng
Yosemite Sam is running for mayor and vows to rid the country of all rabbits. When Bugs hears this, he decides to challenge Sam. Both try to impress the people while sabotaging each other. Great idea for a cartoon, with funny gags and characterizations – Sam in particular shines here, though Bugs is also amazing, of course. The WB crew could make pretty much anything funny, and this short proves politics was no exception!
10

A Bear for Punishment
Directed by Charles M. Jones
It's Father's Day, and Henry Bear's wife and son try to make the day special for him. But he's not at all interested in participating in the traditional activities, all of which lead to injury or embarrassment for him. One of the most memorable cartoons not featuring the main characters from the era. Junyer and Mama Bear's performances and other activities here are hilarious, as are Henry's reactions to them. This was the last appearance of the WB cartoons' most dysfunctional family, and also their most entertaining!
10

Sleepy Time Possum
Directed by Robert McKimson
Mr. and Mrs. O'Possum have a problem: their son is constantly sleeping instead of peeling potatoes. The father decides to get some life into him by disguising himself as a hunting dog and scaring him. The "dog" constantly gets outwitted by the little possum who still finds the time to take naps. A fun cartoon even if it's not the strongest in the WB filmography. The kid is the most entertaining character here, displaying a bit of the trickster personality we see often in the Looney Tunes.
8.5

Drip-Along Daffy
Directed by Charles M. Jones
"Western-type hero" Drip-Along Daffy and his "comedy relief" deputy Porky enter Snake-Bite Center which is full of outlaws and has no sheriff. Daffy comes to fight the outlaws, but beating the rustler, bandit and square dance caller Nasty Canasta proves to be a huge challenge. Continuing in the vein of "The Scarlet Pumpernickel" from last year, but now in a Western setting, Jones again puts Daffy in the role of an incompetent hero – a role where he works brilliantly! Great sight gags, strong portrayals of all the characters, clever use of different types of animation (utilizing wild and expressive animation for some scenes and limited animation for Nasty Canasta's walk cycle). One of Jones' best Daffy cartoons. He would go on to use Canasta in a couple more cartoons later in the decade.
10

Big Top Bunny
Directed by Robert McKimson
Colonel Korny's circus hires Bugs as their performing rabbit, much to the frustration of their star, Bruno the Slobokian acrobatic bear. The two perform together and Bruno tries to ruin things for Bugs, but the rabbit proves too smart. Not one of Bugs' best, but a nice short anyway – watching Bugs outwit the arrogant bear is fun, and Bruno himself is quite an effective character in all his unlikability. And even an average Bugs short is one of the best ways to spend seven minutes!
8.5

Tweet Tweet Tweety
Directed by I. Freleng
Sylvester is in a bird and game refuge where hunting and fishing are strictly forbidden! But he finds an egg in a nest and decides to hatch it – out comes Tweety! The rest of the cartoon mostly involves Tweety being in a tree while Sylvester is trying various things to catch him. Not one of my favorite Sylvester and Tweety shorts, they've had even funnier ones. But it's definitely still an entertaining watch. The highlight for me is Tweety's song – sure, we've heard it in five out of the last six Tweety cartoons, but the rendition here (with different lyrics) is really cute and great! Good gags too, again the ones with a more mischievous Tweety are the standout for me. This is also the first cartoon where he is mentioned to be a rare specimen of a "tweety bird" – the earlier cartoons generally had him portrayed as a canary.
8.5

The Prize Pest
Directed by Robert McKimson
The radio show Porky is listening to tells him even he could be the lucky winner of the grand prize... and he indeed is! Sadly for him, the grand prize is Daffy Duck who proves to be a total nuisance. After getting thrown out, Daffy pretends he's a split personality. If he's treated well, he is gentle, but if not, he turns into a monster, and Porky falls for the whole thing. McKimson's Porky and Daffy cartoons are some of the best, and here's another very funny one. Daffy steals the show here with his schtick, but Porky is a brilliant foil for him and gets some funny moments himself. An amazing conclusion to a great year!
10

The Looney Tunes would also find success outside the world of animation, namely in the music business! Capitol Records had released both songs and stories with the voice of Mel Blanc and writing and art contributed by the WB crew since 1947, and the popularity of these reached its peak this year. The Sylvester and Tweety song "I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat" with lyrics by WB writer Warren Foster became a genuine hit – according to the Billboard magazine dated February 17, 1951, the song was the ninth best selling pop single in the U.S. at the time. Not bad for a bird and a cat!

What this year may have lacked in new characters, it made up for in excellent cartoons, perfecting the formula for some previously introduced series. Though I'll miss Hubie and Bertie and the Three Bears, each of them at least made their last appearances in their very best cartoons. Thankfully we'll soon have some other returning characters taking their place...