The believability of Road Runner cartoons: logical consistency conquers unreality

Entertainment has always involved fictional characters in artificial settings. Effective use of artificial worlds and characters demands that the agents and worlds be believable and understandable. We examine the world and characters in the Road Runner cartoons, and show how the world, while not realistic, is internally consistent. We argue that the consistency of both the world and the actions of the agents relative to their motivations are important factors in the success of the series, and provide a model for developing believable agents and worlds in general.