Review: The Flintstones

Shall we return to Bedrock?  Through the courtesy of Fred’s two feet?  Yes, I have been watching the first two seasons of the Flintstones recently, and it has inspired me to write my thoughts and feelings about the classic prehistoric cartoon family!  There are some really interesting aspects of the cartoon-especially in the early days- that I wish to discuss.

1)    Don’t look for continuity!  How did the Flintstones meet the Rubbles?  How many seats are there in Fred’s car?  Who is Fred’s boss and what does he look like?  Can Dino talk?  These questions have different answers depending on which episode you watch!  I think it’s a rather charming aspect of the cartoon.  The writers write whatever they thought fit the story and kept things funny and interesting.  It didn’t matter how much it contradicted what was on last episode.  In modern pop culture, people are a little too obsessed with continuity, and it is refreshing to watch a show that ignores such details.

 

2) I like Barney!  Yeah, I know it’s Fred and his antics that carry the show, and he’s a tribute to Jackie Gleason’s Honeymooners character Ralph Kramden. But the truth is, he’s a grump!  Barney is the fun-loving neighbor and best friend, and he’s very much the comedy relief for the show.  I love his laugh, and he always seems to make me feel better just by laughing!  And except for the episode where Barney gets a job repossessing Fred’s television, his source of employment is kept secret.

 

3) The Flintstones have been childless for a while.  The continuity is vague (see above)but Fred and Wilma have been married up to 15 years without becoming parents!  It must have been quite a lifestyle change when Pebbles came along!  No wonder they only had one child!

4) Rise and Shine! The opening theme song for the first two seasons is not the song I quoted in my opening paragraph, but rather an instrumental piece called “Rise and Shine” played over Fred’s journey home to watch TV, which is very similar to Homer Simpson’s journey in the opening of the Simpsons.  The original ending has a slightly different sequence of the cat locking Fred out of the house than what I was used to watching the show in syndication as a child, also.

5) They have a cat?  Did the cat ever make an appearance in the actual show?

In conclusion, I love the Flintstones, and think everyone should go out and get the series on DVD so you can be sure you see all the episodes!  You’ll have a gay old time, I’m sure!