Andy's Anachronisms
Time Travel Film Reviews


The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones (1987)

Directed by Don Lusak & Ray Patterson

Summary

When Elroy Jetson builds a working time machine for a school science project, the Jetsons find themselves accidentally transported back in time to Bedrock where they meet the Flintstones (and Rubbles). In attempt to fix the time machine, Fred and Barney are transported to the future where they are forced to cope with the Jetsons' futuristic world until the time machine can be restored and everyone returned to their own time.

Review

An obvious pairing of these two Hanna-Barbera franchises, this 1987 TV movie only serves to highlight the similarities between the two series. Whether it is the "futuristic" technology of the Jetsons' universe or the dino-powered devices of the Flintstones' world it all somehow seems a simple variation on the theme. Right down to the similarities between the family pets - Dino Vs Astro.

Some of the sub-plots of the movie are surprising complex for a kid's cartoon. George Jetson is accused of industrial espionage by his employer and asked to prove it's not him or face losing his job. Barney and Fred are fired from the quarry after they abandon their jobs to compete in a high stakes poker game. When Barney and Fred are transported to the future there friendship is tested when they become pawns in an industrial war between Spacely Sprockets and Cogsley Cogs. In the end these sub-plots only serve to draw out the story and provide an opportunity to juxtapose the two different cultures. Stranded in the Stone Age, the Jetsons are forced to cope with the antiquated dinosaur-powered technology while the Flintstones are in turn forced to cope with moving sidewalks, auto-dressers, food replicators and robots of the future.

Predictably enough the day is saved when Rosie the robot maid with the assistance of the janitor Henry restore the time machine and are able to save the Jetsons and return the Flintstones to their own time.

If you like the humour of the original series then this will probably appeal to you. Personally I still prefer the Flintstones 1966 epic spy movie "The Man Called Flinstone".


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