Amidst the television junkyard that is ‘80s-era syndicated animation, there was a programming block known as The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera. Designed more to fill airtime than to stand for eternity, these shows have emerged as revered by a certain sector of today’s adults. Often, shows like The Flintstone Kids are viewed through rose-tinted glasses, the power of nostalgia drowning out the very ordinariness of the actual program content. Quite a few of those who grew up watching this stuff are parents themselves now, intent on forcing their kids to learn about “the way things used to be.” Many folks seem to think their generation’s disposable entertainment was better than the contemporary offerings.
The longevity promised by DVD has sent distributors rushing to clear their vaults, capitalizing on the obsessive collecting habits of compulsive nostalgia junkies. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is no exception. They’ve recently debuted an old Flintstones spin-off as a two-disc DVD set. The Flintstone Kids: Rockin’ in Bedrock collects ten random episodes of the Flintstones “prequel” series. After its 1984 debut, Jim Henson Productions’ Muppet Babies inspired a rush of copycats, all recasting their familiar signature characters as much younger incarnations. In The Flintstone Kids we’re asked to accept that Fred, Barney, Wilma, and Betty haven been inseparable friends since childhood. The series ran from 1986 to 1988, leaving plenty of episodes yet to receive the DVD treatment. It’s safe to say, future compilations can be expected.
As it is, Rockin’ in Bedrock offers harmless, featherweight fun for fans of the prehistoric gang. Plots are, of course, straightforward. “Heroes for Hire” finds Barney winning a big prize to see the Captain Caveman Show simply because he was lucky enough to have answered Fred’s phone. “Dusty Disappears” finds Barney’s titular brother vanishing during a carnival outing. Fred makes a promise he can’t keep (tickets to see Bedrock pop star Brick Stonespring) in “The Rock Concert that Rocked Freddy.” For what it’s worth, it appears all ten included episodes were culled from The Flintstones Kids’ maiden season (presented in seemingly random order), which makes one wonder why Warner couldn’t have thrown in the few remaining first season episodes.
Episode list:
“Barney’s Moving Experience”
“Curse of the Gemstone Diamond”
“Dusty Disappears”
“Freddy’s First Crush”
“Heroes for Hire”
“Poor Little Rich Girl”
“The Bad News Brontos”
“The Fugitives”
“The Little Visitor/Grandpa for Loan”
“The Rock Concert that Rocked Freddy”
The longevity promised by DVD has sent distributors rushing to clear their vaults, capitalizing on the obsessive collecting habits of compulsive nostalgia junkies. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is no exception. They’ve recently debuted an old Flintstones spin-off as a two-disc DVD set. The Flintstone Kids: Rockin’ in Bedrock collects ten random episodes of the Flintstones “prequel” series. After its 1984 debut, Jim Henson Productions’ Muppet Babies inspired a rush of copycats, all recasting their familiar signature characters as much younger incarnations. In The Flintstone Kids we’re asked to accept that Fred, Barney, Wilma, and Betty haven been inseparable friends since childhood. The series ran from 1986 to 1988, leaving plenty of episodes yet to receive the DVD treatment. It’s safe to say, future compilations can be expected.
As it is, Rockin’ in Bedrock offers harmless, featherweight fun for fans of the prehistoric gang. Plots are, of course, straightforward. “Heroes for Hire” finds Barney winning a big prize to see the Captain Caveman Show simply because he was lucky enough to have answered Fred’s phone. “Dusty Disappears” finds Barney’s titular brother vanishing during a carnival outing. Fred makes a promise he can’t keep (tickets to see Bedrock pop star Brick Stonespring) in “The Rock Concert that Rocked Freddy.” For what it’s worth, it appears all ten included episodes were culled from The Flintstones Kids’ maiden season (presented in seemingly random order), which makes one wonder why Warner couldn’t have thrown in the few remaining first season episodes.
Episode list:
“Barney’s Moving Experience”
“Curse of the Gemstone Diamond”
“Dusty Disappears”
“Freddy’s First Crush”
“Heroes for Hire”
“Poor Little Rich Girl”
“The Bad News Brontos”
“The Fugitives”
“The Little Visitor/Grandpa for Loan”
“The Rock Concert that Rocked Freddy”
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