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'''''The Jetsons''''' was a prime-time [[United States|American]] [[animated television series]] produced by [[Hanna-Barbera|Hanna-Barbera Productions]], and aired on Sunday nights on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from [[September 23]], [[1962]] to [[March 3]], [[1963]]. Like ''[[The Flintstones]]'', it was a half-hour family [[Situation comedy|sitcom]] projecting contemporary American culture and lifestyle into another time period. While the Flintstones lived in a world with machines powered by birds and dinosaurs, the Jetsons lived in a [[utopia]]n future of elaborate [[robot]]ic contraptions, [[Extraterrestrial life in popular culture|aliens]], [[holograms]], and whimsical inventions.
'''''The Jetsons''''' was a prime-time [[United States|American]] [[animated television series]] produced by [[Hanna-Barbera|Hanna-Barbera Productions]], and aired on Sunday nights on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from [[September 23]], [[1962]] to [[March 3]], [[1963]]. Like ''[[The Flintstones]]'', it was a half-hour family [[Situation comedy|sitcom]] projecting contemporary American culture and lifestyle into another time period. While the Flintstones lived in a world with machines powered by birds and dinosaurs, the Jetsons lived in a [[utopia]]n future of elaborate [[robot]]ic contraptions, [[Extraterrestrial life in popular culture|aliens]], [[holograms]], and whimsical inventions.


The original series they were gay of 24 episodes was made between 1962 and 1963 and was re-run on Saturday morning for decades. Its continuing popularity led to further episodes being produced for syndication between 1985 and 1987. The series was extensively merchandised and followed by two made for-TV movies and two theatrical feature films.
The original series of 24 episodes was made between 1962 and 1963 and was re-run on Saturday morning for decades. Its continuing popularity led to further episodes being produced for syndication between 1985 and 1987. The series was extensively merchandised and followed by two made for-TV movies and two theatrical feature films.


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
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* [[Orbity]] - [[Frank Welker]]
* [[Orbity]] - [[Frank Welker]]
* [[Uniblab]] - [[Don Messick]]
* [[Uniblab]] - [[Don Messick]]
* [[Mr. Spacely|Cosmo G. Spacely]] - [[Mel Blanc who is homo sexual]]
* [[Mr. Spacely|Cosmo G. Spacely]] - [[Mel Blanc]]
* [[Mrs. Spacely]] - [[Jean Vanderpyl]]
* [[Mrs. Spacely]] - [[Jean Vanderpyl]]
* [[RUDI]] - [[Don Messick]]
* [[RUDI]] - [[Don Messick]]
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* Boomerang is airing mainly 1962 and 1984–85 episodes on weekdays, while the remaining episodes (mainly 1980s or newer episodes) are aired on weekends.
* Boomerang is airing mainly 1962 and 1984–85 episodes on weekdays, while the remaining episodes (mainly 1980s or newer episodes) are aired on weekends.
* Astro's "real" name was "Tralfaz," but everytime he said it, he would pronounce it "Tralfaz-blecch."
* Astro's "real" name was "Tralfaz," but everytime he said it, he would pronounce it "Tralfaz-blecch."
* It was mentioned in the third episode that the reason humanity elevated their cities was because the surface of the Earth had become infested with zombies.


==''The Jetsons'' today==
==''The Jetsons'' today==

Revision as of 00:55, 10 May 2007

The Jetsons
Rosie, George, Jane, Judy (top)
Astro, Elroy (bottom)
Created byWilliam Hanna and Joseph Barbera
StarringGeorge O'Hanlon
Penny Singleton
Janet Waldo
Daws Butler
Mel Blanc
Jean Vander Pyl
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes24 (1960s); 51 (1980s)
Production
Running time30 min. (with commercials)
Original release
NetworkABC and Syndication
Release1962–1963 (season 1) –
1985–1987 (seasons 2–3)

The Jetsons was a prime-time American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, and aired on Sunday nights on ABC from September 23, 1962 to March 3, 1963. Like The Flintstones, it was a half-hour family sitcom projecting contemporary American culture and lifestyle into another time period. While the Flintstones lived in a world with machines powered by birds and dinosaurs, the Jetsons lived in a utopian future of elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions.

The original series of 24 episodes was made between 1962 and 1963 and was re-run on Saturday morning for decades. Its continuing popularity led to further episodes being produced for syndication between 1985 and 1987. The series was extensively merchandised and followed by two made for-TV movies and two theatrical feature films.

Synopsis

George Jetson worked 3 hours a day and 3 days a week for a short, tyrannical boss named Cosmo G. Spacely, owner of the company Spacely Space Sprockets. Typical episodes would involve Mr. Spacely firing and rehiring or promoting and demoting George Jetson. Mr. Spacely had a competitor, W.C. Cogswell, owner of the rival company Cogswell Cogs. All homes and businesses were raised high above the ground on narrow poles, in a style reflective of the architecture of Seattle's Space Needle and the distinct Theme Building of the Los Angeles International Airport. George commuted to work in a flying saucer with a transparent top. Daily life was characterized as being comically leisurely due to an incredible sophistication and number of labor saving devices. George's work day consists of pressing a single computer button. Despite this, characters would often complain of travails and difficulties of living with the remaining inconveniences.

Other Jetson family members included Jane Jetson, the wife and homemaker; teenage daughter Judy and preteen son Elroy. Housekeeping was seen to by a robot maid, Rosie; she only appeared in two episodes of the original 1960s show, excluding her appearance in the closing credits, but made many appearances on the 1980s show.

The family dog Astro could mumble, just as Scooby-Doo and Muttley later on could (voice actor Don Messick played all). Astro's catch phrases were "Ruh-roh!" and "Right, Reorge!"

Names of locations, events, and devices were often puns or derivatives of contemporary analogs with explicit futuristic or space-age twists. The same technique was used in The Flintstones with archaic or stone-age twists.

Time period

Though no dates are ever specified, The Jetsons was originally supposed to take place “one hundred years in the future”[1] (which would be circa the 2060s). Jetsons: The Movie confirms this by placing the series “late in the 21st century”. In the movie The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones, Elroy wanted to time travel into the future to visit the 25th century, indicating the Jetsons live no later than the 24th century. In season 2 of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, though it was used for comedic purposes, the Jetsons claim to live in “the magnificent far-off year of 2002”, and to have come “back in time” to 2004.

Cast

The Jetsons media

Episodes

File:Jetsonslogo640x480.jpg
The Jetsons title card
Main article: List of The Jetsons episodes

Films


Further appearances

Comics

Games

  • The Jetsons' Ways With Words (Intellivision)
  • The Jetsons and the Legend of Robotopia (Amiga, 1990)
  • The Jetsons: Cogswell's Caper (NES, 1992)
  • The Jetsons: Robot Panic (Game Boy, 1992)
  • The Jetsons: Invasion of the Planet Pirates (Super NES, 1994)
  • Jetsons the Computer Game (arcade game)
  • Mealtime Malfunction (Apple)
  • Space Race
  • Flintstones Jetsons Time Warp (CD-i)
  • The Jetsons: By George, in Trouble Again (DOS, 1990)

DVD releases

Cover Art DVD Name Ep # Release Date Additional Information
File:The Jetsons S1.jpg Season 1 26 November 8 2004
  • Commentary on 2 episodes
  • The Jetsons: The Family of the Future
  • Space Age Gadgets
  • Rosie the Robotic Maid
  • Nuclear Family Album

Trivia

  • The Jetsons' phone number is VENUS-1234. (See Telephone exchange names for more about this number convention.)
  • Elroy is said to be six-and-a-half-years-old.
  • Two characters on The Jetsons bear striking resemblances to characters from other Hanna-Barbera cartoons - Cosmo Spacely, George's boss, looks like Magilla Gorilla character Mr. Peebles, the owner of the pet shop where Magilla lives; and Spacely's business rival, W.C. Cogswell, resembles Mr. Slate, Fred Flintstone's boss on The Flintstones.
  • An episode of Hanna-Barbera's The Flintstones, featured (via the Great Gazoo's help) the Flintstones and Rubbles visiting 25th century Bedrock, which greatly resembled the Jetsons' future. A made-for-television film was made in the 1980s that would pair both the Flintstones with the Jetsons (the aforementioned The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones).
  • George Jetson was ranked #4 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" (1 August 2004 issue).
  • Penny Singleton, who played Blondie in the 1940s movie series, was the voice of Jane Jetson. The Blondie comic strip is often cited as a significant influence on The Jetsons.
  • The Jetsons lived in the Skypad Apartments. Yet, unlike The Flinstones' familiar "Bedrock," their hometown's name is never explicitly stated. Local educational institutions provide no clues; in the opening, Judy is seen attending "Orbit High School", and Elroy is seen attending "Little Dipper School" (Elementary).
  • The syndicated version features an opening jingle that sounded like "The Jetsons" door bell with the words "Hanna-Barbera Presents" under the "Hanna-Barbera Swirling Star" logo from the 1980's (the "Hanna Barbera Presents" logo was also used for The Smurfs and Challenge of the GoBots).
  • There are plans for a live action version of The Jetsons, to be produced by Warner Bros.
  • The interior of Los Angeles International Airport's Theme Building was redesigned to have a "Jetsons" motif because the Theme Building's exterior had influenced the architecture seen in the show.
  • The style of space age architecture and design circa the 1950s and 1960s that is reminiscent of The Jetsons is known as "Populuxe" or "Googie".
  • The Jetsons are the stars of a commercial for Electra-Sol dishwashing detergent.
  • The design of the setting year is the same design used for the Warner Bros. short Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century.
  • The lead/solo trumpet part for the Jetsons theme song was played by Bud Brisbois.
  • Boomerang is airing mainly 1962 and 1984–85 episodes on weekdays, while the remaining episodes (mainly 1980s or newer episodes) are aired on weekends.
  • Astro's "real" name was "Tralfaz," but everytime he said it, he would pronounce it "Tralfaz-blecch."

The Jetsons today

  • Although the show is no longer in production, some characters are still being used for various Electra-Sol commercials.
  • A Jetsons Live-action movie is scheduled for 2009, produced by Denise Di Novi and released by both Universal Pictures and Warner Bros..

The Jetsons in other languages

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Jetsons: Did you Know…?". Did You Know?. Gemstone Publishing. May 16, 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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