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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"As they say in showbiz, the show must go on!", June 24, 2006
This was the last season of The Flintstones. Up until The Simpsons, no other animated primetime TV show surpassed it in seasons. Here for the last time, Fred (Alan Reed) comes home from work, gathers Wilma, Pebbles (both by Jean Vanderpyl) and Dino (Mel Blanc) into the Flintmobile, later picking up Barney (Blanc), Betty (Gerry Johnson) and Bamm Bamm (Don Messick) from 1965 to 1966. Other characters include the Hopparoo (Messick), the crotchety Mr. Slate (John Stephenson) and a new character called the Great Gazoo (Harvey Korman). Well-meaning but inept and a little nuts, he was rescued by Fred and Barney and had to serve the "prehistoric dum-dums" as Gazoo often called them. This season has more guest voices than others including Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York (as Samantha and Darren in a crossover Bewitched episode), Jimmy O'Neill ("Howdy hi, there, shinrockers and wingading-dingers!"), Tony Curtis (as Stoney Curtis) and the Beau Brummels (as the Beau Brummel-stones). If you notice Barney's eyes look different, it's because the pupils are black. In previous seasons, Barney had flesh-colored pupils. Also, the swimming pool that Barney made in his backyard in the 1st season is back in the episode featuring Dripper the seal, as is the piano Fred purchased for his wife on their anniversary in the 1st season in the episode where Wilma has a date with an old flame, much to Fred's jealousy.
Episodes include Fred having a dream that Pebbles and Bamm Bamm have the gift of singing (even though they still can't talk) and have a big hit with "Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sunshine In" (this was the closing theme for some of the episodes)and Fred and Barney are thrilled with their children's success until they miss them being around, Wilma wins a contest and the prize is to meet handsome Stoney Curtis (Stoney even wins over the slightly jealous Fred when he generously offers Fred a role in his latest movie), Fred takes his family and the Rubbles to the local carnival and gets conned into buying it, Fred and Barney meet Gazoo and try explaining their little discovery to Wilma and Betty (their wives don't buy a word of it, but Pebbles and Bamm Bamm can see the space-aged genie), Fred has to serve on a jury and must decide the fate of a tough defendant (Henry Corden) which could come back to haunt him (subplot includes Barney buying Bamm Bamm a toy train which gets frequently tripped over), Gazoo grants the Flintstones and the Rubbles a chance to see the 21st century, Mr. Slate "generously" loans Fred and the family his yacht on the condition that Fred paint it, and Gazoo grants Fred the chance to switch jobs with Mr. Slate for a day and Fred soon learns the price his boss must pay for his stature, Wilma organizes a Bedrock production of Romeorock and Julietstone and Fred refuses to play the part of Romeorock (though he's a shoo-in). Other episodes include Fred buying a run-down house for his mother-in-law (Wilma thinks he's having an affair), Wilma meets up with an pompous old flame after Fred ditches her for a bowling game, Fred has a minor accident and unwittingly invents a new dance called the Frantic ("Yabba-dabba-dy-yi-yi!" is his cry of anguish and he wins a gig on Shinrock), at the Water Buffalo Costume Party, Fred gets mistaken for one of the Way-Outs, an English singing group rumored to be space aliens (those psuedo-cockney accents are a scream as is their song "We're gonna go way out- WAY OUT!"), Fred reads a relative's diary of war stories, at a company picnic, Fred acts obnoxious and has a dream he's still at the picnic 20 years later as an old man, Barney is mistaken for royalty and is kidnapped by Arabs to be their prince ("Ola-salima!") and in another episode, he's mistaken as a scientist and Stonefinger demands his latest "secret formula."
Though there'd be movies (A Man Called Flintstone, I Yabba Dabba Do and the dubious live-action movie), Christmas specials (albiet with the late Alan Reed's replacement Henry Corden), spinoffs (Pebbles and Bamm Bamm and Fred and Barney) and a breakfast cereal which sells to this day, nothing beat the original 6 seasons of the Flintstones. So get this when it finally comes out on DVD, as to phrase Mr. Flintstone from a classic episode "This is the last you'll see of the last of the [original] Flintstones!"
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Yabba Dabba Doo!, August 8, 2006
Today, we quite often think about how humorous animation is from great shows like Spongebob Squarepants, The Simpsons, and the lackluster cartoons like Loonatics, a kknockof to the Looney Tunes cast. Well, with those model examples, it is sometimes too darn easy to actually forget about how much animation from the past, and how much it had brought a staple into our lives. That is the case with The Flintstones. The Honeymooners knockoff has been one of the most celebrated and influential shows in animation history. Sadly, it is a shame that people don't appreciate them as much. They've really shown a unique revival on the DVD market, and their final shows make them a closing end to a special place in our hearts.
The Flintstones: The Complete Sixth Season is a glimpse into the final season of this great animated classic. These episodes showcase some hilarious moments, as well as a introduction to The Great Gazoo, whom only Fred & Barney can see, nobody else. The shows here have all been restored well, and include some funny episodes, and knockoffs like the episode where Fred tries to learn charm to go to a fancy party, but brings out a little too much of his ballet charm to his friends. There also is the episode where Fred & Barney's ancestors try to help a female spy cross enemy lines, which was a spoof from World War I & II, and the episode where Fred wishes he could switch places with his boss, Mr. Slate, for one whole day, to see what it is like in his shoes, too much of a good thing.
It is a shame that most of these great classic shows aren't on television anymore. The Flintstones brought so much joy and excitement to cartoon lovers everywhere. The final season the show brought made so many people laugh and cry for so many generations. This is a great DVD for anybody who loves this great animated classic. I Yabba Dabba Doo recommend it.
DVD Cover: B+
Episodes: B+
Price: A-
Remastering: B+
Overall: B+
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of My Favorite Seasons, September 19, 2006
The sixth and final season of The Flintstones is now available on DVD for the very first time. Although it was the last season, The Flinstones went out with a bang and some of the show's most memorable episodes happened during season six. The season began with the episode "No Biz Like Show Biz." Who could forget that episode? Fred's life changes when Pebbles and Bam Bam become singing sensations after being discovered, lucky for Fred he is just having a bad dream. This isn't the only bad dream Fred had during season six, in the episode "Rip Van Flintstone," Fred falls asleep at his company picnic and awakens twenty years later finding that everything had changed. Pebbles and Bam Bam are married and Barney is very rich.
Season six is also the season that introduced one of the most controversial of the characters of the show--The Great Gazoo. Gazoo was a little green alien who had special powers. He only appeared to Fred and Barney. For the most part the Flinstone's was a prehistoric reality based cartoon and the introduction of a talking alien "alienated" some die hard fans.
Other memorable season episodes include "The Return of Stoney Curtis," and the very popular "Samantha" episode which featured the voices of "Bewitched" actors Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York.
The box set is great. I only have one complaint. The set includes 3 single side discs and one two sided disc. I would rather have all of the discs one style. Twenty six episodes total are included.
Special features include-
The Flintstones Meet Pop Culture: Stephen Baldwin (one of the voices of Barney Rubble hosts this look at the effect of pop culture on the show)
The Great Gazoo-From A to Zetox
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