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'The Jetsons' mix of past and future is good way to start year
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A true nuclear family
The fact that the 1962 primetime cartoon series "The Jetsons" looks simultaneously dated and futuristic makes it the perfect topic for the first "Animated Friday" entry for 2009; I recommend highly that anyone who even just likes the show or is curious about it spends the approximately $20 to get the DVD set with the 24 episodes from that season.
I do not believe that the syndicated episodes that were produced in the 1980s have been released on DVD.
I enjoyed the nostalgia of much of the furniture having the 1960s futuristic look and the wholesomeness of the stories; George Jetson's work life involved dealing with a tyrannical boss who would have been sued for creating a hostile work environment today, and his home life involved arguing with his housewife spouse regarding money and dealing with his daughter's very chaste social life and his son's good-natured and generally harmless mischief. Seeing "good" kids who were not social misfits was a nice change from current shows.
Additionally, I know that I would have looked forward to the show every Sunday night as a way to prepare mentally for the week ahead in the same way that I look forward to the not as wholesome but still hilarious series "The Simpsons."
I also enjoyed seeing "The Jetsons'" predictions for the future more than 45 years after it first aired. The show had large-screen flat-panel televisions, treadmills, and roomba-style self-propelled vacuum cleaners.
Additionally, Rosie the robot maid seemed to be an advanced version of the robotic servants that are developing new capabilities rapidly. I also got a big laugh from a relaxation gadget that gave George a martini and a cigarette.
One thing that struck me as somewhat ironic as I was watching the show on DVD was that the writers did not predict viewers being able to record television programs. A VHS or Tivo-like device would have solved the problem in an episode that centered on George not wanting to miss a football game.
I found it amusing as well that the show had enormous supercomputers but no equivalent to the Internet; I guess that Al Gore did not consult on the program.
My sole complaint about the DVD set is that the producers added the title cards that were placed at the beginning of original shows when the episodes from the 1980s were produced; seeing the original unaltered versions of old shows is one thing that I like about buying these programs on DVD, and the title cards impaired that sense of the show. These people should know too that "Rosie" was not spelled "Rosey."
The extras in the DVD set include a very good documentary on the program that includes old and what seem to be be fairly recent interviews with Hanna and Barbera themselves. Although I have spent 1000s of hours watching their shows, I had never seen these witty and charming men before. Thank you for Scooby, gentlemen!! (I forgive you for Scrappy.)
Please feel free to share your comments regarding "The Jetsons" as an addition to this entry or as e-mail to tvdvdguy@gmail.com.
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