The Jetsons (TV)
The Jetsons is an animated family sitcom that first aired on ABC on September 23, 1962. Created by veteran cartoonists William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the show aimed to be a modern counterpart to their earlier success, The Flintstones. It follows the futuristic life of the Jetson family, which includes father George, mother Jane, and their children Judy and Elroy, alongside their dog Astro and George's boss, Mr. Spacely. Merging elements of prime-time sitcoms and children's cartoons, The Jetsons addresses common family dynamics and societal issues while incorporating fantastical technological innovations reflective of the early 1960s.
The series explores themes of optimism and anxiety about technological advancements, showcasing gadgets that both simplify and complicate the family's life. Despite ending its prime-time run in 1963, The Jetsons remained popular in children's programming well into the 1990s. Additionally, a feature film based on the series was released in 1990, further cementing its place in American pop culture. The show has continued to capture the imagination of audiences, reflecting both the aspirations and challenges of a rapidly changing world.
The Jetsons (TV)
Produced 1962-1963
Producers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
A popular prime-time cartoon show featuring the Jetsons, a space age family. The program was patterned on Hanna-Barbera’s successful cartoon featuring the Stone Age Flintstone family.
The Work
The Jetsons debuted on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on Sunday, September 23, 1962, at 8:00 p.m. This animated family sitcom was intended to be a twenty-first century equivalent of The Flintstones, which had been running in prime time on the same network since 1960. Like its predecessor, The Jetsons was the work of veteran cartoonists William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The show centered around the daily lives of a “typical” space-age nuclear family: father George (voice of George O’Hanlon), mother Jane (Penny Singleton), daughter Judy (Janet Waldo), and son Elroy (Daws Butler). Regular characters also included the family dog Astro (Don Messick) and George’s boss, Mr. Spacely (Mel Blanc).
The Jetsons merged two formats: the prime-time situation comedy and the children’s cartoon. From the former, the program drew typical family and work situations, such as resolving parent-child conflicts, coping with workplace pressures, and meeting civic responsibilities. The cartoon format enabled the writers to create far-fetched, fantasy-filled scenarios that could be developed far beyond anything written for live-action sitcoms.
Impact
The Jetsons reflected both the optimism and the anxieties surrounding new technologies and scientific breakthroughs during the early 1960’s. Although the show’s electronic gadgetry (from a machine to dress and groom people to a collapsible car that can be carried in a briefcase) simplified the Jetsons’ lives, it inevitably proved problematic. The narrative of most of the episodes centers around the fallibility of machines. For example, one episode dealt with the emotional struggle of Rosie, the robot maid, when she was upstaged by a newer model.
Although The Jetsons ceased its prime-time run in September, 1963, it quickly became a Saturday morning and afterschool children’s favorite, maintaining this role into the 1990’s.
Related Works
The Jetsons was patterned on Hanna-Barbera’s highly successful prime-time cartoon show, The Flintstones, which ran from 1960 to 1966. An animated film, The Jetsons, was released in 1990.
Additional Information
Detailed information about The Jetsons can be found in The Art of Hanna-Barbera: Fifty Years of Creativity (1989) by Ted Sennett.