September 23, 1962, ABC debuts The Jetsons at 7:00: 30 PM to TV viewers. Like Flint of the Stone Age, the futuristic animated family sitcom will be the enduring franchise of producer Hanna-Barbera. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review of the first episode of “Rosey The Robot” reads as follows:
The Jetsons is based on a The Flintstones Same premise, except the projection is in the future instead of the past. A family sitcom, done in animation (and for those of color, color), the new Hannah-Barbera production should attract a lot of audiences.
The jokes are familiar, but the setting gives them a novelty and extra dimension, and cartoons certainly fit a TV screen.
Larry Marks’ script for the first episode gently portrays the Jetsons’ characters, mother, father, two children (boy and girl), which is a century family.
The joke is built around futuristic gadgets and some timeless questions: a mean boss, a maid gem (Rosie the robot), a nosy mother-in-law, etc. Wait. But as in Flintstones, lines and situations get a fresh boost from the background.
Movies appear clean and bright when viewed in black and white. Great sound, composed by George O’Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Janet Waldo, Daws Butler, Don Messick, Mel Blanc and Jean Vander Pyl.
William Hanna and Joseph Barbera are co-producers and directors, and Alex Lovy is an associate producer. — James Powers, originally published in September , 1962.
