This review is about Fred's Island, an episode from Season 6 and written by Barry Blitzer. It features John Stephenson as Mr. Slate and the Foreman. Jean Vander Pyl plays Mrs. Slate. Don Messick as Bamm Bamm, the Yacht Club gatekeeper and the Tour Guide at Bedrock Land. Henry Corden plays Saturday the native (a parody of Robinson Curuso's sidekick Friday). Hoyt Curtin, the music director, includes a rendition of The Bounding Main (Sailing, Sailing) as well as music originally written for Johnny Quest.
Plot synopsis: At the Quarry, the Foreman announces since the next day is Mr. Slate's birthday, everyone has the day off. So everyone is expected to work twice as hard! Then Mr. Slate calls Fred into his office. Since he and Mrs. Slate will be spending his birthday at the Bedrock Land amusement park, Mr. Slate invites Fred and his family to spend the "holiday" on his yacht and tells him to call Wilma right away. The catch (did you really think Slate was so generous there wouldn't be one?) was Fred has to paint the yacht! So Fred reluctantly agrees. On the way home, Fred invites Barney who tells Betty and Bamm Bamm, who are equally ecstatic. Fred issues the same condition- Barney must help paint the yacht! Barney also reluctantly agrees. So the next morning, the Flintstones and Rubbles arrive at the yacht club. The gatekeeper already knows the nature of Fred's business. So all get on board with Fred, dressed as a Captain, going overboard as he tries to enter! They all enjoy a bowl of Bronto soup, though Fred gets spilled with some of it! Then they all take a nap and while sleeping, the yacht breaks free. Dino wakes Fred up to warn them the yacht is moving. Fred dons his swimming trunks and lands headlong onto land. He and Barney survey this strange island which Fred wants to call Flintstone Island. Barney wants to declare a city of Rubble there. They meet a native there with a strange mask and club, who Barney thinks is an "ancient fossil from another era." Fred and the native quickly become friends. They get chased by a gorilla, a big brontosaurus and a fire-breathing dragon. Then they hear a tour guide announce via speaker they're in Bedrock Land! Fred is disappointed they haven't discovered an island and realizes Saturday works there! When he realizes the Slates are on the tour bus, Fred gathers a disguise for he and Barney of mud and grass. The tour guide pushes a button for an artificial volcano, the gorilla known as a "King Kongasaurus" and introduces a group of "blood thirsty savages, the Cave Kooks!" Saturday appears with mask and club in tow and Fred and Barney, disguised as island natives, get in on the act! Mr. Slate notices one of them looks like Fred who speaks Island gibberish and sneezes. Barney forgets he and Fred are supposed to be natives and says "Gezundheint, Fred!" Then Slate knows it's Free and is furious. He demands his yacht and threatens to fire Fred and sue him for piracy. But then the volcano erupts (& this time, it's for real)! So Fred suggests all on the tour bus get on board Mr. Slate's yacht to safety. They offer Saturday the same shelter but he opts for his family to take shelter in a boat. Back on the boat, all aboard sing "For he's a jolly stone fellow" and Mr. Slate rehires Fred and promises to drop piracy charges. However, Fred must still paint the yacht! When they get home, Fred gets a visitor from Saturday along with his whole family!
Unsolved mysteries: How did Saturday get Fred's address? And how was he able to get his whole family is many wives and even more kids? And I thought Mr. Slate's 1st name was usually Eugene. Here, it's Oscar!
What I liked: While this wasn't one of my favorites, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would upon watching it. The dinocrane picking up rocks hears Fred complain about his back and says "And what do you think I'm doing? Playing charades?!" I also liked the use of the song The Bounding Main. 7 yachts out of 10!
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
