The Flinstone's episode 'THE HAPPY HOUSEHOLD' is one of the best in the series, as noted by Rosie O'Donnell who used it very successfully in her early stand-up routines, which I saw in the 80's at The Comedy Store. (She did it conjunction with a great bit on how long the Flinstones living room must have been since whenever Fred ran across it with his 'twinkle toes', it lasted forever as he flew past the repeating background of COUCH - LAMP - CHAIR - COUCH - LAMP - CHAIR....) The show and episode is certainly not an attack on feminism (? !), as one 'reviewer' here wrote, but actually gives Wilma a chance to have some fun at Fred's expense. (I say 'reviewer' lightly because said scribe DIDN'T EVEN GET THE LYRICS RIGHT, which as a die-hard Flintstone's fan about sends me over the bend.) Let's remember, this was the early 60's, when 'housewives' had to get their fun in more subtle and subversive ways. (BTW- using a cartoon show to rant like a kook about one's anti-woman political agenda is not only pathetic, but certainly takes all the FUN out of the show.) So let's get back to it...
What really makes the episode great is the SONG Wilma has to sing for The Happy Housewife TV show commercial. The jingle is really catchy and funny as it pokes fun at Fred's bulbous form while advertising a big beefy meal that'll pack on the pounds. Wilma gets to 'tease' Fred about this under the pretense of it being a JOB she had to do, and that someone else wrote the jingle, not HER!. Add to this the animation of Wilma frantically going through the directors crazy motions, singing the song over and over again, while Fred watches at home getting more and more steamed about it, and you have some hilarious fun that you can JOIN IN! The jingle is sung so many times that, yes, you are downright invited to sing along!
First, the importance of getting crucial information, like lyrics, correct. Wilma sings:
MAKE YOUR HOBBY, HUBBY / KEEP YOUR HUBBY HAPPY / WHEN HE'S A LITTLE CHUBBY / HE'S THE HAPPY PAPPY / WITH ROCKENSCHPEEL!
You can imagine how this gets under Fred's collar (literally, since it's the only modern detail in his costume). He sits down to enjoy the show, while begrudgingly eating the TV dinner left for him, and progressively becomes more and more unglued while feeling the butt of the joke. Poor Fred! You even feel a little sorry for him, but, he is getting a bit of what he deserves for being a blow-hard to Wilma too often, so it's okay to laugh and join in.
In the end, she decides that the work is too hard and the director exasperating. She goes home to 'comfort' poor Fred, who is just beside himself with feeling teased and humiliated like a little chubby schoolboy.
That's the saving grace at the end. The point is made, not mean or personally, and we all get to enjoy a little fun bringing Fred down a notch or two for his bellowing at Wilma. Then she kisses his chagrined boo-boo face to make it all better so they can rub noses again. (Much in the style of The Honeymooners after Alice shows Ralph what a boob he's been. (The Honeymooners being very influential in the character sketches and ideas in The Flintstones).
The theme of The Happy Household is that remembering to be kind and sensitive to each others feelings is what makes it so.
What really makes the episode great is the SONG Wilma has to sing for The Happy Housewife TV show commercial. The jingle is really catchy and funny as it pokes fun at Fred's bulbous form while advertising a big beefy meal that'll pack on the pounds. Wilma gets to 'tease' Fred about this under the pretense of it being a JOB she had to do, and that someone else wrote the jingle, not HER!. Add to this the animation of Wilma frantically going through the directors crazy motions, singing the song over and over again, while Fred watches at home getting more and more steamed about it, and you have some hilarious fun that you can JOIN IN! The jingle is sung so many times that, yes, you are downright invited to sing along!
First, the importance of getting crucial information, like lyrics, correct. Wilma sings:
MAKE YOUR HOBBY, HUBBY / KEEP YOUR HUBBY HAPPY / WHEN HE'S A LITTLE CHUBBY / HE'S THE HAPPY PAPPY / WITH ROCKENSCHPEEL!
You can imagine how this gets under Fred's collar (literally, since it's the only modern detail in his costume). He sits down to enjoy the show, while begrudgingly eating the TV dinner left for him, and progressively becomes more and more unglued while feeling the butt of the joke. Poor Fred! You even feel a little sorry for him, but, he is getting a bit of what he deserves for being a blow-hard to Wilma too often, so it's okay to laugh and join in.
In the end, she decides that the work is too hard and the director exasperating. She goes home to 'comfort' poor Fred, who is just beside himself with feeling teased and humiliated like a little chubby schoolboy.
That's the saving grace at the end. The point is made, not mean or personally, and we all get to enjoy a little fun bringing Fred down a notch or two for his bellowing at Wilma. Then she kisses his chagrined boo-boo face to make it all better so they can rub noses again. (Much in the style of The Honeymooners after Alice shows Ralph what a boob he's been. (The Honeymooners being very influential in the character sketches and ideas in The Flintstones).
The theme of The Happy Household is that remembering to be kind and sensitive to each others feelings is what makes it so.
