The Flintstone Kids is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera. It is an alternative incarnation of the studio's original animated series The Flintstones. The series depicts juvenile versions of the main characters from the original show. It aired from September 13, 1986, to November 14, 1987, on ABC. It was the first Flintstones series not to have a laugh track.

Overview

The program follows the adventures of Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Wilma Slaghoople, Betty McBricker and Dino as tweens. They share their preadolescence with their friends Nate Slate (Fred's future boss), Philo Quartz and rich girl Dreamchip Gemstone. They also deal with their bully Rocky Ratrock and his Badrotten Bunch consisting of Tarpit Tommy, Flab Slab, Janet Granite, and Rocky's dogasaurus Stalagbite.

Plot and segments

This series featured the following segments:

The Flintstone Kids

The "main" segment of the show. It would either be a single half-hour episode (only in the first season) or a segment.

Flintstone Funnies

Freddy, Barney, Wilma and Betty dream of exciting fantasy adventures with most of them being parodies of different films. This segment was dropped in the second season.

Dino's Dilemmas

The adventures and misadventures of Freddy's pet dinosaur Dino.

Captain Caveman and Son

The adventures of Captain Caveman (returning from Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels) with his son Cavey Jr. as they fight bad guys like the evil genius Mr. Bad. This segment was actually a "show within a show" whereby Captain Caveman and Son is a TV show watched by the main characters at Fred's home, where the "fourth wall" is broken frequently.

Episodes

The segments indicate in colors by which characters starred in them:

Series overview

Season 1 (1986)

Season 2 (1987)

Four of these episodes contains a new short followed by repeats of two shorts from season 1.

Voice cast

Additional voices

Home media

On May 4, 2010, Warner Home Video released Saturday Morning Cartoons 1980s, Volume 1, a compilation release which features episodes from various 80's cartoons including an episode from The Flintstone Kids. On March 11, 2014, Warner Home Video released The Flintstone Kids: Rockin' in Bedrock, a 2-disc set featuring 10 episodes from the first season, on DVD in Region 1.

Reception

Critical response

Common Sense Media gave the series a three out of five stars, saying: "Bedrock, the early years: cute and more P.C."

Awards

In 1988, Mary Jo Ludin and Lane Raichert were given the Humanitas Prize for the show's episode "Rocky's Rocky Road".

Other appearances

Cavey Jr. appears in the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law episode "Evolutionary War", voiced by Maurice LaMarche. Captain Caveman enlists Harvey Birdman when Cavey Jr.'s school won't teach it's students about evolution after Cavey Jr. spoke out against it. Cavey Jr. appears in Jellystone! voiced by Dana Snyder.