The Jetsons - The Complete First Season

Like The Flintstones, The Jetsons borrowed heavily from live-action sitcoms, notably The Donna Reed Show and Hazel. The 21st century became a Futurelux vision of a '60s suburb. George Jetson (voiced by George O'Hanlon) pushed buttons for the penny-pinching Mr. Spacely (Mel Blanc). Judy (Janet Waldo) was a typical teenager with a crush on rock & roll singer Jet Screamer. Elroy (Daws Butler) was a bright little boy whose experiments always blew up. Astro (Don Messick) was one of the first anthropomorphic dogs that became a Hanna-Barbera standard. Jane (Penny Singleton, basically reprising her role in the Blondie films) kept everyone and everything on course. The Flintstones used rocks and animals to approximate everyday appliances; The Jetsons had high-tech gadgets that invariably malfunctioned and clobbered George.

Aside from two commentaries by Waldo and a short making-of video with old footage of Hanna and Barbera, the DVD set has little in the way of extras: no bumpers, commercials, etc. The Jetsons hardly ranks as great animation, but for anyone who grew up during the '60s and '70s, these discs are the comforting video equivalent of a slice of yellow cake with fudge frosting and a glass of milk. (Rated G: alcohol and tobacco use, minor cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon

Product Description
The comedic adventures of the futuristic Jetson family, their dog Astro, and robotic maid Rosie.
No Track Information Available
Media Type: DVD
Artist: JETSONS
Title: SEASON 1
Street Release Date: 09/14/2004
Domestic
Genre: CHILDREN'S VIDEO

Even though I hadn't seen many of the episodes since the early sixties, I still remembered them. My favorites were the first one when Rosie the robot hits Mr. Spacely with her pineapple-upside down cake, the coming of Astro the dog and the show when George is shrunk down to size.

The images are clear and the sound is excellent. The jazz background music still excites me. My only complaint is that the episodes are preceded by a storyboard from when the shows were packaged with new episodes. I like things authentic, so the adding of a storyboard showing a character who didn't exist in the original first season of episodes bothered me for a second or two. But as soon as the episode starts, all is forgiven.

These shows are classics. Each episode brought back memories and brought a smile to my face.

With the Jetsons, Flintstones and Johnny Quest out on DVD, my cartoon wish list has been wonderfully diminished. Bring on Magilla Gorilla!!!!!!!


A Fun Show! A Fun DVD Set! A Great-Looking Package!   May 13, 2004
David Von Pein (Mooresville, Indiana; USA)
35 out of 36 found this review helpful

The animated TV series, "The Jetsons", represented a space-dwelling "flip side" to the popular cartoon "The Flintstones". Fred and Wilma Flintstone's antics were set in the Stone Age, with no modern conveniences (like, say, brakes on their bottomless automobile ... LOL!). While life with George Jetson and family is just the opposite -- taking place in the future, with a myriad of handy futuristic-looking gadgets and toys and flying cars.

I love the Jetson's "food-a-rac-a-cycle", which is a cool device that instantly dispenses about any type of food you could imagine. Just press one button, and you've got an instant steak dinner. Now THERE'S one modern convenience I'm sure every 21st-century housewife wouldn't mind having in their kitchens today! Of course, the darn thing was always breaking down, or spitting out the wrong meals, or something of the sort, to drive George crazy! But that was part of the fun -- seeing George in a frantic or stressed-out state.

There are 24 episodes of "The Jetsons" included in this deluxe and very attractive 4-Disc DVD boxed set from Warner Home Video. These episodes are all from the 1962-1963 debut season of the animated series. Which, in my view, is actually the ONLY season from what could be termed the "Original" series of "The Jetsons". The series was revived more than two decades later, in 1984, with another 42 episodes produced and aired during the 1984-1985 TV season. And the show was resurrected yet again two years later, with an additional 9 "Jetsons" episodes airing in September and October of 1987.

These two later versions of the series did a good job (IMO) of re-establishing the link with the original '62 shows and format. The character drawings and voices changed very little (if I remember correctly) from the original version to its subsequent 1980s sequels -- unlike the "Jonny Quest" cartoon series, which was almost totally changed (in style, voices, and appearance of the characters), and for the worse IMO, when it was revived in 1987, after 22 years off the air.

But I still favor these first-season (1962-'63) "Jetsons" programs over the '80s episodes. This "original" series had a unique "flavor" and style all its own, and some great music and sound effects to accompany the stories.

This classy-looking DVD set gives us first-rate digital transfers for these 24 TV episodes, with very clear and colorful Full-Frame (1.33:1) video, and solid sound -- derived via the four disc's very ample 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono soundtracks (English only). The episodes are presented in full, uncut, unedited form (as far as I can tell), with each show sporting a healthy running time of a little more than 25:30!

The DVD Menus are fun and lively. We're greeted by the Jetsons' rousing opening theme music once a disc is loaded up into the player. From the Main Menu, there's access to the various Sub-Menus -- Episode Selections, Special Features, Languages/Subtitles, and a "Play All Episodes" option. These discs contain three different subtitle choices: English, French, and Spanish.

The packaging is colorful and very attractive, and replicates the same box style that also adorns other products in this same line of "Hanna-Barbera Golden Collection" DVD boxed sets. The front cover offers a classic "Jetsons" image that is actually a "two-sectioned" (semi "3-D") picture -- with the inner section of the case providing the uncolored "pencil" drawings. When the innards of the case are slid into the "color" outer cover, the full, luminous effect of the image is completed. Nice design.

In lieu of a multi-page booklet for this release, Warner Home Video has (in essence) placed the contents of any such paper enclosure directly onto the "panels" of the inner cardboard "Digipak", with each panel of the case displaying info for one of the discs. There are episode titles, trivia, and many nice pictures included on these inner fold-out sections of the packaging. These episodes don't have any "Chapter" stops, however.

BONUS FEATURES INCLUDE ....................

>> Two episode Commentary Tracks by Janet Waldo (the voice of "Judy Jetson") -- For the episodes "Rosey the Robot" and "A Date With Jet Screamer".

>> "The Jetsons: The Family of the Future" -- This short featurette takes a nostalgic look back at the series, and includes interview clips with show creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Length -- 8:42.

>> "Nuclear Family Album" -- This text-based bonus offers up five character bios from the famous 21st-century cartoon family (including one for dog Astro). You can access these short bios one at a time, or all at once via the "Play All" selector. Total run time = 2:42.

>> "Space Age Gadgets" -- Featurette focusing on all the high-tech gadgets used by The Jetsons. Running time of 4:49.

>> "Rosey, The Robotic Maid" -- Featurette highlighting (you guessed it) .... Rosey the maid. This bonus lasts 3:32.

>> "Family Favorites" -- DVD Trailer Ads for four other cartoon sets.

If you fondly remember this classic cartoon series, then you'll be wanting to pick up a copy of this smart-looking DVD set of the complete first season of "The Jetsons" from the "Hanna-Barbera Golden Collection".


Meet George Jetson...   August 25, 2004
Rick Chen (Toronto, ON Canada)
30 out of 32 found this review helpful

The Jetson's are an all-time classic cartoon and it's great that they finally released these in dvd. I'm sure many fans have been waiting a long time for this. The Jetson's originally premiered in 1962 with Hanna-Barbera's vision of the world in 100 years, 2062. The original 24 episodes are on this dvd.

(01) Rosie the Robot: Jane wants a maid even though George says they can't afford it and takes a free one day trial offer on a slightly used 'Rosie'. After George gets fired by Mr. Spacely, Rosie leaves, thinking that she caused the family trouble. They find her at the bus stop and take her home for good.
(02) A Date With Jet Screamer: Pop star 'Jet Screamer' organizes a quiz with the first prize as a date with the celebrity himself. Judy wins despite George's efforts. Without her knowing it George acts as a chaperone.
(03) Jetson's Nite Out: George fools Jane into thinking he's working late so that he won't be able to attend a PTA meeting and attends a robot football game with his boss Mr. Spacely.
(04) The Space Car: George and Jane go to Molecular Motors for a new car. The Supersonic Suburbanite turns out to be too much for them so they buy a car similar to their old model. They get mixed up with bad guy Knuckles Nuclear and his gun Moll.
(05) The Coming of Astro: Jane and the kids want a real dog for personal protection but George wants an apartment approved electronic dog. There is a contest to point out the superior dog. Astro wins when he unwittingly tackles a burglar terrorizing the apartment building.
(06) The Good Little Scouts: George gets a vacation by accompanying Space Cub Troops on their camping trip on the moon. George ends up getting lost, but is rescued by Mr. Spacely's son, Arthur.
(07) The Flying Suit: Spacely's competitor Cogswell invents a flying suit while Elroy thinks he's invented a flying pill. George picks up the wrong suit at the cleaners and is convinced Elroy's pills actually work.
(08) Rosie's Boyfriend: Judy and Rosie find boyfriends.
(09) Elroy's TV Show: The future TV producers got bored with cowboy and doctor's programs, so they want Elroy as 'Space boy Zoom and his dog Astro'. Mr. Spacely however, wants his son and dog on TV instead.
(10) Uniblab: George actually has to work the full three hour work day when Spacely buys a new robot 'Uniblab'. Until George's janitor finds a solution.
(11) A Visit From Grandpa: A visit from George's father. On his way he fixes a lady's vehicle, they exchange addresses. Miscommunication leads the Jetsons to think they got involved while in reality grandpa just baby-sits for someone else.
(12) Astro's Top Secret: At the Moonside Country Club, Spacely and Cogswell each vow to put the other one out of business. Spacely thinks he can do this with Astro the flying dog. He later discovers that Astro has only swallowed a flying toy.
(13) Las Venus: George and Jane go to Las Venus. The trip is paid by Spacely because George is there to sell some sprockets to a female client. On the trip, George has to please his wife and the client.
(14) Elroy's Pal: Elroy's wins a contest to meet his big hero 'Nimbus the Great' from the TV show. Unfortunately the player is very ill and cannot come so George wears a Nimbus suit and visit Elroy.
(15) Test Pilot: When George's doctor mistakingly tells him he has only a few days left to live, George becomes the candidate to test a new everything-proof jacket from Spacely.
(16) Millionaire Astro: Astro turns out to be the long-lost dog of a millionaire so The Jetsons let Astro go. Now Astro has everything a dog can wish for, except the Jetson family.
(17) The Little Man: George is reduced to a mere 6 inches and can not return to normal with a broken decompression mechanism. The only way to fix the decompression system is by replacing parts manufactured by Cogswell Cogs.
(18) Jane's Driving Lesson: Jane decides to take driving lessons after getting fed up with public transportation. Her driving scares the teacher so much that he goes back to hunting wild lions. Jane thinks she's got a new instructor while that persons turns out to be a crook on the run.
(19) G.I. Jetson: George is drafted and gets a full two minutes to report for duty. They're all given an aptitude test, and when George tries to jam a square peg into a round hole, the automated grading program determines that his 'original thinking shows leadership potential' and makes him a general.
(20) Miss Solar System: Jane enters the Miss Solar System contest without George's knowledge. However, Spacely Sprockets is sponsoring the contest and George ends up as the "Mystery Judge" after Mrs. Spacely removes her husband from the judges' stand.
(21) Private Property: The new building built next to Spacely's company is owned by Cogswell. George finds out the new building is 6 inches over Spacely's property and after Spacely makes Cogswell walk on his hands and knees, Jetson is promoted. Later, it turns out that Spacely's existing building is actually 6' over Cogswell's ground instead.
(22) Planet Dude: Jane goes to 'Dude Planet' with a friend to get some rest. Meanwhile, the rest of the family tries to run the household.
(23) TV or Not TV: George and Astro accidentally see a robbery, or at least, they think they witness a robbery. It turns out they were in a movie-set and to prevent a law suit the producer tries to buy them out, while George and Astro are trying to avoid being caught by the 'robbers'.
(24) Elroy's Mob: A miserable student exchanges his report tape with Elroy, and Elroy is unable to convince George and jane that there's a mix up. So Elroy and Astro decide to run away.


Hey Space Pals, It's The Jetsons First Season DVD!   March 9, 2004
Servo (Atlanta, GA USA)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

Hoping to capitalize on their phenomenal hit Stone Age series The Flintstones, Hanna-Barbera "scatter-zoomed" viewers into the 21st-century with their Space-Age family series The Jetsons. The series was originally seen in primetime in 1962 on ABC where it ran for a single season and on Saturday mornings over the big three networks for many seasons thereafter. In 1985 new episodes were produced to supplement the 60s season. The 80s episodes, which featured episode title cards (used for entire series in syndication and this 60s collection) and new character Orbity, comprise the show's remaining two seasons. While the futuristic Jetsons was presented from a '60s perspective (with a few ideas actually realized), the relatable characterizations supplied by the excellent voice cast led by George O'Hanlon (voice of George Jetson) continues to entertain viewers of all ages in the real 21st century and beyond. Preserve your TV heritage with this classic DVD collection!

Voices:
Meet George Jetson - George O'Hanlon
His boy Elroy - Daws Butler
Daughter Judy - Janet Waldo
Jane, his wife - Penny Singleton

Episodes:
Rosey The Robot (1962)
A Date with Jet Screamer (1962)
Jetson's Nite Out (1962)
The Space Car (1962)
The Coming of Astro (1962)
The Good Little Scouts (1962)
The Flying Suit (1962)
Rosie's Boyfriend (1962)
Elroy's TV Show (1962)
Uniblab (1962)
A Visit From Grandpa (1962)
Astro's Top Secret (1962)
Elroy's Pal (1962)
Las Venus (1962)
Test Pilot (1962)
Millionaire Astro (1963)
The Little Man (1963)
Jane's Driving Lesson (1963)
G.I. Jetson (1963)
Miss Solar System (1963)
Private Property (1963)
Planet Dude (1963)
TV or Not TV (1963)
Elroy's Mob (1963)

Features:
Commentary on 2 episodes
The Jetsons: The Family of the Future
Space Age Gadgets
Rosie the Robotic Maid
Nuclear Family Album
Closed captions