The Jetsons: The Complete First Season Disc 1

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. The Jetsons hardly ranks as great animation, but for anyone who grew up during the '60s and '70s, it's 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) Note: This item is disc 1 (seven episodes) of the four-disc season 1 set. --Charles Solomon