Those folks who dismiss the cultural relevance of shows such as TV’s “The Jetsons” fail to understand how entertainment both mirrors and influences both present and future history.
Premiering on this day (in the U.S.) back in 1962, the misadventures of this modern family one hundred years down the road – in 2062 – was created by Joseph Barbera and William Hanna chiefly to serve as a counterpoint to their massive primetime hit, The Flintstones (1960-1966), a program of the same type yet set in a fictional version of the Stone Age. As such, The Jetsons introduced us to George Jetson, the patriarch, a somewhat always comically stressed out husband to Jane and father to their children, Judy and Elroy. Also along the ride for inspiration were the dog, Astro, and their live-in futuristic maid, Rosie the Robot … a somewhat obvious counterpoint to 1956’s Forbidden Planet’s creation, Robby the Robot. Both automatons had domestic traits built into their programming, but Rosie arguably had a much more defined ‘personal touch.’
Generally speaking, each episode of the show introduced some kerfuffle that served as a source for friction; and the characters would go about comically trying to wrap everything up before the commercial break or the credits rolled. Such is the nature of storytelling in animation of the day; and – for this reason – it’s easy for many to dismiss any program as being little more than entertainment to pass the time. But the truth to The Jetsons is that, as a commodity, it practically introduced several practices or concepts which we damn near take for granted today. You have a video conference with the boss at work tomorrow? George Jetson and Mr. Spacely did that routinely at Spacely Space Sprockets. You say your Apple Watch is on the fritz? George Jetson wore one of those. You wonder whether or not your Roomba did its job today? Automated vacuums were already a thing of the future on the show.
In fact, one can simply Google the Information Superhighway to learn that there’s an oft-cited story (whether true or not) to Apple’s Steve Jobs involving the show many would dismiss as just interesting television. It’s been reported across several outlets that one time Jobs himself challenged his design team to ‘break the mold’ of traditional conventions by asking them to envision “What computer would The Jetsons have?” That doesn’t sound like any run of the mill TV show to me, and I suspect that Jobs would agree.
Besides predicting some evolving technologies, there are those who’ve credited The Jetsons as highlighting just how optimistic we could be about our collective future. Much like Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek (1966-1969) would do a few years later, The Jetsons showed audiences a world wherein everyday inventions could make life a veritable dream, and the floating metropolis of Orbit City – the show’s setting – was emboldened by what’s been called ‘Googie Architecture’ (i.e. sweeping designs with arches and flying saucers; sharp angles accentuating with starbursts; flashing pylons and vivid neon signs; etc.). The look incorporates a kind of starry-eyed perspective, one meant to inspire those when considering the things to come when tomorrow arrives.
Indeed, The Jetsons delivered a future so bright we’d have to wear shades!
-- EZ
Premiering on this day (in the U.S.) back in 1962, the misadventures of this modern family one hundred years down the road – in 2062 – was created by Joseph Barbera and William Hanna chiefly to serve as a counterpoint to their massive primetime hit, The Flintstones (1960-1966), a program of the same type yet set in a fictional version of the Stone Age. As such, The Jetsons introduced us to George Jetson, the patriarch, a somewhat always comically stressed out husband to Jane and father to their children, Judy and Elroy. Also along the ride for inspiration were the dog, Astro, and their live-in futuristic maid, Rosie the Robot … a somewhat obvious counterpoint to 1956’s Forbidden Planet’s creation, Robby the Robot. Both automatons had domestic traits built into their programming, but Rosie arguably had a much more defined ‘personal touch.’
Generally speaking, each episode of the show introduced some kerfuffle that served as a source for friction; and the characters would go about comically trying to wrap everything up before the commercial break or the credits rolled. Such is the nature of storytelling in animation of the day; and – for this reason – it’s easy for many to dismiss any program as being little more than entertainment to pass the time. But the truth to The Jetsons is that, as a commodity, it practically introduced several practices or concepts which we damn near take for granted today. You have a video conference with the boss at work tomorrow? George Jetson and Mr. Spacely did that routinely at Spacely Space Sprockets. You say your Apple Watch is on the fritz? George Jetson wore one of those. You wonder whether or not your Roomba did its job today? Automated vacuums were already a thing of the future on the show.
In fact, one can simply Google the Information Superhighway to learn that there’s an oft-cited story (whether true or not) to Apple’s Steve Jobs involving the show many would dismiss as just interesting television. It’s been reported across several outlets that one time Jobs himself challenged his design team to ‘break the mold’ of traditional conventions by asking them to envision “What computer would The Jetsons have?” That doesn’t sound like any run of the mill TV show to me, and I suspect that Jobs would agree.
Besides predicting some evolving technologies, there are those who’ve credited The Jetsons as highlighting just how optimistic we could be about our collective future. Much like Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek (1966-1969) would do a few years later, The Jetsons showed audiences a world wherein everyday inventions could make life a veritable dream, and the floating metropolis of Orbit City – the show’s setting – was emboldened by what’s been called ‘Googie Architecture’ (i.e. sweeping designs with arches and flying saucers; sharp angles accentuating with starbursts; flashing pylons and vivid neon signs; etc.). The look incorporates a kind of starry-eyed perspective, one meant to inspire those when considering the things to come when tomorrow arrives.
Indeed, The Jetsons delivered a future so bright we’d have to wear shades!
-- EZ
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