History YMMV / TheFlintstones

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: It's easy to forget, but much in the same vein a modern shows like ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'', ''The Flintstones'' was a UsefulNotes/PrimeTime cartoon aimed at adults. This is what led to things like the [[NeverLiveItDown cigarette commercial.]] It wasn't until later on, much like the ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', that the Flintstones was wrongly associated as a kids-only franchise, although the introduction of Great Gazoo, the greater emphasis on Dino, and episodes such as the famous musical "Fred Saves Christmas" episode suggests the change in tone was already well underway.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: Some of the animatronics weren't that great at the time, and haven't aged that well since. The Dictabird is particularly obvious.

* WTHCastingAgency:
** Rosie O'Donnell's casting as the live-action version of Betty got this reaction. She was apparently given the part because of her perfect imitation of Betty's giggle despite not being as slender, in contrast to cartoon and movie Wilma being a closer match. Leaving aside the whole debate as to whether or not she was physically suited to the role, O'Donnell was typically known for playing tough, loud-mouthed women, whereas Betty had been typically shown as the more placid one between her and Wilma. Some also felt that her performance was too broad even for a movie based on an animated series.
** A bigger "WTH" goes to '''Creator/ElizabethTaylor''' as Wilma's mother Pearl, since the famously beautiful Hollywood legend would be just about the last person you'd think would be cast in the role of a grumpy stout battle-axe as Wilma's mom was in the cartoon.
** Creator/RickMoranis raised a few eyebrows in being cast as Barney too, due to not nearly being as stocky, so it looks like he was mainly chosen for his height difference with Fred's actor, and he and Betty sort of get their contrasting body types reversed (though he was generally well-received in the final movie). About the only actor whom virtually everyone agreed was ''perfect'' for his role from the start was Creator/JohnGoodman as Fred Flintstone.

** Vacuum Cleaner [[spoiler:dying just before he could hear a joke for the first time.]]

** It wasn't, but was simply an animated sitcom expected to appeal to adults and younger viewers (which is one reason why the network sold advertising spots to a cigarette company early on). As such a number of episodes touched on domestic storylines not too far removed than those seen in ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', its direct inspiration. Some episodes went rather dark, such as one of the show's Bond parody episodes in which people actually are killed. The story arc about Wilma's pregnancy was also something not associated with children's programming at the time (as fans of ''Series/ILoveLucy'' know, even live-action shows had problems with the topic of pregnancy back in those days).

* EvilIsSexy: Sharon Stone (not ''the'' Creator/SharonStone) is manipulative and gorgeous at the same time. Helps that she was played by Creator/HalleBerry.

* WTHCastingAgency: In the episode where Fred and Barney get a camera and try to make money as photographers, they try to take pictures of a baby girl. Even though there were several actresses in the cast that could convincingly voice babies (Jean Vander Pyl voiced both Wilma and Pebbles, for example), the little girl is inexplicably voiced by '''Creator/MelBlanc'''.

** It wasn't, but was simply an animated sitcom expected to appeal to adults and younger viewers (which is one reason why the network sold advertising spots to a cigarette company early on). As such a number of episodes touched on domestic storylines not too far removed than those seen in ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', its direct inspiration. Some episodes went rather dark, such as one of the show's Bond parody episodes in which people actually get killed. The story arc about Wilma's pregnancy was also something not associated with children's programming at the time (as fans of ''Series/ILoveLucy'' know, even live-action shows had problems with the topic of pregnancy back in those days).

** Rosie O'Donnell's casting as the live-action version of Betty got this reaction. She was apparently given the part because of her perfect imitation of Betty's giggle. Leaving aside the whole debate as to whether or not she was physically suited to the role, O'Donnell was typically known for playing tough, loud-mouthed women, whereas Betty had been typically shown as the more placid one between her and Wilma. Some also felt that her performance was too broad even for a movie based on an animated series.
** A bigger "WTH" goes to '''Creator/ElizabethTaylor''' as Wilma's mother Pearl.
** Creator/RickMoranis raised a few eyebrows in being cast as Barney, too (though he was generally well-received in the final movie). About the only actor whom virtually everyone agreed was ''perfect'' for his role from the start was Creator/JohnGoodman as Fred Flintstone.

** "Dino Disappears": Pebbles won't eat anything, so Barney tries to change her mind by pretending to enjoy the meal. He makes a show of taking some bites and saying, "Uncle Barney loves Pebbles' cereal," before finding that he actually does like it, much to Fred's annoyance. Little did the writers know that less than a decade later, there would be actual Pebbles cereal and that countless commercials would depict Barney trying to swipe the goods from a frustrated Fred.

* JustHereForGodzilla: Some people only watch it just for Creator/JohnGoodman's performance as Fred Flintstone.

** A bigger "WTH" goes to '''Creator/ElizabethTaylor''' as Wilma's mother.

* StockParodyJokes: ''The Flintstones'' actually takes place AfterTheEnd in a post-apocalyptic future, and the StonePunk setting is a crude attempt to re-create modern society with Stone Age resources.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Pebbles and Bamm Bamm. Some fans like them for brining out Fred and Barney's softer sides, while others feel they were the start of the show being kidified and took edge away from the show.

* BaseBreakingCharacter: Pebbles and Bamm Bamm. They were either adorable little children (and they were popular enough to get spin-offs about their teenage and adult years), as well as bring out Fred and Barney's softer sides.. There are also fans who feel they were the start of the show being kidified and took edge away from the show.

* TooGoodToLast: Despite getting glowing reviews from critics and attracting major buzz from fans, the comic was cancelled after just 12 issues.

-->'''Joe:''' ''(fuming)'' [[SkewedPriorities Okay, but this hold music better be pretty damn good.]]

** "The Prowler" featured Wilma and Betty taking judo lessons to defend themselves against a burglar whose been breaking into houses around Bedrock. Their judo instructor is a Japanese stereotype that, while not as malicious as the ones in [[WartimeCartoon World War II propaganda cartoons]], absolutely would not fly today. Because of this, it is the only episode that is skipped over on Creator/MeTv reruns.

* MemeticMutation: "We participated in a [[spoiler:genocide]], Barney."[[note]]One part of the comic details how Fred and Barney, during their time in the army, wiped out a tribe of tree-dwelling cavemen under the pretense of self-defense, only to learn that they were actually offing them to clear out land to develop Bedrock. Flash forward years later, and Fred and Barney see history repeating itself when a presidential candidate rallies Bedrock against the lizard people. After Barney points out how familiar this all feels, Fred then states the infamous line, which even in context comes completely out of left field and is often used as a microcosm for the comic [[DarkerAndEdgier as a]] [[AuthorTract whole]].[[/note]]

* TheScrappy:
** The Great Gazoo, for being an annoying reality-warping alien in a series about a modern stone-age family. His introduction was a contributing factor for the show's eventual cancellation.
** Pebbles herself --and Bamm-Bamm to a lesser extent-- are seen as this in favor of the older seasons.
** Pretty much every character besides Fred in the early seasons. A number of fans initially didn't like Wilma and Betty because they were always beating up their husbands for comparatively small reasons (a notable example being in the very first episode) and always sabotaging Fred and Barney's schemes. Barney wasn't particularly likeable in the early seasons either, notable examples being ''The Golf Champion'', ''The Sweepstakes Ticket'', and ''The House Guest'' where Barney was extremely inconsiderate towards Fred and received no commeuppence.

* SpiritualAdaptation: Take out the [[JustForFun/RecycledInSpace prehistoric setting]], and you have ''Series/TheHoneymooners: The Animated Series''. Jackie Gleason, the creator and star of ''The Honeymooners'', noticed this and considered suing Hanna-Barbera over it, only for his lawyers to point out that, even though he'd probably win in court, getting one of the most popular shows on television canceled would [[NeverLiveItDown permanently tarnish his reputation]].

* UncannyValley: Translating Dino's overtly cartoonish design to live-action was bound to cause this reaction. Especially with those uncomfortably realistic eyes.

*** In ''Hollyrock-A-Bye Baby'', Fred is in a rut because he misses Wilma cooking his dinner for him, now that she’s working and Wilma says that she doesn’t want to go back to being a housewife and he should stop living in the past. Later, Wilma says that Pebbles shouldn’t have a career and a be a mother at the same time, since the former never worked during Pebbles childhood. In the end, Pebbles does have the job she wants while being an attentive mother to her and Bamm-Bamm's twins. And speaking of Bamm-Bamm, he never once tries to make Pebbles quit her dreams or have her do all the work in caring for their kids; he's as present as Pebbles, even being a stay-at-home dad because his job allowed him to ''and'' fully supports her decisions when it comes to her career. And while Wilma still doesn’t approve of Pebbles' decisions, she ultimately respects them. In other words, this animated movie aimed primarily towards children showed a HappilyMarried couple with jobs they both enjoy, each one being respectful of the other, and ''still'' being {{good parents}}.

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Pervy viewers might remember it for having Creator/HalleBerry as a sexy secretary.

** Mr Slate's soliloquy about dying alone.