The Flintstones - The Complete Fifth Season

At this writing, we'll all have to wait until 2006 to enjoy this collection. Allen Reed (Fred), Jean Vanderpyl (Wilma and Pebbles), Mel Blanc (Barney and Dino), Don Messick (Bamm Bamm) and John Stephenson (Mr. Slate) all return for the 1964-65 season. Since Bea Benederet got an acting role on liveaction sitcom Petticoat Junction, she would leave the voice to former talkshow host Gerry Johnson. In addition, the Rubbles would have their own pet, Hoppy, a green kangaroo from Australiarock(Messick would supply Hoppy's voice "Hawp! Hawp!"). At first, Fred didn't like Hoppy too much, but when Hoppy saved the lives of Pebbles and Bamm Bamm on a picnic, Fred was won over (not to mention that he got his picture in the paper along with the Hoparoo). Also, at the intro, the Rubbles would join the Flintstones for the movie and as Dino popped his head through the roof, Fred and Barney would set Pebbles and Bamm Bamm atop.

In this season, Pebbles has her 1st birthday party and Fred is in charge of booking a caterer for 2 parties- one for her and one for his buddies at the Waterbuffalo Lodge (you can guess what happens, especially with a caterer whose attitude is "I'm the only caterer in town!"). Fred races in the Indianrockalus 500 as Goggles Pizano (his psuedo-Italian accent is a scream- "Itsa looksa likea Goggles Pizano izza hangin' uppa his agoggles!"), Fred needs to see a doctor who turns out to be a quack when he switches Fred's personality 1st to Dino's then to Barney's, then..., Fred experiments with a softdrink and winds up shrinking himself to size (Barney siezes the opportunity to audition the 2 of them on the Ed Sullystone show "Rrrrright here in this studio is the reeeeally big..."), a new family called the Gruesomes moves into town, similar to the Addams Family ("Would you have a cup of red ants?") and Dino falls in love with the neighbor's dog and grumpy neighbor Mr. Loudrock (voiced by Henry Corden, who'd take over Fred's voice after Reed passed away in 1977) doesn't approve of the relationship. Fred inherits the estate of his rich but kooky Uncle Giggles and must spend the night there to be scared to death by his creepy servants and the memory of his "late" uncle's laugh, at the World's Fair, the Flintstones and the Rubbles take a look into the future and get bitten by lions, help Columbus discover America, help Benjamin Franklin discover electricity and finally wind up in the 20th century where a wisecracking hamburger vendor says "Four brontosaurus burgers, that'll be 2 rocks, please!" Fred poses as king for a day for his lookalike from Stonesylvania ("The rrrotskin spotskin is motskin in the plotskin!"), Uncle Tex invites the Flintstones and the Rubbles to his ranch at Texarock, the Hatrocks pay the Flintstones a friendly visit and quickly wear out their welcome (until they are surrounded by Four Insect impersonators, now don't tell me you don't know who the 4 Insects are supposed to be, here's a hint- "She said yeah, yeah, yeah!"), Fred poses as Superstone ("Beeheeheehawhaw!") and as Santa Claus at a department store in Bedrock and later gets hired by the man himself for the night, the Flintstones go on vacation and "lifeguard" Jimmy Darrock has to bail Fred out each time he tries his hand at surfing (voiced by James Darren, who sings "Everybody's Gone Crazy with the Surfin' Craze"), and both Fred and Barney are asked to solve a mystery and wind up on Candid Crime ("Lady, I'm a married man. Besides, you're melting my ice cream!"). In the episode, Fred pays a nod to his inspiration "Very funny, everybody's a Jackie Gleastone!" There's also a James Bond satire in which Fred and Barney wind up facing the evil Dr. Sinister and bailing out the sexy but selfish Madame Yes- "Can you help me, good lookeeng?" Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are entered in a beauty contest, which starts a war between the Flintstones and the Rubbles (each wants their own child to win). Fred wins a flying lesson and his instructor is a sexy female. Wilma invites Bony Hurdle, a rodeo man, who makes Fred jealous with his roundup stories and tucking little Pebbles into bed. Fred becomes sheriff for a day when they visit a ghost town and almost gets in trouble with the Slatery brothers (Barney uses a voice similar to Deputy Droopalong's- "Looks lak thissizit, Mr. Flintstone!").

If you enjoyed the last 4 seasons, you'll enjoy this one as well. That'll be 2 rocks, please!

I am overjoyed we diehard Flintstone fans don't have to wait in vain for the complete fifth season!!! I must say it's really hard to pick a favorite episode from this season, but I narrowed it down to the one when Fred and Barney get mixed up with a sexy female spy Madame Yes. I suppose that was a parody of James Bond, considering their hero was named Jay Bondrock!
I also still laugh out loud at the dancing girls at Pebbles 1st birthday party. Barney was a riot when he started dancing with the girls and telling Betty he was just trying to get them out the door! Yeah right Barney!
I'm also looking forward to seeing the episode when Fred and Barney have to stay the night in a haunted house to inherit his uncle Giggles Flinstones money. You can't help but crack up when Fred and Barney's hair wiggles everytime they hear that wicked laughter!!! I'll be like a kid in a candystore when this fabulous dvd set arrives March 7th!!! I can hardly wait!!!

All the Flintstones seasons are fantastic and would have given season 5 5-stars with the exception of the packaging. The packaging is different than the other 4 seasons which is really disappointing.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 28 reviews  4.5 out of 5 stars