The Flintstones Season 2 (1961)

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The Flintstones Season 2 Review

The second season of The Flintstones is pretty much on part with its predecessor with most of its episodes being at least very good and quite many of them are fantastic.

The major flaw this season has is its uneven nature and truly that can be best seen in its very slow, very uninspired start. Both The Hit Songwriters and Droop-Along Flintstone are far from great and The Missing Bus is quite mediocre. These three opening episodes really had me worried, but thankfully the quality was improved later.

Alvin Brickrock Presents is the first good episode of this season and it is even great as watching Fred get paranoid and suspicious over his new neighbor did produce some good chuckles. Fred Flintstone Woos Again is naturally a classic. This is one of the finest ever episodes concerning Fred and Wilma’s marriage and watching the two rekindle their love was just wonderful. They are a realistic, but great and very memorable couple.

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“How can you be so stupid?

Hey, that`s not very nice.

Say you`re sorry.

I`m sorry you`re stupid“

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The Rock Quarry Story is another one of those episodes about Hollyrock, but thankfully this time around we’ve got a great one. Wilma and Betty accidentally wind up with the famous actor in their house as he is hiding from the press and that situation was ripe for laughs, especially from the two women.

The Soft Touchables is awesome as it’s a typically satisfying part with convoluted storylines and accidents filled with fun and evident energy. Flintstone or Prinstone is a mediocre outing thanks to a very boring football storyline.

The Little White Lie is excellent for having Fred lie to Wilma about going to a poker game and he is the best when hiding something or lying. This show excels at situational comedy and this episode proves that once again. Social Climbers is another phenomenal outing and truly we are on a streak here. I loved this episode’s touch on classes as it was a different and refreshing part for the series to take, but it was also amusing and quite funny.

The Beauty Contest is another winner. The emphasis this time around is on Fred and Barney and the two are so phenomenal here. The ending was especially unexpected and all the more satisfying for having the girls instantly forbid the two for getting into a difficult situation. That was unusual and original.

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The Masquerade Ball is a superb take on Fred’s troubled relationship with his boss in a season that excels at this particular topic. The Picnic isn’t great, but it succeeds as one of those old-fashioned episodes concerning the rivalry and wonderful friendship between Fred and Barney.

The House Guest is amazing! It is one of the finest episodes of the season just for the fact that it’s so funny while simultaneously featuring all four characters together. The Rubbles have a plumbing problem and they move in with the Flintstones and naturally that situation itself is awesome, but mostly for the fact that we finally see Wilma and Betty fight for the first time.

The X-Ray Story finds the three erroneously thinking that Fred has an illness and shouldn’t sleep for 72 hours and thus deciding to keep him awake. I loved this premise as it showed all of the characters at their most humane and caring for Fred plus it ended in a really sweet way.

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The Gambler finds Fred having a gambling problem and losing a bunch of his stuff to the ever annoying Arnold the paperboy. I immensely dislike him, but Fred is great here and I just wish that they brought up his gambling problem more before and after.

A Star is Almost Born is a quite good girl-centric part, but there are better episodes here concerning the two. The Entertainer has such a great convoluted storyline that works wonders in this format plus watching Fred with other women is always a delight.

Wilma’s Vanishing Money is quite forgettable to be honest, but Feudin’ and Fussin’ is just terrific. This is finally the episode where we see Barney deciding not to put up with Fred anymore and planning to move, but Fred fixes the problem by making the two stay. If ever there was doubt about his unconditional love for Barney, here it was sealed permanently. Their friendship is strong, but also very manly and mostly bereft of emotion which is very realistic for relationships between men.

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Impractical Joker is another absolutely stellar episode where once again we see Barney taking an unexpected turn against Fred where he for once wants to fool him through one giant practical joke. This episode is hugely entertaining and so memorable.

Operation Barney finds the guy faking an illness so that the two friends can go to a ball game. I wish for once that they get other hobbies besides this one game, but the episode itself is very quickly moving and again a great situational comedy.

The Happy Household is very dated and sexist which is something that this show is guilty of. But it is a show from the sixties so I am not that frustrated by it and the episode itself is very funny and it has an intriguing premise mostly well utilized with Fred being the highlight.

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Fred Strikes Out again revolves around bowling, but the situation is so good and Fred is exceptional in this one. So adroit. This is Your Lifesaver features a very annoying guest character, but this time that was the point and watching Fred get frustrated with him was priceless. Trouble-in-Law is such a great continuation and the first episode that connected and continued after the previous one. And Fred’s frustration with Wilma’s mother is always amusing to watch.

The Mailman Cometh is another terrific boss storyline, but this time around we get Wilma saving Fred’s ass which is something the show hasn’t done before and, needless to say, it was refreshing and sweet.

The Rock Vegas Story is a so-so episode as we’ve seen this plot and setting before and Divided We Sail is interesting for happening outdoors, but that’s about it. You here again see the uneven nature of this season as it is amazing in the middle, but weaker in its opening and closing episodes.

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Kleptomaniac Caper is too convenient, but well played and again Fred’s love for Barney produces some heartwarming moments. Latin Lover is weird, but mostly in a positive manner and it was interesting watching Fred adopt a new persona to please Wilma. And as for Take Me Out to the Ball Game, it is another very dull and forgettable sports episode.

In the end, the second season of The Flintstones is pretty much the same compared to the previous season in terms of quality. There is a great amount of weaker episodes here, but also a bigger amount of classics and that was expected given that it has a record number of 32 episodes in it. But even though it is uneven, most episodes are so fantastic that it can be forgiven.

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Worst Episodes: Droop-Along Flintstone, The Missing Bus, Wilma’s Vanishing Money, Divided We Sail and Take Me Out to the Ball Game.

Best Episodes: Fred Flintstone Woos Again, Social Climbers, The Beauty Contest, The House Guest, The X-Ray Story, Feudin’ and Fussin’ and The Mailman Cometh.