Animation
The Flintstones Harbored Some Pretty Dark Moments
As kids, we laughed at Fred Flintstone's antics, but looking back, the show had surprisingly mature themes. Beneath the bedrock humor were hints of marital strife between Fred and Wilma, often stemming from Fred's gambling and poor financial decisions. The show also subtly explored workplace anxieties, depicting Fred's struggles with his demanding boss. These issues, relatable to adult viewers, likely went over our heads as children, focusing instead on the dinosaurs and slapstick comedy. The Flintstones, it turns out, was more than just a cartoon about a Stone Age family.