The original The Flintstones show ran in prime-time from 1960-1966, and until The Simpsons came along, it was the longest running animated prime-time show. But, after the show ended it's initial run, it continued to live on through syndication and spin-offs, most notably The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. The characters from The Flintstones would also crop up form time-to-time in various specials. The newly released The Flintstones: Prime Time Specials - Volume 1 DVD brings us two such specials from the late 70s.

(I will list the specials as they are presented on the DVD, and not in chronological order, as they should be.)

The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone (1979) -- Fred (voiced by Henry Corden), Wilma (voiced by Jean Vander Pyl), Barney (voiced by Mel Blanc) and Betty (voiced by Gay Autterson) get dressed-up in costumes to attend a taping of the TV game show "Make a Deal or Don't", hosted by Monty Marble (voiced by Casey Kasem). After harassing Barney for not taking chances, Fred gets to go on stage and wins a trip to Rocksylvania to visit the castle of Count Rockula. So, the Flintstones and the Rubbles travel to Rocksylvania to stay in what is now a tourist attraction, and Fred is delighted by the macabre features of the castle. However, Fred and Barney fall through a trap-door and find a hidden laboratory. They accidentally revive Frankenstone (voiced by Ted Cassidy), who in turn releases Rockula (voiced by John Stephenson). Rockula is angered to see his castle used for a party, but his mood changes when he sees Wilma and decides that he must make her his new bride.

The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone may sound odd, but it certainly wasn't the first time which something creepy had happened with the characters. In the fifth season of the series, the Gruesome family moved in next door to the Flintstones, bringing with them many odd and grotesque creatures. (This was, of course, an obvious reaction to the success of The Munsters and The Addams Family.) And that's not the only thing which doesn't feel original about this special. Somebody, somewhere must have gotten a list of cliches concerning "haunted castles" and "ancient monsters" and gone through them one-by-one with this show. (Or they could have simply visited the "Scooby-Doo" wing of Hanna-Barbera and said, "Whatcha' got on hidden rooms?") No, I'm not really expecting originality with something like this, but let's check them off: they win the trip on a game show, the trap doors, the hidden laboratory, Fred dismissing actual monsters as being just another part of the resort, a villain from the past falling in love with a modern woman, the inevitable chase, etc. The only thing which really stands out here is the finale, which comes across as very sexist. Taking The Flintstones out of Bedrock for a special is a good idea, and there are a few funny lines here, but the whole thing is simply to familiar to be truly charming.

The Flintstones Little Big League (1978) -- Fred is very jealous when Barney is asked to coach the Sandstone Sluggers, a local little league baseball team. Knowing how Fred feels, Barney offers him a position as batboy, but Fred refuses. Fred's boss, Mr. Slate (voiced by John Stephenson), overhears Fred bragging about his baseball coaching abilities and asks Fred to coach a new team, the Bedrock Brontos. Fred accepts, but soon finds his team filled with the not-so-skilled sons of very influential men (a police officer, a judge, etc.). Fred is now forced to try and whip this team into shape, without letting Barney know of their skill level. Fred's daughter Pebbles (voiced by Pamela Anderson...no, not that Pamela Anderson) (who is portrayed as a tween in this show) asks if she can help and Fred accepts -- allowing her to sit in the bleachers and cheer. Can Fred get the Brontos ready for their game against the Sluggers?

This special feels less like a special than an extended episodes of The Flintstones, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as it contains all of the familiar trademarks of the show. Fred's attitude and his conviction that he's better at everything than Barney get him into trouble. Fred talks himself into a situation which he had no idea how to handle. Fred's behavior has a negative effect on Wilma's life. The new wild-card is Pebbles. On The Flintstones, she was a baby. On The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, she was a teen. Here no specific age is given, but she's presumably 13 or 14. (Which makes no sense in the grand scheme of things, but we'll let it slide.) Her presence also calls attention to the fact that The Flintstone Little Big League was heavily influenced by the success of 1976's The Bad News Bears. No, there are no cussing kids here, but if you've seen that movie, the "twist" here won't be surprising. What is surprising -- and not in a good way -- is the song which caps off the show. Its upbeat lyrics about how participating is more important than winning are very cloying, and leave the viewer with a weird taste in their mouths.

Of the two specials, I would have to say that The Flintstones Little Big League better, as it isn't trying too hard to be special. However, neither one of these is great. The Flintstones also carried a sort of edge, as it was airing in prime-time and featured many plotlines which were meant to speak directly to couples, as it played out like an animated version of The Honeymooners. This may sound odd, but these two specials are simply too kid-friendly, and thus, mundane. This release is for true Flintstones devotees only.

The Flintstones: Prime Time Specials - Volume 1 required no animal to play on DVD courtesy of Warner Home Video. (This release is part of the Warner Archive DVD on demand series.) The two specials are presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratios. The images are sharp and clear, but both contain minor defects from the source materials, such as dirt spots, white spots, and mild scratches. The colors look fairly good -- while they aren't bright, they aren't overly dark either. The level of detail is acceptable, as it doesn't show any stuttering or jagged lines in the animation. The DVD offers a Dolby Digital mono audio track which provides clear dialogue and sound effects. The track doesn't offer any dynamic effects, but the important sounds are always audible. The good news is that the laugh track is very low in the mix and there is no notable hissing or popping.

The DVD contains no extra features.