Comments on: Recapping ‘The Jetsons’: Episode 07 – The Flying Suit http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/ A history of the future that never was Fri, 17 May 2013 21:40:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Chris Sobieniak http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1138 Chris Sobieniak Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:45:53 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1138 Yeah I could sorta go with that Sean. He certainly seems to be enjoying himself quite well and until the suit pops up. Yeah I could sorta go with that Sean. He certainly seems to be enjoying himself quite well and until the suit pops up.

]]> By: Sean http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1095 Sean Mon, 19 Nov 2012 03:07:43 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1095 I'll hazard a guess about the hobo: he's one of those guys who wants to live "off the grid," or maybe "on the road." He's chosen a life of (relative) poverty over the hassle of a three-day work week. So he doesn't have a car, and he sees more of the ground than most people, but he isn't wanting for food, water, or cigars. The world isn't quite post-scarcity yet, but this is about as poor as anybody gets, even by choice. I’ll hazard a guess about the hobo: he’s one of those guys who wants to live “off the grid,” or maybe “on the road.” He’s chosen a life of (relative) poverty over the hassle of a three-day work week. So he doesn’t have a car, and he sees more of the ground than most people, but he isn’t wanting for food, water, or cigars. The world isn’t quite post-scarcity yet, but this is about as poor as anybody gets, even by choice.

]]> By: Chris Sobieniak http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1019 Chris Sobieniak Sat, 10 Nov 2012 02:59:34 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1019 Though I don't want to solicit much outside my own parameters, given the discussion we've been having on the "ground" situation of the series, I like to point to the comic book adaptation of the show published in the 60's that did seem to like putting our family on solid ground in many stories. Just thought I'd share! http://sobieniakcomics.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-jetsons-26-apr-1968.html Though I don’t want to solicit much outside my own parameters, given the discussion we’ve been having on the “ground” situation of the series, I like to point to the comic book adaptation of the show published in the 60′s that did seem to like putting our family on solid ground in many stories. Just thought I’d share!
http://sobieniakcomics.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-jetsons-26-apr-1968.html

]]> By: Chris Sobieniak http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1018 Chris Sobieniak Sat, 10 Nov 2012 02:09:52 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1018 Edd Mark Starr: "What a joy to see episode 7 with it’s laugh track in place. I’ve always thought that the track added a great “retro” feel to the series." It is still kinda weird how that was the only episode with it at all like they couldn't location a laugh-less version of the episode to use at the time. The DVD's of course have the laugh tracks on every episode anyway but I find myself not wanting to watch them on Hulu anyway. "Yes, this was the episode showing the hobo who’s fortune changed when the flying suit lands in his life. Scenes from ground-level make this episode a real treasure in the Jetsons’ universe. An outstanding feature of The Jetsons is the unreality of it’s “future just for fun” situations. This is exactly what animation does best, presenting a world that couldn’t exist yet appears so very charming and fun to watch." It's the sort of thing I don't mind seeing anyway Chris L.: "I don’t know how you could actually survive on the lower levels if there isn’t anything or anyone else there. Sure, you might be able to get the random walking bird for food, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to cook it. Water (outside of rain) and shelter would also seem to be a problem. And let’s not even talk about bathroom issues." Again, this is just a cartoon, you should really just relax! DBenson: "A bit of incongruity: The flying suit and Elroy’s pill are presented as big deals, but the show has already posited jet packs and all manner of handy flying devices, including a family car that collapses into a lightweight attache (only in the opening titles, but still). This is a running problem for the writers (or it would be, if they worried about it): They toss off a future gag for laughs one week, then another episode requires that gag NOT be possible." Typical writing certainly. Not that a working production bible wasn't in place on this show, but they did have a half-dozen writers on staff anyway, so perhaps there wasn't much communication among all of them when it came to developing these scripts on their own. Edd Mark Starr:
“What a joy to see episode 7 with it’s laugh track in place. I’ve always thought that the track added a great “retro” feel to the series.”

It is still kinda weird how that was the only episode with it at all like they couldn’t location a laugh-less version of the episode to use at the time. The DVD’s of course have the laugh tracks on every episode anyway but I find myself not wanting to watch them on Hulu anyway.

“Yes, this was the episode showing the hobo who’s fortune changed when the flying suit lands in his life. Scenes from ground-level make this episode a real treasure in the Jetsons’ universe.

An outstanding feature of The Jetsons is the unreality of it’s “future just for fun” situations. This is exactly what animation does best, presenting a world that couldn’t exist yet appears so very charming and fun to watch.”

It’s the sort of thing I don’t mind seeing anyway

Chris L.:
“I don’t know how you could actually survive on the lower levels if there isn’t anything or anyone else there. Sure, you might be able to get the random walking bird for food, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to cook it. Water (outside of rain) and shelter would also seem to be a problem. And let’s not even talk about bathroom issues.”

Again, this is just a cartoon, you should really just relax!

DBenson:
“A bit of incongruity: The flying suit and Elroy’s pill are presented as big deals, but the show has already posited jet packs and all manner of handy flying devices, including a family car that collapses into a lightweight attache (only in the opening titles, but still). This is a running problem for the writers (or it would be, if they worried about it): They toss off a future gag for laughs one week, then another episode requires that gag NOT be possible.”

Typical writing certainly. Not that a working production bible wasn’t in place on this show, but they did have a half-dozen writers on staff anyway, so perhaps there wasn’t much communication among all of them when it came to developing these scripts on their own.

]]> By: Matt http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1017 Matt Sat, 10 Nov 2012 00:43:23 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1017 This episode has bothered me for a long time. First, in an earlier episode Elroy had already been admonished to stop walking on the ceiling with his anti gravity belt, so some sort of ability to defy gravity already existed (maybe it was a part of the house!). Second, after the suit fails from a simple dry cleaning both parties involved simply give up and life goes back to normal. This always seemed a bit simplistic to me. Of course, as has been noted before, consistency was never part of the show! I have to admit that I rarely held the Jetsons to any real standards other than being pretty and fun. And I still feel that way! This episode has bothered me for a long time. First, in an earlier episode Elroy had already been admonished to stop walking on the ceiling with his anti gravity belt, so some sort of ability to defy gravity already existed (maybe it was a part of the house!). Second, after the suit fails from a simple dry cleaning both parties involved simply give up and life goes back to normal. This always seemed a bit simplistic to me.
Of course, as has been noted before, consistency was never part of the show!
I have to admit that I rarely held the Jetsons to any real standards other than being pretty and fun. And I still feel that way!

]]> By: DBenson http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1015 DBenson Fri, 09 Nov 2012 19:41:43 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1015 The jet pack and variations thereon lingered as sort of a military holy grail, in pop fiction if not always in fact. In "The Rocketeer", Howard Hughes creates one and the Nazis covet it; in the first "Spider-Man" there's a competition between two contractors, one of whom is developing a flying suit; and of course "Iron Man" is working that territory now. A bit of incongruity: The flying suit and Elroy's pill are presented as big deals, but the show has already posited jet packs and all manner of handy flying devices, including a family car that collapses into a lightweight attache (only in the opening titles, but still). This is a running problem for the writers (or it would be, if they worried about it): They toss off a future gag for laughs one week, then another episode requires that gag NOT be possible. The jet pack and variations thereon lingered as sort of a military holy grail, in pop fiction if not always in fact. In “The Rocketeer”, Howard Hughes creates one and the Nazis covet it; in the first “Spider-Man” there’s a competition between two contractors, one of whom is developing a flying suit; and of course “Iron Man” is working that territory now.

A bit of incongruity: The flying suit and Elroy’s pill are presented as big deals, but the show has already posited jet packs and all manner of handy flying devices, including a family car that collapses into a lightweight attache (only in the opening titles, but still). This is a running problem for the writers (or it would be, if they worried about it): They toss off a future gag for laughs one week, then another episode requires that gag NOT be possible.

]]> By: Chris L http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1007 Chris L Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:34:58 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1007 I don't know how you could actually survive on the lower levels if there isn't anything or anyone else there. Sure, you might be able to get the random walking bird for food, but there doesn't seem to be any way to cook it. Water (outside of rain) and shelter would also seem to be a problem. And let's not even talk about bathroom issues. I don’t know how you could actually survive on the lower levels if there isn’t anything or anyone else there. Sure, you might be able to get the random walking bird for food, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to cook it. Water (outside of rain) and shelter would also seem to be a problem. And let’s not even talk about bathroom issues.

]]> By: Chas C-Q http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1006 Chas C-Q Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:38:41 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1006 The Swiss Yves Rossy <a href="http://www.jetman.com/?page_id=24" rel="nofollow">("Jetman")</a> has advanced the art of the jetpack greatly, I'd say. The Swiss Yves Rossy (“Jetman”) has advanced the art of the jetpack greatly, I’d say.

]]> By: Edd Mark Starr http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1005 Edd Mark Starr Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:04:42 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1005 What a joy to see episode 7 with it's laugh track in place. I've always thought that the track added a great "retro" feel to the series. Yes, this was the episode showing the hobo who's fortune changed when the flying suit lands in his life. Scenes from ground-level make this episode a real treasure in the Jetsons' universe. An outstanding feature of The Jetsons is the unreality of it's "future just for fun" situations. This is exactly what animation does best, presenting a world that couldn't exist yet appears so very charming and fun to watch. What a joy to see episode 7 with it’s laugh track in place. I’ve always thought that the track added a great “retro” feel to the series.

Yes, this was the episode showing the hobo who’s fortune changed when the flying suit lands in his life. Scenes from ground-level make this episode a real treasure in the Jetsons’ universe.

An outstanding feature of The Jetsons is the unreality of it’s “future just for fun” situations. This is exactly what animation does best, presenting a world that couldn’t exist yet appears so very charming and fun to watch.

]]> By: GeorgeG http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/2012/11/recapping-the-jetsons-episode-07-the-flying-suit/#comment-1004 GeorgeG Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:27:02 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/?p=5481#comment-1004 Magnus Robot Fighter, a great comic book series of the 1960s drawn by Russ Manning, depicts a future North America of 4000 A.D. with literally mile-high cities merged across the entire landscape. Machines do everything for the rich leisure class, which would be their ultimate undoing if not for a messiah wearing a bright red tunic and white gogo boots. Taken as an orphan by a robot with AI and trained in a secret lab under the Antarctic Ocean, Magnus learned to smash steel with his bare hands, which will do him well in his battles against evil robots and evil men who would control them for their own purposes. Far below the towering buildings of North Am on the lowest levels among the junk and ruins of our era two thousand years in their past live the Gophs. Wearing black cloaks, this literal underclass are the criminal outcast element of an otherwise shining future world. So now you know what's at the real bottom of the future. Magnus Robot Fighter, a great comic book series of the 1960s drawn by Russ Manning, depicts a future North America of 4000 A.D. with literally mile-high cities merged across the entire landscape.

Machines do everything for the rich leisure class, which would be their ultimate undoing if not for a messiah wearing a bright red tunic and white gogo boots. Taken as an orphan by a robot with AI and trained in a secret lab under the Antarctic Ocean, Magnus learned to smash steel with his bare hands, which will do him well in his battles against evil robots and evil men who would control them for their own purposes.

Far below the towering buildings of North Am on the lowest levels among the junk and ruins of our era two thousand years in their past live the Gophs. Wearing black cloaks, this literal underclass are the criminal outcast element of an otherwise shining future world.

So now you know what’s at the real bottom of the future.

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