The Jetsons

The Jetsons is an animated TV show that first aired in 1962. It was created by Hanna-Barbera, the same studio that made The Flintstones. While The Flintstones is set in the Stone Age, The Jetsons is set in the future. The show follows the Jetson family as they live in a space-age world with flying cars, robot servants, and futuristic gadgets.

The Jetson Family

George Jetson works at Spacely Space Sprockets by pushing a single button. His wife Jane loves shopping with a video screen. Daughter Judy is a typical teenager. Son Elroy is a smart kid. Rosie is their robot maid, and Astro is their talking dog. They live in a sky apartment reached by flying car.

The Jetsons live in a future full of flying cars and robots.
The Jetsons live in a future full of flying cars and robots. (NBC Television. The publicity materials were distributed through the Bureau of Industral Service, which was a division of advertising agency Young & Rubicam. Many publicity photos and press releases for television programs during this period were handled through this bureau / Wikimedia Commons)

Predicting the Future

The Jetsons imagined many things that actually came true, like video calls, smart watches, flat-screen TVs, and robot vacuums. The show presented a fun and optimistic view of the future. It showed that technology could make life easier and more fun. Many inventors have said The Jetsons inspired their creations.

Fun Facts

  • The original Jetsons series only had 24 episodes in its first run.
  • The Jetsons predicted video calling decades before it existed.
  • George Jetson's work week is just nine hours because of technology.

Did You Know?

The Jetsons was the first program to be broadcast in color on ABC. Many of the gadgets shown in the 1960s cartoon actually exist today, including tablet computers, robot vacuums, smartwatches, and video chat. The Jetsons may have been a cartoon, but it was remarkably good at predicting the future!