Beaming into our homes in 1962 on ABC, The Jetsons fascinated as the animated family of the future. Looking back now, some appliances look a bit quaint by our standards. Still, many gadgets are still incredibly futuristic: talking watches that spoke back in funny voices, radio consoles allowing Elroy to talk to buddies in Outer Plutonia. Of course, don’t we all still yearn for that flying air car George flew?
The Jetsons are such a beloved part of pop culture that George Jetson was ranked #4 in TV Guide’s 2004 list of the “25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends” and in 2009, Warner Brothers plans release of a live action film.
3D TV
Jane Jetson would grove to Jack Jet Wash – the slipped disc jockey on 3D TV. He was a perky Exercise Guru – a tired Janie trying hard to follow him and do her “push button finger exercise” At times the characters would pop out of the television screen and interact wackily with the Jetsons
Folding Bed
Sleeping in the future could be painful. Jane could “eject” George from his slumber by dialing a big knob. This caused the bed to fold up like a toaster and pop George out landing him painfully onto the floor. She could also eject toast, records and annoying salesmen. Talk about better living through technology!
Pneumatic People Mover Tubes
Like sending off some parcel to delivery – the Jetsons would whoosh in and out of their apt and travel to other destinations by stepping in a tube and getting blasted off. It was a great way to get around, but sometimes a glitch would blast a kid to the wrong house from school as we saw in the first episode. Jimmy came through the tube instead of Elroy and Jane had to “reject” him and send him back.
Robots – Rosie The Robot Maid
The Jetsons added Rosie the Robot to their family after Jane’s Mom recommended a new service called You Rent A Robot Maid – complete with free trial in your home! Rosie became such a beloved part of the family that her mechanical roots were usually forgotten – that is until she malfunctioned or needed a tune-up of course.
The Jetsons also had dedicated robots like a vacuum floor model to only clean rugs. Today we have Roomba the robot vacuum cleaner.
Food A Rac A Cycle
Push Button Meal Makers at its high tech futuristic best. Here Jane Jetson could push up an omelet or a cake in mere seconds. Once she dialed up a Flying Sausage Pizza, which promptly flew all about the house until boy Elroy took a big bite out of it!
Moving Floors & Sidewalks
This moving Jetson gadget can be found in most major airports today and are surely among the most convenient of the Jetson devices. Sometimes they’d move too fast and characters would find themselves tossed about and rolling around in cartoon dismay.
Air Car & Jet Packs
For The Jetsons, flying is the way to get around. From the family air car to commonplace jet packs, which almost everybody owned, they flew everywhere they went. One episode had George and Jane shopping for a new car. The salesman took them on a tour of all the new models including one which could be folded like a compact – a truly compact car – and one which could bore into a planet as easily as a drill.
Honorable Mentions
Instant Stretch Model Bathing Suit: Judy told her mother that you “just add water and watch the boys fizz.”
Disposable Raincoats: Rain wasn’t a pain for The Jetsons. Elroy’s’ Mom would just push a button and a machine would seal her son up in a clear raincoat. Jane told her son to just “peel it off” after getting to school, so it’s as disposable as it is easy to put on.
Jane’s Morning Mask: This was used to hide the fact that you had just woke up or didn’t have your “face on.” Jane used it to take a video call from her pal Gloria. Unfortunately during the call, Gloria’s own morning mask slipped off after she sneezed – revealing her tired and make-up free face. Jane quipped to George, “Poor Gloria, she lost her face.”
