Bedrock (The Flintstones) without having various quirks. The denizens of Bedrock have a strong sense of civic spirit and tend to participate in various charities, parades, and so forth. The city is home to a number of service organizations, the best known of which (in the context of the "Flintstones" television series) is the Loyal Order of Water Buffalos, which counts among its membership Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble. A police department helps protect the residents; for a period of time, Fred and Barney were members as part-time police officers. Bedrock has also been shown as having a volunteer fire department, although the
The Flintstones the start was discarded, with Fred and Wilma starting out as a childless couple. However, some early "Flintstones" merchandise, such as a 1961 Little Golden Book, included Fred Jr., before it was decided on his removal. Despite the animation and fantasy setting, the series was initially aimed at adult audiences, which was reflected in the comedy writing, which, as noted, resembled the average primetime sitcoms of the era, with the usual family issues resolved with a laugh at the end of each episode, as well as the inclusion of a laugh track. Hanna and Barbera hired many writers from the