The Gruesomes (The Flintstones) Manor which is next door to the Flintstones. Trying to be neighborly, Fred and Barney agree to babysit Gobby, whose strange pets (including Schneider the spider and Occy the octopus) make for a tortuously eventful evening. After spending the evening at The Gruesomes' haunted mansion, Fred angrily tells Wilma that they are moving away from Bedrock. He then changes his mind when he sees Pebbles watching the "At Home With the Gruesomes" TV show. The family reappears in the episode "The Hatrocks and the Gruesomes". The Hatrocks, who are hillbilly friends of Fred, come to visit but soon become an
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