"Trouble-in-Law" is the twenty-sixth episode of the second season and the fifty-fourth overall episode of the original series, The Flintstones. It first aired on March 16, 1962.
Synopsis[]
Fred's mother-in-law arrives with the news that she has sold her home and is looking to move in with them - but Fred spots an opportunity to find her a husband.
Plot[]
Wilma sprains her ankle in advance of her mother, Pearl Slaghoople's arrival for a two-week-long stay with her and fretting Fred, who can scarcely tolerate his mother-in-law's constant criticisms, demands, and terrible health food. Fred's suffering is prolonged when the battle-axe informs him that she has sold her house and has come to live permanently with the Flintstones.
As Pearl's furniture is delivered and loaded into the Flintstone home, Fred and Pearl agree that the house is not large enough for 3 people. So, after Fred has strained to install chairs, tables, sofas, and a bed into the garage, his unloved in-law announces that she will join Wilma in the house, relegating Fred to the garage!
While commiserating with Barney at the Bedrock Golf Club, Fred is introduced by Joe Rockhead to Melville J. Muchrocks, who says that he owns a 50,000 acre ranch in Gold Nugget, Texarock, on which is situated a riverbed of gold nuggets and several oil wells, and is now seeking a wife to "take charge and manage things" and cook health food. Fred is delighted to act as a matchmaker between his mother-in-law and Melville, and the two are immediately smitten with each other. Melville convinces Wilma's mother to invest her assets in one of Melville's expected oil strikes, and Wilma suspects Melville of being a "con-man". Wilma and Betty then, at Andre's Beauty Salon, overhear gossip about a widow-swindling man now in Bedrock who poses as a Texarock millionaire to marry, "fleece", and then abandon his targeted victims, and Wilma is frantic that Melville, whom she suspects is the scoundrel, not be permitted to propose marriage to her mother.
Disguised as an uncomely mother with her son are Fred and Barney, who pursue mother-in-law and Melville to Rocky Island Amusement Park, and Barney sticks a lollipop into Melville's mouth before Muchrocks can mention wedded bliss to Pearl. Next, as a cantankerous, mustached German chef at a restaurant, Fred challenges Melville to an outdoors fisticuffs concerning a bowl of soup thrown by waiter Barney into Melville's face. Fred and Barney tie Melville and throw him into the baggage car of a train departing Bedrock.
Some time later, as her mother is sad at the loss of her suitor, Wilma learns from Bedrock's journal that the notorious, widow-victimizing "con artist" now captured by police was not Melville. Muchrocks was a legitimate magnate. Pearl's investment in Melville's oil venture has reaped hearty dividends, and she decides to travel the world with her earnings and attempt to find Melville. These plans are halted, however, after Fred twists a ligament in his back and needs "tender, loving care"- of his insufferable in-law.
Characters[]
- Fred Flintstone
- Wilma Flintstone
- Barney Rubble
- Betty Rubble
- Pearl Slaghoople (first appearance)
- Melville J. Muchrocks (only appearance)
- Joe Rockhead
- Pete (only appearance)
- Chuck (only appearance)
- Andre (only appearance)
- Daisy (only appearance, no lines)
- Rocko (only mentioned, in a sign)
- Harvey T. Pebble (only appearance, in a news-slab)
Locations[]
Bedrock[]
- Flintstone home
- Rubble home
- Bedrock Golf Club
- Bedrock Bowl
- Andre's Beauty Salon (only appearance)
- Rocky Island Amusement Park (only appearance)
Objects[]
- Golf clubs
- Golf ball
- Rock Bell Phone
- Daily Slate news-slab
Food[]
- Pterodactyl Leg
- Dodo Bird Egg batter
Animals[]
- Mammoth (as a vacuum cleaner)
- Pelicansaurus (as a trash can)
- Dodo Bird (as a Dodo Bird Egg batter)
- Brontosaurus (as a Bronto-Mover Truck, hair-dryers and part of the Rocky Road Railroad)
- Pterodactyl (as a Pterodactyl leg)
- Stegosaurus (as a Lawn-Mower)
- Sawfish
Vehicles[]
- Flintmobile
- Rocky Road Railroad Train (only appearance)
Cast[]
| Alan Reed | Fred Flintstone |
|---|---|
| Jean Vander Pyl | Wilma Flintstone |
| Mel Blanc | Barney Rubble Bird Fish Engineer Chuck |
| Bea Benaderet | Betty Rubble Dame |
| John Stephenson | Joe Rockhead Andre Barker Pete |
| Hal Smith | Melville J. Muchrocks |
| Verna Felton | Pearl Slaghoople |
Notes/Trivia[]
- It's in this episode that you learn Wilma's mother's first name is Pearl Slaghoople.
- Pearl's boyfriend is called Melville J. Muchrocks.
Errors[]
- After Fred injures his back, his mother-in-law drags him into the house while she talks. Her mouth does not move during her last few words.
- Wilma's mother, Pearl's last name is Slaghoople, but it was previously revealed that Wilma's maiden name was Pebble. It is possible that Pebble was her father's last name.
- Fred mention on how you got to see if your shoes are missing every time Pearl makes steak, but none of the characters wear shoes.
| Season 2 of The Flintstones |
|---|
| "The Hit Songwriters" • "Droop-Along Flintstone" • "The Missing Bus" • "Alvin Brickrock Presents" • "Fred Flintstone Woos Again" • "The Rock Quarry Story" • "The Soft Touchables" • "Flintstone of Prinstone" • "The Little White Lie" • "Social Climbers" • "The Beauty Contest" • "The Masquerade Ball" • "The Picnic" • "The House Guest" • "The X-Ray Story" • "The Gambler" • "A Star is Almost Born" • "The Entertainer" • "Wilma's Vanishing Money" • "Feudin' and Fussin'" • "Impractical Joker" • "Operation Barney" • "The Happy Household" • "Fred Strikes Out" • "This is Your Lifesaver" • "Trouble-in-Law" • "The Mailman Cometh" • "The Rock Vegas Story" • "Divided We Sail" • "Kleptomaniac Caper" • "Latin Lover" • "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" |