This is the 2nd episode of The Flintstones dealing with Wilma expecting (back then, you didn't dare use the word "pregnant" on TV). The 1st was The Surprise which announced their being soon to become parents. Mother In Law's Visit was written by Warren Foster and featured the voices of Howard Morris who did several voices and Verna Felton, who played Mrs. Slaghoople, Fred's disagreeable "battle-axe" mother-in-law.
Plot synopsis: Fred comes home from work with a new present for their child- a baseball bat. Wilma prophetically asks "Supposing Junior turns out to be a little girl?" Fred has to think for a minute and with newfound hope, he replies "Great! She might make the big league!" Then their phone rings. It's Wilma's mother, much to Fred's chagrin (who beaks the bat in 2) and shouts "Tell her stay home!" After her mother announces she'll be coming to visit, Wilma begs Fred to make an effort to get along. So he reluctantly agrees, even saying to himself "I love my mother-in-law" over and over again. He picks her up at the airport and even tries to kiss her. Mrs. Slaghoople won't have any of that and slaps him with her purse! On the way home, Mrs. Slaghoople nags Fred about his driving and thinks he's "full of cactus juice." Then, a traffic cop stops them and asks if they're expecting a baby. Fred says yes and the officer leads them to the Bedrock Maternity Hospital. Fred leaves his mother-in-law there and comes home alone. Just minutes later, a furious Mrs. Slaghoople also arrives, ready to kill Fred! So Fred explains and apologizes. They shake hands and Wilma's mother crushes Fred's hand! Fred offers her his chair and the bigger steak. Just when Fred and Wilma think things are better between the 2, Fred trips over his mother-in-law's "big foot." She snaps "Why don't you watch where you're walking, you clumsy ox?!" The next day, Barney tells Fred about a great fight on TV. Fred says he missed it. "Wilma's mother doesn't like to watch other people fighting!" But that's not Fred's only concern. He wonders how they're going to afford a new crib for their baby. Since both Wilma and his boss don't want him to take 2 jobs, Fred rents a taxi cab and puts on a disguise with a mustache, a black vest and a nasally voice. Fred announces he's going out to "cruise around." Wilma's mother wants to know what he's doing and goes out looking for her "no good son-in-law." At that point, the taxi driver (really Fred) offers her a ride. He takes her on several bumpy roads to the Water Buffalo lodge, the pool hall (where she bets double or nothing on the parking meter he can't beat her at pool, and loses!) and the bowling alley (where she bets double or nothing he can't beat her at bowling, and again loses!). Finally, the "cab driver" takes her to the library. She bets double or nothing she won't find Fred there. So Fred removes his disguise and "reads" a parenting book. Mrs. Slaghoople is quite surprised and pays the "cab driver" the large amount. Since it's just enough for the crib, Fred retires the cab and the disguise and tells Barney, he "caught a nice fat pigeon!" The next day, Fred and his mother-in-law bury the hatchet, at least temporarily. When she sees Barney wearing Fred's "cab driver" disguise, she knows Fred was the cab driver and attacks him with a broom!
Trivia: Wilma has a new set of maternity clothes in this episode. Also, Verna Felton played the Queen Of Hearts in Alice In Wonderland, the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and a few feisty characters on I Love Lucy.
What I liked: I liked the plane announcer's voice (by Howard Morris)- it's deep and flamboyant on the intercom and gentle and nasally off the intercom! The cab fair meter has sand passing like an hour glass. And how can you help but love Fred's nasally voice as the cab driver? Also, Wilma was hilarious asking "You can hear Old Loud Who, Mother?... Oh, Old Loud Mouth!"
Unsolved mysteries: Wilma probably wonders what caused the feud between her mother and Fred to errupt again. Will she make Fred return the money? In this case, she would probably make Fred pay her back when they could afford to.
Final comments: This one is a classic, based on how Ralph Kramden got along with Alice's mother on The Honeymooners (that "blabbermouth!"). Oh yeah, try your best to get along with your in-laws, at least for your spouse's sake. 10 fat pigeons out of 10!
Plot synopsis: Fred comes home from work with a new present for their child- a baseball bat. Wilma prophetically asks "Supposing Junior turns out to be a little girl?" Fred has to think for a minute and with newfound hope, he replies "Great! She might make the big league!" Then their phone rings. It's Wilma's mother, much to Fred's chagrin (who beaks the bat in 2) and shouts "Tell her stay home!" After her mother announces she'll be coming to visit, Wilma begs Fred to make an effort to get along. So he reluctantly agrees, even saying to himself "I love my mother-in-law" over and over again. He picks her up at the airport and even tries to kiss her. Mrs. Slaghoople won't have any of that and slaps him with her purse! On the way home, Mrs. Slaghoople nags Fred about his driving and thinks he's "full of cactus juice." Then, a traffic cop stops them and asks if they're expecting a baby. Fred says yes and the officer leads them to the Bedrock Maternity Hospital. Fred leaves his mother-in-law there and comes home alone. Just minutes later, a furious Mrs. Slaghoople also arrives, ready to kill Fred! So Fred explains and apologizes. They shake hands and Wilma's mother crushes Fred's hand! Fred offers her his chair and the bigger steak. Just when Fred and Wilma think things are better between the 2, Fred trips over his mother-in-law's "big foot." She snaps "Why don't you watch where you're walking, you clumsy ox?!" The next day, Barney tells Fred about a great fight on TV. Fred says he missed it. "Wilma's mother doesn't like to watch other people fighting!" But that's not Fred's only concern. He wonders how they're going to afford a new crib for their baby. Since both Wilma and his boss don't want him to take 2 jobs, Fred rents a taxi cab and puts on a disguise with a mustache, a black vest and a nasally voice. Fred announces he's going out to "cruise around." Wilma's mother wants to know what he's doing and goes out looking for her "no good son-in-law." At that point, the taxi driver (really Fred) offers her a ride. He takes her on several bumpy roads to the Water Buffalo lodge, the pool hall (where she bets double or nothing on the parking meter he can't beat her at pool, and loses!) and the bowling alley (where she bets double or nothing he can't beat her at bowling, and again loses!). Finally, the "cab driver" takes her to the library. She bets double or nothing she won't find Fred there. So Fred removes his disguise and "reads" a parenting book. Mrs. Slaghoople is quite surprised and pays the "cab driver" the large amount. Since it's just enough for the crib, Fred retires the cab and the disguise and tells Barney, he "caught a nice fat pigeon!" The next day, Fred and his mother-in-law bury the hatchet, at least temporarily. When she sees Barney wearing Fred's "cab driver" disguise, she knows Fred was the cab driver and attacks him with a broom!
Trivia: Wilma has a new set of maternity clothes in this episode. Also, Verna Felton played the Queen Of Hearts in Alice In Wonderland, the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella and a few feisty characters on I Love Lucy.
What I liked: I liked the plane announcer's voice (by Howard Morris)- it's deep and flamboyant on the intercom and gentle and nasally off the intercom! The cab fair meter has sand passing like an hour glass. And how can you help but love Fred's nasally voice as the cab driver? Also, Wilma was hilarious asking "You can hear Old Loud Who, Mother?... Oh, Old Loud Mouth!"
Unsolved mysteries: Wilma probably wonders what caused the feud between her mother and Fred to errupt again. Will she make Fred return the money? In this case, she would probably make Fred pay her back when they could afford to.
Final comments: This one is a classic, based on how Ralph Kramden got along with Alice's mother on The Honeymooners (that "blabbermouth!"). Oh yeah, try your best to get along with your in-laws, at least for your spouse's sake. 10 fat pigeons out of 10!
