Ep 25. In the Dough

In the Dough is the twenty-fifth episode of the iconic animated series, The Flintstones. It originally aired on March 15, 1961, making it one of the earliest episodes of the show's first season.

The episode begins with Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble participating in a contest on a TV game show called "Win Fred Flintstone's Money." The prize for the contest is a year's supply of groceries. However, Fred feels extremely confident that he will win the game and decides to bet all his savings on himself. In the end, Fred loses the contest, and as a result, he and his family are left with little to no food at home.

Desperate to feed his family, Fred decides to take matters into his own hands and enlists Barney's help to bake and sell their own bread. However, the two soon realize that baking bread is harder than they thought, especially when their efforts are constantly interrupted by their children and their nosy neighbor, Mrs. Slate.

Despite the challenges, Fred and Barney continue to bake and sell their bread, but their prices are too high for most people to afford. To make matters worse, they are eventually discovered by a health inspector who threatens to shut down their operation if they don't comply with his strict regulations. Nonetheless, Fred and Barney refuse to give up and manage to find a way to outsmart the health inspector and continue their bread-making business.

The episode's plot is straightforward but provides ample opportunity for the show's trademark humor and wit. The contrast between modern-day technology and the prehistoric setting is always a source of amusement – in this episode, for instance, the characters watch a TV show on a device that resembles a bird cage, and their only form of transportation is a stone car powered by the characters' own feet.

One of the strengths of The Flintstones lies in its affable characters, and In the Dough is no exception. Fred Flintstone is depicted as a hardworking and determined father who will stop at nothing to provide for his family. Barney Rubble, on the other hand, is the quintessential sidekick, always willing to lend a helping hand to his friend.

Another notable aspect of the episode is its representation of the women in the show. While most female characters in the series are stay-at-home moms who do the household chores, Mrs. Slate is portrayed as an independent businesswoman who runs her own grocery store. Her character subverts gender norms and provides a refreshing change to the show's often male-dominated cast.

Overall, In the Dough is a fun and entertaining episode of The Flintstones that showcases the show's enduring appeal. Its themes of hard work, determination, and friendship are timeless, and its humor still manages to elicit laughs over sixty years later. Fans of the show will undoubtedly enjoy this episode, which captures the essence of what makes The Flintstones such an iconic piece of television history.