10 Most Groundbreaking TV Episodes Ever

Historic Impact: Serio-Comedy Invades Cartoons

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera (most famously remembered under the portmanteau of Hanna-Barbera) were almost singularly responsible for the Golden Age of cartoons in the 60s. Children and adults alike knew and loved The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Johnny Quest, Scooby Doo, and The Flintstones. Those cartoons are all iconic in their wholesome, familial appeal.

What folks may not recall about The Flintstones, however, is just how dark things could get in Bedrock. "Little Bamm-Bamm" is perhaps the oddest example of the cartoon diverting from its real life inspirations (The Honeymooners) to yabba-dabba-dabble in some truly black comedy.

It's not subtle, either. The central premise of the episode is that Barney and Betty Rubble are unable to have children. This was the first time infertility was discussed openly on a sitcom, and it happened in Bedrock of all places.

The sadness this poor couple experiences in first not being able to conceive a child and then, later on, not being able to adopt a child is heart-wrenching. The Rubbles break down into tears on more than one occasion, and Barney even attempts suicide after Child Services intervenes to take Bamm-Bamm away.

It's all played for laughs, of course, but the way these uneasy, real life issues intermingle into the animated world opened up some room for future cartoons to act a bit more seriously.