While surveying the site of some ancient ruins, two young archaeologists, Derek and Margo, and their nomad friend Moki, find themselves trapped and sinking in a whirling pool of sand. And when the dust settles, they stare up in awe at a vast chamber, filled with giant relics and artifacts from another civilisation…And there, at the far end of a cavern, a door with a strange inscription! ‘All who enter these portals pass…through…time!’[1]
HANNA-BARBARA’S
GREATEST ADVENTURES:
THE FLINTSTONES:
THE TREASURE OF SIERRA MADROCK
MARGO: Where are we? It looks like we’re in a clandestine gathering…of men…in a cave. The strong scent of manliness; it’s almost too much for a woman to handle. Quick Derek, tell us what this is before I pass out!
DEREK: Hmmm…they appear to be cavemen, Margo, and judging from their common headdress, I’d say you’re right. This *is* a clandestine gathering of men, perhaps the earliest incarnation of the Freemasonry.
MOKI: All I know is I want one of those funny hats! Look at those horns! Is that blue cotton candy it’s made of? Mmm…cotton candy!
MARGO: I believe it’s called ‘fairy floss’ in parts of the British Commonwealth–
DEREK: Quiet Margo, Moki! It looks like the leader’s about to say something!…He says he’s the Grand Poobah, and he’s retiring.
MARGO: I wonder who will become the new–
DEREK: Wait! There’s more…he says whoever finds the Treasure of Sierra Madrock will become the new Grand Poobah!
MOKI: Treasure?!! What are we waiting for?! That hat looks delicious, let’s go!!
DEREK: Not so fast, my nomad friend. We can’t interfere with the timeline.
MARGO: Why not? It’s never stopped us befo–
DEREK: SHHHHHHHHH!! It looks like we already have two volunteers, one who calls himself Fred Flintstone and his short companion, Barney Rubble.
MOKI: Oooh! I saw them on TV one time!
DEREK: Don’t be silly Moki, this is real life, not a cartoon! And besides, you don’t even have TV where you come from!
MARGO: Actually, this *is* a cartoon, and Fred and Barney are from the studio next doo–
DEREK: SHHHHHHHHH!! There’s no time to waste! We have to follow them!
MARGO: Will you stop interrupting everyone, you jerk?!
DEREK: Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that, what was it you were saying, Margo? Try speaking into my other ear in future.
MARGO: Sorry, never mind…
DEREK: Good. Well there’s no time to waste! Let’s go!
MOKI: Yippee!
MARGO: It looks like they’re taking turns rolling some kind of six-sided rock, with Arabic numerals on it…
DEREK: That would be a primitive die, Margo – not to be confused with its plural, ‘dice’ – and they’re rolling to decide which area they’ll go to.
MOKI: Ooh, craps! Can I play?
DEREK: No need for profanity, Moki! Besides, we all know that craps is a game of two “dice”.
MARGO: This is strange…my notes say the Flintstones were a modern Stone Age family, but there’s nothing ‘modern’ about this at all – no cranes; no insinkerators; no nothing. Fred’s just running and jumping around the jungle like a primordial wonder, clubbing every dinosaur in sight!
MOKI: DINOSAURS?!! Help!
MARGO: Oh, Moki! Whatever will we do with you?
MOKI: But, but!–
DEREK: What on Earth! That Flintstone character just died, but now he’s back at it again!
MARGO: There he died again! But he keeps getting up and going for it!
DEREK: He’s not getting very far, though. At this rate, we’ll never see the Treasure of Sierra Madrock!
MARGO: And that means…
MOKI: No blue cotton candy hat for Moki! Hurry Fred, hurry!
MARGO: It seems Fred is being resurrected against his will. He doesn’t want to go on, but some one or some *thing* keeps dragging him out of the dirt. And look at that HUD! Derek, I have reason to believe we are in a video game of some k–
DEREK: Oh, don’t be silly, Margo! Dinosaurs; cavemen – what more proof do you need that this is…haha, come on, Moki, what did you do with Fred’s–
MARGO: TAAAAAKE THAT!!
DEREK: *OOF!*
MARGO: AAAAAND THIS!!
DEREK: *AGHHHH!!*
DEREK: …
MARGO: Was “club” the word you were looking for? Oh, I’m sorry, did I just YELL INTO THE WRONG EAR?!
DEREK: *UFF!*
MARGO: That oughta teach you not to interrupt my sentences, Know-it-all Jerk! Come on Moki, let’s go home…
MOKI: Yahoo!