Roughly 50 years after the first episode of “The Jetsons” premiered, fans are gearing up to celebrate the birth of George Jetson, which according to lore, is July 31, 2022. But is that really his birthday?
On Thursday, a hawk-eyed fan pointed out that “someone is about to give birth” to the show’s main character, via a fan site listing the family patriarch’s exact birthdate.
The animated sitcom created by William Hannah and Joseph Barbera took place in the 21st century. Although no mention to a specific year was ever made in the show, promotional materials and articles from the time explained that it was set exactly 100 years in the future, according to MeTV.
Further evidence can be found in the episode “Test Pilot,” which aired Dec. 30, 1962. When Jetson’s doctor tells him he “should live to be 150,” he replies, “I’ve got 110 good years ahead of me!” – making him 40 years old.
The arrival of Jetson’s birthday six decades after “The Jetsons” debuted on ABC feels strangely fitting for a classic ’60s animated series that envisioned us all living in outer space by 2022.
If that makes you feel old, you’re not alone. In light of the news, the internet has been reflecting on their feelings about the show and how they wished reality mirrored its version of the future.
“This information about George Jetson’s birthday has me going through the five stages of a midlife crisis,” tweeted one user. “I hope Robot maids are invented soon.”
“Me and the boys on our way to witness the birth of George Jetson,” wrote another.
User Melody Kramer pointed out that George Jetson shares a birthday with another extremely famous fictional character: Harry Potter.
Starring George O’Hanlon, Janet Waldo, Mel Blanc, Penny Singleton, Daws Butler, Don Messick, Jean Vander Pyl, Frank Welker and Howard Morris, “The Jetsons” initially ran from 1962-1963 before it was revived in 1985 for 51 more episodes. It was the first show ABC broadcast in color. In 1990, Hanna-Barbera directed “The Jetsons: The Movie,” and since then, the character have made appearances in shows and films like “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”
