The Great Gazoo is a tiny, green, floating alien who was exiled to Earth from his home planet Zetox as punishment for having invented a doomsday machine, a weapon of immense destructive power. His invention was a button which if pressed would destroy the universe in an explosive "ZAM," though he insists he made it on a whim with no intent of using it. Gazoo was discovered by Fred and Barney when his flying saucer crashed; Gazoo recognizes Fred and Barney's world as prehistoric Earth, implying Zetox banished him through time as well as space. Due to the terms of his exile, he was required to do good deeds for whoever found him first, putting him reluctantly under Fred and Barney's command. Gazoo refers to Fred and Barney as "dumb dumbs" and constantly causes problems for them. He can materialize and dematerialize objects, teleport, freeze time, travel through time and perform other remarkable feats but when he attempts to help out Fred and Barney, he usually ends up causing even more trouble. The only people who are able to see Gazoo are Fred, Barney and the children; animals also can see him. A running gag is that Fred argues with Gazoo while Wilma believes that he is talking to himself. When their daughter, Pebbles, says "Gazoo", Wilma thinks Pebbles is sneezing. The plot point regarding Gazoo trying to return home is never resolved because of the cancellation of the original series. The character does not appear, nor is he referred to, in the immediate series follow-up The Man Called Flintstone or any of the later spin-off TV series or animated movies.
Reception
Because Gazoo is introduced into the show midway through the final season and is considered by some to be an absurd character who alters the premise and dynamic of the show, he is often cited by fans and critics of the show as being an example of the show's having "jumped the shark." In all, Gazoo appeared in 11 episodes.
Other appearances
Apart from the original TV series, he appears in many commercials for Pebbles Cereal. One particular one for Fruity Pebblescerealcommercial had him as part of a promotion for a contest where consumers would have to try to find boxes of all-orange cereal pieces, and more recently has become the mascot for Marshmallow Mania Pebbles cereal. He is also a character in Flintstones vitamins, and is a central character in the 1991 video game .
In "Pavement", an episode of Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, the Great Gazoo makes a cameo appearance. After being introduced, he says the catchphrase "Toodle-loo, dum-dums!" and disappears.
The Great Gazoo had a major role in the second live-action film, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, which was a prequel, where he is played by Alan Cumming. Instead of being sent to Earth as punishment, he has to study humanity's mating habits because he is the most expendable of his people. In this appearance, he is portrayed in more positive tone as a supporting protagonist who serves as an ally to Fred and Barney.
The Great Gazoo appears in the video game '. Harvey Korman returned to voice him for this game.
Charlton Comics published a comic book focusing on the character. The title ran for 20 issues, from August 1973 through January 1977.
The Great Gazoo is referenced in The Simpsons episode "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase", a metafictional episode looking at alleged future developments in the series that would never come to pass, which include Ozmodiar, a floating green alien that only Homer could see. Ozmodiar eventually appeared in The Simpsons episode "HOMR".
The Great Gazoo appears in the Family Guy episode "Wasted Talent".
Gazoo appeared in a sketch about Fred and Barney trying to enter a nightclub in Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy.
Culture writer Nathan Rabin has theorized in his The A.V. Club column that Marlon Brando's late career was heavily influenced by The Great Gazoo advising him.
Gazoo's latest appearance was in Yabba-Dabba Dinosaurs, in the episode "Alien vs. Pebbles". In this episode he first appears disguised as a mysterious futuristic alien creature who zapped the dinosaurs with his bubbles laser, only to transport them to his spaceship jail. Only at the end of the episode he is revealed to be The Great Gazoo, who only wanted to examine the prehistoric creatures.
