Stone Trek: A Flintstones And Star Trek Mashup That Captured The Internet's Heart

Back when the internet was still in its infancy, before the big studios realized there was serious money to be made online, a wave of creative people decided to take matters into their own hands. One of them was Brian Matthews, an animator, writer, and director who combined his love for two iconic shows—The Flintstones and Star Trek—to create the animated webseries Stone Trek. This quirky series brought together the Stone Age charm of Bedrock with the futuristic allure of space exploration, creating a delightful parody that resonated with fans.

From Inspiration to Creation: The Birth of Stone Trek

Brian Matthews’ idea for Stone Trek came from a simple yet brilliant thought: what if the Flintstones had their own version of Star Trek? “To me,” Brian explains, “it seemed like an obvious pairing. The Flintstones were always watching TV shows, and those shows usually involved two brutes hitting each other over the head with clubs. But I thought, surely there must be more to watch than just that! What if they had their own sci-fi series? That’s where Stone Trek was born. With the help of a few friends, we managed to bring this idea to life, and for a little while, I became somewhat famous in the webseries world.”

A Lifelong Passion for Animation and Sci-Fi

Brian’s love for animation and sci-fi started early. “When I was a kid,” he recalls, “I would draw Fred Flintstone all the time. My parents would ask me to draw him for friends and family, and that really stuck with me. I’ve always been drawn to the charm and humor of The Flintstones. At the same time, Star Trek was airing during the same era, and although I didn’t get to watch it much back then, it stayed with me through syndication. The idea of combining these two worlds had been brewing in my mind since the '70s and '80s. Eventually, as I gained experience in the industry and access to the right software, the timing felt perfect to bring Stone Trek to life.”

A Crew Fit for the Stone Age

In total, nine webisodes of Stone Trek were produced, set in the world of the Flintstones aboard the stoneship USS Magnetize. The crew included Captain James T. Kirkstone, Mr. Sprock, Leonard “Fossils” RcKoy, Montgomery “Shody” Shodd, Lt. Hikaru Silu, Pavel Chipov, and Christine Charcoal. These episodes weren’t just a nod to Star Trek—they also paid homage to other sci-fi franchises like Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey. “Most of the episodes were two-parters,” Brian explains, “and one was even a music video parody. It was ridiculous, and that was exactly the point.”