I was almost 11 when both "The Munsters" and "Addams Family" had their debut in 1964. To put these shows in perspective is to realize that this year marks the beginning of an era of non-conformity and social turbulence. "The Munsters" was about a family that always thought of itself as "normal" and average middle class, but was shunned and feared by not only their neighbors, but just about everyone they came in contact with, because of their non-conformity. "Addams Family" was fun too, but this non-conformist family was wealthy, eccentric and felt they were better than their neighbors. I always favored "The Munsters" for its slapstick play between Herman and Grampa, its broken-down haunted house look, their "ugly ducking" niece, Marilyn, Grandpa's bumbling spells and their fabulous dragster, among other things. The shows were always well-written and I still laugh at the double-meanings used during their jokes. One of my favorite episodes is "Autumn Croakus", where Grampa's mail-order bride, the Black Widow, asks Lily if they have any other relatives living there. Lily: "No, they're all dead." Black Widow: "Oh, that's a shame. They're all deceased?" Lily (poker-faced):"No, just dead." When the Black Widow is captured by the police after fleeing when she meets Herman, the police talk to Marilyn. Policeman (laughing): "She believes you have a monster in your house..." Marilyn (incredulous): "Monster? There's nobody in that house but my family!" When Herman accidently gets into the Black Widow's bed and they both wake up, staring at each other, Herman's hysterical screaming, along with the lady's, is hilarious. In "Love Locked Out", as Lily fumes when Herman stays out late at an office party, the smart-alecky raven in the clock gives the time, "It's midnight...and the bum's not home yet!!!" If "The Munsters" ever becomes available on DVD, I will be one of the first to order it.
Review of The Munsters
