How ‘The Munsters’ Rose From the Dead After the Original Show
Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world, nothing can be certain except death and taxes.” Had he existed a century later, he might have included TV shows getting cancelled prematurely. While some gain a cult following after they’ve been axed, most are relegated to the endless void of forgotten series. However, every once in a while, a doomed series defies the odds and becomes an unforgettable classic. While rare, a handful of shows have accomplished this feat and remain some of the most popular in the history of television. Among these lucky few are Gilligan’s Island and “America’s first family of fright,” The Munsters.
Despite only lasting two seasons on NBC, The Munsters has remained a cultural icon. Originally a rating’s darling, the show would falter in numbers before being cancelled. But what should have been the end of the monstrous yet lovable family’s story was only the beginning. From sequels, reunions, spin-offs, and even the silver screen, the residents of 1313 Mocking Bird Lane continue to be popular to this day.
‘The Munsters’ Was a Huge Hit During Its First Season
According to the documentary, The Munsters: America’s First Family of Fright, Universal Studios became interested in capitalizing on its catalog of Classic Monsters after televised presentations once again made the iconic films popular. Leave it to Beaver creators, Joe Connelly and Bob Masher were brought in and solidified the concept for the show, which follows the daily ventures of Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne), a kindly suburban father type with a Frankenstein’s Monster twist, and his wife Lily (Yvonne De Carlo), a beautiful and motherly vampire. Also residing in the Munster family mansion is Eddie (Butch Patrick), mad scientist, Grandpa (Al Lewis), and Marilyn (Beverly Owen/Pat Priest), Herman and Lily’s surprisingly human niece. Despite their horror-based appearances, the characters resonated with audiences.
Per the documentary, the show was a massive hit when it debuted in 1964. And, while the show’s quirky nature may have been responsible for the initial appeal, it was the relatability with which viewers connected.The stories weren’t larger than life, and reflected the reality of American suburbs at the time. Herman and Lily were just ordinary people who happened to look a little different, raising a respectable family. While parents could relate to their triumphs and struggles, the documentary says that kids really related to Eddie. The show even tackled important social issues, albeit metaphorically.
The Munstershas long been credited with being an allegory for the prejudice and segregation that was prevalent in 1960s America. Even though they were a warm and loving family, neighbors, doctors, and mail people all feared and judged them harshly, based solely on their appearance. It was a clever way to challenge the country’s thinking at the time and made the show feel even more real, and added to its viewership. However, the show’s glory days would be surprisingly short-lived.
‘The Munsters’ Season 2 Waned in Popularity
Following the show’s massively successful first season, The Munsters returned for a second season in the fall of 1965. However, there was a noticeable difference in the show’s quality. The plots became more outlandish, and leaned more into the fantastical side of the characters, rather than being focused on the day-to-day of their everyday living. Stories that included Grandpa turning into a wolf and Herman competing in a rodeo hurt the show’s relationship with viewers, according to the documentary, but the show’s steep decline in numbers wasn’t solely quality-based, as Season 2 now shared its timeslot with some stiff competition. As MeTV states, ABC debuted what would become the iconic Batman series, starring Adam West. Broadcast in full color, Batman was a massive critical and ratings hit, quickly pulling away The Munsters’ audience. The documentary states that the producers of The Munsters tried to counter the caped crusader by promising new and exciting characters, but the show would never get to execute many of said plans, as the show was cancelled in May of 1966. But the producers weren’t done with the frightful family just yet. They had plans to bring the characters to a much larger screen.
‘The Munsters’ Found Success in Other Mediums
Following the cancellation of the weekly series, producers of The Munsters planned to introduce the characters to an international audience, and they set-out to do so in the biggest way possible: With a full-length theatrical film. According to MeTV, Munsters, Go Home began shooting shortly after production wrapped on the show. Presented in full color, it was the first time fans would get to see the world of The Munsters in all its technicolor glory. Nearly the entire main cast returned for the movie, except for Pat Priest. As stated in the documentary, Priest was interested in continuing to play Marilyn but was sadly replaced with Debbie Watson for age-related reasons. The film follows the Munster family as they leave the comfort of their home for a manor they’ve inherited in England. The zany story pulls out all the stops (even including a direct reference to Batman), culminating in a comically intense car race that sees Herman in a pimped-out ride called the DRAG-U-LA. Eddie Munster actor, Butch Patrick, told the documentary’s makers that shooting the film was bitter/sweet as the cast realized it would be the last time they would be together… However, it turned out to be far from the last.
In February 1981, America was invited back to the iconic Munster house with another full-length film, The Munsters’ Revenge. Airing on television this time, the picture saw the return of Gwynne, De Carlo, and Lewis, joined by yet another new Marilyn (Jo McDonnell) and a new Eddie (K.C. Martel). New characters, including the Phantom of the Opera (Bob Hastings) were also introduced, with the hopes the film would be well received enough to act as a backdoor pilot and restart the series. However, as Al Lewis explained in America’s First Family of Fright, the film was scheduled to air against the annual televised presentation of The Wizard of Oz. It was a case similar to Batman, The Munsters’ Revenge couldn’t stand up against the classic. Yet, this still wasn’t the end.
The Munsters received a full-fledged reboot just a few years later with 1988’s The Munsters Today. The first to not feature the original cast, the show caught up with the Munsters two decades after the original show and revealed they had fallen into a deep sleep following one of Grandpa’s experiments going awry. The revival lasted three seasons before being cancelled. While it was the last Munsters property set in the original show’s universe, it was eventually followed by one of the most touching projects yet.
Made for TV, Here Come the Munsters was another movie-based franchise reboot. While original Herman Munster, Fred Gwynne, had sadly passed, Lewis, De Carlo, Patrick, and Priest all returned for a touching cameo. This time in human form, they are seen having lunch together, and their waiter is none other than Herman Munster (Edward Herrmann). The film was followed by The Munsters’ Scary Little Christmas. It would be the last entry in the franchise for quite some time, but syndicated re-runs and physical media helped keep the characters in the public consciousness. But, like any good monsters, the Munsters wouldn’t stay dead for long. Rob Zombie’s film adaptation of the series debuted on Netflix in 2022. And, in May of 2024, James Wan, the horror genius behind M3gan and The Conjuring Universe, revealed he is hard at work on a whole new vision for the iconic family. It seems the lovable family of monsters still have quite a future ahead of them.
It’s rather baffling to think how short The Munsters’ run was when considering the life it’s since had. From movies to reboots to sequels, the frightfully fun family has had more life following the original series’ cancellation. Even all these years later, it is being actively readapted for future generations, ensuring the lovable residents of 1313 will continue to haunt audiences for years to come.