The Munsters

Credit where credit is due: Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo and Al Lewis are what keep you coming back to the Munsters. Yes, the look of the show (Universal Horror all the way) is great, the writing often clever, the numerous sight gags usually entertaining. But if you didn't have good (very good) acting from the leads this show would have tanked.

Boiled down, the Munsters is a typical family sitcom in a bizarre setting. And while most of the episodes are fun, if feather-light, it didn't take long until the first clunker (#14: Grandpa Leaves Home). And that wasn't the last one but, thankfully, it's in the minority. The reason, again, is that Herman, Lily and Grandpa (along with the kids and numerous guest star appearances) are, frankly, endearing. You become so fond of them that some episodes actually become touching (Happy 100th Anniversary).

Only 70 episodes but that was about the limit of what you could crank out without it becoming painful. Too many sitcoms run on past their welcome. This one managed not to.

Being only 27 years old I was not around when this series was actually being made but I remember watching this series in the eighties when I was around 9-12 years old. I remember enjoying every minute of it.

The catchy theme tune, the spooky house, the dinosaur under the stairs, Grandpa's experiments and the brilliant central performance from Fred Gwynne all added up to a terrific half hour comedy.

Watching it ten years on it seems a little more cheesy than I first remember it to be - but it is one of those shows I will always fondly remember.

This show can easily be dismissed as being so stupid it's funny, but there's more to it than just obvious jokes with a laugh track. The cast was fabulous but also talented; many having Hollywood careers or television experience prior to the show. Look at all the reincarnations (sorry) of the show and then compare the cast to the original set. No contest. Also the sets and costumes were really cool, who doesn't like Granpa's dungeon or their telephone "booth" or the Munstermobile? Some of the story lines were hilarious but my person favorite is "A House Divided." The only regret I have is that it didn't go on for one more season, who knows, maybe it would have been in ghoulish color!

Although I liked the Addams Family quite a bit, the Munsters were it for me. Let's face it, grandpa make the show: without him a lot of the flavor would have been lost. I felt that he should have been on much more than he was. Marilyn, on the other hand, could have completely disappeared and I would never have noticed. Of course, the entire cast was great, the jokes were side splittingly corny, and the atmosphere of the house was nice and spooky.

My all-time favorite sitcoms would start with The Honeymooners and find room for (in no particular order): Seinfeld, Cheers, Taxi, Beverly Hillbillies, Dick Van Dyke, and The Munsters would be in the mix.

Superb writing (it worked as a young kid and it still works for me today), amusing plots, great family dynamics and a terrific, multi-faceted performance by the late, great Fred Gwynne. Hwerman Munster was at once truly monstrous in size and appearance, yet vain, vulnerable, goofy and baby-ish. Just a wonderful, lovable character who was well assisted by Lily and Grandpa. Eddie was okay, and Marilyn superfluous, and the occasional guest characters were almost always very good. Great fun that stands up beautifully about 40 years later --I'm getting old1