Hey, if we could do “Rollerball” opposite the Super Bowl, we can do “The Munsters”(1964-66) opposite the World Series!
I hope you’ll join us during commercial breaks on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner, when the Phillies face off against the Astros, as we throw out the first pitch on Halloween weekend with a salute to the classic TV series. What’s more, for the third year in a row, we’ll be joined by Mike and Marybeth of SciFi Distilled.
For anyone weaned on the black-and-white Universal Pictures monster movies of the 1930s and ‘40s, “The Munsters” was line-drive entertainment for much of its two-season run; but the streak was finally stopped short by the saturated color camp of “Batman.” Even so, Herman, Lily, Eddie, Marilyn, and Grandpa rose again in syndication, as a staple of afterschool television during the 1970s and ‘80s, and they’re still flitting around on cable, on stations like Cozi TV.
Revisiting “The Munsters” is very cozy indeed. Sure, it’s the same old schtick – generally, someone trying to get over on the residents of 1313 Mockingbird Lane, or the guileless Herman trying to perform a selfless act – either of which invariably culminates with anyone outside the family fleeing the macabre mansion – but that’s what makes it cozy.
There are two kinds of jokes: jokes that are funny because the punchline comes out of nowhere; and jokes where you see the punchline coming from a mile away, but still experience a kind of satisfaction in seeing it land. “The Munsters” made a specialty of the latter. In a pinch, Al Lewis could spin comedy out of the most gossamer of situations.
The cast was ably supported by a bullpen of veteran character actors, comedians, and familiar faces of classic television, such as Foster Brooks, Charlie Callas, John Carradine, Richard Deacon, Dom DeLuise, John Fiedler, Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington, Harvey Korman, Paul Lynde, Gavin MacLeod, Gary Owens, Don Rickles, Charlie Ruggles, Dick Wilson, and Jane Withers, among others, and an omnipresent, chortling laugh-track.
A subversive take on the wholesome American sitcom family from the writers of “Rocky and Bullwinkle” and the creators of “Leave It to Beaver,” “The Munsters” provides ample material for in-between-plays World Series chatter.
The hosts and guests will be in costume – with spooky libations, for when the Phils score (or not) – on the next “Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner.” Bring your hexes to the comments section. Grandpa will be in the dungeon, working on a potion to bury the Astros, this Friday evening at 7:30 EDT!
