The Munsters vs The Addams Family?

[Emelee]

I'm not sure if I've even seen The Munsters. I voted for The Addams simply because it's more iconic.

My mom taught me a Swedish novelty song with the Addams Family theme song and snapping of fingers when I was a kid. About a money in the jungle who couldn't burp and therefore had a tummy ache.

 

[Sarah]

Munsters for sure. So funny.

 

[Seaviewer]

Well, no, every prime time show that hadn't already made the switch color had to by the fall of 1966. So ADDAMS and MUNSTERS would have followed suit had they been renewed for a third year.

I think their ratings had slipped a little in their second year, but in the '60s a lot of shows got cancelled for weird corporate reasons that didn't make sense while lower rated series were sometimes renewed.

That was pretty much my point. In any case, you've answered you own question there.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

That was pretty much my point. In any case, you've answered you own question there.

No, I meant should they have run longer...

 

[ClassyCo]

They were each Top 30 shows their first seasons, the Addamses at #23 and the Munsters at #18. The Nielsen ratings charts signal that each show fell out of the Top 30 in their sophomore seasons, all though it's a toss-up as to whether they were winning their time slots or not. (I haven't found the information to be precise.)

I think it would have been interesting to see them each in color, and really in color, not these colorized attempts. Maybe the networks felt that type of satirical black humor had simply ran its course, and therefore pulled their plugs. If they had of went to color, I'd almost bet that we wouldn't be discussing if it should have switched, but instead how it changed when it switched.

It would have, as I theorize, brought forth a Andy Griffith-type situation, debating the pre- and post-B&W episodes, especially if the each had two B&W and two color seasons. Aside from the shows being different simply because their in color, I can't help but think they'd tweak something else and the feel of the show would have shifted.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

They were each Top 30 shows their first seasons, the Addamses at #23 and the Munsters at #18. The Nielsen ratings charts signal that each show fell out of the Top 30 in their sophomore seasons, all though it's a toss-up as to whether they were winning their time slots or not. (I haven't found the information to be precise.)

I think it would have been interesting to see them each in color, and really in color, not these colorized attempts. Maybe the networks felt that type of satirical black humor had simply ran its course, and therefore pulled their plugs. If they had of went to color, I'd almost bet that we wouldn't be discussing if it should have switched, but instead how it changed when it switched.

It would have, as I theorize, brought forth a Andy Griffith-type situation, debating the pre- and post-B&W episodes, especially if the each had two B&W and two color seasons. Aside from the shows being different simply because their in color, I can't help but think they'd tweak something else and the feel of the show would have shifted.

Oh, certainly. In the case of ANDY GRIFFITH, the tone shifted for various reasons, including from the introduction of color. The show became "loud" in a late-'60s TV way, and Andy became more abrasive, in contrast to the ghostly serenity of the B&W early-'60s years.

We had the 1966 movie MUNSTERS GO HOME to give us a sense of what MUNSTERS in color would look like. With color stills from the set of ADDAMS we see that wallpaper in the living room was blood red, certainly some that never "read" on camera in B&W.

 

[Seaviewer]

The disappointing 1977 reunion move Halloween with the New Addams Family was shot in colour (on videotape sadly) so that gives some idea as well.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

The disappointing 1977 reunion move Halloween with the New Addams Family was shot in colour (on videotape sadly) so that gives some idea as well.

Yes, I posted that in Post #15, although the closing song is wonderful and ought to be dredged up and become a Halloween standard.

 

[supermanfan]

I love the Addams family and have the box set!

 

[Grant Jennings]

Though I enjoy both shows, I prefer The Addams Family over The Munsters, I think the writing and overall tone of the series is better. I also appreciate that the Addams are arguably one of the most functional, loving and supportive families in the history of television.

I'm not sure color would have enhanced either series; black & white suits them. I know Charles Addams did color illustrations but a lot of his work was in black & white. I've read that The Munsters was inspired by Universal Studios' classic horror films which were all filmed in black & white so it seems appropriate for the show to be too. The two live action Addams Family films were in color but the production design wisely kept their costumes and home mostly black & white, it was when they were outside their domain ("Debbie, pastels?!") that more color was used.

I wonder about the choice of the pink-red damask wallpaper; I don't know that they chose it for its true color or how it would appear in black & white. I've seen color photos of the sets from Bewitched's black & white seasons and there is red damask wallpaper which was not used when the show switched to color and the sets were redecorated.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Though I enjoy both shows, I prefer The Addams Family over The Munsters, I think the writing and overall tone of the series is better. I also appreciate that the Addams are arguably one of the most functional, loving and supportive families in the history of television.

I'm not sure color would have enhanced either series; black & white suits them. I know Charles Addams did color illustrations but a lot of his work was in black & white. I've read that The Munsters was inspired by Universal Studios' classic horror films which were all filmed in black & white so it seems appropriate for the show to be too. The two live action Addams Family films were in color but the production design wisely kept their costumes and home mostly black & white, it was when they were outside their domain ("Debbie, pastels?!") that more color was used.

I wonder about the choice of the pink-red damask wallpaper; I don't know that they chose it for its true color or how it would appear in black & white. I've seen color photos of the sets from Bewitched's black & white seasons and there is red damask wallpaper which was not used when the show switched to color and the sets were redecorated.

Oh, yes, ghostly B&W suits them, but they would have been forced to make the switch to color in the fall of '66 as per industry standards at the time. I just wonder how it would have shifted the tone of both shows had it happened.

 

[Seaviewer]

I wonder about the choice of the pink-red damask wallpaper; I don't know that they chose it for its true color or how it would appear in black & white.

I was wondering about that, myself. For example, I understand that George Reeves's Superman costume in the black and white episodes was actually in shades of brown for better contrast, and Harpo Marx's wig, which had been red on stage, was changed to blond on film because it stood out better.

 

[ClassyCo]

The switch to color, as I theorize, would have softened the shows. Their gloomy, classic horror film-type look would have been shredded. The color transition would have, I think, shifted the shows towards a more typical sitcomish endeavor and the oddities and quirks would have been de-emphasized. Eventually, they would have only looked different from mainstream America, and their quirks would have become archetypal and stale.

 

[ClassyCo]

I still like THE ADDAMS FAMILY better than I do THE MUNSTERS. The latter is basically a typical family sitcom with a family of monsters. Yvonne De Carlo even said once that she was told to play Lily Munster "just like Donna Reed". Odd, though, that THE MUNSTERS got slightly better Nielsen numbers during its first season.

THE MUNSTERS originally had an actress named Joan Marshall as "Phoebe", the original name for the Munster family matriarch. She gave a subtle, almost spooky kind of performance in the unaired pilot episode (which was originally shot in color, but later reissued in more "cost cautious" B&W because the network worried the show wouldn't sell). Marshall's portrayal of Phoebe was deemed "too similar" to Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams, and Yvonne De Carlo was brought in as a replacement. Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis originally didn't want De Carlo on the show, but later complimented her comedic performance.

BELOW: Joan Marshall as "Phoebe" and Carolyn Jones as "Morticia"



I think CBS and ABC both felt THE MUNSTERS and THE ADDAMS FAMILY had ran their course by 1966. The ratings for both shows had dipped and the decision was made that it was simply time to move on to other things. THE MUNSTERS, in particular, faced stiff competition from BATMAN during the 1965-66 season, with critics complaining that the Mockingbird Lane crew looked "deathly pale" in comparison to the cape crusaders.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY has been more present in popular culture since its cancellation (in my mind anyway). It's theme song alone is iconic and its theatrical movies in the '90s fueled its popularity.​

 

[Crimson]

I prefer THE MUNSTERS over THE ADDAMS FAMILY, although it's a pretty thin margin of preference. My like and dislike of both is close to on par.

While I think ADDAMS has a better main trio cast, I think MUNSTERS is a funnier show; its vaudevillian goofiness is heartier than ADDAMS' wryness. Plus I think the basic joke of THE MUNSTERS has aged better. Monsters are still, well, monsters, but a "kooky" family just doesn't seem that kooky 60 years later. I see weirder people at Wal-Mart. (Well, except for the disembodied hand ...)

 

[DallasFanForever]

I was a big Munsters fan. Herman was such an iconic character imo. The Addams Family really didn’t do much for me, and I didn’t find it nearly as fun or entertaining. I didn’t hate it, but for me The Munsters was the clear choice.

 

[Crimson]

Should both these shows have gone to color for the fall of '66 in order to get in a third or even fourth season?

I can't think of any two shows more dependent on being in B&W. Most sitcoms that transitioned to color in the 60s ended up adopting an abrasive, garish tone. That would have been a very poor match for the droll, delicate ADDAM'S FAMILY. THE MUNSTERS was a silly show, but it didn't look silly. When in color, for the theatrical film MUNSTERS GO HOME, then it looked silly too: actors in silly makeup on chintzy sets.

Better they both ended early than turn to dreck. Plus, they were both basically one joke shows and those jokes were pretty exhausted after two seasons.

 

[Chris2]

I can't think of any two shows more dependent on being in B&W.

I’d put “The Fugitive” (film noir for television) and ”Combat” (the WWII war drama) in that category, too. In the case of these two shows, they both did have one final color season in 1966-67. The atmosphere of Combat was wrecked by color - it just seemed artificial. And The Fugitive’s film noir tone was wiped away in its final season.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I can't think of any two shows more dependent on being in B&W. Most sitcoms that transitioned to color in the 60s ended up adopting an abrasive, garish tone. That would have been a very poor match for the droll, delicate ADDAM'S FAMILY. THE MUNSTERS was a silly show, but it didn't look silly. When in color, for the theatrical film MUNSTERS GO HOME, then it looked silly too: actors in silly makeup on chintzy sets.

Better they both ended early than turn to dreck. Plus, they were both basically one joke shows and those jokes were pretty exhausted after two seasons.

The switch to color would absolutely change them from noir to Halloweenishness .

 

[ClassyCo]

I'd agree that both THE MUNSTERS and THE ADDAMS FAMILY were very dependent on being in B&W to be successful. They relied heavily on that Universal classic horror movie feel to make it, especially THE MUNSTERS. Had either gone to color, it would've erased whatever "believability" each show had. I'd argue that B&W made the Munsters and the Addamses seem somehow more "normal" and therefore not quite as inane or silly as they could've been. It grounded them... as grounded as a TV comedy could be about out-of-this-world-type characters and families.

There was someone somewhere that was watching remastering some of THE ADDAMS FAMILY in color. There was a blog or something I saw about it on Facebook once. I'll be perfectly honest and say that it intrigued me. Of course, I knew the episodes wouldn't be as effective in color, but I still wanted to see them. I've yet to see the colorized episodes (if they're even any out there), but I've seen stills and I've pasted a few of those below.

The colorized versions of THE ADDAMS FAMILY make the episodes look more like a Halloween special rather than a gothic TV series.



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