The Munsters Today

The Munsters Today
Main title card
Genre Sitcom
Directed by Norman Abbott
Bob Claver
Bonnie Franklin[1]
Peter Isacksen
Marlene Laird
Lee Lochhead
Russ Petranto
Scott Redman
Doug Rogers
Starring John Schuck
Lee Meriwether
Howard Morton
Jason Marsden
Hilary Van Dyke
Theme music composer Jack Marshall
Composer(s) Bill Fulton
Larry Groupé
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 73
Production
Executive producer(s) Arthur L. Annecharico
Bryan Joseph
Lloyd J. Schwartz
Producer(s) Bryan Joseph
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 22–24 minutes
Production company(s) The Arthur Company
MCA TV
Distributor MCA TV
(1988-1991)
NBCUniversal Television Distribution
Release
Original network Syndication
Original release October 8, 1988 (1988-10-08) – May 25, 1991 (1991-05-25)
Chronology
Preceded by The Munsters

The Munsters Today is an American sitcom and sequel to the original 1964–66 sitcom The Munsters that aired in syndication from October 8, 1988 to May 25, 1991.[2][3]

Plot

The series concerns the day-to-day life of a family of benign monsters, with married couple Herman Munster (Frankenstein's monster) and Lily Munster (a vampire). Lily's Father, Grandpa, who is also a vampire, lives with the family. Herman and Lily have a son, Eddie, who is a werewolf, and their niece, Marilyn, also lives with them.

Cast

Main cast

The cast of "The Munsters Today."

Recurring cast

Special guest stars

Production

Development

This color revival of The Munsters starred John Schuck (Herman), Lee Meriwether (Lily), Howard Morton (Grandpa), Hilary Van Dyke (Marilyn) and Jason Marsden (Eddie), and broadcast 73 episodes from October 8, 1988, to May 25, 1991, giving it more first-run episodes than the original series. The pilot explained the 22-year gap following the original series by showing the family as they were in 1966 when an accident took place; the family then proceeds to wake up in 1988.[4]

It was created following a failed attempt to revive the show with most of the original cast (Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis and Yvonne De Carlo) in the 1981 NBC telefilm The Munsters' Revenge. In the living room set, there are photos of the original casts sitting on the mantle of the fireplace.

Episodes

Season 1 (1988–89)

  • "Still the Munsters After All These Years" (Pilot) – Grandpa creates a "Sleeping Machine" which makes the user fall asleep for a selected amount of time. While the victim is asleep, his/her age does not change. The machine was tested on the entire family. When Grandpa sets the dial for 30 minutes and shuts the door, a flash of light and a falling beam change the dial to "Forever." Twenty-two years later, a developer named Mr. Preston (Dave Madden) and his assistant want to buy the Munsters' home and turn it into a parking lot. Mr. Preston and his assistant are exploring the house. Mr. Preston forces his employee to search Grandpa's lab; after getting tangled in spider webs he knocks the dial to "off." The Munster family awakens to the world of 1988. They all struggle to find their way in the strange new era.
  • "Vampire Pie"- Herman decides to enter a baking contest, using an old family recipe. Too bad there was an ingredient Grandpa forgot...
  • "A Little Russian Dressing"
  • "Flyweight Champion of the World"- After being bullied, Grandpa mixes Eddie a strong-man formula that inflates Eddie's ego as well as his muscles.
  • "Magna Cum Munsters"- After feeling useless for not being asked questions in his home, Herman takes night school, which leads him to the fourth grade: in Eddie's class.
  • "Designing Munsters"
  • "Farewell, Grandpa" – Grandpa is in big trouble when the family finds out he forgot to get a green-card when he came to the country. After Herman breaks him out, only an invisibility potion can save them.
  • "Corporate Munsters" – Stock that Herman bought many years ago has accumulated so much that he holds a position in the business. However, he debates keeping the job when it conflicts with Eddie and Father/Son Day.
  • "Herman The Astronaut"
  • "Rock Fever"
  • "Professor Grandpa"
  • "Say Ahh"
  • "A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Cereal"- After saving a kid, Herman becomes a hero. When a cereal company offers him a deal, he accepts. But once he finds out the cereal is a flop, will he keep on endorsing it?
  • "Computer Mating"- Grandpa gets a new girlfriend after feeling lonely. But after finding out his girlfriend has buried a large amount of husbands, Herman and Lily fear for Grandpa's life.
  • "McMunsters"
  • "One Flu Over The Munster's Nest"
  • "Green Eyed Munsters"- Herman gets jealous when Lily's teacher takes up too much of her time. Will he win her back?
  • "The Not So Great Escape"
  • "Two Left Feet"
  • "Lights, Camera, Munsters" – Marilyn gets to make a movie for a project, while the family debates what type of film she should do. Meanwhile, Eddie is doing poor in school, causing panic for the teacher when it turns out that a parent-teacher conference is in order.
  • "Neighborly Munsters" – With new neighbors next door, everyone tries to make a good impression, while the wife tries to do everything to get a fancy pool in her yard (which would dig into the Munster's) except talk with them.
  • "Munster Hoopster" – Eddie wants to take up basketball, so that Herman can brag about him. There's only one problem: he cannot sink a shot!
  • "Don't Cry Wolfman" – When two burglars hid the fortune in the Munster house, they were asleep. Now that they are awake, they devise a plan: one would pretend to be one of them. Unfortunately, he comes to like the Munster's ways and even saves them. In the end, the "wolfman" burglar and the Munsters all vote to return the money.
  • "The Howling"
  • "Eau De Munster" When the town wants to demolish Munster Moore for a museum, Herman tries to put a stop to it. There's only one problem: Grandpa accidentally got him with a love potion, which takes effect on the woman running the idea.

Season 2 (1989–90)

  • "Three Hundred Something"
  • "No Place Like Home"
  • "Raging Hormones"
  • "Murder in Munster Land"
  • "Trail"
  • "It's A Wonderful Afterlife"
  • "The Eyes Have It"
  • "It's a Sad, Sad World"
  • "Melting Pot"
  • "Once in a Blue Moon"
  • "Drac The Ripper"
  • "Gateman and Son"
  • "Reunion"
  • "Pants on Fire"
  • "Munstergeist"
  • "Never Say Die"
  • "It's a Baby"
  • "Tell'em Herman Sent You"
  • "Thicker Than Water"
  • "Misadventures in Time"
  • "Will The Real Herman Munster Please Stand Up?"
  • "Deadlock"
  • "Take This Job and Shovel It"
  • "That's Gratitude"

Season 3 (1990–91)

  • "The Silver Bullet"
  • "The Reel Munsters"
  • "Wishing You Were Here"
  • "Three Munsters and a Baby"
  • "It's My Party and I'll Die If I Want To"
  • "Makin' Waves"
  • "Just Another Pretty Face" (remake of an original episode from the 1960s series)
  • "Kiss, Kiss"
  • "Mind Reader"
  • "No More Mr. Nice Guy"
  • "A House Divided"
  • "A Matter of Trust"
  • "Large"
  • "Genie from Hell"
  • "Lotsa Luck"
  • "If I Only Knew Now"
  • "Beating of Your Heart"
  • "Parenthood vs. Childhood"
  • "Das Trunk"
  • "A Camping We Will Go"
  • "Breaking the Chain"
  • "Diary of a Mad Munster Wife"
  • "The Bet"
  • "Family Night"

Reception

The series lasted three seasons on syndicated television, and proved popular with international audiences.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Result Category Recipient
1990Daytime Emmy AwardsWonOutstanding Achievement in MakeupGilbert A. Mosko and Carlos Yeaggy
1991WonOutstanding Achievement in MakeupDavid Abbott, Gilbert A. Mosko and Carlos Yeaggy
Outstanding Achievement in HairstylingJody Lawrence
1989Young Artist AwardsNominatedBest Syndicated Family Drama or Comedy Series
–
Best Young Actress in a Family Syndicated ShowHilary Van Dyke
Best Young Actor in a Family Syndicated ShowJason Marsden
1990NominatedBest Young Actress in an Off-Primetime Family SeriesHilary Van Dyke
Best Young Actor in an Off-Primetime Family SeriesJason Marsden
Best Off-Primetime Family Series
–
1991NominatedOutstanding Young Comedian in a Television SeriesJason Marsden
Best Young Actress Starring in an Off-Primetime SeriesHilary Van Dyke
Best Young Actor Starring in an Off-Primetime SeriesJason Marsden
Best Off-Primetime Family Series
–

See also

References

  1. ↑ Buck, Jerry (1989-07-19). "Bonnie Franklin Directing 'Munsters Today'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  2. ↑ "BBC – Comedy Guide – The Munsters Today". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2005-03-01. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  3. ↑ Dretzka, Gary (1988-10-08). "Bright Mood Makes New `Munsters` A Bore". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  4. ↑ Clark, Kenneth R (1988-09-20). "Munsters Awaken From 22-year Nap". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
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