Only two seasons? Why?

[myowndrownedworld]

I heard they cancelled it because apparently switching it over to color would ruin the show's feel. Same with The Addams Family. Although I think there was likely a number of reasons over than just one main reason. The fact that the show rated 18 in the ratings at the end of season 1 and then rating at 61 the following season is enough cause for cancellation.

[storrs19]

Many shows ended after the 1965-1966 season and I wonder if the cost of filming in color could've been the reason. Along with The Munsters and The Addams Family other shows that ended were: The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Patty Duke Show and I'm thinking The Donna Reed Show but I may be mistaken on that last one. It's late and I'm tired. Seems like there are a few more shows that wrapped up rather than switch to color which I believe all three networks were broadcasting in for the prime time 1966-1967 season.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by ph1l

We were lucky enough to get 70 episodes before it was cancelled because of poor ratings.

Yes pretty stupid...... EXCELLENT SHOW!!

[ILuvCarolBurnett]

Originally Posted by tcr1701

I always found it odd that they said the series cost too much to make. 90% of it took place in the Munster house - a standing set already made. The makeup couldn't have cost that much either. It is soo odd that the Munsters and the Addams Family both started and ended together....

If the series returned for the 1966-67 season, the series would had to have been produced in color. I remember an interview with Al Lewis once and he said CBS was not willing to pay for the increased cost nor was Universal and the second season ratings didn't justify an increase in production costs.

[ILuvCarolBurnett]

Originally Posted by storrs19

Many shows ended after the 1965-1966 season and I wonder if the cost of filming in color could've been the reason. Along with The Munsters and The Addams Family other shows that ended were: The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Patty Duke Show and I'm thinking The Donna Reed Show but I may be mistaken on that last one. It's late and I'm tired. Seems like there are a few more shows that wrapped up rather than switch to color which I believe all three networks were broadcasting in for the prime time 1966-1967 season.

The Dick Van Dyke Show ended in 1966 because Carl Reiner made the decision to end it feeling the show had run its course after 158 episodes. ABC wanted to move The Patty Duke Show production to Los Angeles from its home in New York and the producers nor Patty Duke were interested. The Donna Reed Show had run its course after 8 years and 275 episodes. Reed had been slipping in the ratings for awhile.

[Schmoopie]

I was surprised to hear that it was only two seasons as well.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by ph1l

We were lucky enough to get 70 episodes before it was cancelled because of poor ratings. Apparently ABC's Batman, which was in colour, was the major culprit. I would have loved a third season partly because it probably would have been in colour.

How Batman '66 Killed The Munsters

However, on January 12, 1966, The Munsters faced a new threat the macabre clan of monsters living at 1313 Mockingbird Lane couldn't overcome: Batman, starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader and Burt Ward as Robin the Boy Wonder, premiered "in color" on ABC and brought splashy comic book derring-do to network television. Batman was an instant smash that kicked off a merchandising bonanza dubbed "Batmania" in 1966, but it was the superhero show's unique twice-weekly airing schedule that gravely impacted The Munsters. Batman aired at 7:30 pm on Wednesdays and each episode ended with a cliffhanger to be resolved in the second episode that aired Thursdays at 7:30 pm - directly opposite The Munsters. With the audience more interested in seeing how Batman and Robin escaped each week's deathtrap on Thursday nights, The Munsters' ratings eroded.

Butch Patrick confirmed Batman's deleterious impact on The Munsters' ratings to Daily Mail in 2019. In a look back on the series that made him a child star, Patrick said that Batman "'just came in and took our ratings away." The Munsters' popularity couldn't compete with the bonafide pop culture phenomenon Batman became during its first season. The Munsters was canceled by CBS in May 1966, just five months into Batman season 1.