Addams or Munsters: Which is the First Family of Fright?

[LucyFan]

The Addams and the Munsters battle it out over the title of Television's First Family of Fright / America's First Family of Fright. Which family do you think deserves the title? and why? Give reasons and specific examples if need to.

[rainflood]

The Addams Family definately. They were way better than the Munsters. The Addams' were always tortureing each other while the Munsters just acted stupid. Did they have a torture chamber? I think not. Did the Munsters have infamous relatives like the Addams'? I think not. The Munsters don't have any intereseting stories to tell either. The Addams' trumped them.

[captive herps]

The Addams pre-date the Munsters by about 20 years.

[tv star collector]

Originally Posted by captive herps

The Addams pre-date the Munsters by about 20 years.

More than that, actually. The NEW YORKER magazine accepted Charles
Addams' first cartoon in 1933 (31 years before THE MUNSTERS made its CBS
television debut). However, the family had no name until the ABC TV series,
based on Addams' cartoons, premiered on Sept. 18, 1964 (exactly six days
before THE MUNSTERS). Interestingly, both series were also cancelled within
the same week, two years later!

[Mikado]

The Munsters, i couldnt stand the Adams family

[tv star collector]

The two shows, though outwardly similar, each had its own style of humor. THE
MUNSTERS was broader, THE ADDAMS FAMILY more subtle. Personally, I too
preferred THE MUNSTERS. They were really like Donna Reed's family or FATHER
KNOWS BEST. (It's little surprise their creators, Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, were also behind LEAVE IT TO BEAVER.) They acted like your typical early
sitcom family. The Munsters only LOOKED weird;
the Addamses really WERE weird!

[CAddam'sRemembered]

The whole Munster idea was copied by Charles Addam's cartoons!! So how can you say the Munsters were better when the whole idea of the family was copied?

[vegan_matt]

I like the Munsters as well, much better than the Adams Family. My mother always liked the Munsters too, so she got me hooked on the show.

Originally Posted by Mikado

The Munsters, i couldnt stand the Adams family

[tv star collector]

Stephen Cox, in his book "THE MUNSTERS" (1989), explores the rivalry between
the two shows: "Both programs were in heavy competition during their two-year run, but the Munsters pounded the Addamses ratings-wise. According
to A.C. Nielsen, the Munsters ranked number eighteen for the 1964-65 season,
while the Addams family came in at number twenty-three. In the second season,
both shows were knocked out of the top twenty-five for the year. Winner
of the first round: 'The Munsters.'"
He goes on to say, "In comparing both shows, production qualities lean
heavily toward the Munsters--especially dollar wise. Universal Studios and
Kayro-Vue Productions put more money into the actual production of 'The
Munsters' than Filmways Productions doled out with their show filmed at
General Service Studios."
"Notably, fan reaction to each family is different. Gomez and Morticia are
provocative, malevolent creatures who rely on dark humor to please their
viewers. Gomez and Uncle Fester are destructive fiends with piracy on their
minds. On the other hand, Herman and Lily rely only on peace and love."
"For the final round," says Cox, "the judges have tallied up the number of
episodes turned in by the two opponents. Yes, it looks like the Munsters win
with seventy episodes, while the Addams clan comes up short with only
sixty-four!"

[jonny velveteen]

The Munsters were a normal family that looked weird. The Addams Family were a normal looking family that acted weird. Which is more frightening? I have to go with the Addams family. Their eccentricities are what frighten people out of their house. The Munsters were produced by Joe Connoly and Bob Mosher who also did Leave It To Beaver. Once you looked beneath the surface, they really were quite normal. The Addams Family were everything their themesong claimed they were. So, so what if the Addams' had fewer episodes and lower ratings. They would probably be delighted to know that. The Addams Family represent an aquired taste after all.

[The Flying Dutchmans]

Morticia seemed too much like a snob, she had no emotion at all, but maby that was just carolyn jones herself, however in the movie King creole with elvis she showed some emotion in her acting, I did like the character of gomez adams alot and john astin was perfect for the part, The Munsters were not rich snobs they were just completly funny, normal people would react the same way when encountering both familys, I like the adams family but I loved the munsters.

[jonny velveteen]

Both families represented freedom. The Addams to act a certain way and The Munsters to look a certain way. Morticia seemed to have a low enthusiasm level, and definately came accross as less warm than Lily Munster. She did seem to perk up when tending to her flesh eating plants, however. And her low key demeanor was the perfect complement to Gomez's over enthusiasm, about the French language or blowing up electric trains, for instance. The actors seemed to take perverse delight in playing their roles. And did you notice both families had a member that was a contrast to rest? Cousin Itt was the weirdest looking of the Addams family, while cousin Marilyn was the most normal looking Munster.

[mraw]

The Munsters were snobbish in a sense. It always bothered me that they thought Marilyn was ugly. If that were the case, then all human beings were ugly in their eyes except for themselves, and they made a point of that quite often.

[tv star collector]

Originally Posted by mraw

The Munsters were snobbish in a sense. It always bothered me that they thought Marilyn was ugly. If that were the case, then all human beings were ugly in their eyes except for themselves, and they made a point of that quite often.

The Munsters felt sorry for Marilyn, the "black sheep" of the family.
----
Lily: "Oh, Marilyn ... the circles under your eyes. How lovely you look today."

[Scoobiedoo30]

I would have to say The Munsters.