Munsters VS Addams Family

[Wolf Man]

I had the advantage of growing up during some of the best classic TV.  The Munsters and the Addams Family were on their original airing.  Also Lost in Space and Star Trek were in their original release as well as Dark Shadows and Bewitched. 

I really leaned toward the Munsters at that time due to the actual "monster" characters. 

I now own both series, The Munsters and the Addams Family.  Since I had not watched much of Addams Family when it originally aired I really sat down and gave it my full attention. 

Now I feel qualified to state my preference and it must go to the Munsters. 

The Munsters had the "real" monster characters and with guests like the Gillman and the Wolf Man who can top that. 

Plots, the plots were both good and each had some "really" good ones while both had a few that were subpar. 

I really liked the Munster house and the fact they often showed the outside.  That appeared to be a real house.  The Addam's Family house was mostly a painting.  Only the inside were actual sets.  Occasionally the outside front area was shown but the Munsters showed much more of the front and sides of the house and even the back from time to time. 

The Munsters just reminded me much more of the Classic Universal monster movies where as the Addams family was just a weird set of excentric characters rather than being actual Vampires and other Monsters. 

Don't get me wrong, I like both series and enjoy them both but my preference will always be Munsters. 

The only exception is the Addams Family films.  I thought both were very well done and loved them.  In comparison to the TV series, the films had the real house and it was much spookier than in the show.  The characters were also a bit more developed as spooky "almost" monsters. 

I would love to hear others debate on the subject.  Perhaps there is something I am missing that might help equalize the two series. 

My last comment though is that I saw photos of the orignal Wednesday as an adult and OMG WOW!  She is one heck of a hotty.  She is gorgeous.  I always thought she was an ok so so cute child but IYIYI.  She grew up.  What a fox.  Ok, point made. 

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

I liked the Addams Family more than I liked the Munsters, Herman got on my nerves....

[Wolf Man]

Two things really got on my nerves about Gomez, first constantly doing Yoga, yuck, who wants to see a man doing yoga?  Next, the constant cigar smoking.  I watched him blow smoke in so many peoples faces and almost burned a few, I mean, we get it, you smoke cigars, you don't have to prove it every five seconds.  The gag with him pulling out a lit cigar got very old after the first two episodes. 

[Herr Vogel]

I like both series, but I was definitely a Munsters fan growing up.  I think I liked the link to the Universal Monsters as well and I just thought it was funnier.  Maybe Pat Priest had something to do with it too.   

[The Creeper]

I love both, but would have to go with the Munsters.  Herman and Grandpa was a great comedy team. 

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

Morticia was Hot

Lily,not so much..

Herman was a big goof

Gomez was a short goof

Grandpa was cool

Grandma freaked me out

Eddie not that cool

Pugsley, meh

Marilyn,cute in a normal way

Wednesday,cute in a scary goth way

but,then ya have other characters in Addams family, like Uncle Fester,Lerch,Thing, cousin Itt......
as for the Munsters, ya got spot and.............................................................................

[The Creeper]

Munsters had a uncle I think named Gill and he was the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

Munsters had a uncle I think named Gill and he was the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

did it ever show him? I must have missed those episodes

[zombiehorror]

did it ever show him? I must have missed those episodes

Yep~


and Lily had a brother, Lester, who was a werewolf~


Both only appeared in 1 episode.
There is a lengthy Addams vs. Munsters discussion buried somewhere in the forum...for my money it's The Munsters!!

[Dr.Teufel Geist]

Yep~


and Lily had a brother, Lester, who was a werewolf~


Both only appeared in 1 episode.
There is a lengthy Addams vs. Munsters discussion buried somewhere in the forum...for my money it's The Munsters!!

Thanks for that tidbit of info Zombiehorror....

[CreepysFan]

 I love both shows, and have the DVDs. Being a Frankenstein fan, I naturally love Herman. As far as Morticia Addams....let's just say I had lots of fantasies growing up....she is HOT.  The conflicts with Herman and Grandpa were classic, but they could have killed off Eddie.  I'd have to say overall I liked the Addams Family more.

[Python]

I'm a Munsters fan, yet still like Addams Family. I think the writing was superior on The Munsters. The laughs came from the characters and the situations. They could actually play as funny even if they weren't knocking off the Universal monsters. It was more of a true sitcom.

The Addams Family had one basic plot point - provide weird and bizarre charcters, have them inside a weird and bizarre house and then have the humor come from the outside world's reaction. Think about it. The Addams Family had a neighbor come in, or bank robbers, school officials, police, etc. They'd all react with bug eyes and terrified expressions at the behavior of the Addams clan. That was the basic framework. The dialogue was never that funny, just strange. To me, an episode or two of The Addams Family is good enough at one sitting. It becomes very repetitive.

The Munsters were not so housebound. They put Herman, Grandpa and Lily in many different situations and then let the comedy come from the character. The lines were funny and not simply bizarre. The interaction between Herman and Grandpa  stood alone and there was nothing that even came close with any character pairing on The Addams Family.

Don't get me wrong, there some jokes that fall dead flat in The Munsters. Still, I think they offer twice as many laughs as The Addams Family.

[Scary Terry]

Love 'em both -- but the Munsters always struck me as a fun kids' show -- while there was something more sophisticated and adult happening with the Addams crew. Even as a kid, I liked that better. 

[DollFace]

Let me start by saying I like the Munsters.

Okay, now let me say I absolutely adore The Addams Family. Something about them..you never expected them to say some of the things they did or do some of the things they did. The Munsters weren't human, the viewer expected the quirky behavior whereas, though quirkiness was to be expected, it was more surprising with the Addams Family. They were human but strange. The films kept that bizarre quality (with the dialogue in particular). I loved Grandpa in the Munsters but he was really my only favorite. John Astin has made me laugh so many times in the Addams Family with his facial expressions and delivery. Carolyn was gorgeous, Jackie was a grinning idiot (perfect for Fester), and Ted Cassidy was a great Lurch. I didn't particularly care for the kids or grandmama until the movies. Christina Ricci practically stole the show in the movies though Raul, Angelica and Christopher managed to hold their own.

Morticia: "Let me do that. You're all thumbs."
[Gomez gazes at hands]
Gomez: "Wouldn't THAT be interesting..."

So bizarre, so funny. I definitely identified with the Addams clan more than the Munsters family.

[long live kong]

Loved em both as a kid but probably prefered the Munsters. What came first the Munsters or the Addams?