So you know what that means: Horror TV episodes Tuesday
I know this is a little odd, TV episodes on a Tuesday instead of Friday as I’ve been doing for the past few years?
Well this year October 1st started on a Friday and it just doesn’t seem right for Horrorfest to start with a review of a TV episode.
So instead we will be reviewing TV episodes on Tuesdays, TV Tuesdays.
And we are starting our TV episode pick with a Munster episode!
I used to watch The Munsters all the time on TV Land growing up and it still is one of my favorite shows. Every time I rewatch it I am amazed at how funny it is.
Although, one thing I don’t like was that later on there were some changes to Herman’s character, the writers making him be jealous all the and not so bright, really pretty childish in fact. I didn’t care much for that change.
So the story is of your classic middle class American family living in Southern California (they mention the Dodgers and there are a few other clues), the Munsters. The thing that makes this family different from the others is that the Munsters are monsters.
Herman Munster is a Frankenstein like creation, he was built in a lab and has an evil twin brother. Lily (Dracula) Munster is his wife and is both vampire and werewolf, although predominantly vampire. The two have a son, Eddie, who is also predominantly vampire, but has wolffish tendencies. There’s grandpa, Count Dracula, who is also predominantly vampire, but can also change into a wolf. And rounding out their family is Lily’s niece, who’s been adopted into the family, Marilyn Munster. Marilyn isn’t a classic monster but a beautiful blonde who the family pities because she is “ugly” (i.e. not a monster).
The Count’s son, Lily’s brother, is the wolf man and they also have a cousin Gill (the Creature from the Black Lagoon). But those monsters don’t live with them. We’ve got almost all the Universal Monsters.
This episode is one of my favorite episodes and it is the pilot, which is odd as usually the pilot episode is not as good. I do enjoy other episodes , but this is a fav with all its Munster-y goodness.
So the episode starts off with Marilyn and her boyfriend Tom. She wants him to meet her folks, but he’s not interested-he just wants to make out. He’s super disrespectful and does not take her seriously at all. I’m like dump him and find another.
Tom decided to placate Marilyn and convince his parents to invite her aunt and uncle to their Masquerade party.
I love the Munster house, I wish I lived there.
They also have one of the best themes, many of you will recognize it from “it was Agatha all along” from Wandavision or tiktok but it was cool before then.
It turns out Tom’s parents are super snobs and don’t want to invite the Munsters over at all. Tom pleads with them as he really wants to “get with” Marilyn and knows this is the only way to get her to “move forward” with him. Tom is so rude and just a major jerk. Marilyn deserves better.
Grandpa Dracula is mad that he isn’t invited to the party and refuses to stay home and babysit Eddie. When he threatens to either change into a bat, go anyway, and make a scene; they call Tom’s parents, Agnes and Albert Daly, and ask if he can come too. Tom’s parents agree, but while they are calm and sweet to the Munsters, they talk badly about them behind their back.
The night of the party comes and with thunder, lightning, and rain. Eddie loves it and wishes the lighting would hit their house.
But this storm and sudden downpour funny is only happening over the Munster’s home, every where else it is beautiful sunny CA. Aw, I wished I lived in the Munsters house!
Since all the adults are going out, Marilyn has the parent of a friend coming over to babysit. Marilyn dresses as Priscilla Alden (to go with Tom’s John Alden), Herman is King Arthur, Lily as Little Bo Peep (seen as scary to the Munsters), and grandpa is Napoleon. I think it is weird out of all the different things they could have dressed up, Tom wanted them to be two pilgrims from the Mayflower. What a boring costume. That lack of imagian should be a real clue to Marilyn to not get involved with him anymore.
I like how their clock is The Raven. when it tells what the bell rolls, it screams out Nevermore, such a good touch.
Lily warns Herman to be on his best behavior for Marilyn’s sake and he promises to be a gentleman.
Herman: I’m every inch a gentleman…several gentlemen
Over at the Daily’s house, Mr. Daley has decided to go as Frankenstein’s monster. You know what that means, hilarity and possibly mistaken identity!
Mrs. Morton comes over to babysit and is shocked at what she sees. I don’t know why people always act weird, I wouldn’t really think twice about a lot of things they say. For instance, Mrs. Morton thinks it is weird that Lily says not to let Eddie’s pet in as last time it ate the whole sofa, I wouldn’t be surprised but think it was a dog that liked to chew couches.
They get to the party and grandpa almost bites Mrs. Daley, but as she is a terrible person I actually wouldn’t mind if grandpa did it!
Eddie stays upstairs in his room and talks to his babysitter through a radio set. How cool is that? And Eddie is such an easy babysitting job. Although Mrs. Morton isn’t as into the macabre setting as I am. I like it dark and spooky.
Marilyn asks grandpa to dance with Mrs. Daley and he doesn’t want to. I’m with grandpa as Mrs. Daley is annoying. Grandpa brings up his dead wives (over a hundred) and says he still visits them. Mrs. Dailey thinks he’s drunk, but I would think he was exaggerating and just goes to the cemetery a lot. But whatever.
Marilyn tries to get Herman to meet Mr. Dailey but he’s not interested as the host should introduce himself. I’m with Herman, they should have been greeted at the door or Tom should have brought his parents over. Another sign that these Daleys are just rude and terrible people.
Herman meets Mr. Dailey, who is dressed like Herman’s real face. Herman tells Mr. Daley he looks familiar and thinks it is sad he couldn’t get a costume as Herman thinks that is his real face. Haha I love it. My favorite scene!
Back on Mockingbird Lane, Mrs. Morton hears wolf howling noises and gets freaked out, but it’s just Eddie-howling at the moon. We also see that he has a pet dinosaur, Spot.
Tom comes over to Marilyn and just tries to make time with her. She’s not having it as her aunt and uncle are not having a good time.
At the masquerade they are giving out a prizes for the best costume, a “little prize” which is a giant bottle of something. Herman gets nominated and when he takes his helmet off everyone is amazed at his “second costume” and he wins.
All seems great, but Lily decides it is time to go. She heard their comments about his “second costume”, “the mask” he is wearing and says she does not want to spend another minute there. They all storm off along with Marilyn following as she is upset with the Daleys for insulting her family. Good for you girl, family is more important.
Tom follows Marilyn as he doesn’t understand why she is made and doesn’t want to lose the groundwork he spent all night making. understand why she is upset.
Later Lily and Herman are decompressing when Tom and Marilyn arrive. Marilyn is done with him, but Tom won’t take no for an answer. He follows her in the house and unfortunately Marilyn is convinced to hear him out, going to the kitchen to make coffee.
Tom goes into the other room and sees Lily and Herman for what they really look like and gets so scared, his wig stands on end. This show has wonderful special effects, so goofy!
He runs off and Marilyn is sad to have scared another man off, but also a bit glad. I’m glad too, Tom was not for you girl. You deserve better than that.
So rewatching this series the Munsters, Herman, Lily, and Grandpa- make me think a lot of the Bennet family. They are so eager for Marilyn to be married, but at the same time their behaviors scare off a lot of the men and ruin her chances. It’s hilarious.
For more films/TV shows with all of the classic monsters, go to Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School
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