Munsters Remake Is A Drama???

[Wee67]

"imaginative reinvention" = apprehension and anxiety

NBC Greenlights Bryan Fullers Munsters Reboot - TVLine

It’s official: NBC has given the go-ahead to Bryan Fuller’s modern-day reboot of the creepy classic The Munsters!

A Peacock spokesperson confirms that the network has ordered a pilot of what it’s calling an “imaginative reinvention of The Munsters as a visually spectacular one hour drama.”
In an exclusive statement to TVLine, Fuller gushed, “I am over the moon Eddie Munster will soon be howling at.”

This is shaping up to be a busy development season for the Pushing Daisies creator. Last week, NBC gave a script order to Hannibal, Fuller’s one-hour drama based on Mr. Fava Beans himself.

[ctc]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!!!

That'd be AWESOME! Not 'cos I think the show itself would be any good.... so, we FINALLY get emo animates, eh?.... but 'cos it shows things have finally swung around: instead of turning old dramas into comedies, they're turning old comedies into dramas!

Dark, gritty war story "Hogan's Heroes" anyone? (....anyone?....) Mork ramming his ovipositor down Mindy's throat? "Bosm Buddies," a "Glen or Glenda" esque drama? (In more ways than one I'd bet.) A thoroughly reimagined cannibal episode on "Gilligan's Island."

Don C.

[palitoy]

Has the world forgotten "The Brady's"?

[The Toyroom]

Has the world forgotten "The Brady's"?

Unfortunately, no...though I wish I could...

[MIB41]

I dare say this will fail miserably. The Munsters phenomenon had as much to do with the period it was made as was the resurgence in Universal property that was occurring during the 60's. It was the Universal monsters filling in for Leave it Beaver style stories with their own twist. That was lightening in a bottle, which I don't believe can be recreated. The market isn't exactly starving for Universal product like it was before the big push in the 60's. And I think when people see this new incarnation, they will immediately make the comparisons with the classic, and deem it inferior for all the reasons why it can't work in today's marketplace. Plus what is with the hour long episodes? Isn't that a tad long to keep viewers interested? Very expensive gamble, if you ask me.

[Werewolf]

The Munsters worked because the concept was so absurd. Universal Monsters living as a loving family in modern suberbia in a comedy sitcom. This isn't True Blood or Twilight. It's about a sweet naive seven foot tall green skinned guy with bolts married to a Vampire and has a Wolf boy as a child. By very design that can't be a drama or even remotely serious.

[palitoy]

I think you could have gotten some mileage out of a feature film with the right cast.
It's weird that in the 80s the syndicated remake series actually lasted longer than the original.

[ctc]

>This isn't True Blood or Twilight.

Not yet....

Don C.

[Earth 2 Chris]

It's weird that in the 80s the syndicated remake series actually lasted longer than the original.

That was also the era of "Small Wonder" and "My Secret Identity". Seemed like unaffiliated stations would air anything new back then. That Munsters remake was awful as I recall.

This new remake just proves that Hollywood should be shut down and all TV and films moved elsewhere.

Chris

[Werewolf]

I think you could have gotten some mileage out of a feature film with the right cast.

The 90s TV movie weren't bad. Edward Herrmann and Veronica Hamel were great as Herman and Lily in Here Come the Munsters. A big budget theatrical movie with them, at the time, would have been fun.

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Yeah, those were pretty good. Kind of washed the taste of the late 80s series out.

Chris

[DocDrako]

...Mork ramming his ovipositor down Mindy's throat?...

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I think there are two really big problems with pulling this one off:

-the original was a parody of the "Father Knows Best" style, 1950's perfect family shows. Hence why it worked: it's "Leave it to Beaver" where they're all horrible monsters. Wacky! But that family template has been invalid since the 90's, so you're parodying something the audience isn't familiar with. Baffling! You COULD parody the kind of family we're used to.... but that'd be weak 'cos the "dad's a dolt" template is what made the Munsters a parody to begin with; and parodying the "Roseanne" template is pointless since the families in those shows are ALREADY monsters.

*ASIDE: I think the Addams Family is better suited for this sort of comeback since the idea was that they looked normal but WERE monsters.... so to hilight the point and enforce the gag you can always up the creepy.

-I think the problem nowadays when folks see monsters is that they expect 'em to go all Anne Rice and whine about their relationships and bemoan their existence. Which is why referring to the Munsters as a drama scared the hell outta me! It's gonna be "Being Human: the Convoluted Version."

*sigh*

Don C.

[sprytel]

"Pushing Daisies" was brilliant. And an hour long. And not what I would consider a "drama". I am hoping they are calling it a drama because TV seems to equate that with hour long...

[kingdom warrior]

The Munsters would actually work now as a CGI movie rather than live action. It's impossible to replace Fred Gwynne, Yvonee DeCarlo and Al Lewis.....