The Dark Side and The Dark Side of Television Comedy;
A contrast between two very different shades of black.

by Gomez Addams III

The Addams Family (ABC) and The Munsters (CBS) both premiered, received network Pink Slips, and were axed during the same weeks. They are undeniably the same family released by two different networks with the goal of targeting the same audiences... or so the Russians would have us believe. The truth is, that these families have far more differences than similarities. True, they may both enjoy a good flambe of jellyfish after their curried lizard casserole, at a typical meal, or a nice, quiet walk through the cemetery during a relaxing thunderstorm, but behind these superficial similarities is a world of difference.

The Addams Family was a groundbreaking series in that it was at the same time, fast-paced, and literate. Usually a comedy was one or the other. Rather than endlessly basing its jokes on pop culture and contemporary puns, the Addams Family's writers prefered to rely mainly on history, Shakespeare, and culture to convey their meaning and jokes, targeting people who apprecieated the humor in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" or a George Bernard Shaw play. They lived in harmony with each other in a loving household; and the show, rather than the characters themselves, laughed at conventions and people.

The Munsters, on the other hand, seemed more interested in the "Abbott and Costello meet the Invisible Man" fans. They relied on standard, rehashed jokes and insults within the family and all-too-predictable reactions from outsiders. Most of the jokes and themes used in the Munsters could have been used in any sitcom, with only slight adaptations. All in all, it was a typical "dad's-an-idiot" show with with the standard sitcom theme- "Who can get in the last word?"

So, althought they both employed "Dark Comedy," the target audiences were different, in that one show appealed to style and sophistication through elegance and satire, where the other appealed to the average Joe through easy, understandable jokes.

The Munsters must be congratulated on their props, special effects, and make-up. The appearance of the house and characters showed great effort and work, if little imagination. The characters are all recognizable, stereotypical Hollywood Monsters (and meant to be) and the show relies on cliche as it's life-blood. Where the Addams' were all recognizable as being mostly average-looking (except, maybe, Lurch and Fester), their acting made them recognizable as a race apart. The humor of The Addams Family didn't come from rubber masks and funny clothes, but from writing, acting, and inflection.

Their dwellings were just as dissimilar. They are thought of as being similar, because they were both "creepy," a totally subjective and peronally redefinable word. There is little real similarity. The Addams had a rather eclectic and hashed-together look, while in the Munsters' home, every piece serves to re-enforce the original feel of the house: your typical Roger Corman haunted house. The items in the "Old Charles Addams House" hold no common theme, but are all common and being unusual, and being dear to the family, and most have interesting stories behind them, where the Munsters' items seem to be there simply for the sake of decoration. (Did anyone ever play that harp we saw in every episode?)

And while the Munster home was filled with dust, dirt, and cobwebs (just the way they like it), the Addams house is clean, if cluttered (Wednesday's pet spider, Homer, may have spun a web from time to time, but she was told how important it was to put her toys away when she was done with them. Similarly, another distinct difference was that the Munsters were a monsterous analogy of the the typical middle-class, while the Addams' were portrayed as being a bit classier. It is easy to picture Herman Munster with a can of Budweiser, in his hand, while Gomez would settle for nothing but the best Cabernet Sauvignon.

The two families held different themes, come from different social classes, catered to different audiences, and employ different means. It is all a matter of personal taste which you would rather watch. If you prefer to just plop down on the couch and have a few laughs at a silly TV sitcom, and aren't looking for high theater, you can't beat the Munsters. And if you prefer style, class, and sophistication, to standard jokes and jives, and you're looking for a break from the norm, the Addams' are the only place to turn.

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