First Look: Bryan Fuller's Creepy, Ghouly Not that Monster-ish "Munsters"

Bad Ass First Look: Bryan Fuller's Creepy, Ghouly Not that Monster-ish "Munsters"

By Dustin Rowles | Trade News | July 25, 2012 | Comments ()

I was sold based only on the fact that Bryan Fuller’s new “Munsters” came from Bryan Fuller (“Pushing Daises,” “Dead Like Me,” “Wonderfalls”). That Portia De Rossi and Eddie Izzard were in the cast was all gravy. The first look also suggests that Fuller will take a more reality-based look at the “Munsters,” eschewing the big heads and widow’s peaks for PRETTY.

I’m OK with that. Better still: These Munsters eat people!

“The Munsters actually do what monsters do. They eat people and they have to live with the ramifications of being monstrous. It’s like grounding it in a reality because the half-hour was a sitcom, we saw the monsters: they were monsters on the outside and weren’t monsters on the inside. For us, they’re monsters outside and inside, and we get to double our story…”
“It’s an ensemble, but the emotional point of view is from Herman because it really is about a father who is realizing his child is taking after the other side of the family. He has so few things in his life that are his, and his son Eddie was one of them - and now Eddie’s more like Grandpa than he is Herman. Everything is a metaphor for something that you can identify with in a relationship; the fact that Herman is in a constant state of decay, and he’s married to someone who doesn’t age. We get to play with all those insecurities. The fact that he was made by his father-in-law and then has to live up to those standards; he’s always trying to find his own identity.

No kidding. That is a fantastic take on the series. More than a quirky comedy, Fuller’s “Munsters” will deal with the emotional and psychological ramifications of being a monster in a mixed-Monster family.

IN.

(Image: JoBlo. Quote: THR via I09)

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Tania Darlington

I never was much of a Munsters fan, but I'm like a moth to flame when it comes to Fuller projects. His take on it sounds pretty fascinating too, so I think I'm sold. Sadly, since it's Bryan Fuller on network TV, it will probably make one season max.

Snath

I'm extremely intrigued.

sherlockzz

If it's good I won't have a complaint but it looks like they're crapping on my childhood. I still haven't gotten over what they did to Jim Phelps in MI1

zyzzyva

Thank you! My only solace is thinking that "Jim Phelps" could've been a passed along pseudonym, like the theory of "James Bond." 'Cause Peter Graves ain't no traitor!

space_oddity

So Herman is going to be some sort of clone or homonculus or something? Over at io9 many commenters are up in arms about 'tarnishing' the memory of the Munsters. Admittedly, I only ever saw it in reruns, but I imagine a show whose only hook was 'hey, it's a normal boring ass sitcom but they're all monsters! but in a regular neighborhood! hilarity ensues!' could only be improved upon.

BobbFrapples

I was a bigger fan of The Addams Family when it came to watching reruns. I might watch this if only to watch somthing rot off of Jerry O'Connell.

Puddin

Portia De Rossi looks like Snooki.

Matt Brown

Snooki wishes she looked that good.

Jezzer

Snooki thinks she looks just like that.

lowercase_ryan

Snooki wishes she knew who Portia De Rossi was. Or she should.

BarbadoSlim

Yeah, and how long before O'connell manages to nepotize his idiot brother into the cast like he did on Sliders? No thank you.

teresaelectro

Hey, I got used him hanging around..eventually.

TherecanbeonlyoneAdmin

I like the concept but the fact that it will be on NBC makes me think it'll be watery dreck.

Kip Hackman

Agree. I still think Bryan Fuller can make a good show, and the idea sounds great, but if NBC makes him make it "accessible" or pulls a FOX and gives it a terrible time slot then this will probably not do well. I'd love to see something like this on FX or Showtime (ideally HBO, but this is probably a little too quirky for HBO).

BWeaves

Uh, which one's Herman? Cause I can't tell from that photo. I don't see anyone in a state of decay.

Bert_McGurt

I think it's Jerry O'Connell.

zyzzyva

In the preview they showed at Comic-Con, he has a large stitched scar all round his neck. I assume there'll be more. Perhaps different sections will be decaying faster than others (as they were from bodies in different stages of death) and need to be replaced as needed?

Meander

"The Munsters" is kind of a weird project for anyone to take on, and like Snyder on "Man Of Steel" (and come to think of it, Nolan on "Dark Knight") it seems clear that Fuller got the job because he was willing to demonstrate that he despises every single aspect of the original property.

Still - Eddie Izzard as an ancient vampire / mad scientist? You have my attention.
~~~

Kip Hackman

I think that "despise" is a fairly strong word, at least as far as Nolan is concerned. His Batman trilogy is heavily influenced by stuff like Year One, Long Halloween, and the comics in general. I think that Nolan has a great deal of respect for the history of Batman and while he does take certain liberties he seems to be a pretty large fan of the character, if not every single published issue of the comic or every interpretation of Batman on film. Every main character, with the exception of Rachel Dawes and John Blake are characters that were originally in the comics somewhere. And Blake shares a lot of similarities with Dick Grayson with some aspects of Tim Drake thrown in for good measure. So, to sum up, I think you're wrong about Nolan.

La-Cockroach

like ...Nolan on "Dark
Knight"...t seems clear that Fuller got the job because he was willing to
demonstrate that he despises every single aspect of the original
property.

The Dark Knight trilogy contrarians really are here.

And how can you be so sure about Snyder and Man of Steel? Whatever else you can say about it, apart from the very ending you can't say his Watchmen wasn't faithful to the aspects of the comic

Meander

And how can you be so sure about Snyder and Man of Steel?

I'm not that sure at all, frankly. But, hey, change the costume, change the origin, change the S-shield, put Clark on a fishing boat - I get the impression that there's not much about Superman as a character that they care about very much.

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Bad Ass First Look: Bryan Fuller's Creepy, Ghouly Not that Monster-ish "Munsters"