THE ADDAMS, THE MUNSTERS, + THE AMERICAN FAMILY

With its harpsichord notes and iconic snaps, the theme song of The Addams Family is instantly identifiable even today. And although (arguably) less recognizable, the theme from The Munsters made it into the chorus of popular band Fall Out Boy’s hit song “Uma Thurman” from 2015, almost fifty years after the show went off the air. Every year, I see people across age groups dressed up as Wednesday Addams for Halloween, and The Munsters was available on Netflix until it was recently removed, much to my disappointment. Whether we consciously notice it or not, these two television shows have remained influential on and reflective of the culture of the United States ever since they aired.

“The American melting pot.” A concept that almost all publicly educated Americans are aware of, most likely because of the School House Rock song, and one that I believe is exemplified through these two TV families. In the United States, almost everyone you meet comes from a different cultural background. The traditions and habits of one family could be completely alien to those living right next door. For me, I know that many of my friends would definitely be perplexed by my Irish grandmother’s corned beef and cabbage concoction on St. Patrick’s Day. On an exaggerated level, we have the Addams and the Munsters: two regular, American families with traditions and cultural practices of their own, although a little extreme. Whether it’s family moonbathing or Morticia’s bilingualism, the two families having their own unique traditions and practices was and is reflective of the culture of American families. Often times, the culture clash that we would see between the Addams and Munsters and the so called “real world” can be compared to the culture clash that many people experience in America yesterday and today. 

But what truly made the families beloved was their unabashed ability to be themselves. Neither family thought they were even the slightest bit out of the ordinary. The hearse that the Munsters drive? Completely normal. Man-eating plants as pets? The usual. An uncle who can conduct electricity? Totally fine. This idea is appealing to viewers – the families’ belief in themselves is inspiring. There is no preface to why these people are the way they are – that’s just the way they are. We relate to their weirdness because we can relate their odd quirks and habits to the elements of our own families that we love. When you take away all of the costumes, comedy, and craziness, at the root of both shows was one thing: unconditional love. Marilyn Munster was basically a totally normal girl. But she would walk downstairs to Grandpa Munster’s laboratory, where he would be doing his elaborate, bizarre experiments, and wouldn’t give his eccentricities a second thought. Yes, both families were essentially monsters (or at least monstrous), but their monstrosities made them human. Both families supported each other through any end and loved one another not in spite of, but because of, their differences. 

Disregarding any personal affinity that I may have towards these shows, it can’t go unmentioned that they weren’t the most successful while on TV. Both only ran for two seasons, and neither ever had ratings that were through the roof. But nevertheless, to this day both remain two of the most beloved series of all time, without which our cultural landscape today would be noticeably different. It’s been mentioned many a time – the Munsters and the Addams are equated with the Kennedys and the Roosevelts, and are “so much a part of the American landscape that it’s difficult to discuss the country’s history…without mentioning them.” In the final episode of The Munsters, Eddie Munster presents a project to his class titled “My Parents: An Average American Family.” And we laugh at this, because hey, they’re monsters. But in a way, it’s true.

Quote: http://time.com/3763739/addams-family-hopefuls-photos-from-auditions-for-a-classic-tv-show/