The monstrous TV comedy classic The Munsters may be getting a reboot, and it's thanks in part to SNL vet Seth Meyers. The late night host is teaming up with NBC and others to help give the network another crack at making one of the small screen's strangest families a TV staple yet again. Here's what's being said about the project so far, which would put the Munster family in a new location far from Mockingbird Lane.
This new take on The Munsters takes the family out of their fictional California suburb of Mockingbird Heights and puts them smack dab in the middle of "hipster Brooklyn." While the locale has changed, it sounds like the new project will continue with the theme of The Munsters being an odd family trying to fit in with the latest trends and their closest neighbors, while still remaining true to who they are. The pitch alone makes the mind wander what maneuvers Herman Munster would need to do in order to fit inside of a Prius or how they'll get the dragon Spot under the stairs in an apartment building.
For this new take on old archetypes, Seth Meyers is collaborating with Odd Mom Out creator Jill Kargman, who is scripting the update, and she will be co-executive producing alongside Meyers and his Sethmaker Shoemeyers Productions. And true to the original series, the current word is this version of The Munsters will be a half hour single-camera comedy series, according to Deadline, and will be the second time in recent memory that NBC has attempted to bring back the show.
The most recent attempt was made in 2012 by Bryan Fuller in the form of the project Mockingbird Lane, but the network ultimately scrapped the idea of a series and instead let the project stand as a one-off special that year on Halloween. Some complaints about the series came from the jump to an hour-long format, combined with the added drama and edginess Fuller tried to inject into the family. As such, don't expect those elements to be present in the next attempt to bring back The Munsters.
Not much has been established with this new version of The Munsters besides what has been stated, so casting and chances for a series order are up in the air above Herman's flat-top. Jerry O' Connell played Herman in the reboot, although his interpretation was much less like the iconic portrayal played by Fred Gwynne. It hasn't been said whether or not this new series will look to keep the characters donning their original movie monster looks, but if NBC wishes to learn from the mistakes of Mockingbird Lane, that could be the best course of action.
The entirety of The Munsters' original TV run is currently available on DVD, and that's your best bet if you're trying to get in a binge-watching session. Hopefully that will change as Seth Meyers and Jill Kargman look to bring the project back to primetime! Bryan Fuller may have failed to resurrect the show back in 2012, but another horror series he made for NBC may be on the verge of a comeback. Anyone interested in good future programming can look at what the future holds by visiting our fall premiere guide, which is packed with all the hottest shows to keep you warm when the weather cools down, and your new neighbors are monsters.
