When it comes to Gateway Horror, it’s hard to name a better example than The Munsters. Based on tropes and characters from the Universal Monster movies, this lovable family of misfits has been entertaining audiences for almost 60 years. That’s why it’s no surprise that they’ve also survived numerous attempts at reboots and remakes. While the latest of these projects is Rob Zombie’s upcoming cinematic adaptation, there’s an often-overlooked incarnation of America’s spookiest neighbors that I think deserves more attention.
Naturally, I’m referring to Bryan Fuller‘s Mockingbird Lane, a darkly humorous re-imagining of The Munsters produced by NBC.
Originally airing as a Halloween Special back in 2012, Mockingbird Lane was actually the failed Pilot episode for a proposed revival of the iconic sitcom, this time re-imagined as a gothic drama with a humorous twist. The basic setup remains the same, with the Munster family moving into their iconic mansion and dealing with nosy neighbors and supernatural hijinks, but the presentation is completely different. Taking inspiration from Fuller’s previous work on morbid comedies like Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies, Mockingbird Lane attempted to apply an even darker coat of paint over the usually cheerful family, playing around with their monstrous qualities while also updating the characters for a new generation.
From the opening scene, which reveals Eddie Munster (Mason Cook) in a less-cuddly version of his werewolf form, it’s clear that Mockingbird Lane was willing to remix familiar characters in order to tell a more modern story. Oblivious to his inherited bloodthirsty tendencies, Eddie isn’t the only one to undergo an edgy makeover. Jerry O’Connell (Scream 2, Piranha 3D) takes over as a decidedly sexier Herman Munster, looking more like an undead model than a jolly Boris Karloff knock-off. While Jerry retains the character’s (quite literal) soft heart, this version of the show sees him struggling to come to terms with the family’s darker side.
Munster Family Values.
Played by Arrested Development favorite Portia de Rossi, Lily Munster also underwent a visual overhaul. While Mockingbird Lane retains her characterization as a loving yet fiery-tempered housewife, this version of Lily leans heavily into the seductive Vampiress trope (though the costume design sadly ditches the goth-friendly outfits of Yvonne De Carlo). Lily’s niece Marilyn (Charity Wakefield) is the only character that appears to have been directly transplanted from the original show, complete with 60s-styled mannerisms and a wardrobe to match. Ironically, these idiosyncrasies make her stand out alongside her misfit relatives, though it’s clear that the others are disappointed with her “condition” as a regular human.
The family is also joined by the legendary Eddie Izzard, who turns in a highly memorable performance as the wise-cracking Grandpa. Heavily implied to be Count Dracula himself (he even bakes D-shaped cookies for the neighbors), Izzard’s interpretation of the geriatric vampire simply takes Al Lewis’ sardonic personality traits and dials them up to 11, resulting in the most entertaining character of the lot. From his gaudy outfits to his nonchalant approach to bloodshed, Grandpa’s sarcastic remarks and vampiric outbursts are clearly the glue that hold this special together.
While a single 40-minute episode doesn’t allow for the kind of character development that made the original show a hit, Mockingbird Lane had plenty of potential for both traditional sitcom stories like dealing with prejudice and family drama as well as tongue-in-cheek homages to classic horror films. I particularly enjoyed Herman’s fake-out introduction, which frames his silhouette like a square-headed Frankenstein’s monster only to reveal a lightly-scarred father figure when he steps into the light.
It’s a shame that the production didn’t allow for more practical effects, as complex elements like Eddie’s werewolf form and the pet dragon reveal are depicted through low-budget digital imagery. It’s also worth noting that Grandpa occasionally shapeshifts into a winged bat-like creature when he’s about to feed, resulting in a few instances of remarkably dated computer graphics. There are a few shots of Izzard in full bat makeup, which adds to the fun factor, but the difference in quality makes these moments even more jarring.
Grandpa’s drinking again…
The locations are also brought to life via a clever mix of CGI and beautiful set design, though it mostly blends together pretty well. Like in the original show, the 1313 Mockingbird Lane residence is something of a character in and of itself, with its lavish corridors and decorations meshing well with the special’s colorful costumes and even more colorful characters. This gives the program a stylistic edge that we’d only see again when Fuller began work on NBC’s Hannibal, another show which would adapt established characters and take them into unexpected directions.
Ultimately, I think the bloated runtime is what really keeps Mockingbird Lane from reaching its full potential. This peculiar blend of horror and sitcom tropes would work much better in 22-minute bursts rather than an hour-long drama, and I think that’s what really killed the Pilot. It’s also possible that audiences simply weren’t ready for this particular brand of tongue-in-cheek horror on the small screen back in 2012, with network executives complaining about the excessive violence and inconsistent tone. Either way, this would be the last time that we’d see the Munster family for nearly a decade.
Even if Fuller’s approach to humor isn’t your cup of tea, I think it’s safe to say that Mockingbird Lane is one of the weirdest and most loving depictions of the Munster family since their inception back in the 60s. That’s why I’d argue that it’s still worth revisiting today as a televised oddity, even if it wasn’t popular enough to warrant a full show. While I’m still excited to see Rob Zombie’s take on the iconic family, I would have loved to watch a complete season of Fuller’s modernized Munsters, if only to see more of Eddie Izzard’s absurd suburban Dracula.
