This would not have been so dreadful had they been given a script that dealt more with the family and less with the silly robot plot and Sid Caesar's terrible character. People tuned in to see what Television's First Family of Fright had been up to since the '60---not to watch boring conversations between police officers and criminal scientists.
Yvonne DeCarlo was sadly underused---Phantom of the Opera got more screen time with the same lame gag repeated over and over---and they should have let Marilyn and Eddie age into their roles and brought back Pat Priest and Butch Patrick. The "new" Marilyn gives some really bad line readings here and the "new" Eddie is sorely lacking in boyish charm.
In 1981, goofy '60s comedy could still be done right with a decent script and likeable actors . The TV series HARPER VALLEY (1980-82) starring Barbara Eden proved that. It wasn't great but there were at least some genuine laughs each episode. It even used the same font for the opening titles as this TV-movie.
A missed opportunity. Seeing The Munsters in color wasn't enough to save them this time.
Yvonne DeCarlo was sadly underused---Phantom of the Opera got more screen time with the same lame gag repeated over and over---and they should have let Marilyn and Eddie age into their roles and brought back Pat Priest and Butch Patrick. The "new" Marilyn gives some really bad line readings here and the "new" Eddie is sorely lacking in boyish charm.
In 1981, goofy '60s comedy could still be done right with a decent script and likeable actors . The TV series HARPER VALLEY (1980-82) starring Barbara Eden proved that. It wasn't great but there were at least some genuine laughs each episode. It even used the same font for the opening titles as this TV-movie.
A missed opportunity. Seeing The Munsters in color wasn't enough to save them this time.