The original Munsters series aired for two seasons from 1964 to 1966, producing 72 episodes including pilots. Its 1988 revival, The Munsters Today, lasted three seasons until 1991 with 73 episodes.
The original The Munsters sitcom, which aired alongside The Addams Family from 1964 to 1966, left a lasting impact despite its brief run of two seasons and 72 episodes, including two pilots. In 1988, a revival titled The Munsters Today premiered, running for three seasons through 1991 and totaling 73 episodes, including the pilot—thus outlasting the original in episode count and seasons. Due to the original cast's ages, new actors took the roles: John Schuck as Herman Munster, Lee Meriwether as Lily, Howard Morton as Grandpa, Jason Marsden as Eddie, and Hilary Van Dyke as niece Marilyn. The storyline included a twist where a lightning crash induced a deep sleep for the family, awakening them in the 1980s to adapt to modern times. Producer Lloyd J. Schwartz later explained that this premise allowed the show to 'comment on society today' in the late 1980s. Subsequent attempts to revive the franchise included Bryan Fuller's 2012 pilot Mockingbird Lane, featuring Jerry O'Connell as Herman, Portia de Rossi as Lily, and Suzy Eddie Izzard as Grandpa; it aired as an NBC Halloween special without a series order. In 2022, Rob Zombie directed a prequel film The Munsters, starring Jeff Daniel Phillips as Herman, Sheri Moon Zombie as Lily, Daniel Roebuck as Grandpa, and a cameo by Cassandra Peterson as Elvira.
