Munsters Reboot Gets Cheyenne Jackson And More TV Casting News.
Described as a ‘dramedy’ by its creator, who also uses words like ‘re-imagining’ and ‘re-inventing’ when comparing it to The Munsters, I’m fairly certain my feelings towards remakes will remain unchanged.
Jerry O’ Connell as Herman Munster? No. Dramedy? Give me a break.
The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet, the classic television series that began life as a radio show, aired from 1952 to 1966 and featured the fictionalized stories of the real-life Nelson family. In fact, the exterior shots of the television Nelson home, was actually the real Nelson home. The interior shots were filmed on a soundstage made to resemble the real Nelson home as well.
This is the fifth episode of the first season airing October 31, 1952, and titled Halloween Party. The series produced 435 episodes during its run.
I posted a few days ago about the 1957 pilot for a television series featuring Frankenstein which was never put into production. Now, 54 years later, there is a possibility the monster is being readied for a return to the small screen.
Frankenstein (1931)
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Media Studios has ordered a script for a “…modern-day take on the legend of Frankenstein…” to be written by two House executive producers. That article does not mention whether the plans are for a series, or a one-off reboot.
Here’s a great Wikipedia article about Frankenstein in popular culture that lists the monsters many appearances in all forms of media. It will be interesting to see this latest addition to the list, should it be made.
Tales Of Frankenstein was to be a series produced for television by Screen Gems, in connection with the famed Hammer Films. Hammer had released The Curse Of Frankenstein that same year, the first of seven films to star the creature, and according to its website was hoping to build on the success of that film with this series for television. Sadly, there never was a series, just one pilot episode with the weird title of “The Face In The Tombstone Mirror.”
Tales Of Frankenstein - Pilot Episode
From wikipedia:
…The series was scrapped, largely because of the two companies’ disagreement over what the basic thrust of the series would be. Hammer wanted to do a series about Baron Frankenstein involved in various misadventures, while Columbia* wanted a series of science fiction stories loosely based around the idea of science gone wrong… -wikipedia
One wonders if that little disagreement is really what kept the series from being made. As it’s written there it would seem like a compromise wouldn’t have been difficult to reach. Not that the idea of “a series of science fiction stories..” was exactly new and original in 1957. Tales Of Tomorrow had ended four years earlier, The Twilight Zone and One Step Beyond would air just two years later, followed by The Outer Limits in 1963. Personally, I think if they had focused on the misadventures of Baron Frankenstein they would have had something interesting there. But, that’s why I’m not a television executive I suppose.
Watch the only episode of Tales Of Frankenstein. The archive shows a second episode titled “Jack The Ripper” that is actually from a different series called The Veil. Maybe we’ll peek behind that one later on…
*The Hammer site doesn’t mention Columbia Pictures by name, but Screen Gems was the television subsidiary of the company during that time.
So the Hoarders television program/trashumentary would have us believe that filling our homes with piles of “stuff” is not just disgusting, but hazardous to the health and well-being of the hoarder. Ok.
Then we have American Pickers, where people make money from the piles of “stuff” they’ve hoarded collected. It is not hoarding on those shows, it’s collecting.
Who is right, and why haven’t these two shows met? It’s a match made in trash TV heaven.
Is a person who throws everything away just as screwed up as a person who keeps it all, or just less likely to make some extra cash?
Let’s play a little game. It is a game that is getting harder to win by the way, as television channels all move to become like the channel next door. In other words, a steady stream of mindless programming. And by all means, define the word programming how you please.*
I’m going to post a show description, and you tell me what cable channel it is scheduled to appear on.
Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen — Premieres February — Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen features molecular gastronomist Marcel Vigneron, one of America’s most notorious chefs on the cutting edge of the culinary field. At just 30 years old, Marcel has already made a name for himself with his polarizing turn as the season two runner-up on Bravo’s Emmy-winning Top Chef. Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen follows Marcel as he begins to explore the potential next phase of his career. In each episode, Marcel will be hired by a demanding client to produce and pull off extraordinary events and celebrations. Based on the clients’ requests, Marcel will have to dream up a menu for the event, from a dinner party for extreme sports enthusiasts to a multi-room extravaganza featuring live exotic animals. He and his team of chefs will work alongside A-list party planners to create a transformative experience for guests through both immersive decor and innovative menus that emphasizes Marcel’s unparalleled brand of molecular gastronomy. Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen is produced by Mission Control Media. Dwight Smith, Michael Agbabian, Andy Scheer and Dana Leiken Richards are executive producers.
Sounds like a real winner. Or at least a show the network hopes will say, increase its appeal to females? That was your hint. And maybe a sexist one at that.
The answer is….SyFy. Go figure.
* I like this one: to cause to absorb or incorporate automatic responses, attitudes, or the like; condition: Our parents programmed us to respect our elders.
And now on the History Channel, following the success of its other fine “historical” programs like Gangland, Ice Road Truckers, IRT: Deadliest Roads, and my all time favorite Swamp People, I give you the American version of Top Gear. A show about cars.
Oh? What’s that you say? Why is Top Gear on the History Channel and not say, the Speed Channel? Beats the crap out of me! What do any of those shows have to do with history? Nothing. Not a damn thing. Do these shows have any redeeming quality? Have you ever seen Swamp People?!
Stereotypical Swamp Types
I complain about TV too much. I know. But seriously WTF?
Another little tidbit of ironic television injustice. You know what’s on the Speed Channel when Top Gear is on the History Channel? A show about classic cars. Old cars. Historical cars. I give up.
I was sad to hear the news today that Robert Culp passed away at the age of 79. I won’t attempt to write an obituary, or summarize the mans career, but I did enjoy his work and am always sad to hear when we lose yet another TV veteran.
The Greatest American Hero was a favorite of mine as a kid, and these days I love an old I Spy despite, or maybe because of, its age. Thankfully both shows are on Hulu, so if you don’t know the man you can sample much of his work there.