Streaming Sci Fi TV: The Addams Family and The Munsters Are Available on The Roku Channel

Streaming Sci Fi TV: Tracking down sci fi and fantasy shows of interest available on the streaming services.

What Are They?

These two ghoulish sitcoms hit the small screen in Fall of 1964 on two different networks and have gone on to be counted as all-time classics in the genre.

The Addams Family was given the greenlight by ABC in 1964, based on the popular New Yorker comic strip created, written, and drawn by Charles Addams. It featured a family of eccentric characters who did not count as monsters (with the exception of maybe Lurch, Cousin It, and Thing) but who had ghoulish tendencies and some supernatural leanings. They considered themselves normal, though, and didn’t understand why the rest of the world looked at them as a horror-show family.

The similarly themed The Munsters kicked off on CBS the same season, and it went heavier on the horror make-up with a Frankenstein’s monster look-a-like, two vampires, and a werewolf.  But just like the Addams’, Fred and his family considered themselves to be normal and didn’t understand why others would run from them in fright.

Why Watch Them?

The supernatural dramedy Wednesday has become one of the most-watched Netflix originals, so now certainly seems like a good time for fans to go back and watch the original television series along with its competitor The Munsters. Both arrived on Prime Time in the same season, airing only a night apart on the schedule. Some people preferred the wicked comedy of The Addams Family, while others preferred the more family-friendly and slapstick antics of The Munsters. I loved John Astin in his signature role as Gomez Addams (even if he looks nothing like the comic strip character), and I also regularly laughed out loud at the grumblings of Lurch. But even though The Munsters could be rather smarmy at times, I always thought that Herman Munster and Grandpa delivered comedy gold at their best moments together.

Surprisingly, both shows only lasted two seasons (more on that at this link), but they had just enough episodes to satisfy the syndication market at that time and lived on in reruns for years. The Addams Family would later find a new life with the Barry Sonnenfeld movie reboot in the 1990s and more recently with Wednesday on Netflix. The Munsters had a television reboot in the 1980s, but the less said about that one, the better. Both of the original shows are still well-remembered, and they are definitely worth a look for some retro-1960s creepy, ghoulie fun.

Where Are They Streaming?

Both shows are currently streaming for free (with ads) on The Roku Channel. That service is similar to Hulu when it first started, offering a wide selection of television shows and movies for free, and the ad breaks are not bad, about a two to three minutes per thirty minutes of show. The Munsters is also streaming on Peacock, and you can purchase that on DVD. The Addams Family is also on Prime Video and Pluto TV, and it has been released on DVD.

Watch The Munsters on The Roku Channel

Watch The Addams Family on The Roku Channel

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