The Munsters (Syndicated, TV Land)

THE MUNSTERS is a classic 1960s sitcom centered on an extended family whose members happen to resemble horror movie characters. Herman Munster (Fred Gwynne) looks just like Frankenstein, while his wife Lily (Yvonne De Carlo) could be the Bride of Frankenstein's double. Grandpa (Al Lewis) is a vampire, and little Eddie (Butch Patrick) is a werewolf. Niece Marilyn (Pat Priest) also lives with the family, and she's the black sheep because her looks are so conventional.

The primary conceit of the series (which debuted a week after the similarly themed Addams Family in 1964) is that the Munster family doesn't realize that they're unusual. Their lives are rather ordinary -- Herman works, Lily does housework (which involves making the house dirty, rather than clean), Eddie goes to elementary school, and Grandpa tinkers in the basement with his experiments. Each episode usually contains at least one interaction with the outside world. For instance, when Grandpa accidentally puts a Sleeping Beauty spell on Marilyn, the family puts an ad in the paper searching for a genuine prince to wake her with a kiss. Two actors show up expecting an audition for a theater part; when they realize their error, they retreat in horror -- much to the Munsters' surprise.

Aside from the fact that it embraces the traditional gender roles that were typical of the era, The Munsters is still clean, non-problematic family entertainment. Occasional arguments occur between Grandpa and Herman, but they typically involve one calling the other "goofball" and then sharing a giggle. And the show's general ghoulishness is entirely benign and will probably confuse or amuse very young viewers rather than frighten them.