Technical Specs

Director: Charles Barton

Writers: James Allardice and Tom Adair

Cast: Fred Gwynne, Yvonne De Carlo, Al Lewis, Pat Priest, Butch Patrick, Elliot Reid, Norman Grabowski, and Bryan O’Byrne

Composer: Jack Marshall

Air Date: 3/4/1965

Overview

After attending a late-night office party, Herman finds himself on the receiving end of Lily’s wrath. Hoping to resolve the conflict between her aunt and uncle before things get out of hand, Marilyn sends Lily to a marriage counselor known as Dr. Harvey Baxter (Elliot Reid). Unbeknownst to Marilyn, Grandpa has already arranged for Herman to meet with the same counselor.

Operating on a weak premise, “Love Locked Out” fails to justify Lily’s anger toward Herman. Therefore, this installment can best be described as an inferior rehash of the central concept used in the prior episode, “Follow That Munster.”

Pros

Many viewers will be amused when Lily attempts to provide her baffled marriage counselor with a coherent description of Herman. Also worth mentioning is Dr. Baxter’s hilarious reaction to Herman, whose ghastly appearance initially implies severe spousal abuse.

Cons

Whereas Lily’s suspicious attitude in “Follow That Munster” could almost be defensible when considering Herman’s secretive behavior, “Love Locked Out” portrays Lily as a vindictive, overbearing witch, much in contrast to her characterization in the earliest of episodes. Though it’s understandable that Lily might express minor annoyance when Herman stays out later than expected, her vicious reaction toward a consistently loyal husband makes her appear downright paranoid at times. By failing to properly establish their core premise before delving into Herman and Lily’s marriage problems, James Allardice and Tom Adair transformed the Munsters into a dysfunctional, mean-spirited family whose interactions border on the unpleasant.

Analysis

Marilyn, Eddie, and Grandpa can all be commended for working to restore Herman and Lily’s relationship to its former condition.

Concluding Comments

A mediocre effort, “Love Locked Out” may irritate viewers who admire Lily and Herman for their marital cohesion. Nevertheless, diehard fans of The Munsters will no doubt be entertained by Herman’s late-night antics after Lily locks him out of the bedroom.

Overall Quality: 5/10

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