All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Man, you have to go through a lot if you've never posted comments here before. Anyway, Maniac Mansion was a charming, original and funny show that aired on the Family Channel in the early 1990's. I haven't watched it since then, so some of the details are lost on me, but it was mainly about a family headed by a kooky inventor/scientist (Joe Flaherty) who had a lab in the basement of his home (which looked a lot like Wright's Ennis-Brown house). One day, his son was accidentally transformed into a full-grown man with the mind of a toddler, but the family carries on like it's "just one of those things." And that's just the beginning. Uncle Harry has been transformed into a fly (only his head stayed the same), there's an errant meteor on the property, and almost every episode contains a dreamy fantasy sequence. The acting is over the top--basically, it's wacky, wacky fun. If this series were on DVD, I wouldn't hesitate to own it.

Though it definately has some great moments this series is mostly so-so. It is a good series but it could be better. It definately has a great cast though, especially Joe Flarety as Fred Edison. Fun for the whole family.

Simply put, a cult series that was never given a chance. Loosely picking up where the wildly popular cult games "Maniac Mansion" and "Day of the Tentacle" left off, the series takes place about 20 years after the events of those games. We find Fred Edison II inheriting a house from his father, Ed (the character in the games). Unfortunately for Fred, a piece of Meteor with a mind of its own is living in the basement, which accidentally mutates his brother into a fly and his toddler into a giant. From there the series follows the family's attempts at re-entering normal society, and the trials of real life that come with it. Overall the show good, but not living up to the legacy left behind by the video games was its ultimate downfall.