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Monster Squad

Monster Squad

1976Ended1 season13 episodes~30 min/epMidcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

Monster Squad is a television series that aired Saturday mornings on NBC from 1976-1977 that is unrelated to the later movie of the same name. The series stars Fred Grandy as Walt, a criminology student working as a night watchman at "Fred's Wax Museum". To pass the time, Walt built a prototype "Crime Computer" hidden in a large stone sarcophagus near an exhibit of legendary monsters. When Walt plugged in his computer, "oscillating vibrations" brought to life the wax statues of Dracula, the Wolfman who here was named "Bruce W. Wolf", and Frankenstein's Monster who was referred to as "Frank N. Stein" in the credits. The monsters, wanting to make up for the misdeeds of their pasts, became superhero crimefighters who used their unique abilities to challenge and defeat various supervillains. In most episodes, Walt would send the monsters out to investigate crimes and fight the villains while monitoring the activities from the wax museum via the Crime Computer, presumably because his job required him to be at the wax museum at all times. However, Walt would sometimes join the climactic battle with his comrades in some episodes and come to the rescue when needed.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Monster Squad?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Monster Squad streaming on Midnight Pulp via Prime Video, Prime Video, Screambox via The Roku Channel, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Monster Squad?

Monster Squad earns 1 badge: Fun.

Reception

Is Monster Squad worth watching?

Monster Squad's Midcredits score is the 34th percentile of all shows, from 335 ratings across 2 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

34th percentile

Better received than 34% of shows

31st percentile among Adventure22nd percentile among 1970s
Acclaim (how much people like it)27th
Approval (how many liked it)42nd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

65 /100

27th percentile of all shows

26th percentile among Adventure15th percentile among 1970s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

66% liked it

42nd percentile of all shows

38th percentile among Adventure29th percentile among 1970s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

35th percentile

330 ratings across platforms

23rd percentile among Adventure27th percentile among 1970s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 19% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the show is a campy, low-budget Saturday-morning relic from the '70s.

Fans praised

  • Clean Saturday-morning fun for kids with a positive monster-as-hero spin
  • Tongue-in-cheek humor that worked as both kids' show and satire
  • Fred Grandy's early role as the wax-museum janitor

Detractors panned

  • Dull, unimaginative writing with forgettable villains
  • Cheap cardboard sets and laughably bad fight choreography
  • Stale rehash of the Batman TV series without the wit

What stands out

HumorDivisive50

Tongue-in-cheek charm appreciated by fans, flat for detractors

Plot and storyDivisive25

Formulaic crime-fighting stories with weak scenarios

Originality20

Derivative of Batman TV series, not a fresh concept

Effects and spectacle15

Cheap sets and clumsy fight scenes

Episodes

1 season

Season 1 · 1976 · 13 episodes

  • S1E1
    S1E1

    Queen Bee

    Sep 11, 197630 min
  • S1E2
    S1E2

    Mr. Mephisto

    Sep 18, 197630 min
  • S1E3
    S1E3

    The Tickler

    Sep 25, 197630 min
  • S1E4
    S1E4

    The Ringmaster

    Oct 2, 197630 min
  • S1E5
    S1E5

    Music Man

    Oct 9, 197630 min
  • S1E6
    S1E6

    No Face

    Oct 16, 197630 min

Watch experience

What is Monster Squad like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdJoyful
Heaviest: throughout
Slapstick humor
Register
Campy · 2% of showsPlayful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcStatus quo each season
ToneThe show plays its premise of wax monsters as superheroes with a knowingly campy and tongue-in-cheek tone, aping the 60s Batman series.
The rideThe show maintains a consistently silly and light-hearted mood throughout its episodes.
StructureEach episode follows a conventional three-act structure: crime occurs, monsters investigate, and they defeat the villain.
Episode formatEach episode likely presents a standalone crime for the monsters to solve while the overarching theme of atonement runs throughout.
Season formatWith only one season, the format is episodic, but the premise is consistent enough that any episode could be viewed independently.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves a goofy, light-hearted feeling, perfect for a Saturday morning.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach typical episode follows the monster trio as they use gadgets and teamwork to stop a costumed villain's scheme, fitting the overcoming_the_monster structure.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% (this title) · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Redemption · 3% of showsFriendshipIdentity
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe monsters seek to atone for past misdeeds, while also exploring their new friendships and identities as heroes.
StanceThe series celebrates the monsters' redemption and their role as unlikely heroes, with a playful tone.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingA wax museum and the surrounding city where the monsters fight crime.
MusicThe score likely underscores the lighthearted and adventurous tone.

Content guide

Is Monster Squad okay for kids?

Ratings in 1 other country
  • CanadaPG

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Monster Squad have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Monster Squad?

Cast

Henry Polic II
as Dracula
Buck Kartalian
as Bruce W. Wolf
Mike Lane
as Frank N. Stein
Fred Grandy
as Walter
Paul Smith
as Officer McMacMac
Edward Andrews
as Mayor Goldwyn
Julie Newmar
as Ultra Witch
Geoffrey Lewis
as The Skull
Vito Scotti
as Albert
Jonathan Harris
as The Astrologer

Crew

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What are shows like Monster Squad?

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What other shows share a tag with Monster Squad?

22 other shows share the rarest tag below, follows: monster. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.