Yes, There Was Really a Family Sitcom About Snow White in the '80s

The recent talk about live-action "Snow White" adaptations has brought to light some older ones that may have otherwise been lost to time. One such example is The Charmings, a family sitcom from 1987 about Snow White and her family waking up after a thousand-year sleep in modern-day Burbank and adjusting to life in the real world. It gives off major Enchanted vibes, but a lot more campy. Even watching the show today feels like a fever dream, so I can only imagine how people who grew up with it as a faint memory would still question its existence. All 21 episodes of its limited run are available to watch on YouTube in their full hokey glory.

This version of Snow White many not pick up a sword and lead a revolution against her wicked stepmother like most modern interpretations, but she does learn to become a career woman by designing dresses for a successful fashion company. She lives with her husband, Eric Charming, their two children, Thomas and Cory, a dwarf named Luther, and the infamous stepmother, Lillian, who channels Endora from Bewitched. In this version of the story, Snow and Eric decide to put aside their prejudice toward Lillian for poisoning and cursing them and treat her as a member of the family. She has a confusing relationship with her sassy mirror, who makes snarky remarks about her morally questionable decisions and obsession with making the Charmings' lives miserable.

Although it's been parodied frequently, the original "Snow White" story is about the furthest thing from a comedy, which makes a lot of the humor in this show in poor taste. Once Upon a Time had a better concept of turning the story into a riveting drama filled with high tension and stakes. Most of the jokes in the first season revolve around Snow or Eric looking at modern conveniences and saying "I don't know what this is." In the second season, Snow evolves into a modern '80s woman portrayed by a different actress, while Eric still struggles to adjust to life in the 20th century. The most bizarre element of the show is that they continue letting Lillian live with them despite her constant attempts to poison the family, although she begins to soften over the course of the show.

The Charmings came out the same decade that Shelley Duvall established her star-studded Faerie Tale Theatre series of retellings and contains many references to other stories. The interior of the Charming house looks like every other sitcom set, but the exterior is a white castle that resembles the one from the 1937 Disney movie. The second season opening uses early computer effects to combine images of the cast with campy cartoon settings. In the first season, the family wore corset dresses and armor before becoming more acclimated to traditional '80s fashion. Other fairy tale characters occasionally made cameos, but they didn't always work. For instance, it was hard to believe that Cinderella had loose morals when she was always locked in the attic doing chores and relied on magic for just one night out.

The Charmings is a campy 1980s sitcom that offers a unique and humorous take on the classic Snow White fairy tale. By transplanting the beloved characters into a modern-day suburban setting, the show creates a fascinating blend of fantasy and reality. Despite its questionable humor and bizarre plot twists, the series charms with its nostalgic '80s vibe and memorable characters. For fans of retro TV and fairy tale adaptations, The Charmings is a must-watch, offering a delightful blend of humor, heart, and campy charm. With all 21 episodes available on YouTube, anyone can now experience the quirky adventures of the Charming family and their eccentric lives in Burbank.