When October rolls around, you can’t help but think about how Halloween is just around the corner. Freak outs and frights are the order of the day in most places, but what should you do if you are looking for something a bit more low-key and family friendly? Well look no further than The Addams Family for some good old vintage TV fun with a Halloween twist that’s spooky and altogether ooky.
The eponymous Addams Family is made up of the affable but kooky Gomez (John Astin) his wife, the endearingly dreadful Morticia (Carolyn Jones); and their children the weird daughter Wednesday and the spooky son Pugsly. Along with characters Lurch, It, Thing, Uncle Fester, and Grandmama Addams; the family lives in their own macabre little world made up of monsters, supernatural encounters, fun outings to the morgue, and many other abnormal adventures that seem perfectly normal to them but frightening and horrible to the rest of the world. Each episode typically centers around some person or persons unfamiliar with the morbid nature of the Addams, and the farcical comedy unfolds from a series of what can only be described as cultural misunderstandings taken to their most creepy degree. One of the real highlights of this series comes from John Astin’s portrayal of Gomez. Whether beaming with pride when finding out one of his children have been sent to the principal’s office, engaging in over-the-top professions of love for his wife, or detonating his model trains with childlike glee, Astin really helps draw you in to the charm of the series and warms you up to the offbeat humor.
If you are worried about getting a “dud” episode that seems kinda lame, then do a quick internet search for episodes that are considered classics and don’t miss. Either that or just find a way to binge watch or have it playing in the background Halloween night while passing out candy (or passing out from candy.) Whatever your choice, you’ll be sure to be snapping along to the theme in no time. From Gomez pulling already lit cigars from his pocket, to Morticia’s green thumb for man-eating plants, to the booming drone of Lurch–the series offers light-hearted laughs behind a dark comedy shroud.
