(*Lyrics excerpt from "The Addams Family's" original theme song*) - "They're creepy and they're kooky.... Mysterious and spooky..... They're all together ooky.... The Addams Family." As far as TV Sit-Coms from the mid-1960's go - I'd honestly have to say that "The Addams Family" certainly ranks right up there as being about as "oddball" as you could possibly get.Now 50 years old - This TV series (which was filmed in b&w) is (in all of its nonsensical silliness and wacky absurdity) definitely not going to appeal the everyone - But, generally speaking, I found that the morbid sense of humour that prevailed amongst the characters, along with the family's cultural clash with the rest of the world, to be fairly entertaining, for the most part.Initially, I was expecting all of the Addams Family members to be a real evil lot, but, basically, they turned out to be just a harmless clan of kooky eccentrics.My favourite character in the show was, of course, Lurch (played perfectly by the 6'9" giant, Ted Cassidy) who was the Addams Family's harpsichord-playing butler.

It's funny, but when I ask friends my age who was the best TV dad of the 1960s, I often get the answer 'Gomez Addams' or if I mention him, they then agree with me wholeheartedly. He was a radical and wonderful husband--and the Addams', believe it or not, were a very healthy family that could be emulated. Now I am NOT recommending folks have pet lions, eat eye of newt, have model trains that blow up, sleep on beds of nails and the like. I AM recommending you look at the relationships between the characters. Mr. Addams truly loves his family. But, more importantly, he was the first husband who loved his wife sexually. He adored her--setting a wonderful example for the kids. The same can be said for Mrs. Addams. While her libido didn't seem quite as strong, it was VERY strong for a 1960s woman--and she was a loving and gentle mother. As for the kids, despite being total weirdos, they were really decent kids. All in all, the show wasn't just comedy and weirdness but a fantastic prototype for how the American family could or should be. This is why I adore this show. Sure, it makes me laugh but it also influenced how I later became a husband and father--and often makes me ask myself WWGD--what would Gomez do? Well written, funny and fun.

I watched this series when it first came out, yeah I know, I am that old. I find this series funny, funny, funny. I actually own the entire series and break it out now and then to watch again. Wednesday is always trying to put Pugsley in some kind of killing situation and loves to Marie Antoinette her dolls(chop of their heads)!! Gomez is always turned on whenever Morticia speaks French. They are extremely wealthy but most of the time you have no idea where the money comes as Gomez is constantly making bad choices. I like cousin Itt, Granmama, and Uncle Festus. They make a great support cast. The different relatives that pop in or visit from time to time are also funny. When the outside world becomes involved it can ramp up the humor.

The Addams Family always has been one of my favourites. The costumes and sets look sumptuous and the photography to me hasn't dated. The music was iconic when I first was familiar to the series and it still is. The stories are always interesting, and I have never found the laughter track inappropriate or annoying. The cast are superb and perfectly suited to their characters, you won't find a better Gomez or Morticia than John Astin and Carolyn Jones, and Jackie Coogan is born for Fester. Wednesday and Pugsley are adorable and genuinely look as though they care for one another, and Lurch is a character you are amused by and feel sympathy for. The humour also works wonderfully, the writing is superb and the slapstick is subtle and appropriately weird and surreal. All in all, this series is a classic and always will be. 10/10 Bethany Cox