
At least they had the good sense to bring in original Gomez John Astin as occasional character Grandpapa Addams, but his presence just reminded viewers of the greatness that once was. It plays like an eerie (but not in a good "Addams" way) remake of its predecessor, with many of the actors not so much interpreting their characters but imitating their counterparts from the 1964-'66 series. A Canadian production which aired the Fox Family Channel in the U.S., The New Addams Family inadvertently gave away its premise in its title: It's the same old Addams Family as presented by the 1960s The Addams Family sitcom it's just. But when I think of Morticia Addams, I think of the statuesque Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values.Nothing about any Addams Family property made it unfriendly to kids (except for kids spooked out by just a general sense of the macabre), so there doesn't seem to be much of a point to The New Addams Family.

Other notable appearances have been in the black-and-white 1960s TV show (in which Tish is played by the doll-like Carolyn Jones), an animated series (a Saturday morning must-watch), and at least one baller pinball game. Morticia and the clan have had many incarnations, beginning with Charles Addams' original illustrations in the New Yorker, starting in 1938. Instead, it's her impenetrable spirit, her social graces, her sultry charm, her smooth intellect, and her progressive values that make her a role model. She is the Chanel of girl ghouls: timeless and classic. With that long black hair, the blood-red talons, and those ghoulishly captivating eyes, Morticia has a timeless look - one that's since been co-opted by the likes of Vampira, Elvira, and, to a lesser extent, Lily Munster. To begin with, Morticia is drop-dead gorgeous.



It's the fully-actualized matriarch, Morticia, who reigns as queen. But she's merely the princess of the Addams clan. In fact, children of the '90s tend to worship Wednesday and her deadpan wit. For decades, they've been an iconic bunch of creepy/kooky/mysterious/etc. Halloween tends to inspire me to revisit my favorite gang of lovable monsters: The Addams Family (snap, snap).
