The Addams Family (Live Action TV Series) (Syndicated)

Based on the ghoulish characters first created by New Yorker magazine cartoonist Charles Addams, THE ADDAMS FAMILY is a classic 1960s TV sitcom that follows the Addamses, a tight-knit, fun-loving family whose idea of normal is all that's dark, bizarre, and grotesque. Heading up the family is playful, romantic Gomez (John Astin), a lawyer who enjoys cigars and blowing up model trains. He adores his beloved wife, Morticia (Carolyn Jones), whose pastimes are knitting and taking care of man-eating plants, and his children, morbid son Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax) and somber Wednesday (Lisa Loring). Rounding out the family are demented Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), hag-like Grandmama (Blossom Park), and loyal, Frankenstein-like butler Lurch (Ted Cassidy). The show's funny plot twists are often a result of misunderstandings between the kooky Addamses and those who aren't familiar with their freaky world.

The Addams Family, which, at its foundation, is a macabre satire of the traditional American nuclear family, isn't so much scary as it is quirky, especially by today's standards. The characters are likeable and generous, and their behavior, albeit weird, isn't intended to cause harm. While some of the images may be a little strong for young children, the show is fine for tweens. (Just be sure to fill them in on why Gomez and Morticia smoke all the time without garnering a peep of protest from friends or family members.)