The Addams Family debuted as a one-panel cartoon in The New Yorker on 6th August, 1938.

Created by Charles Addams, the family (who for decades were essentially archetypes, without character names) were a satirical inversion of the ideal postwar American middle-class nuclear family, delighting in the macabre, and seemingly unaware or unconcerned that other people find them bizarre or frightening.

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the Addamses finally got their TV names; consider the on-screen rivalry between their show and the similarly-themed The Munsters; and recall MC Hammer’s SEMINAL interpretation of their iconic theme tune…

Further Reading:

• ‘Charles Addams Cartoons Are Far Darker Than The Addams Family Films’ (Den of Geek, 2021): https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/charles-addams-cartoons-darker-than-the-addams-family/

• ‘Charles Addams’ (The New Yorker, 2010); https://www.newyorker.com/cartoons/bob-mankoff/charles-addams

• ‘The Addams Family: Wednesday Leaves Home’ (MGM, 1964): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxZgUp-E0fo&list=PLwwhtOnMyjuxQy81h7uJMCdsR-bS-uVaD&index=5

This episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024.

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