Netflix’s Wednesday is successful.
Really, that’s an oversimplification. It’s the streaming platform’s most-watched present of all time – sure, much more than Stranger Issues and Bridgerton. As everybody awaits the newest season, they may discover themselves falling down The Addams Household rabbit gap, on the lookout for extra macabre-flavored horror comedy to savor. In fact, there’s the much-celebrated authentic tv present from the ’60s and the favored movies from the early ’90s, however there’s one other less-talked-about dwell adaptation that deserves far more love from everybody: The New Addams Household.
It’s an underrated adaptation of the mysterious and spooky household
Launched in 1998, The New Addams Household ran for 65 episodes, however it went comparatively underneath the radar. To be honest, The Addams Household had handed its peak in recognition on the time after the onslaught of films and animated sequence at first of the last decade. Alternatively, perhaps the all-new theme didn’t gel with those that adored the snappy basic music. The present additionally didn’t function a flashy forged, using lesser-known tv actors – with John Astin, who visitor starred as Grandpapa Addams, being the notable exception to the rule. Whereas there may not have been a lot pomp and circumstance across the casting, the proficient actors proved greater than able to leaving their mark on these iconic characters and disappeared into their roles.
Glenn Taranto and Ellie Harvie show the easy chemistry and kooky charisma to convey Gomez and Morticia to life, whereas Brody Smith and Nicole Fugere are pitch-perfect variations of the ghastly Pugsley and Wednesday. Then, there’s the late Michael Roberds, who might very effectively be the perfect model of the bonkers Uncle Fester but, particularly if being in comparison with the character from Charles Addams’ cartoon. The whole lot clicks right here when all people is on display collectively, and the perfect half is that the forged members make the characters their very own. Positive, they by no means grow to be completely unrecognizable to followers, however the actors get to play with totally different facets of the Addams that the viewers might not have seen in earlier variations.
‘The New Addams Household’ pays tribute to what got here earlier than it
What The New Addams Household does exceptionally effectively is to honor the tone of the unique present and keep on with its ’60s sitcom components. The costumes and set items flip into fantastic and nostalgic callbacks, whereas each episode provides a madcap and memorable journey – whether or not or not it’s the Addams reviving Cousin Vlad, who desires to steal Morticia from Gomez, or Grandpapa fearing the household is sending him to a retirement dwelling and scheming how to stick with them – just for his plans to backfire. There’s no filler content material right here and every episode provides one thing unusual, deranged, and side-splittingly hilarious, leading to it changing into a pleasant binge-worthy sequence.
As well as, main plaudits have to go to the varied writers behind The New Addams Household, akin to Peggy Nicoll and Arnold Rudnick. It’s unsurprising to study that Nicholl penned many episodes of Daria, for the reason that similar biting quips from the animated sequence are current right here. The most effective jokes within the earlier episodes entails an trade between Grandmama and Wednesday. “Resurrections are simple,” Grandmama says. “Eliminating the dwelling lifeless? That’s the difficult half.” To that, Wednesday replies, “That might clarify Keith Richards.” How can anybody not chuckle at that reference?!
It’s subsequent to inconceivable to search out ‘The New Addams Household’
What stands out probably the most about The New Addams Household is how the present stays deliciously campy, charming, and rewatchable greater than 25 years after it aired. It doesn’t really feel dated in any respect, even when the dodgy CGI and Scooby-Doo-esque results pop up on display; as a substitute, they solely add to the persona of the sequence.
That being mentioned, it is likely to be powerful to search out sequence on the varied streaming providers. It was on Tubi as soon as upon a time, however it has been pulled for some purpose – more likely to do with licensing. There are episodes accessible on YouTube and costly DVDs accessible on Amazon, however The New Addams Household isn’t as freely accessible as different variations. Don’t let that deter you, although. In the event you love America’s weirdest household, that is one present it’s worthwhile to watch.
Wednesday Season 2 involves Netflix on September 3, 2025.