Addams Family: CSR (PS/VIVA/DVD)

I ordered this during the 2008 Christmas season so my young daughters could watch it during their time off during the holidays. We put in the first disc and watched the fist episode. From that point forward is was basically two months of a chant in chorus: "Addams Family! Addams Family!" They watched it straight through and then went through it again and again, perhaps a total of five times. They still won't let me pack it away, they want it readily available.I didn't complain too much, because to my delight I found that this show, like so many from the era, is simple astonishingly good television. I had enjoyed it as a kid, but I didn't remember it as well as the Munsters (which is also, obviously, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). The creativity of this production is just fabulous, and the acting superb. Lurch is fascinating, with his dead-pan visage, spontaneous appearances and harpsichord playing (backed by the genius Vic Mizzy). The same actor plays "Thing"--and he says so much with his animated hand movements. You can't overstate the fundamental brilliance of Thing. Morticia is as glamourous as the living-dead (or whatever she is) can be. She is gorgeous, and quite the botanist with her collection of highly cognizant plants. The Addams' life of leisure is quite enviable, as they always use their infinite time at home to fine-tune their various blue-blooded skills, and they prove themselves to be true Renassaince folk. Jackie Coogan's Uncle Fester is out of control. Illuminating light bulbs in his mouth, getting stretched on the rack, he's always up for a good time, and apparently oblivious to pain. Aleister Crowley, I suspect, would consider this zany character his most cherished legacy. And "Cousin It"? Wow, that character almost scares me. He, or It, I should say, is truly a psychedelic and sophisticated flourish which takes the show into a different realm of bizarre surreality.The real show-stealer is Gomez, played by John Astin. Good grief, the character he created here is just insanely funny. He is dynamic, eccentric, suave, outrageous, gallant, compassionate, dapper, forgiving, generous...I could go on with descriptors for an hour. I've told my wife I really need to become a lot more like Gomez. He is truly one of the all-time great television characters. I read somewhere that Groucho Marx was used as a reference point for the character, and it makes sense. John, if you by chance read this, my deepest thanks for all the happiness you have brought to the world. It must be immensely satisfying knowing that you have brought so many smiles to this planet.The scripts are extremely clever, with both an adult level and a kid's level. I'm surprised how many of the issues the family deals with are relevant to today's world: turbulance in the stock market; issues with school officials (who disapprove of the kids bringing weapons and dynamite to campus, etc.), taxes, dysfunction in government, etc.In the extras, there is an effort to remind everyone that this show was derived from the comic strip. That is generous, but I personally think this this show transcends and betters the comic strip in a multitude of ways. The debt of gratitiude should run to the show, not the other way around.What has happened to our world? Yeah, global warming, over-population, the economy...but also look at television as a micro-paradigm of societal decay. I know you will say there have been good shows recently, and there have been (some). But if you do a side-by-side comparison of, say, some good shows like The Sopranos, Frazier, Seinfield, and Friends and you compare them with The Wild, Wild West, The Munsters, Addams Family, Batman, Mission Impossible, The Night Gallery, Benny Hill, Leave it to Beaver...one gets the strong impression that creativity is really in decline. The sheer level of elaboration in the production values alone distinguishes the eras: the sets themselves were works of art. Television used to go full-out, now it is so frequently about compromise and cost-cutting. Are "reality shows" going to implant the wonderful visions into the minds of kids that these shows did? Instead, I get a migraine from "Survivor" and the like--and even "American Idol" has a chaotic, campy aspect which certainly doesn't enrich the world much.But I digress. The Addams Family is one of life's really good things. For the ten times the price, you would be well rewarded by what you get here. The pictures look great, and the fun is non-stop. Buy this for yourself and revive your own memories, or buy this for your kids or grand kids and create a whole new generation of memories. I am convinced: 200 years from now people will be watching this show, laughing until their sides split. This is television for the post-television age, televison for eternity. It will hold up for for as long as there are people, or ghouls.

This show was permission to me to be different. To think and enjoy my life. To be silly.

Classic fun show, enjoyable for the whole family.

Wonderful picture transfer (it's square because it was filmed in the 1960's). Good sound. Nice packaging. Fair price. I highly suggest buying if you're a fan of the Addams Family.

This was given as a gift to a 14-year old girl, and she loved it. Thank you.

Nice show it's in black and white and 2 sided.

this is my first complete TV series that i ever bought and one hell of an amazing showi first know the Addams family when i was watching the Cartoon Network version of them in 1992 ( wish they release a DVD collection already )that said i watched some episodes and i really loved it and decided to get this set and it is worth it for its cracking entertainment factor and a classic Addams experience .i'm new to this TV series and it never let me down i'm having allot of got time with it and i haven't finished the first set yetas for the colorful cast Morticia is my favorite & the reason i liked the Addams family in the first place Carolyn Jones ( R I P ) was sooooo beautiful and fitting for her roll , gomez in this series i find him better than in the CN cartoon tho its a very close call , Lurch is my 2nd favorite in this family specially when he mumbles ( specially when bank robbers found him in the closet )as for the kids Pugsley and Wednesday they are adorable here unlike the impish siblings in the 1992 cartoon ( which i prefer ) , OOHHH BOY Uncle fester he always cracks me up the family is nothing without him yet i cant decide both this and the cartoon Fester are REALLY good ... tho the cartoon Fester is more crazy ( LOL )as of cousin IT & thing there amazingly the same from this series and the cartoon which is neat cuz it made me feel its a continuation in my imagination of these too .as for the case box i love it , as for the label issue cuz i found it amazing that the DVDs are played both sides ( 1st time i see it in my life ) , but look closely in the center ring of one of the sides of any of them and it will show which side the DVD your going to play , as well the writing of each episode is found the opposite inner side of the cover so its no big deal as i red from reviews .I LOVE THIS SET( hope one day the 1992 cartoons get a release )

My daughter has been obsessed with Wednesday for the last three years. She has watched every movie, the series, and cartoon version. She requested the original series for her birthday, and let me tell you, it's a hit. The seller shipped within a day, and the DVD's are in mint condition. If you want a trip down memory lane, go for it. It's still as funny as when you first watched it.