| The Addams Family: The Animated Series | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Animated comedy Horror Comedy |
| Voices of | John Astin Dick Beals Carol Channing Jim Cummings Debi Derryberry Jeannie Elias Pat Fraley Nancy Linari Edie McClurg Rob Paulsen Rip Taylor |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 21 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | David Kirschner Mark Young |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Hanna-Barbera Productions |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC Cartoon Network |
| Original run | September 12, 1992 – November 6, 1993 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Addams Family (1964-66) The Addams Family (1973-74) The Addams Family (1991) |
The Addams Family: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the eponymous comic strip characters. It ran from September 12, 1992 to November 6, 1993 on ABC and was produced by Hanna-Barbera. The series' development began in the wake of the successful 1991 Addams Family feature film. Two seasons were produced. It was the second-to-last Hanna-Barbera-produced show to premiere on ABC.
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Geared towards children, much of the family's macabre nature was toned down; although, Fester retained his love of explosives and light bulbs. In order for the series to fit with other Saturday morning cartoons, plot lines were geared around the family living in Happy Dale Heights and facing some kind of threat from a series of recurring villains—individuals who either wanted to force the Addams' from their home or capture one of them (usually Fester) for nefarious purposes.
The first episode to air involved a plot against Fester by his "arch nemesis," a faceless gangster; the episode was aired out of production order, however, and relied on the viewer's having seen previous episodes for context, thus leaving the audience in the dark as to why Fester had an arch nemesis. Later episodes would introduce the series' most common recurring villains, a yuppie family named the Normanmeyers that lived next door to the Addams and despised them for their lifestyle being an affront to typical suburban living. Episodes dealing with the Normanmeyers usually involved the father, Norman, trying to either convince Gomez to move away or force him to sell the home; the family's adolescent son, NJ, was friends with Puggsley and Wednesday, inevitably leading to interfamilial conflict. At the end of several episodes, when the conflict was resolved, Gomez usually suggested a family dance. The first suggestion for the dance was usually thrown out because of some weird requirement. Fester is usually the one to point out the reason the first suggestion shouldn't be accepted albeit sometimes Gomez and Fester found themselves in a role reversal (with Fester making the suggestion and Gomez pointing out the reason not to follow it). The second suggestion was accepted and there was usually a requirement for that dance too. The show's theme song, which was similar to that of the original live-action series, was slightly different and was sung by a single baritone voice.
New artistic models of the characters were used for this series, though still having a passing resemblance to the original comics. Lurch, for instance, has blue skin in the animated series. The Addams Family Theme, re-recorded with a basso profondo lead vocal, was reused as the theme for the series.
Although some of the relatives of the Addams Family are mentioned just like the classic TV series, some of them made appearances in this show:
Playmates produced a series of nine action figures based on the Addams Family animated series. This includes Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Pugsley, and Granny among others. Each figure includes multiple points of articulation, accessories, and a biography card on their cardback. No commercial was ever made for this. Halloween costumes were also produced.
| # | Title | Airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happyester Fester | September 12, 1992 | Fester creates a new fabric called Happyester, so he and Gomez decide to present it to Norman Normanmeyer, who runs an underwear company. Normanmeyer is enthusiastic to take over the formula and offers Fester to be his partner, but Fester makes unusual demands before he signs the contract. Meanwhile, a rival company of Normanmeyer named Rumpco has sent a spy, Underwear Hitman 'Fingers', to steal the formula. After Wednesday and Pugsley save the day, Fester is happy to sign the contract. To the Addams' surprise, they are thrown out of the lot, which turned out to be part of the contract. Nevertheless, Fester misinterprets the action as a friendly deed. Later, it turns out Happyester has itchy side effects, something that delights the Addams, but causes bad publicity for Normanmeyer causing Fester to support Normanmeyer. |
| 2 | Dead and Breakfast | September 19, 1992 | Wednesday and Pugsley's bad mood over the sunny weather is worsened when they are assigned for a school project called 'creative problem solving through junior career exploiration'. Through the enthusiasm of Gomez, it is decided that they turn the Addams home into a 'dead and breakfast'. Wednesday and Pugsley are reluctant to start the project, but do not want to let down their parents. After the hotel's opening, the trouble starts. Not only are the Normanmeyers determined to ruin their business and do the Addams receive a visit from a health inspector, who is courted by Grandma, they also have a guest, Mrs. Quaint, that sets her eyes on the family fortune. Wednesday and Pugsley eventually use booby traps to capture the woman - who is wanted in eight states for hotel burglarly - thereby solving a problem creatively. |
| 3 | The Day Gomez Failed | September 26, 1992 | Feeling that he has done everything once, Gomez goes through his days uninspired. Morticia reminds him that everything in his life has been a success, and encourages him to fail at something. The plan backfires, though, because everything Gomez does results into a profit, earning a fortune in only six hours. Mr. Normanmeyer offers Gomez his ticket to failure, announcing his plans on using his land to complete a new freeway. Some time after signing the contract, the family is surprised to find out that part of the contract was demoloshing the mansion with bulldozers. Although Gomez sees it as a friendly deed of Normanmeyer, he stops him, revealing that the house is built on a swamp and could therefore not be used for a freeway. Instead, the freeway is built on the Normanmeyer's land, much to their frustration. Meanwhile, Morticia reminds Gomez that he has failed in failing, and therefore succeeded in his plans. |
| 4 | Girlfriendstein / Pugsley by the Numbers / Beware of Thing | October 3, 1992 | Girlfriendstein: The family notices that Lurch has been somewhere else with his attention lately. Wednesday and Pugsley dig through his room and find out he has recently been dumped by his girlfriend. Fester building him a new girlfriend seems the perfect resolution. Lurch shows no interest in the robot, though, so Wednesday calls his ex-girlfriend to reunite with him. Meanwhile, Cousin Itt has fallen in love with the robot and they run off. Pugsley by the Numbers: Wednesday is fed up with her brother continuously ruining her paintings. She decides to create an improved Pugsley with her mother's living paint, but every creation she makes ranging from an intelligent Pugsley, a stronger Pugsley, and a female Puglsey prove to be too annoying. With the help of the real Pugsley, she exterminates the alternative Pugsleys and admits that her brother is perfect. Beware of Thing: The Twin Spies take a break from spying and try to break into the Addams safe which is guarded by Thing. They dress up as a giant hand to seduce and distract Thing, and thereby catch him. Thing is able to escape and eventually scares away the Twin Spies. |
| 5 | N.J. Addams | October 10, 1992 | N.J. feels embarrassed by his parents' weekly speeches at school about underwear. He is too afraid to admit that he does not want to take over his father's business one day, and instead of confronting his parents, he runs away from home. After explaining the Addams residence is the one place where he can be himself, Wednesday and Pugsley allow him to stay in a spare room. They make him look unrecognizable and introduce him as Mumbles Addams, a long lost cousin, at a family reunion organized by Gomez and Morticia. N.J. is initially delighted with the attention he is receiving, but soon finds out the relatives are too odd for his taste when they fight over whose side of the family Mumbles is from. During a burst out, he upsets Uncle Frankus, an intimidating relative who soon starts chasing them. After he is saved by Wednesday and Pugsley, N.J. is informed that it is alright to be different or not live up to people's expectations. N.J. has the courage to return home and his parents, who were worried because of his disappearance, announce that they will be less hard on him in the future. |
| 6 | A Thing Is Born / Choke and Dagger / Fester's Diary | October 17, 1992 | A Thing is Born: We see a sad and unhappy Thing who is bored of his routine activities in the Addams mansion and wants to go to the outside world he doesn't play with the children nor help uncle fester in the absence of Gomez and Morticia as they had left for yet another honey moon, Wednesday tries to help thing and she finds thing wants to go to Hollywood and Granny predicts fame and fortune and accompanies thing where his talents bring a lot of fame, Granny misses family and leaves to home after this his new found fame also attracts a enraged manic turned co star named Harry Palmer who lost his chance and fame to Thing and tries to incapacitate him. But Thing manages to capture Harry Palmer. Afterwards, he tells the reporters that he won't do any more films and returns home. Choke and Dagger: Wednesday and Pugsley plan to go with Cousin Itt on his latest missions. The Spy Twins make various attempts to capture Cousin Itt which always tend to go wrong with the other Addams Family members thwarting their plans. Fester's Diary: Uncle Fester writes in his diary about his day. |
| 7 | Sir Pugsley / Festerman / Art to Art | October 24, 1992 | Sir Pugsley: The Addams Family's Annual Family Joust has arrived and every year, Wednesday would always beat Pugsley in a joust. Gomez and Uncle Fester give Pugsley some pointers in order to beat Wednesday in the joust. Festerman: Uncle Fester reads his comic book called "Festerman" to Wednesday. The plot of the comic details Festerman's experiment to get more power resulted in his former partner Underman (Norman Normanmeyer's comic counterpart) emerging from another dimension and wanting revenge on Festerman after Fester Anvil fell on him. Art to Art: Morticia has lost her artistic touch. So Lurch and Thing help Morticia get her artistic touch back through whatever way possible. |
| 8 | Puttergeist | October 31, 1992 | Gomez and Morticia are delighted by Grandmama's Halloween tale, which events take place forty years ago. Grandmama talks about a man who went golfing on Halloween night, and was struck by lightning, which lost him his head. He then re-appeared as the Puttergeist: a mean man with a huge golf ball for a head who scares the town at night. Wednesday and Pugsley are less impressed with the story and return to trick and treating, along with Thing and N.J.. When Wednesday uncovers Uncle Fester as a Putterfeist impostor, her remaining doubts are confirmed: Puttergeist does not exist. So when the real Puttergeist shows up, attempting to scare and capture her, she is not feeling scared. While escaping with a golf car, it is revealed that Mr. Normanmeyer is Puttergeist. He explains that the myth was started by his grandfather. N.J. is initially upset that Puttergeist is not real, but he appreciates that his father continued the act for so long, just to please him. Moments later, the real Puttergeist drives along, confirming his existence. |
| 9 | F.T.V. | November 7, 1992 | The Addams Family start their own television channel which the Normanmeyers plan to ruin. |
| 10 | Itt's Over | November 14, 1992 | Uncle Fester suddenly grows hair on his head and no barber-based tools can remove it since the hair is hard. The other family members work to find a way to remove the hair from Uncle Fester's head. When a latest attempt to remove hair from Uncle Fester with a hair removal formula seemingly causes the demise of Cousin Itt, Norman Normanmeyer sees this on his FesterCam and has Uncle Fester arrested for the murder of Cousin Itt. While Uncle Fester deals with his tough inmates, Wednesday and Pugsley end up figuring out what actually happened to Cousin Itt when the supposed hair-removal formula doesn't work on Pugsley. Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing find the trail to Cousin Itt leading the to a hideaway beneath a local donut shop. Gomez, Morticia, Norman, and Normina visit Fester in jail who is enjoying his time in jail. Just then, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing arrive with Cousin Itt (who actually had to leave for an important mission at the last minute). Fester is released from prison and thanks Cousin Itt. Norman is stopped by a police officer who asks Norman if he actually witnessed the crime. Norman is thrown in jail for lying to the police and ends up at the mercy of the inmates. Back at the Addams House, Uncle Fester loses his hair from the worrying and the Addams Family celebrates this. |
| 11 | Hide and Go Lurch / Hook, Line and Stinkers / A Sword Fightin' Thing | November 21, 1992 | Hide and Go Lurch: Gomez and Uncle Fester find the Hiding Horn in the attic and play Hide and Seek with Lurch where Lurch would have to find them before midnight. Yet Lurch keeps finding Gomez and Uncle Fester. Hook, Line and Stinkers: The Spy Twins kidnap Wednesday and Pugsley in order to use them as bait for Cousin Itt at their swamp hideout at the Addams Family's country cottage. Yet Wednesday and Pugsley end up outwitting the Spy Twins where they keep getting attacked by Snappy. A Sword Fightin' Thing: When Gomez is relaxing, Thing wants him to sword fight. So Gomez tries to find other ways to relax with Thing still wanting to have a sword fight with Gomez. |
| 12 | Addams Family PTA | November 28, 1992 | Morticia is sad that Wednesday and Pugsley prefer to spend their time with friends or other relatives, rather than with her. Morticia does her teaching abilities until it creeps out the teachers enough for Principal Macnamara to let her go. Upon being rehired by Principal Macnamara, Morticia decides to become more active with their school activities when the teacher in charge of it gets sick. Morticia organizes a scavenger hunt at the Addams residence. Normina Normanmeyer tries to prevent the children from going to the place. When she fails to prevent the children from going into the Addams Family's house, Normina tries to sabotage the hunt to prove the Addams house is unfit for children and ban Morticia from further school activities. Her plan of destruction turns out to backfire though upon trying to use a Plant Growth Formula on a plant making Morticia only more beloved with Wednesday and Pugsley's classmates. |
| 13 | Little Big Thing / Little Bad Riding Hood / Metamorphosister | December 5, 1992 | Little Big Thing: Grandmama's sight has been blurry and Morticia recommends that she get some glasses. None of the glasses don't seem to work for her. Soon, Grandmama accidentally uses Uncle Fester's Growth Spray that causes Thing to grow to 20 ft. Little Bad Riding Hood: Before heading to sleep, Wednesday reads her version of Little Bad Riding Hood to Pugsley where Wednesday is Little Bad Riding Hood, Thing as Littler Red Riding Hand, and Pugsley is the Big Bad Wolf. Metamorphosister: Pugsley and Thing plan to use a formula to turn Wednesday into a dog. Yet each attempt to transform Wednesday into a dog ends up turning her into different animals. |
| # | Title | Airdate | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Color Me Addams | September 18, 1993 | Gomez persuades Morticia to hold a gallery showing of her best art works as part of a charity art show at Wednesday and Pugsley's school. While Norman Normanmeyer stays by his phone awaiting a call for an important client, Normina plans to find a way to sabotage Morticia's art show. |
| 15 | No Ifs, Ands or Butlers | September 25, 1993 | The Addams Family discovers that Lurch is troubled. Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing learn that Lurch wants to be a cowboy. While Lurch is taking some time off to be a cowboy, Uncle Fester ends up covering for Lurch. Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing go with Lurch to a local range where the local foreman named Buck plans to see to it that Lurch fails the cowboy training even to the point where Buck calls in Biggis the Barn Kid. Even though Lurch is offered to become the new foreman, Lurch eventually returns to the Addams Family house since he misses his job and the Addams Family. |
| 16 | Jack and Jill and the Beanstalk / Festerman Returns / Hand Delivered | October 2, 1993 | Jack and Jill and the Beanstalk: Wednesday and Pugsley tells Uncle Fester a story about Jack and Jill (portrayed by Wednesday and Pugsley) who end up getting magic beans from the Big Bad Wolf. The beans end up growing into a beanstalk where they end up encountering a giant (portrayed by Norman Normanmeyer). Festerman Returns: Following a rejection slip from a comic company, Uncle Fester reads his latest comic called "Festerman Returns" to Wednesday and Thing. The plot of the comic details Festerman learning that his fellow comrades in the Fester League have gone missing. Festerman discovers that Mega Fingers is behind this upon infiltrating the Fester League disguised as Fester Gator. Hand Delivered: A female mail carrier who has gone against the mail carrier delivery challenges ends up having some problems when it comes to Thing who wants to get the Addams Family mail on his own. |
| 17 | Sweetheart of a Brother | October 9, 1993 | Much to Wednesday's frustration, Pugsley is abandoning their constant terrorizing each other because he has fallen in love with Shella, the school's most popular girl. Although disgusted by his soft behavior, Wednesday decides to help him out to court the foreign girl. She motivates him in school to talk to her, and is annoyed that Shella shows no interest in him. Pugsley thinks that he can attract her attention if he is like everyone else, and drinks a normalizing formula, much to the Addams' shock. Distancing himself from his unusual family, Pugsley takes an interest in Norman Normanmeyer who unlike the Addams' is delighted with Pugsley's new behavior. In school, he becomes a geek and is tortured by the school bully Mortimer as a result. When Mortimer is about to fight with Shella for defending Pugsley, the formula has spent its force and the real Pugsley takes revenge on him. Shella is romanced by Pugsley, but announces she has to return to her home land soon. He and his sister are nevertheless happy, because their lives are now back to 'normal'. |
| 18 | Double O Honeymoon | October 16, 1993 | The Addams Family watch a video of Cousin Itt's mission against Ian Thundermane. Gomez and Morticia go on a spy-themed honeymoon to Spain when Ian Thundermane has escaped from prison. While Gomez and Morticia are out on their honeymoon, Ian Thundermane ends up capturing the other Addams Family members and the Normanmeyers as part of his revenge on Cousin Itt. Now it's up to Gomez and Morticia to rescue Cousin Itt and defeat Ian Thundermane. |
| 19 | Then Came Granny / Pet Show Thing / Fester Sings the Fester Way | October 23, 1993 | Then Came Granny: Grandmama has lost her psychic abilities and must return to where she first obtained them in order to get them back. Pet Show Thing: Wednesday and Pugsley enter a disguised Thing into defensive pet show where the pets are stolen by Harry Palmer in a plot to get revenge on Thing. Fester Sings the Fester Way: Uncle Fester sings about his life with the Addams Family. |
| 20 | Camp Addams / Little Doll Lost / King of the Polycotton Blues | October 30, 1993 | Camp Addams: Wednesday and Pugsley attend a summer camp where they are placed in Camp Holler run by D.I. Holler instead of Camp Holly. Little Doll Lost: Wednesday's doll is presumed lost in a fireplace and Wednesday blames Lurch (who offers to serve as the doll in its place). King of the Polycotton Blues: Norman and Normina Normanmeyer sing a blues song explaining why they hate the Addams Family. Episode ends with a harmonica solo playing over the credits, in a sort of parody of Roseanne. |
| 21 | A Girl and a Ghoul / A Little Bit of Pugsley / Ask Granny | November 6, 1993 | A Girl and a Ghoul: Wednesday is thrilled when she wins a competition to have horror-themed TV host Graveyard Gary visit her home. Gomez is supportive, but worries that Wednesday is more inspired by Gary than him. A Little Bit of Pugsley: Pugsley is the only one of the family who hasn't mastered his own dance, and Thing decides to help him. Ask Granny: Grandmama hosts her own question show. |
There are no plans from Warner Bros. to release the series on DVD yet.
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