I’ve started watching episodes of The Addams Family (the original series, naturally), and it seems to me that (ironically enough) this is probably one of the more traditionalist-minded sitcoms of all time.

Peek under the kookiness and ookiness and what you have is a close-knit, loyal clan of aristocrats with a strong sense of tradition and family identity. They each have their own interests, yet everything they do is deeply rooted in their family heritage, reinforced by their mutual support and guidance, and grounded in a sense of gentle pride that tells them that they, the Addamses, can be relied upon for good taste and right conduct. They maintain high standards for themselves and carry on their own customs without asking or needing anything from the political establishment or caring the slightest whether it seems strange to anyone else, and yet they are almost unfailingly polite and generous to those less fortunate than themselves and treat their servants as members of the family.

It’s only the fact that their values are so hilariously off the wall that lets it all slip under the radar