The Addamses receive two interesting visits in one day — Commissioner Fiske, requesting donations for the zoo, and Cousin Itt, dropping in for a visit. The two intersect when Morticia and Gomez decide to get Itt a job at the zoo. Unfortunately, the commissioner doesn't understand that Itt isn't an exhibit.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: The commissioner accidentally calls Lurch "Smirch."
- Bait-and-Switch: Cousin Itt escapes from his cage at the zoo and returns to the Addams mansion. Then he says that he actually liked the cage and just wanted to get his hairbrushes.
- Blackmail: While they're discussing getting Itt a job at the zoo, Gomez says brightly that he's sure the commissioner will see reason... especially if he threatens to cancel the check he wrote him.
- Obligatory Joke: Lurch witnesses Cousin Itt being taken by the zookeepers. Later, when discussing his departure, he tells Gomez and Morticia that Itt was rather tied up when he last saw him.
- Orphaned Punchline: Gomez doesn't get one of Itt's jokes, forcing Morticia to repeat the punchline for the audience to hear: Marie Antoinette complaining to the operator that she's been cut off.
- Shout-Out: Morticia and Gomez try to think of a job for moptop Cousin Itt. Gomez says, "I know! The Beatles! ... Nah, he'd be too much for them." Funnily enough, The Beatles actually were fans of the show.
- Trigger-Happy: Having heard about an escaped animal and not realizing it's Cousin Itt, the Addamses arm themselves with shotguns. Uncle Fester takes a shot at Gomez' safari hat when he peeks over the back of the sofa. Gomez immediately tells everyone that they should shoot the beast, not simply anything moving.
