Wednesday Season One Early Review

A live action spinoff of the kooky Addams Family starring Jenna Ortega with Tim Burton at the helm, is a recipe for a masterpiece. And although Wednesday is far from perfect, Burton no less proves that he was the right person for the job, as he presents an ever so kooky and spooky new comedy horror series, full of devilishly dark humor, an engaging story while being packed to the brim with intriguing and of course hooky characters.

After being expelled from every school she has ever attended Wednesday Addams (Ortega), the smart, sarcastic, and quite dead-inside eldest daughter of the all so hooky Addams Family, joins Nevermore, a school for outcasts. She soon makes new friends and of course enemies while also getting sucked into an ever so complex murder mystery that puts Wednesday’s life and the Nevermore school in danger.

Burton’s deliciously dark gothic style is spectacularly on display throughout Wednesday. From the set design, visuals, and cinematography, to the characters, monster design, and twisted jokes, it all makes for a gothic adventure no one else could ever have pulled off.

Ortega is simply phenomenal and delightful (well as delightful as Wednesday Addams can be) as the titular sarcastic and twisted Wednesday Addams, and even though Christina Ricci’s classic portrayal is an incredibly tough act to follow, she nonetheless makes the role her own. Ortega delivers a pitch perfect performance making every sarcastic snare hit much harder and feel much wittier. Fans will immediately be enthralled by her performance the second she appears on screen. Similarly, the supporting cast of Wednesday were brilliant and made for a much more entertaining and engaging experience. Featuring the likes of Gwendoline Christie, Catherine Zeta Jones, Fred Armisen, Luiz Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and a surprising return from Christina Ricci they all make for an enjoyable experience.

As viewers are thrust into a world full of vampires, werewolves, sirens, gorgons and demented families obsessed with murder and torture, audiences can’t help but fall for these outcasts. As Wednesday develops connections with her classmates, so will viewers who are sure to adore her friends as well. They will also undoubtedly fall head over heels for the oddly adorable little hand, Thing, who forces Wednesday to grow as a person as it had her back every time. At the heart of Wednesday is a devilishly complex and engaging mystery that is likely to keep viewers hooked. The season offers numerous suspects that will inevitably keep viewers on their toes, delivering countless twists and turns leading to shocking and twisted reveals.

For the most part, the humor of Wednesday truly hits, whether it’s the titular character’s many sarcastic comments, several moments of Thing being utterly adorable, or any time the series spends with the rest of The Addams Family, Morticia (Zeta-Jones), Gomez (Guzmán), Pugsley (Ordonez), and Uncle Fester (Armisen), it is plentiful and impactful and gives the series right amount of levity to balance out its incredibly twisted nature.

Meanwhile, longtime Burton collaborator Danny Elfman creates a playful and dark score that adds a layer of fun when needed and can easily pivot to add a level seriousness and darkness when needed, proving that he is still one of the best composers in the business.

At the end of the day, Wednesday is a must-watch series that delivers all the kooky, hooky and spooky fans of The Addams Family could ever wish for whilst also providing devilishly dark humor, an engaging mystery, complex and endearing characters led by a spectacular performance from Jenna Ortega. Though not perfect, it is a series not to miss.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Olly Dyche

Journalist, Writer, Film Critic and Professional Nerd. You will probably find Olly at the cinema chomping down on some popcorn and taking in the glorious visuals of the latest theatrical release.