Netflix’s Wednesday is a gothic throwback for a new age

I have spent what feels like my whole life channeling Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family. I seek out deadpan humor and characters who give the impression they’re the epitome of evil. An entire series dedicated to the character was destined to be on my radar. The Tim Burton-led series catalogs Wednesday’s time at Nevermore Academy, while the town around it — Jericho — deals with a pesky murder problem.

So who’s who in this twisted tale? Jenny Ortega takes on the titular spooky schoolgirl alongside cast members Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, and Isaac Ordonez as Morticia, Gomez, and Pugsley Addams respectively. We also get appearances from Addams Family favorites like Thing and Uncle Fester. Over at Nevermore, Gwendoline Christie stars as Principal Weems. Notable students include Percy Hynes White as Xavier, Emma Myers as Enid, Joy Sunday as Bianca, and Moosa Mostafa as Eugene.

Wednesday has Addams Family references for days

Considering the team behind Wednesday, my expectations were sky high, and they were not misplaced. The show oozes with Burton’s eerie signature style. The town of Jericho was built on location in Romania, although it has an appropriately spooky New England feel. The production quality is unmatched. Even the costumes tell their own story; Colleen Atwood dresses Ortega and only Ortega in black, making her an outcast among Outcasts. Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon’s score enriches every scene.

The season is filled with easter eggs to other Addams Family projects. The biggest is the involvement of Christina Ricci, who played Wednesday Addams in the ’90s films and joins this series as teacher Marilyn Thornhill. For many of us, Ricci is the original Wednesday and that’s all I could think about whenever she came on screen. It’s like being in on a private joke with the characters, edging on breaking the fourth wall. A time-traveling Wednesday from the ’90s could’ve embedded herself in a school for Outcasts, right? What kind of book is she writing throughout the season? I’m getting carried away, but imagine that as an end credits scene!

The characters are also heavily influenced by the drawings by Charles Addams, which date back to the 1930s. The stuffed bear in Weems’ office also references one from the Addams’ house from the 1960s series.

Wednesday should use the Addams Family members more

Now, while Jenny Ortega is more than capable of carrying the season, the most unforgettable scenes involve interactions between the whole family. Wednesday clicks with them all differently, and it feels like an emotional breakup whenever they leave for episodes at a time. Wednesday’s protectiveness over her brother is what kickstarts her story at Nevermore, so it feels like a waste for the show to use the other family members as little as it does. Having Thing—played by magician Victor Dorobantu—be Wednesday’s companion helps, as does Fred Armisen’s portrayal of Uncle Fester. They’re both scene-stealers.

Having said that, amidst the chaos, the series gives us a look into Morticia and Gomez’s backstory at Nevermore, which allows us to compare and contrast it with Wednesday’s own experience. Repeating history is a cliche but the connection here feels meaningful when Wednesday considers her ancestry. Ortega is a masterful casting largely because of her ability to hover between a very aloof personality and someone who will absolutely murder you if you wrong her. It’s brilliant to see a bold character who doesn’t waver in her own self-belief but doesn’t come across as arrogant.

Reasons to watch Wednesday on Netflix

The pilot is strange; it seems detached from the rest of the season. The episode tries hard to prove that it understands the modern teenage mind, laying things on a little thick. A lot of the dialogue feels like it’s trying to persuade the audience that this show is indeed set in modern times, but the show abandons that angle as it goes on and the mystery and supernatural elements become more prominent. I would’ve preferred the show not bother to frequently mention social media in an attempt to sound mainstream.

The fact that the Addams Family members are household names works against the pilot, because the established characters upstage the new ones. Gun to my head: I kept watching mainly due to Wednesday’s killer one-liners and the hope of seeing more of Morticia and Gomez’s antics. That said, by the end, the whole cast develops an endearing rapport that is great fun to watch unfold.

The middle of the season resemble an anthology. Rather than rushing the murder mystery, Wednesday spends time at Nevermore, forging alliances and participating in school activities (sometimes against her will). I’ll watch Wednesday trying out for the beekeeping club anytime. Let’s also not forget Wednesday’s contrast with her roommate Enid, which leads to some truly hilarious scenes that wouldn’t have happened if not for the “filler” episodes. Their interactions are a chaotic assault on the senses in an entertaining way.

The finale is especially memorable and promises an epic future if the series is renewed. There’s a Stranger Things quality to it. Forget Hogwarts, I want to go to Nevermore.

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