Netflix decided to have its take on one of the cult classics The Addams Family, with Wednesday in the leading role, and Tim Burton as executive producer and director.
Could this ever work?
The answer is yes, absolutely, Netflix aced Wednesday.
Wednesday chooses a moder and fresh take on The Addams Family and on the genre itself, which can reach a wider audience. Even viewers who might not usually like Tim Burton’s work can enjoy and follow the series, it’s spooky but not truly scary, the frightening, horror and violent scenes are never truly shown, it remains a family-friendly series.
Expelled from her latest high school after freeing piranhas in the school pool while the swim team was training, for bullying her brother, Wednesdy’s parents Morticia and Gomez Addams decide to send their 16-year-old daughter somewhere more appropriate for her: Nevermore Academy, a boarding school designed for the outcast of the world, from werewolves, sirens, lycans, and vampires. It’s the same boarding school where Wednesday’s parents went and fell in love.
Wednesday doesn’t plan to stay for long at Nevermore, as soon as she arrives she is already plotting her escape. As with every teenager, she is a conflict with her mother and the last thing she wants to do is walk in her steps: fall in love, be a housewife, and have a family.
Wednesday’s roommate is Enid Sinclair, a cheerful and colorful late-bloomer werewolf, the complete opposite of Wednesday who, like the Addams Family only wears black and white. From a first look, it seems Enid can’t stand a chance against Wednesday, but she can give the lead a hard time and it’s better not to underestimate her. She will prove as one of Wednesday’s best allies and her best friend.
For a few months, Wednesday has started to have visions, the same power as her mothers, at Evermore she’s under constant surveillance from principal Weems, played by a perfect Gwendoline Christie.
While she’s trying to run away the first time, she “befriends” a normie Tyler who lives in Jerico, the small town near the boarding school. Tyler is the son of the town’s Sheriff Galpin, who dislikes everything Evermore is and represents (could it be a personal reason for all that hate?).
In the last few months in the woods near Jerico and close to Nevermore some brutal homicides took place, while the mayor of Jerico thinks a bear is to blame for the attacks the sheriff thinks someone in Nevermore is responsible.
As Wednesday tries to escape for the second time with Tyler’s help, she has a dramatic encounter with a ferocious monster, who, according to her, is connected to the previous homicides. Wednesday changes her mind and decides to stay at Nevermore to discover who is the mysterious monster and why is killing.
Along with her investigation, she will discover a dark chapter in her parents’ time at Nevermore, a secret society, and the truth on how historically the outcasts were treated in Jerico.
Not everything will be dark and gloomy Wednesday will have time to enjoy more “normal” teenager activities in Nevermore such as games, trips to the local town, prom, and even first date, always, though, with her “signature Wednesday style”.
What makes the series so interesting is Wednesday in “detective mode”, solving with the help of her classmates the mystery of who is the monster, and other situations along the 8 episodes, with every episode new clues, are found and the series gets more engaging and intriguing. Even secondary characters and their smaller storylines are captivating and interesting.
The casting for this series is perfect.
Jenna Ortega is absolutely fantastic as Wednesday, the acting, her expressions, she managed not to blink during her scenes, is proof not only of her talent but how impeccable she is in this role.
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, it’s a pity she was in just a couple of episodes, I couldn’t think of anvone else playing such an iconic role.
Gwendoline Christie as Larissa Weem is a flawless strong principal, I truly hope to see her again in some form if the series is renewed for a second season.
Last but not least is Christina Ricci herself, the Wednesday of the movie of 1991 and 1993, plays a weird botany teacher at the academy.
It wouldn’t be the Addams without Thing, sent by Wednesday’s parents to look after her and report back, Thing will become her right hand in every idea and situation she will put herself in.
The series is full of easter eggs and hidden references to Burton’s previous movies and The Addams Family, try to find them all.
The 8 episodes are full of scenes that will become viral and iconic, once overall is Wednesday’s dance at the Rave’N Dance. There’s a good chance Goo Goo much by The Cramps will come back and climb the charts just as “Running Up The Hill” by Kate Bush in Stranger Things.
I’m not spoilering the end but not every mystery will get solved at the end, leaving the story open for a possible second season, which after seeing the astonishing viewing numbers of the first five days is almost certain.
Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. 4 out of the 8 episodes are directed by Tim Burton, who also serves as executive producer. Season 1 has 8 episodes
MAIN CAST
- Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams
- Gwendoline Christie as Larissa Weems
- Riki Lindhome as Dr. Valerie Kinbott
- Jamie McShane as Donovan Galpin
- Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin
- Percy Hynes White as Xavier Thorpe
- Emma Mvers as Enid Sinclair
- Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay
- Georgie Farmer as Ajax Petropolus
- Naomi J. Ogawa as Yoko Tanaka
- Christina Ricci as Marilvn Thornhill
- Moosa Mostafa as Eugene Otinger
GUEST CAST
- Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams
- Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams
- Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams
- George Burcea as Lurch
- William Houston as Joseph Crackstone
- Calum Ross as Rowan Laslow
- Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester