‘Wednesday’ Review: A Supernaturally Haunting yet Welcome Change to the Wednesday Addams Fans Grew up With
The mind of Tim Burton has given the macabre teenager Wednesday Addams a fresh new take like never seen before. Actor Jenna Ortega headlines the Netflix series Wednesday, as the infamous character has a coming-of-age story at Nevermore Academy. While keeping to all the cooky and dark characteristics that had fans falling in love with Christina Ricci’s rendition, Ortega shines darker as a version of Wednesday Addams that is a fresh and more haunting take. This review of Wednesday is free of any monstrous spoilers.
Wednesday Addams is the definition of goth with a splash of teen drama
In this review of Wednesday, expect a deeper dive into how the Netflix series version deliciously differs from the version many fans grew up with. To start, the series has all the necessary ingredients to fulfill the teen genre and then some, as it perfectly mixes in Wednesday Addams’s dark and decaying qualities. Wednesday portrays the horrible pitfalls of being a social outcast among boring humans. Like the trailer, Wednesday is not easy to read and shows no emotion, but she will never let anyone take advantage of her little brother.
Everything is color-coded in true Tim Burton style to depict the drastic difference between Wednesday and others, even those at Nevermore Academy. Wednesday is allergic to color. Even at a school designed for social outcasts, Wednesday sticks out like a sore thumb, but she refuses to let anyone define her. An aspect to appreciate about the Netflix series is how hard the students and faculty at Nevermore have to prove their worth to the townies. Being different does not mean being a monster. Even among the unordinary, they still get caught in life’s woes and want some form of acceptance.
While at Nevermore, audiences will meet their fair share of cool new characters in Wednesday. Characters like Xavier Thorpe (Percy Hynes White), the school’s charmer but lives in the shadow of his father. Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers) is Wednesday’s colorful roommate who is seen as the rut and outcast of her werewolf family.
The Netflix series is also not shy of teen drama, as Wednesday disrupts the status quo and has the Queen Bee, Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday), worried about her status. Wednesday also adds a juicy nugget as Wednesday catches the eye of Xavier, Bianca’s ex.
‘Wednesday’ takes horror, gore, the supernatural, and murder mystery to new heights
The Addams Family franchise has always been about death, the macabre, and the things that go bump in the night. But Wednesday adds an intriguing and colorful flare of the supernatural and blood. Do not worry this review of Wednesday will not give away any spoilers. Audiences will find themselves at the heart of multiple mysteries. At first, it may be hard to keep all the details aligned, but the threads of the mystery come together with a bang.
Not only will audiences dive into the mysteries within Nevermore itself, a secret society, and more, but how it involves Wednesday’s parents and her powers. Once students at the school, their secret past is vital to the current mystery that plagues the local town. Wednesday’s hunt for answers is a fun adventure as she ruffles more than a few feathers and almost gets expelled.
The Netflix series has everything to attract fans of the macabre and who like a bit of murder. It is a classic “Who’d Done It” escapade of suspects tied together with a ravenous monster. Do not be afraid, as Wednesday is also not shy of blood, some guts, and gore.
Audiences will also find themselves looking for clues and developing their own roadmap to the real killer. Without giving anything away, the suspect may be a welcome shock.
The Netflix series adds details of broken relationships, love, and Latin culture
Wednesday is not meant to be a continuation of Ricci’s portrayal. It is far from it. But audiences will embrace the new Wednesday with open arms, even if the macabre teen denies affection. Unlike the franchise, Wednesday is far more complex as she tries to escape her glorious mother’s shadow. Hellbent on not becoming her, she goes on a journey of self-discovery of who she is and how her family raised her.
Audiences will see a relatable mother-daughter relationship that tugs at the heartstrings and causes a few tears. Wednesday also throws a welcome curveball about young love and how Wednesday tries to navigate through it. Throughout the series, she is forced to try and look past her logical mind to empathize with people who wish to help her.
Rounding out the Wednesday review is an aspect that needs to be discussed. As Ortega has mentioned, the Netflix version of Wednesday is Latina. Without pushing an agenda, Wednesday adds subtle cultural aspects of Latin culture that feel natural. They easily flow into the conversation, the events, and other instances. So is Wednesday worth watching? Even die-hard fans would agree.
Wednesday is available to stream on Netflix on Nov.23.
