Network/streaming service: Netflix
Season: One
Genre/s: Crime, fantasy, comedy, mystery
Content rating: TV-14
My own personal rating: Four stars
Storyline overview thanks to IMDb: A sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams’ years as a student at Nevermore Academy. Wednesday’s attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago – all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore.
Jenna Ortega brought her A-game to the titular role. Not only did she learn how to play the cello, took fencing and archery lessons, she also learned some German. Very impressive (Sehr beeindruckend.)
I have to make a confession: I have not watched The Addams Family TV show (re-runs, obviously) in years. And I haven’t seen the ’90s movies, so I have precious little to compare this iteration of the character to. That being said, the character is fairly believable and relatable. Wednesday is borderline antihero, something which viewers might find off-putting. She is cold, calculating, but at the same time, there’s heart there. Ortega strikes a delicate balance, allowing us to dislike, like, relate to, and be repulsed by the character and some of the character’s behaviors all at once.
The supporting cast is impressive as well. Gwendoline Christie plays a difficult yet relatable headmistress. I had never seen her acting (sorry, GoT peeps), and I have to say that her performance was just… *INSERT CHEF’S KISS EMOJI HERE*. Percy Hynes White makes an interesting potential love interest, as does Hunter Doohan. It’s a love triangle situation, but it’s not. But it is. Whatever, it’s a refreshing take on the trope, imo. Then there’s Emma Myers, who is great as Wednesday’s perky werewolf roommate. And I can’t forget Joy Sunday as Wednesday’s frenemy. And Thing! Oh, boy, wait until you see the behind-the-scenes pictures of how the actor performed that role.
I’d imagine those who are familiar with the movies (I really am imagining quite a bit here, because I’ve heard a lot/seen a lot of memes about the Christina Ricci films but, again, have never seen the films themselves) will not be surprised by the macabre humor. If you’ve seen the commercials, you probably know about the piranhas in the first episode. It’s not graphic (you thankfully don’t see the bites) but you do see the blood in the water. It made me a bit squeamish to continue, but I’m so glad I did. It’s the stuff like that. The gore/violence and then Wednesday justifying it. But I still liked her, and that says something about the writing and the acting.
If you’re on the fence about watching the show, I think you should give it a go. There’s not a lot of swearing that I recall. No frontal nudity (or other type of nudity that I can remember.) No sex scenes. But definitely pay attention to that TV-14 rating. If you are squeamish, I say pass or have someone who knows you and what you can take watch it and report back to you.
Tell me, have you watched Wednesday? What did YOU think of it?
Beth
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Liked this post? Take a look at my review of The Rings of Power.
Beth Overmyer 