Wednesday

The Addams' nihilistic-sarcastic daughter in a "sort of Hogwarts school" in the guise of new concepts from Sabrina or Riverdale; i.e. some mysteries, murders, secrets and high-school loves like from Heartbreak High. The on paper biggest setback of a one-note central character who has a speechless prop as a sidekick is not a weakness at all. Ortega is both assured and mesmerizing, not merely imitating the iconic Ricci, and Thing is used playfully and imaginatively. The problems are elsewhere. The conception of Wednesday as a goth teen isn't always entirely happy; in the original Wendy, that wasn't a shell protecting her emotions, but her true self. The weaker detective mystery is also a shame. Above all, though, it's dragged down by the filler, of which there's far too much for just eight episodes. In any case, solid as a one-note fantasy macabre high school relationship show. There is a lot to build on, the concept is solid, just not yet fully exploited. | S1: 3/5 | (27.11.2022)

Tim Burton made a spin-off of The Addams Family for Netflix and it's a future classic for modern audiences, but it will also please fans of Burton's work. Wednesday is an unexpected hit and another big success for Netflix, I was worried it would be a mere teen consumerist thriller, but it's awesome in every way. Wednesday is an honest and dark whodunit that would be the envy of Agatha Christie with the essence of Harry Potter set in the world of the Addams family with a dash of horror. This is a cocktail that tastes delicious. Stealing the whole show for herself is Jenna Ortega, the modern day Scream Queen (Babysitter, Scream, X, Wednesday), a decent horror career for 20 years, (I want to see Samara Weaving, Jenna Ortega and Anya Taylor-Joy in one movie!). Ortega was born to play Wednesday, her sarcasm and cynicism makes her an iconic character and a compelling detective that even Sherlock Holmes would want as a partner. It's rare that a female character can pull off an entire movie let alone a series, but Ortega pulls it off with aplomb, she doesn't take shit from anyone, and her wisecracks and cute looks are a downright hit. Visually, Wednesday is very fine, the script is decent, it's written very smartly (not just the dialogue itself, but the plot twists – the final one is unexpected!), the music is gppd, the supporting characters are likeable, the setting of Nevermore School is reminiscent of the best of HP, and I liked the unconventional central monster (it doesn't build on any explicit violence or jump-scares, but I don't mind that here). This is a fresh and fun genre thing that will please teens and adults alike, and that rarely happens. A big plus is also the fierce nature of the story, where fun plays a major role and the whole 8 episodes can be watched in one breath and it is really enjoyable. 8/10 (25.11.2022)

I adore the Addams Family and of course I gradually found a liking for all formats on this topic, including juvenile cartoons. However, years after the original idea of Papa Addams (first published in newspapers in 1938), the family broke up into the spin-off Wednesday, along with the fact that the adolescent heroine plays the main role in the musical "Addams Family" by Andrew Lippa (2009). I'm not sure if this is the ideal path for a modern continuation of the Addams Family, but if it keeps the brand alive, then it must be enough. The concept of the series combines the frameworks around boarding schools with youthful monsters (hello Monster High), but primarily it's a detective story, which is actually a shame. There are some good things here - for example, the relatives of the Addams in supporting roles or fun with the founding fathers. Some of Wednesday's classmates are interesting monsters, but that's about it. We'll see if the 2nd season happens to improve. (24.09.2023)

I love both Addams Family films from the 1990s as much as I love Tim Burton's work, so Wednesday was a must see for me. I think Burton was a great choice for the director's chair, though it's true that his recent films don't live up to the quality of his earlier work. More than once while watching the series I thought of some of his earlier films – particularly Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Sleepy Hollow. To deflect some of those criticisms right off the bat, I expected Wednesday to be more black-humored and less geared towards a younger teenage audience. But I still enjoyed the eight episodes quite a bit, plus I liked that the series had a slightly crime edge to it, even if the reveal of the perpetrator wasn't as shocking as it was with Sleepy Hollow. Jenna Ortega is cool, I also liked seeing Christina Ricci, the 90's Wednesday, for the first time in a while, and I quite appreciated that the Addams family didn't get much space, as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán are far less appealing than Angelica Huston and Raul Julia. I also enjoyed Gwendoline Christie, while the actors palying the other students and their characters were less memorable. Last but not least, I can't fail to mention Thing and Uncle Fester (though Christopher Lloyd was also more to my liking). Apart from the mystery-fantasy, humour and crime levels, Wednesday also appeals on a social level – that raised index finger towards people who condemn (any) minorities was unmissable. In conclusion, I have to say that I probably expected more from the series, yet I would be lying if I said I didn't look forward to each new episode. A weaker four stars! (10.12.2022)

A relaxing series that could be criticized for a lot of things, but it's really pointless to dwell on the particular pros (humor, originality, cinematography) or cons (formulaic, inferior special effects). Everything is overshadowed by the fantastic Jenna Ortega who is perfect as Wednesday and carries the whole series, literally never leaving the screen. A blend of classic teen shows and Burton's visuals, all wrapped up in a Harry Potter-like atmosphere in a Netflix 2022 version. A show of the year. S01: 8/10. (09.12.2022)