I have always had a nostalgic infatuation with Wednesday Addams. When I was younger, I found her dark humor hilarious, and as I’ve grown older I’ve paid ode to her in my 2022 Halloween costume, and often reference her witty quotes.

I screamed with excitement when the trailer for Wednesday, on Netflix, was released. 

The show, masterfully directed by Tim Burton, follows a teenage Wednesday Addams experiencing traditional teen struggles while simultaneously battling murders, monsters, and mischief. It’s my favorite kind of show in the way that it immerses its viewers in a new world completely, feeling like a complete escape from reality. 

It would be a crime not to comment more closely on Burton’s talent in creating this series. He, of course, was the perfect person to direct Wednesday with its dark, yet endearing themes, and the project was executed flawlessly. I’m a fan of nearly all of his pieces and seeing he put the same care and effort into this one, despite the new medium of it being a Netflix series, was exciting.

Excellently bringing Burton’s vision to life was lead Jenna Ortega who portrayed Wednesday seemingly effortlessly and flawlessly. She, yet again, showed off her incredibly impressive range in this series by perfectly fitting in as this character. In an interview with Teen Vogue, she spoke extensively on what it took to become this character, from her voice inflection to not blinking throughout the entirety of the series; its obvious pure dedication went into her character. 

Being an eight-episode-long first season, it’s difficult to cover each of my favorite aspects of the series. I could genuinely mention nearly every actor’s performance in a ravingly positive light. No character felt like a compliant or uninteresting pawn in Wednesday’s story; I was genuinely intrigued by each of their developments and story arcs. 

One character I found especially interesting was Marylin Thornhill, portrayed by Christina Ricci. When I finally realized where I had seen Ricci before, I was in complete and utter awe. Ricci played Wednesday in the original 1991 The Addams Family television series, and I found it endearing that such a special full-circle moment was created by this show and character.

More aspects I couldn’t go without mentioning are the astounding sets that transported viewers so beautifully into this fantasy town. The costumes, most notably Wednesday’s, were brilliant. I could imagine how challenging it could be to style an all-black closet, but the wardrobe on this job did excellently. Just as impressive, however, was the soundtrack that was clearly so tediously selected to enhance each and every moment of the show. 

Even more, this film exceptionally pays ode to the original renditions of the beloved Addams Family, makes many brilliantly sly comments about society, and handles traditional tropes such as romance. However, my only critique of the show would be the love triangle presented throughout the series. Although Wednesday’s relationships are used as vessels to advance the plot, there seems to be far too much emphasis on them. Ortega said in an interview that even she doesn’t feel Wednesday would find herself in a love triangle; although this is a small thing to nitpick, it was still a confusing component. 

Overall, the plot was excellent and entertaining, the acting, directing, and additional teams surrounding the production were exquisite, and the genuine emotion and investment I felt throughout watching the show was refreshing. This show would absolutely be my recommendation for a next binge, and I have little doubt that Wednesday may sneak up around the top of your “favorite shows: list. Additionally, I would love for anyone to prod me to speak more about this show; I, clearly, adore commenting on it.