WEDNESDAY: A Welcome Addition To the Family

What is it that keeps a franchise alive? Is it the fresh new perspectives or creative differences? Is it new character stories or forms of media? What is it that drives artists to return to what has already proven successful, always at risk of losing its audience to a story that has already been told. For years, these questions have swirled around the various franchises that continue to be resurrected on our screens – and the Addams Family is no exception.

Both a live-action and animated series in the 60s and 70s, the Addams Family has grown into several films and further series over the decades – the most recent being The Addams Family (2019) and and The Addams Family 2 (2021) animated films. And while each had varying levels of reception from audiences and critics alike, the release of Tim Burton‘s Wednesday proves the franchise is far from finished. With Tim Burton at the helm, the upcoming release focusing on the eldest daughter of Morticia and Gomez Addams was filled with further anticipation as it was announced that the titular character would be brought to life by rising scream queen Jenna Ortega. With a strong foundation of a beloved kooky family already established, the stage was set – but could Burton deliver? With Wednesday, not only does Burton return to form, he proves the story of the Addams is far from over.

Two Snaps for Burton and Ortega

While Wednesday is not without its flaws, this young adult rendition of the Addams Family eldest is both entertaining and intriguing, structuring each episode to accelerate its mystery and keep its audience hooked. And not just hooked but constantly guessing. Just when you think you have figured it out, each new episode throws all suspicion and certainty out of whack. There is a craftsmanship to the number of characters presented throughout the series, each serving a purpose to the mystery, though never weighing it down and drowning in underutilization and inclusion. For many, a solid foundation has been created to explore these characters further in future seasons.

Yet its stand-out character remains Wednesday Addams. A fan favorite throughout the history of the franchise, Jenna Ortega brings a solid Wednesday to life, encompassing the elements of the character audiences have fallen in love with for decades while bringing her own flare. Ortega is Wednesday, giving a performance that is head-to-toe perfection and feels truly lived in. She commands every element of her performance, fully encompassing the spooky and dark elements of Wednesday while also bringing to life the coming-of-age aspects the series brings to the character. Ortega is a force to be reckoned with, and her performance alone will have audiences craving a second season.

Wednesday will surprise audiences and fans of the franchise as it distances itself from its source materials, giving it the chance to develop its own identity. And while many can point to this as a critique, it truly proves to be an asset. Wednesday incorporates and integrates its references to earlier works within the franchise with intention and reservation. This is not a series about the Addams Family, but rather a character study born from one. As Wednesday is broadening her world beyond that of her family, so are we from past inductions within the franchise. Yet, Wednesday never forgets its origins. And when the references come, their intentional inclusion makes them more exciting to find.

Rocky Beginnings

Wednesday is an all-around success. Bucking audience expectations, this is not a quintessential Burton creation – yet feels Burton all the same. Yet, even in the face of its success, there are avenues of the series that falter. Much of these moments fall within the series’ first episode with the introduction of the Addams clan. The chemistry between Catherine Zeta Jones‘s Morticia and Luis Guzmán‘s Gomez fails to land, feeling forced and acted rather than lived in. This is further compounded by the less-than-authentic interactions with Wednesday herself, leaving a lack of continuity between the titular character and the rest of the Addams family.

There is also an animosity between Wednesday and Morticia that sets up aspects of the series’ coming-of-age tale, yet fails to initially speak volumes, leaving the interactions between mother and daughter off putting and off kilter. Much of these failures fall to expectations based on previous inductions of the franchise, leaving a rift in what audiences may want and what is presented. Compounded further by the fast paced editing and pace of the first episode, as well as costumes that wear the actors, rather than the other way around, the Addams Family clan may be off putting to many by episode’s end.

Thankfully, much of the series’ struggles end here. As Wednesday settles into her new surroundings, audiences too will find themselves settling into this new take. And better yet, as elements, including the Addams Family, are reintroduced in later episodes, they feel more lived in, authentic and credible as characters within the franchise. It honestly poses an intriguing look at audience expectation and realization of artistic creation, challenging the idea of an artistic choice faltering all together. Wednesday not only becomes our guide through the twist and turns of Nevermore’s mystery, but also a guide to Burton‘s new and refreshing take on the Addams Family as a whole.

Conclusion

As Wednesday works through its mystery episode by episode, the world of Nevermore and Wednesday is reshaped and expanded. It keeps audiences on their toes, limiting predictability that could have stunted the series. Helmed by director Tim Burton and commanded to life by Jenna Ortega, Wednesday is a vital addition to the franchise of the Addams Family, proving the franchise is far from dead.

Wednesday will be streaming on Netflix on November 23rd. 

Have you seen Wednesday? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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