The first season of “Wednesday”, released on Nov. 23, 2022 on Netflix, has taken the world by storm. “Wednesday” is a coming-of-age supernatural mystery/comedy/horror based on the character Wednesday Addams from the iconic movie “The Addams Family.” The family is notorious for its strange, outcasted ways.
Within three weeks of the show’s release, it became the second-most watched English-language Netflix series. According to TechCrunch, Netflix estimates about 150 million households have viewed “Wednesday.” It also holds the record for most hours viewed in a week: 340 million.
As someone who has personally binge-watched “Wednesday,” I would definitely encourage others to watch. Though each episode is 45-50 minutes, I found that they go by very quickly, especially when you’re hooked and want to find out what happens next. I loved that each episode ended with a cliffhanger to keep the audience engaged.
Tim Burton is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as Beetlejuice (1988), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). Burton is the executive producer of “Wednesday” and directed four out of the eight episodes as well. Considering his iconic history, creating a show starring an Addams Family character set high expectations for the series.
Much like Tim Burton, Jenna Ortega as well enjoys horror films which made the creation of “Wednesday” all the more exciting. Ortega has been seen in various horror films including Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020), Studio 666 (2022), Scream (2022), X (2022) and Scream VI (2023).
Many have admired the dedication that Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams) brought to the role. In a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon, Ortega explained how she choreographed the now-viral “Bloody Mary” dance scene, practiced the cello and even learned fencing to add depth to her character. In another interview with Teen Vogue, Ortega shared that she let the hairdresser cut her actual hair to find the perfect hairstyle for Wednesday. This goes to show how much she cares about connecting with her character.
Overall, “Wednesday” takes a creative spin on the original “Addams Family” series and films. The factors that came together to create this show, from the music to the casting and the acting, to the plot and storyline, set the guidelines for its amazing outcome, even managing to create a sense of nostalgia for “Addams Family” fans.
