By Julia Kubic

The unusually morbid Addams family was first introduced to the public in a series of comic strips in 1938, and has been beloved by generations ever since. From the 1964 TV show, to the 1991 movie, to the 2019 animated film, The Addams have been portrayed in many different ways. The latest adaptation focuses on the morose daughter Wednesday, and her time at Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for the “outcasts” of the world. The Netflix series was a hit, and has already been renewed for a second season. So keep reading if you want to know if Wednesday is a show for you. 

The Storyline:

The storyline is so, so good. Like wow. It has so many plot twists and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s super exciting and unique, but also comprehensible and easy to follow. And despite being about monsters, murder, and mayhem, something about it is so believable. Even the biggest plot twists are surprising but logical. And it balances normal teenage problems, such as boy troubles, school dances, and friendship issues with Wednesday’s murder investigations really well. It has funny moments that provide comic relief, but sticks to its main theme of the spooky and scary. The pace of the show is really nice—-fast enough to keep you engaged, but slow enough to build up suspense. The ending is really good too. It provides a good starting point for season 2, while not leaving too many unanswered questions..

The Acting:

While Jenna Ortega, who stars as Wednesday, is an incredible actress, the portrayal of other characters in the show leaves a lot to be desired. Bianca in particular delivered her lines in a really cringey way. Her lines are already kinda stupid, but her acting definitely doesn’t help the situation. While Sheriff Galpin seems like a SNL skit making fun of the mean, corrupt sheriff, not an actual character. And Enid…well you can definitely tell her character was written by a 60 year old who hates Gen Z for some reason. Her character was honestly really sweet, but the stereotypical Tik-Tok obsessed Gen Z girl, combined with Emma Myer’s extremely over-the-top acting was very grating at times. Hunter Doohan, who plays Tyler, acted like a very cliché rom-com character. I feel like he could’ve really embraced the role and made it his, but he didn’t. All in all, the acting was just… a lot. So many of the actors and actresses over-acted in a way and just did too much. But, Jenna Ortega nailed the role of Wednesday. It’s a hard role to do, but she played it so well. 

The Set:

The cinematography of the show really added to it. It was shot super well, and the town of Jericho, Vermont, is the perfect backdrop for the story. Nevermore Academy itself was another fun element of the show. It looks just like your classic New England boarding school, and also seemed super haunted and creepy, which is perfect for the show. The setting of Wednesday works well with the storyline, and creates a mood that fits the show super well. It was also filmed so nicely, which I think is underappreciated in TV shows and movies. Bad, grainy camera detracts from the enjoyability of the show/movie, but that is not an issue with Wednesday. Everything came together super well for a great viewing experience.

In Conclusion:

Wednesday is definitely worth the watch. It’s the perfect example of dark comedy, with a really engaging, entertaining storyline, making it binge worthy. Although the acting isn’t great at times, the rest of the show is so good that it’s worth dealing with some of the subpar acting. Even though I just finished the first, I am so excited for the second season. If you are on the fence about whether or not to watch it, it’s absolutely worth your time.