On Wednesday, November 23rd, Netflix released its newest series, Wednesday. It focuses on Wednesday Addams, who some might know from the popular franchise of The Addams Family, as she navigates attending a normal high school while also rooting out a murderer. 

This series was enjoyable for many reasons. But before I get into those, I’d like to provide a fair warning that this article will contain spoilers for the show, so if you haven’t watched it yet and would like to, just read this: I really liked this show and would definitely recommend watching it to fans of mystery, comedy, and the Addams Family movies. 

The series stars Jenna Ortega, who many will know from her roles in Stuck in the Middle, Scream (2022), and The Fallout (2021). Ortega portrays Wednesday amazingly, adding her own spin to an already well-loved character. She integrates Wednesday into a more modernized world very well and makes the character truly her own. Ortega says that she rarely, if ever, blinks during her scenes, giving Wednesday a cold stare and making her into an even more iconic character. Using subtle expression changes, Ortega shows the audience exactly what Wednesday is feeling without changing the cold and unfeeling facade that Wednesday puts up. 

The supporting cast is also good, portraying Nevermore students and adults alike very well. Catherine Zeta-Jones joins the cast as Morticia Addams, Gwendoline Christie plays Headmistress Weems, and Christina Ricci, who played Wednesday Addams in the original movie, plays Ms. Thornhill, a Nevermore teacher with a dark secret. In addition, they are joined by actors such as Emma Myers, Georgie Farmer, Hunter Doohan, Joy Sunday, and Percy Hynes White in the main cast. Each actor does a good job of depicting teenage students, all going through their own journeys as the show progresses. 

Besides the acting performances from the cast, the show’s plot is interesting and full of twists. As Wednesday tries to solve a string of vicious murders seemingly committed by a terrible monster, she uncovers more unexpected information that brings more than just the murderer to light. Throughout the show, Wednesday uncovers more and more secrets, and as she realizes more, it all comes together to solve the final mystery: who is behind the horrible murders in town? 

Along with this, the visuals and backing soundtrack of the show were also very well done. Wednesday stands in stark contrast with the people she meets, something very well represented by color and light (or her lack thereof). The orchestral music was amazingly chosen to portray the mood and events happening in the show. The soundtrack was a mix of old, gothic music and modern pop, perfect for the mixed setting of Wednesday’s character clashing with the Nevermore students. 

Some of the only problems I would have with this show would be certain dialogue that very clearly shows that the writers were trying really hard to relate to teenagers, and the slightly unbelievable visual effects, especially when it came to the monster and how it was animated. 

Overall, this show is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat and waiting to watch more, with its many twists and turns to keep you anticipating whatever comes next. I would give this a solid 9/10, and definitely recommend this to fans of mystery, comedy, and the Addams Family franchise.