REVIEW: Jenna Ortega Shines In Kooky New Netflix Series, Wednesday
Wednesday Addams returns to screens in Netflix new series, Wednesday. Based on the beloved character created by Charles Addams, the sarcastic and sometimes sadistic teenager is brought back to life, beautifully by Jenna Ortega. In the new series, Wednesday takes a stab at attending Nevermore Academy, the school where her parents fell in love. Deemed as a school for outcasts, Wednesday finds herself dealing with a vindictive siren Queen bee (Joy Sunday), a joyful werewolf roommate (Emma Myers), and a mystery that has plagued the school for years. Determined to figure out what is going on, Wednesday puts on her sleuthing hat to dig into the darkness of the school, even if doing it leads to her, as she states, creative death.
Tim Burton lends his spooky talents to direct the first four episodes of this new haunting series. As with every Burton production, he is no stranger to leaning heavily into the creepy and kooky, and it’s those elements that help deliver a fun watch for viewers. The writing on the other hand, could use a bit of work. Series creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the minds behind Smallville, keep the dialogue a little too simple, unless the words are coming from Wednesday. Her lines are clever, witty, and developed, whereas everyone else feels a little childish in comparison. As viewers, we are supposed to see these characters much like Wednesday does, simpletons, but I don’t believe that was the writing team’s end goal.
Another downside to the series was the love triangle between Wednesday, Tyler (Hunter Doohan) and Xavier (Percy Hynes White). It is trite and gives off major Chilling Adventures of Sabrina vibes. It’s OK to not have a love interest for the lead, especially when the options are as boring and underdeveloped as they two. It’s nothing against either of these actors, but they aren’t really giving much depth from the writing team when it comes to their characters but being a pretty face.
As mentioned previously, Ortega brings new life to our leading lady. She is quick, sarcastic, and can tell the audience exactly what Wednesday is feeling with just her eyes. It’s wickedly fun to watch and see the actress take a character many recognize from Christina Ricci’s performance of her in The Addams Family movies and bring a new level of darkness to her. Myers and Sunday also do a wonderful job of keeping up with Ortega. Each lady manages to play off Ortega beautifully and craft relationships that will be interesting to watch as the season progresses.
Christina Ricci, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Gwendoline Christie, and Fred Armisen round out our cast of adults. Ricci and Christie play a teacher and headmistress at the Nevermore Academy. While Zeta-Jones, Guzmán, and Armisen play members of the Addams family, Morticia, Gomez, and Uncle Fester. None of them play huge roles throughout the series, but only minor players that pop-up here and there, which is truly a good thing when it comes to Guzmán’s Gomez.
This series will definitely not be for everyone, and if you are expecting this to be a series that’s focused on the Addams family you will be disappointed. It’s campy, kooky, and can be a bit teen level dramatic, but it’s still fun time. If you were a fan of the first season of Netflix’ Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, then this will be right up your alley. If you weren’t, still give it a try. Ortega’s performance might just be the thing to draw you in.