A new hit show has recently been released to Netflix on November 23rd. This eight-episode mysterious fantasy series has quickly risen to be Netflix’s number-one watched show. This intriguing show, directed by Tim Burton, is called Wednesday. It is incredibly well made with amazing acting, effects and design choices.
Wednesday is a spin-off of the Addams Family, revolving around Wednesday Addams. Wednesday is an “outcast,” as they refer to her and others like her in the series. She has visions of the past or future that allow her to know things others often don’t. The first episode starts with her brother, Pugsley Addams, shoved in a locker. Wednesday receives her first vision of the series telling her who bullied her brother. She gets revenge which quickly turns into a crime her family must cover up. Morticia and Gomez Addams, Wednesday’s parents whom she decides not to speak to, send her to a school for outcasts which is also the school they met at: Nevermoor. This school is filled with magical students that her parents think she will better fit in with.
Wednesday meets many new people at Nevermoor like the “self-appointed queen bee”, her colorful new roommate who is also a werewolf, a normie teacher, an outcast at a school full of outcasts, and many more. While Wednesday is adjusting to her new school, a mysterious killing occurs in the woods that the town sheriff is trying to get behind. Little does he know, this all connects back to Nevermoor, Wednesday, and many others.
One of the elements that makes Wednesday worth watching is the way that the show handles and maintains mystery. Each episode uncovers more small details about the mystery Wednesday is trying to solve that leaves the viewer guessing at each episode’s end. Everything you think you know while watching this show may or may not be true. You only find out the truth in the last episode, which still leaves you wondering what will happen next. The plot of this hit series is super interesting because of the modern use of cell phones and science as compared to other Tim Burton films. Also, many things happen that you think are totally unrelated, but everything is secretly tangled together in a web of clues.
The characters in this show are very dynamic and unique. Wednesday is very serious and has good detective skills, but she is also skilled in almost everything she does. She doesn’t use any modern technology because she thinks it will distract her. She is a writer, typing on her typewriter during her designated “writing time.” She only wears shades of black and white because, as stated in the first episode, she is “allergic to color”. Even her school uniform is black in contrast to the usual purple. It makes her stand out and demonstrates her as different and not normal. Her roommate, Enid, is the complete opposite of Wednesday. Her bedroom is filled with color, and you will never see her wearing black. When Wednesday moves in, she splits the bedroom in half to satisfy both roommates. The round window containing glass art is even split in half, with one side rainbow for Enid and the other plain. Enid’s character brings light to Wednesday’s dark character and makes her an asset to the show. The design choices for each character are purposeful, and it adds to the dynamic between the two girls.

Another important character in this series is Thing. Thing is Wednesday’s companion, originally sent to Nevermoor by Wednesday’s parents to spy on her but is easily turned to help Wednesday instead. Thing is a huge and amazing part of the show, even though it is just a hand with stitches covering the surface of it. It is one of the only things that Wednesday cares about. Maybe even her best friend. It doesn’t talk, but Wednesday can still understand what it is saying. The special effects used to create Thing are very well done and should be given much credit.
I have no complaints about the acting in this series. All of the actors and actresses play their parts so well. Their emotions, fear, happiness, and pity, are all shown very well in the actors’ faces. Especially Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday. Wednesday rarely smiles in the series, but Ortega can still show emotion in her eyes and mouth. Another big detail about Wednesday is that you will rarely, if ever, see her blink. Jenna Ortega does this so well and sometimes acts with our blinking for tens of seconds at a time. Portage gained lots of attention after Wednesday was released, proving many others on the internet would agree with this.
So much of this series takes place when it rains, and it just has to be intentional. Viewers see the despair, anger, and mystery take place in the rain, and it is an apparent recurring symbol. All of the sets are so well designed and give the viewer feelings of worry, calmness, fear, and many other emotions. The lighting also adds to the mood of the scenes. Darker-lit scenes appear spookier and make you feel like something bad will happen, whereas brighter-lit scenes are calmer but may shock you. The music and sound effects choices of the series are perfect and fit the mood of each scene very well. All the design choices are very intentional and make the show that much better.
Overall, I would definitely recommend watching this series if you haven’t already, and I think I speak on behalf of all of Wednesday’s viewers when I say we hope it continues in a second season.