Wednesday (Season 1): Is It Fun To Watch?

Wednesday (Season 1/USA/2022) depicts a fictional coming-of-age supernatural fantasy story about a teenage schoolgirl, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega). As her name suggests, Wednesday Addams (aka Goody Addams) comes from the famous family, the Addams. And quite often, she finds herself in a tricky position.

Notably, a prominent American cartoonist, Charles Addams (January 7, 1912 – September 29, 1988), created the characters of the Addams Family. Critics celebrated his characters for their darkly humorous and macabre qualities. And certainly, various adaptations popularised the now more famous Addams Family.

Goody Addams Is Fun To Watch, Any Place, Any Time, Any Day

Spoiler Free Review: Wednesday (Season 1/USA/2022) Series

Spellbinding introduction to the show

Right after watching the riveting but shocking opening scene, we were hooked on this show. That scene depicted the one-of-a-kind, rebellious, irrepressible and unstoppable protagonist, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega), piranha fish and a swimming pool. And soon after, we are introduced to the four delightful members of her Addams family. The father Gomez Addams (Luis Guzmán), mother Morticia Addams (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and kid brother Pugsley Addams (Isaac Ordonez) are other Addam family member.

Wednesday takes her name from a line in an English nursery rhyme, which is meant to educate children about the days of the week and to forecast their fortunes based on their birth day. Children born on Wednesdays were considered to be unlucky and were believed to be destined for sorrow.

But there is no death of the quirky characters in the show. Fascinatingly, in this whodunnit dark fantasy, we also meet a good number of quirky characters in the Nevermore Academy. And curiously enough, these students are collectively called the outcasts. So, this show was a mad rollercoaster ride, indeed.

An offbeat fantasy tale from the imaginative Tim Burton and his team

Tim Burton and his entire team deserve a round of applause for creating a unique supernatural fantasy. In this mysterious and thrilling crime drama, the lead heroine of the show, Jenna Ortega, dominates and rules the show. Not only does she solve a cold case, but also a series of heinous murder cases happening in the forest area around the Nevermore Academy. Although we could correctly guess the identity of the serial killer (or the monster) in it, we still enjoyed the way the mystery was revealed in the end.

Nevermore Academy is named in honour of the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, where the bird famously repeats the word "Nevermore."  In fact, the Nevermore Academy's main building showcases various Gothic Revival architectural characteristics similar to those found in the Addams family home.

The filming process took place in Romania between the months of September 2021 and March 2022.

And not to forget the wacky and bizarre character called the Thing (Victor Dorobantu) in the series. But the ‘Thing’ is not alone. There are many more oddballs in it. Certainly, the tall and beautiful Principal Larissa Weems (Gwendoline Christie) of the Academy leads the way. And then, there are students with special powers.

Well done Jenna Ortega, she plays the protagonist impeccably

It is amazing to watch Jenna Ortega portray the iconic character in such a convincing manner with her dry humour. And, we simply loved her (not-so-normal) facial expressions. She really steals almost every scene in this star-studded show. Not only does she embody Wednesday, but she also breathes fresh life into it. The viewers might have noticed that Jenna Ortega hardly ever blinks in the series. In fact, she seems to blink exclusively when she is harmed or caught unawares. Her black and white gothic wardrobe choices really go well with the Addams Family traits.

Jenna Ortega prepared for her challenging role by learning to play the cello and also taking lessons in fencing, archery, canoeing, boxing, and German. And not to forget, we simply loved her Unique & Energetic Dance Number in this show. 

{Colleen Atwood, the Academy Award-winning costume designer, created a mix of creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky, and entirely whimsical outfits for the show. Notably, Wednesday's fashion could not be more different from her roommate, Enid, a bubbly blonde who loves rainbow colours.}

In the black and white world of Wednesday, the colourful personality of Enid shines through. So, in complete contrast, her exuberant roommate at the Academy, Enid Sinclair, is beautifully portrayed by Emma Myers. She is fun to watch. It was also wonderful to watch the performances of its ensemble cast, especially Hunter Doohan (Tyler Galpin), Joy Sunday (Bianca Barclay), Gwendoline Christie (Principal Larissa Weems), Moosa Mostafa (Eugene Ottinger), Christina Ricci (Marilyn Thornhill), Riki Lindhome (Dr. Valerie Kinbott), etc. Also, the quality of the special effects and visual effects in this fantasy teenage tale is pretty good.

To conclude, kudos to its entire team

The strange mannerisms and the unorthodox behaviour of the Addams Family are their USP. This unique selling proposition for this offbeat show sets it apart. Sometimes, it is good to step away from the normal world. And step into this world, where the normal is simply boring and pathetic. Honestly, we hugely enjoyed this fantasy and magical world. Here, both the good ones and the bad ones operate outside the natural, scientific laws of our world. And in the future, we would love to watch many more seasons of the show. Is it fun to watch? Yes, sure. It is an entertaining and fun-filled fantasy series to watch.

FM Rating

Poster

Key Details

Teaser & Synopsis | Official

Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) investigates twisted mysteries while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy. So, while attending Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a killing spree and solve the mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago.

Spoiler Alert:- Synopsis of the Eight Episodes of this Dark Fantasy Show

Each episode has "woe" in the title.

Also, you can watch the YouTube video - Wednesday Season 1: Every Twist, Every Creature, Every Secret | Netflix.

Read the FM Review of another fantasy series - House Of The Dragon.

Poster and Featured Image of the Wednesday (Season 1/ USA/2022) Series are credited to Netflix.