Netflix: Addams Family Series Wednesday Is Better Than Expected

When Netflix announced they were doing an Addams Family show, like most I thought “great another reboot”. They’ll throw together familiar faces and shoehorn it out there half-heartedly and it’ll be terrible. They attached Tim Burton to the project as the king of family-friendly “horror” or dark and twisted tales for all ages to draw in more interest. To be honest, expectations for Wednesday were very low as I expected to hate it. Luckily, the Addams Family has always been one of the more fun franchises for me so I gave it a shot and am pleased to say I’m glad I was wrong.

Wednesday is better than advertised. It’s a good blend of an homage to the classic Addams Family show and movies. There are plenty of horror tropes sprinkled in but with the awkwardness and quirkiness of Addams Family humor. At times it reminds me of a more family-friendly version of the tv show Dexter that aired on Showtime. Lead actress Jenna Ortega shines as Wednesday Addams nailing all of her classic character’s quirks. She has the perfect blend of an emotionless void, shown off by her stare that could burn a hole through a man, to the humorous manner of her teen angst. Great casting always eases the sting of another reboot and Jenna Ortega was a fantastic choice.

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However, the show isn’t without its hangups either, most of which are nitpicking. As an adult, watching the show as a fan of the original, there are a few moments that take you out of the story a bit. The little bits of dialogue here and there or the way a line was delivered, something small ends up being a minor speedbump along the way. With that being said, it is a show that is mostly geared to a younger audience despite it having a whole family appeal. Not every single part of it is going to be a masterpiece so as long as you don’t get caught up too long on them, you’ll forget them by the next scene.

Streaming offerings are in the constant battle of keeping up with other streamers, finding shows that appeal to a wide audience, and finding properties that have longevity past 1-2 seasons. Wednesday has the chance to be all of the above. It’s lighthearted and fun, while being dark and a little bit off. As a fam of the old black-and-white reruns and the movies of the 90s, if you’re on the fence, this Addams Family reboot works and should be added to your viewing rotation