“Wednesday's child is full of woe,” goes the rhyme that inspired the eponymous protagonist of Netflix’s Wednesday, released on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. The new TV show is a spin-off of the 1990s Addams Family movies, originally based on the comics from the 60s. It immediately broke records, beating Stranger Things for the most hours viewed in a week for an English-language TV series on Netflix. It’s easy to understand how Wednesday is so popular; its stereotype-breaking combination of uncommon genres, intriguing plot, and character and cast representation truly sets it apart. 

Following the distinctively morbid humor of its predecessors and its director, Tim Burton, Wednesday really leans into the genres of gothic fiction, old-fashioned mystery, and horror. The show centers around the teenage Wednesday Addams, who’s attending a boarding school called Nevermore Academy, for so-called “outcasts.” As she struggles to fit in, or rather keep from fitting in, she finds herself getting tangled with a mysterious killing spree and tensions with the nearby “normie” town. Its plot weaves around twists and turns just in Agatha Christie’s books, and frequently features her quotes, as well as those of horror virtuosos Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley. The show also makes a reference to the famous scene in Stephen King’s Carrie, with Wednesday disappointingly noting that red paint was used instead of the original pig blood. The show also pays homage to the movies in multiple ways, through a plot centered around Thanksgiving and exposing the truth about its origins, as well as giving Wednesday’s original actress, Christina Ricci, a central role as a Nevermore professor in the show. However, the old Gothic, removed-from-pop-culture aesthetic of the movies sharply contrasts with the modern references of the TV show. At times, it feels disconcerting to hear the mentions of real social media apps and terms like “normie” to describe normal people. And Anjelica Huston (from the movies) will always be the greatest Morticia Gomez. Yet, the casting for Wednesday was well done. Jenna Ortega did an amazing job as Wednesday, and there was a lot of diversity reflected within the cast without seeming forced or tokenistic. In addition, social issues that have been openly discussed more recently, like conversion camps, were addressed in the show without putting special focus on them. This is good because when these concepts are brought up naturally in pieces of media, it increases how accepted the topic becomes in society. 

Wednesday also transforms stereotypes as a protagonist. For female protagonists, there are often two archetypes: the extremely feminine, “girlish” girl, and the more masculine, “strong” girl. In either case, the character needs to become more like the other. However, Wednesday doesn’t follow that arc. From a glance, she resembles the strong girl with her indifferent and uncaring personality. But she strays from it with her interest in fashion and other “feminine” things, reflecting the mix of tropes that people are composed of in reality. And while traditional stories teach strong girl characters like her that she’s arrogant and acting like a know-it-all (even though Wednesday usually does know all that she’s talking about), Wednesday’s mindset is encouraged. Throughout the show, her teachers tell her how lucky she is to be so independent and not care what others think. This isn’t to say that Wednesday’s perfect; she learns to value her friends and care about their feelings, but her personality does not transform completely. In the end, she’s still the Wednesday from the beginning, just more sensitive and understanding of the importance of working with others. The fact is, teenage girls that retain and are even supported for their attitudes have historically not been shown in the media, a pattern that will hopefully change with shows like Wednesday. Another character detail of note is the relationship between Morticia and Wednesday Addams. The show, unlike the movies, has a particular focus on their mother-daughter dynamic. In the beginning, Wednesday scorns her mom and is averse to any mention of her, while Morticia too has trouble showing affection for her daughter. As the show progresses, so does their relationship as they navigate its ups and downs together. The difference in importance of their relationship between the movie and the show reflects how Wednesday has aged and matured between the two. Finally, the Addams family itself was intended to subvert societal norms. Aspects of an average middle-class family are juxtaposed with their eccentricity. Instead of a suburban, white picket fence house, they have a gloomy mansion. Morticia and Gomez Addams, Wednesday’s parents, are incredibly supportive and expressive of their deep love for each other. Women are supposed to be the more affectionate ones, but here it’s the man. And yet, they seem completely normal: the kids still fight with each other (albeit in more brutal ways), get in trouble, and go off to summer camp. To be clear, Wednesday is not free of stereotypes, and Wednesday’s character development is not perfect. Some of Wednesday’s original qualities are lost by trying to shape her into the heroine of a teen drama. But by trying to use her character in this genre, Wednesday sets standards for consequent pieces of media.

While the plot and character development already made Wednesday a great show, they were complemented by the music and cinematography. The therapist’s office is particularly well staged, shown by the delicate positioning and color palette of the room’s items. Another location that uses color beautifully is Wednesday’s dorm room, which she shares with a diametrically opposite roommate. The room is split into two; one colorful for her roommate, and one dark and black for Wednesday, reflecting the divide between the two characters. While Wednesday may not be for everyone, there are definitely many noteworthy things about it that combine to make it deserving of the records it holds.