Wednesday (Starring Jenna Ortega): A Series of Fun Mysteries and Bad Romances (Netflix Review)

Wednesday is a coming-of-age supernatural horror television series based upon the character Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family. Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, it stars Jenna Ortega as the titular character, with Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, Isaac Ordonez, and Gwendoline Christie appearing in supporting roles. Four out of the eight episodes are directed by Tim Burton, who also serves as executive producer.
The series is set to premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, 23 November 2022.
This video is a review and discussion of the series.
Credits/links/references:
→ "Wednesday" (2022): Courtesy of Netflix
→ Thumbnail image: Cr. Vlad Cioplea/Netflix © 2022
0:00 - Intro / Premise / how much have I seen?
2:26 - Comparisons to the 90s films and other fiction
8:19 - Characters
13:50 Romance and Relationships
20:06 - Mystery / The Future of Wednesday
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#WednesdayAddams #JennaOrtega #Netflix
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[@LadyJenevia]

If you’re new here, check out some of my other content! 😍🎬✨ - Zach Barack INTERVIEW: Spider-Man Far From Home, Jacob Batalon Friendship, Dead End: Paranormal Park kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6e2p36aoN1_pZo - Carell Augustus INTERVIEW: Black Hollywood Book, Aldis Hodge of DC's Black Adam, Overcoming Pushback kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKOlgZxqf6iFhMU - Casper Van Dien & Jennifer Wenger SDCC INTERVIEW: Salvage Marines, Starship Troopers, Paul Verhoeven kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGK1fp1uia2Nqsk - Peter Shinkoda INTERVIEW on Salvage Marines, Asian Representation, Romeo Must Die, and more! (SDCC) kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmSpppKdl9mHqM0 - Getting Real With Peter Shinkoda (Why I Wanted To Interview Him - San Diego Comic Con 2022) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYDRaGuem6hsqLM - "Nix" INTERVIEW: Director Anthony C. Ferrante and Dee Wallace on The Academy Snubbing Horror (SDCC) kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXWXlnWXa5eNp5I - Paper Girls Cast & Crew Interviews (Comic Con 2022) kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5DLlKR9dqeYgtk - The Boys Season 3 INTERVIEW: Show-runner Eric Kripke Teases Butcher Getting Superpowers kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4WWin1mr615i8k - Shadow & Bone Writer Christina Strain on How Ke Quan Inspired/Appeared in Finding 'Ohana (Interview) kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2HNi6GHZt6MhLc - Ilda Mason Interview on Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, Rachel Zegler, & Immigrant Stories kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJzGmqd9j9t5p5I

[@Noone-qx6ij]

The romance felt toxic. She said she doesn't date, she didn't hint anything or didn't flirt with them and yet they demanded she should feel something towards them and got med and started acting like babies when she reminded them she is not interested. It felt so forced and out of character to have something with both of them. The show would be so much better without the pointless boring senseless romance and there would be more screen time for important and interesting parts.

[@amandab3946]

Also these ‘teenagers’ are WAY taller than Wednesday, who is sooo *tiny* even in platform sneakers. It felt like a physical power dynamic. However unintentional, their stance came across as domineering, intimidating & reminded me of all the times I felt scared to say no to a boy when I was younger. To disagree, to stand up for myself; so my shy demeanour led being pressured into situations that made me feel uncomfortable or upset. This is very much a universal dynamic between boys & girls, men & women. I don’t know the right word to explain this phenomenon, is it covert sexism? But I know it made me cringe seeing it on a modern tv series.

[@vanessalarkin1583]

Should put Wednesday and Enid together omg!

[@KittyCommunist]

agreed im a major wenclair shipper

[@muskyoxes]

This review is so flippin good. Nobody else even hinted at the anti-authoritarianism and its importance. The "romances" are disappointing particularly because none of the promos indicated them at all, which means that the producers knew that nobody _wanted_ them, but they couldn't avoid CW-ing a show that should be hitting a lot harder than CW. I was so down for a show with zero romance. Good romance is fine elsewhere, but Wednesday has stuff to do

[@LadyJenevia]

"but Wednesday has stuff to do" ME, every time these boys were whining about her not liking them back. GET! OVER! IT! 😂😂😂

[@wizardfunk123]

@@LadyJenevia because obvs she likes enid 🤭jkkk

[@alwaysxnever]

I didn't need the relationship nonsense but glad that much of it was Wednesday just using her suitors to further her goals and ambitions. I'd much rather have her focus on growing her platonic relationships. Glad they didn't overcorrect and have her and Enid be a thing.

[@serena7461]

excited for wednesday and enid's dynamic!

[@alanahabers3502]

Re: Christina - she came in to replace Thora Birch who up and left mid production and had also had a baby about twelve weeks before - all her scenes were shot in a block.

[@LadyJenevia]

Welp! There we have it. 😆🤷🏻‍♀️ That makes sense then, because if you knew well in advance you were going to have THE Christina Ricci appearing in your Addams show? There is no way you wouldn't have given her more to do. 😂

[@alanahabers3502]

@@LadyJenevia yep. Christina also did an interview saying that the war in ukraine - which broke out mid shoot was so close on their doorstep by wrap there were nuclear power plants under threat of bombing like seven miles away (I'm not sure of the details, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had to rush to get things completed and get out)

[@nik021298]

I don't think the references were unintentional. I think Carrie gets directly referenced with the not quite "pig blood" scene, Scooby Doo and Velma get mentioned like twice, the competition scene seemed very "Hogwarts" like, there are more stuff like that, but that's what I easily remember.

[@MilkChai_X]

For Wednesday to not be in a romantic relationship she'd also be aromantic, Ace is just for sexual attraction 😌And even if she is aroace, she is still allowed to be in a romantic relationship even if she does not feel romantic attraction the same way. I'm aroace and would just like more people to know about this topic since it isnt taught, and is indeed very much not represented in media. Especially hollywood. Ive seen a few anime and cartoons where they talk about it.

[@LadyJenevia]

Thank you for sharing your insight! I am by no means an expert on the topic which is part of why I mostly glossed over the talking point without going into much detail on that possibility. We'll see what happens with the character moving forward since I would assume there will be more coming (though whether it's on Netflix or Prime Video remains to be seen).

[@darrylhughes7797]

According to what Jenny Ortega said in an interview Christina Ricci didn't join the cast until late in the production. Maybe that's why she seemed "under used".

[@cinemaguerrilla]

hype, Comrade Wednesday STAYS canon

[@LadyJenevia]

Wednesday Addams teaching Gen Z that violence against colonisers is righteous 😂

[@Varyalanis]

I'm so glad you got the chance to review this before it comes out - definitely made me add it to my watch list.

[@Mathue360]

I've seen 3 selfie references in this video. Now I need a review.

[@allykat5899]

I feel like it's possible that the so called love traingle is a commentary on male entitlement, on that very toxic I like you so you have to like me attitude that I alot of men have. I feel like the only character that it can be said that Wedesday cares about romantically is Enid. Their arc feels very remiscient of one between two romantic interests. I feel like a unrequited love story with Wednesday realizing shes in love with Enid and Enid being with Ajax and not Realizing until near the end that she likes wednesday too would be very interesting. I'd also like to see Wedesday being like her father. Calling her Cara Mia and saying things like I'd kill for you, I'd die for you and being absolutely besotted. If their's a second season and they have her get with Xavier I'd be very disappointed.

[@katherinealvarez9216]

I'm pretty sure that the costumes that they wear for the boat race is a reference to Batman Returns' Catwoman.

[@alwaysxnever]

Maaaaaaaaaaan. I found myself agreeing with almost everything you were saying. I thought the use of Ricci was good but I did want just a bit more, I was totally wrong with my idea of identity of the monster and I did want more with Weems and Morticia and I hope we get more with Wednesday and her family in season 2. Which probably won't drop until mid to late 2024. :(

[@jaimie-yz7bv]

Great review! Ive got a feeling I'm going to agree with you 100% when I see the season. I'm reaaaally excited to see Enid's and Bianca's journey :)

[@chaoticsoul1606]

Was waiting for your review on this! I have high hopes from this show tbh

[@LadyJenevia]

I would've gotten this up and out sooner but they didn't give me screeners until THE VERY LAST MINUTE 😭😂😭

[@tysondennis1016]

The show's worst parts: -Wednesday and Xavier have no romantic chemistry. Xavier needs an attitude shift. -Wednesday and Tyler have no romantic chemistry. Tyler was only pretending to like her to fly under the radar. -They killed off Gwendoline Christie's character too soon. The show's best parts: -The characters are fun and engaging. -There is a good amount of anti-colonialism narrative. -The acting is engaging. -I can't wait for a Season 2.

[@DarthKade-vy2hc]

I love your reviews first off! - 20:55 - i was like you going back and forth on the WHO in who-dunnit, but I inadvertently figured out who the monster was in the first episode! Even though you only get a flash of the creature’s face in the first episode, I genuinely thought they purposefully made the creature look like the actor… No insult to them either! Looking back it’s hilarious, because I don’t think that’s what they meant to do, but I honestly thought at first they were trying to be obvious - in my mind it looked just like him 😂😅

[@Stepi01]

Regarding the romance issues, I felt that Wednesday had better romantic prospects in Enid and Bianca.

[@queenietisdom4681]

Can't wait to watch Wednesday been waiting way too long!!!

[@LadyJenevia]

Can you imagine if they had scheduled the show to release on a day that WASN'T Wednesday? 🤣🤣

[@queenietisdom4681]

@@LadyJenevia that would have been the worst!! I'm also glad you touched on the romance aspect a little more than most reviewers I'm a big fan of romance so that was really nice to see.

[@LadyJenevia]

Not you being happy for me to talk about romance on the show when that was my least favourite part of the series... 🫣🤭🫣🤭🫣🤭

[@gilliannebesny9276]

Excellent dancing to goo goo muck ! I laughed and cryed alot the best 💋❣️💯

[@bosewell1]

Plot deals with the killing of a church full of good people. Fun and imaginative scrip.

[@aliana8905]

Thank you for the video, you pointed out a lot of things I myself loved in this show, but couldn't point out) So... I wathed a lot of reviews online because I simply couldn't form an opinion on this show - i enjoyed it, but i felt it missed something, it felt like I couldn't point out what exactly I enjoyed in this show, and your video helped a lot - I figured out I enjoyed some small things and dynamics like Mortisha and principle Weems' and I also feel like some point of the Addams family was a bit lost. For example (spoiler alert), in the Gomez' arc with murder Wednesday would probably feel more betrayed because her parents kept a secret from her if being upset at all rather than what was in the show, and I am stil not sure uf Wednesday tried to solve the main mystery for selfless reasons - it just felt to me like she got wrapped up in a challenge. All in all, i think it was a fun watch, but i wish it was a bit more dark and spooky, so I hope to see it in season 2) P. S. And needless to say - please, either give Wednesday someone as iconic or at least having chemistry (for god's sake, it does not seem to be hard to have chemistry with Jenna Ortega) or don't show romance at all, I am tired of this unnecessary love interests who are kinda like time fillers, (spoiler alert) even though I guess I can tolerate Tyler because it seems to be for the plan and not just him being annoying for no reason, but then again, the mystery itself felt illogical - isn't this Founder supposed to be against magic? I am confused. P. P. S. I don't want to send any hate, rather I am genuinely confused and hope for the improvements in season 2

[@Syurtpiutha]

Hmm. I'll have to see whether I watch this or give it a skip. I was both intrigued and worried by the trailers. Don't know if the frustration or intrigue would win out. BTW, I don't know if you've watched 'The Midnight Club', but if you did I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

[@LadyJenevia]

I started watching it but I didn't finish it so I don't really have an opinion since I don't know the complete story/arcs. 😂

[@Syurtpiutha]

@@LadyJenevia Fair enough. Any particular reason you didn't finish it, or just busy with other stuff? The mystery falls apart a bit in my opinion but the character writing is really good, as are most performances.

[@LadyJenevia]

@@Syurtpiutha I’m not really sure. It just didn’t keep my attention. Mike Flanagan is excellent and Doctor Sleep was one of my favourite movies of 2019 but compared to his other works I just didn’t get sucked in to where I felt like I absolutely needed to know what was going on. 😅🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe I will circle back around and finish it at some point but I also only have so many hours in the day so most of the time I’m at the cinema or watching things I’m going to review. 😆

[@sabrinaflemmig7782]

I'm wondering, weather these toxic romances were inserted by intent though. I love to see this tiny girl being so unimpressed by and rejective towards the misunderstood golden trustfund baby type on one side and the mysterious deep silent water down-to-earth-boy on the other. Might be a great example to teenage girls. I certainly wasted my teenage years with those two. (Who else is reminded of Gilmore Girls?)

[@strikeforcealpha9343]

Into the badlands is fuckin' awesome.

[@LadyJenevia]

YES, it is! 🔥

[@strikeforcealpha9343]

@@LadyJenevia I'm a huge Fallout fan, so this is right up my alley, looking forward to Wednesday!

[@pearlngozi2818]

@@LadyJenevia Would you ever be interested in doing a character review one day? I adore this show.

[@downhomefam]

I don't see any queer baiting or really any hint Wednesday or Enid were into eachother, they really do come across as best friends. The romances were a parallel.

[@squirlygirly5229]

Agreed, they definitely felt more like best friends than anything else. It’s good for women to also have platonic friends too. Enid also was very interested in someone else.

[@amandab3946]

The queer baiting was 99% done by the Netflix promo team. On Twitter the Netflix account wouldn’t post pics of Xavier or Tyler. It was constant pictures of Enid & Wednesday. With captions like “The opposites attract storyline we needed”. They had a viewing night called “WednesGAY” with the DAY crossed out. With captions saying “Out here fighting for #WenClair” Putting every promo of Enid in a jumper with the lesbian flag colours was a huge mistake if they intended on her being 100% straight with a boyfriend. I was genuinely surprised when I saw Wednesday, by the LACK of Enid & Wednesday scenes, because they were promoted in pictures & clips together so much. (If we forget Enid’s lesbian sweater) Had I seen the show *without* any of the promo, I *never* would’ve assumed there might be a lesbian/bisexual chemistry subplot going on. Even after a horde of Twitter users told Netflix to stop, after the show was released & we discovered the manufactured hetro love triangle, they kept doing it. Netflix was very aware that certain groups would see subtext & create expectations around that. It felt disrespectful to us as an audience to be tricked.

[@13Maria.Cortez13]

A movie about Wednesday.

[@Sacha199205]

I'm not sure who you're talking about when you say that she finds out someone did something horrible and she keeps on socializing... if it's Tyler, it was clearly the smart move to get back up, as talented as she is in everything she does (which btw got a bit annoying to me like she's 15-17 years old how would she have had the time to become that good at EVERYTHING), she is no match. I fully agree on your analysis of the romance. I'm personally tired of love triangles. I had such a hard time differentiating both guys. She never showed any interest other than what they could bring to her investigation, yet they acted like she led them on, like she owed them romantic reciprocity, that was really cringy. Both were pushy and gave off an incel vibe (as in "I'll just stop being nice if that doesn't get me the girl"). Yuk

[@LadyJenevia]

TYLER. She literally found out he and his friends committed what is supposed to be roughly equivalent to a hate crime against Xavier (whom they only attacked because he is a supernatural student of that school) and she just carried on with that guy like it was nothing, when she's out here going on tangents, in every other scene, about colonialism and bigotry... the math is not mathing. 😆

[@Sacha199205]

@@LadyJenevia you're right I forgot about that subplot for a second, but looking back it did seem out of character ! Maybe the fact that he turned on his friends was enough to convince her that he changed ?

[@LadyJenevia]

@@Sacha199205 From what I can remember, I don’t think he ever truly made amends with Xavier for what he did. I know a lot of the fans don’t seem to care about the boy characters at the school except for Eugene but I just didn’t like that they were pushing this ideology so hard only to throw consistency out the window just for the sake of keeping Tyler in Wednesday’s orbit (for the reason of her needing to still be familiar with him in the lead-up to the reveal of who he is). 😆🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Cyberlucy]

I've watched most of the promotion for this show, and I saw no queer baiting. I think people are wanting to see it so they imagine it being there. Thanks for your review. I have been waiting impatiently to see this show because I've always loved the Addams Family. One thing I did know was that the show was going to be more about her than the family which was fine as she was my favorite character. I look forward to seeing it even more now so I can follow up on what you saw.

[@LadyJenevia]

This was one of the tweets I saw talking about queerbaiting; I don't have much other than that for context: twitter.com/PamsHarIey/status/1593621313729462274?s=20&t=XZndTFyYX2c0PJt2TkmaqQ I definitely want more Addams FAMILY material in future episodes because they are iconic... and also because too much of this dating-woe stuff will wear on me over time. 😂

[@Cyberlucy]

@@LadyJenevia I don't know why they thought of that picture of Enid as queerbaiting. I also am not sure what the other thing is.

[@wizardfunk123]

@@Cyberlucy There was a drag event sponsered by netflix celebrating the show wednesday, renaming it wednesGAY. the opposites attract and enids lesbian coloured jumper.

[@Cyberlucy]

@@wizardfunk123 The Wednesgay event I didn't know about but I'm not surprised that they did it. The Wednesgay term(along with other terms for other days of the week) has been used as a title for theme nights at bars and local event spaces for years. Also Wednesday is a gay icon. Netflix is going to use all the associations that exist for an old well loved character to get a larger audience. As far as an opposites attract notion all Wednesday does through out the trailer is give Enid crap like she doesn't like her. Enid's jumper is rainbow colors not lesbian (and yes I know that the LBGTQ pride flag is rainbow colored) and the differences between how they dress and the two halves of the room with Enid's side of room containing all the colors of the rainbow vs Wednesday's being monochrome is supposed to be a humorous way of highlighting the differences in their personality. There was even a mention in the trailer of Wednesday "being allergic to color" which means living in a room where all the colors of the rainbow exist sounds like torture for her.

[@janethnavarro4838]

​@@Cyberlucy You see, that's not the entire problem. Netflix sponsored a Drag queen party to promote the show of Wednesday, and even "MOST", a page that their job is to promote ACTUAL shows with queer representation that belong to Netflix, was involved. While I am sure so many people got upset because there was already some spoilers going around that Enid and Wednesday weren't going to be a couple, you see, the main reason is that they throwed this party for marketing and then they're supposed to tell us that the ONLY queer representation in the show was Eugene mothers? The audacity! And also, I saw a review saying that it wasn't even THAT adknowledged in the show (yes, eugene having 2 mothers). Queerbaiting isn't even funny and people of course get upset cause they want some representation.

[@Fatherofheroesandheroines]

Yeah..this show sounds dumb. No idea why they made it like this.