Originally created by Charles Addams in 1938, The Addams Family is a near-century-old franchise that's survived the test of time thanks to its satirical inversion of American family values. Having originally debuted in The New Yorker at the tail end of the 1930s, The Addams Family has seen numerous film and TV adaptations. The most iconic iterations are the 1964 television series and the 1990s live-action films, The Addams Family and Addams Family Values. While there have been other adaptations of The Addams Family since then, the latest adaptation that's making waves is Netflix's Wednesday.
To say Wednesday is a smash hit with audiences around the world is something of an understatement. Having clocked in 341 million hours of views in its first week alone, this latest foray into The Addams Family franchise is clearly resonating with fans on a much deeper level than pure satirical entertainment. It begs the question of what the new show is doing differently to be performing as well as it is. Apart from the fact Wednesday successfully reinterprets the titular heroine for a new generation without straying too far from the source material, there are a few other things the new teen drama has going for it.
Wednesday Preserves the Titular Heroine's Satirical Traits
One aspect of the Netflix series that's clearly working in its favor is its faithful adaptation of the titular heroine. Though Wednesday Addams isn't always depicted as a misanthrope (with Lisa Loring's Wednesday being a notable example), the version of the character fans identify as the definitive Wednesday is Christinia Ricci's iconic portrayal from the 1990s films.
Apart from upholding the character's more satirical traits, one of the reasons Ricci's Wednesday easily stands out is her penchant for pushing boundaries. This includes defying authority figures like the camp counselors in Addams Family Values, and speaking out against anti-Native racism in one of the latter film's iconic scenes. Ricci's Wednesday is also not easily bullied by other kids and is very sharp-edged in how she deals with threats. With Ricci's Wednesday having set the gold standard for future adaptations, it made sense for the Wednesday series to capitalize on that success by recapturing the magic of Ricci's portrayal. This included finding the right actor for the role.
Jenna Ortega Gives a Flawless Portrayal of Wednesday
It goes without saying casting the role of Wednesday Addams with the right actor was absolutely crucial for the Netflix series to succeed. Fortunately, Wednesday showrunners Miles Millar and Alfred Gough struck gold with Jenna Ortega, who's Wednesday recaptures Ricci's iconic portrayal. Not only is Ortega's Wednesday just as sharply defiant and quick-witted as Ricci's (with the same deadpan elocution), but Ortega even homages their earlier predecessor, Lisa Loring, in a new iconic dance sequence.
It's important to note, however, that Ortega doesn't just replicate the iconic performances of her predecessors without bringing something of her own to the role. One way that Ortega's Wednesday stands out is the use of her eyes to convey emotion. Apart from the fact Ortega rarely blinks on camera, she succinctly conveys the following emotions with just a glare: anger, annoyance, determination, guilt, shock, sadism and sadness. Another thing Ortega does well is using body language to convey Wednesday's threatening presence to others. With these differences from her predecessors, Ortega manages to present her version of Wednesday as more vulnerable and layered without diminishing the core satirical traits that endear fans to her.
Wednesday Has a Diverse Cast, Including a Latine Addams Family
Another detail that's working in favor of the Netflix Wednesday series is the presence of a more diverse cast. This helps the show standout from other Addams Family adaptations, which largely had white actors cast in the main roles. Apart from casting Wednesday with a Latine actor in Jenna Ortega, most of the Addams family members have been cast with Latine actors as well.
In the role of Gomez is veteran Puerto Rican actor Luis Guzman, who also offers a more comic-accurate portrayal of the Addams family patriarch. Wednesday's younger brother Pugsley is similarly cast with a Latine actor, Isaac Ordonez, as is Uncle Fester with Fred Armisen. The only member of the Addams family to not be cast with a Latine actor is Morticia, who is brought to life on screen by Welsh actor Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Though Wednesday has been criticized for its racist characterization of its Black characters, the titular heroine is given a prominent Black frenemy in the form of Bianca Barclay, played by Joy Sunday. Bianca is also the only Black character out of three (with the other two being Lucas and his father) to be given a modicum of layered characterization. One more racially diverse character of note is Enid's best friend Yoko Tanaka, who is played by British-Japanese actor, Naomi J. Ogawa.
Wednesday Addams Has a Well-Written Friendship with Enid Sinclair
Another aspect of the show that's strongly resonating with fans is the well-written friendship between Wednesday Addams and her werewolf roommate, Enid Sinclair, played by Emma Myers. Conceptually, Wednesday and Enid couldn't be more different from each other, with Enid being the polar opposite of Wednesday in every possible way.
Apart from loving pastel colors, mainstream pop culture, and having a more outgoing personality, Enid is also fond of public displays of affection. These traits make her a fun foil for the gothic Wednesday Addams who refuses to be "a slave of technology" and prefers solitary activities like writing and playing cello. Though annoyed by Enid at first, Wednesday eventually warms up to her werewolf roommate, which has left fans shipping them as "Wenclair."
Tim Burton and Danny Elfman Enrich Wednesday with Gothicism
While excellent casting and thoughtful writing of the show's core characters have been staple to Wednesday's success, none of this would work harmoniously without the meticulous execution of director Tim Burton and his frequent music collaborator Danny Elfman. Given Wednesday's love for the macabre, Burton's gothic sensibilities made him a perfect fit for directing the teen drama.
Burton's love for gothic aesthetic ensured Nevermore Academy adhered to gothic architecture, especially since it's largely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. The setting of Jericho also provides a strong feeling of isolationism that is crucial to gothic stories, and even features an abandoned mansion to establish the existence of a haunted house. To further capture the gothic tone and feel of the Netflix series, Danny Elfman composed the score with Chris Bacon, which capitalizes on both classical and horror sounds.
All in all, a combination of careful planning, excellent casting and thoughtful execution are what's contributing to Wednesday's success as a series.
Wednesday Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix.