https://news.yahoo.com/wednesday-misunderstands-misunderstood-protagonist-183000308.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Linda Codega
Mon, November 28, 2022 at 10:30 AM

While Tim Burton’s Wednesday certainly attempts to imitate the aesthetic of the ‘90s Addams Family films, the surrounding plot and characters of Netflix’s newest teen drama fails to capture the morbid charm of Charles Addams’ gothic family.

The eight-episode Netflix series follows Wednesday (Scream’s Jenna Ortega) as she attempts to solve a grisly murder that occurred in the woods outside of her new school, Nevermore Academy. She also digs into the history of Jericho—the small town that plays host to the school—and its founding father, Joseph Crackstone, a notorious witch-hunter who has a bloody connection to one of Wednesday’s ancestors.

It took me a bit of time to get into it, but now I can mostly follow the story and characters and like the series. I can see however that some people dislike it and wanted it to be more of a comedy, although this series has many comedic elements. I almost gave up on it the first episode and felt it was going to be like Harry Potter but gave it a chance.

This Gomez Addams is much more similar to the comic strip than John Astin's Gomez on the 1960's TV show. I think one can complain that most of the other Addams characters are not central parts of the story. No Fester, Blossom Rock or Cousin It. Lurch is just the guy opeing and closing the car door. Gomez and Morticia are central characters in one episode.

"Thing" is however a central character and a constant companion, worker and protector of Wednesday, and this is probably the most amazing part in that a disembowled hand actually has a personality

There is (or was) a Youtube series called "Adult Wednesday Addams". This Wednesday is older, in her 20's, in everyday situations, renting an apartment, going on dates, dealing with a woman walking her dog who refuses to clean up the dog mess. This actress sort of reminds me of Sara Gilbert from "The Conners/Roseanne" who is dryly sarcastic. I would have perferred this type of show, Wednesday navigating through life, but I am not a professional writer and how far would that go? At least this show has a lot of interesting side characters.

Does anyone think that Aubrey Plaza would have made a good Wednesday. She is far too old to do it now. But Aubrey could play Morticia's sister or something.