Oh that’s a delight of a show.
They’re creepy and they’re kooky
Mysterious and spooky
They’re all together ooky
The Addams family
An entire show with the dark worldbuilding and humor of the Addams family, focusing around Wednesday (my favorite)? Yes please.
The casting is great–especially Jenna Ortega as the lead and Emma Myers as Enid. A delightful pairing.
The mystery vibe is on point (and it’s right up to the end before you know for sure who the baddies are).
The setting is fun–even if the ‘outcasts’ of Nevermore seem curiously non-magical a lot of the times. And then in the big final numbers, we go full on magic–which also felt surprisingly weird for the Addams family. ut it works well enough.
Oh, I’m looking forward to season 2.
Casting
The casting on this show was so fun. Worth another look.
Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday Addams. Wonderfully Wednesday.
Catherine Zeta-Jones looks odd as Morticia. I’m not really sure why.
Luis Guzmán is a great Gomez. Not quite Raul Julia, but I like it.
Gwendoline Christie is delightful as the Principal Larissa Weems. She was wasted in Star Wars.
Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair is a delight. I do love the contrast with Wednesday.
Riki Lindhome as Dr. Valerie Kinbott makes a surprisingly good therapist.
And finally (takes a bit for him to show up); Fester! It’s not Christopher Lloyd (that was Christopher Lloyd!), but man Fred Armisen plays him so well.
Episode by episode review
Potential spoilers; particularly for previous episodes.
1. Wednesday’s Child is Full of Woe
Monday’s child is fair of face, Tuesday’s child is full of grace. Wednesday’s child is full of woe, Thursday’s child has far to go. Friday’s child is loving and giving, Saturday’s child works hard for a living. And the child born on the Sabbath day Is bonny and blithe, good and gay.
😃
But the four main cliques are Fangs, Furs, Stoners, and Scales.
What about everyone else?
The fencing scene reminds me a lot of the 1991 film. 😄
The cello Paint it Black? Delightful. Apparently Ortega learned to play it herself? Shiny.
I am rather jealous of Wednesday and Edin’s room.
Thing flipping Tyler off? Hilarious.
The monster in the woods: kind of silly looking. I hope/expect they’ll explain that?
2. Woe is the Loneliest Number
Wednesday Addams: Yes, I know that I am stubborn, obsessive and single-minded. Those are all traits of great writers [Thing gesticulates pointedly] Wednesday Addams: Yes, and serial killers too. What’s your point
Oh, it’s so fun seeing Wednesday come into her own.
Even if her own involves a murder she’s sure she saw… even if the victim is still up and wondering around.
And the school rivalry / supporting Enid? Excellent. I love the boat race scene. Wednesday actually doing social things… Wednesday style. I want more of Nevermore, even if she still doesn’t.
Enid Sinclair: Admit it! You kinda got into the whole school spirit thing. Wednesday Addams: You didn’t tell me it was a dark, vengeful spirit.
3. Friend or Woe
Wednesday Addams: This story is about to take a dark turn. Usually I love dark turns, like when the carousel brakes mysteriously failed at my eighth birthday party.
Oh Wednesday. Doing what she feels is right… no matter what.
I love the montage towards the end of the episode where we get a shot of everyone—anyone could be the monster!
Tyler Galpin: Don’t tell me you were a Girl Scout. Wednesday Addams: I could eat Girl Scouts for breakfast. Actually, I have an uncle who went to prison for that.
I do love the references to the films!
4. Woe What a Night
Sheriff Donovan Galpin: Why would I share information about an ongoing murder investigation with a high school kid? Wednesday Addams: Because I go the Nevermore and you don’t. Don’t you want some eyes and ears behind those ivy-covered walls? Sheriff Donovan Galpin: Listen, Velma, why don’t you and the Scooby gang stick to your homework and leave the investigating to the professionals?
I’m quite enjoying the scenes between the Sheriff and Wednesday far more than I expected.
Oh, and the dance scene. I suppose there’s a reason it was all over YouTube. And of course, the full on Carrie scene. Not just Addams family references after all!
I do find it interesting that the Nevermore students freak out about creepy stuff. I suppose even monsters have a range of creepy to ‘normal’. Still surprises me each time I see it; Wednesday is the weirdo among weirdos. I’m okay with this.
5. You Reap What You Woe
Parent night!
Oh, Wednesday’s relationship with her parents—and the mysteries of a murder years ago… Pugsley and Wednesday’s relationship is fascinating as well.
Pugsley: I always thought I’d be the first one in the family behind bars. Wednesday: Lurch and I had a bet going.
Oh, Enid’s relationship with her parents (mostly her mother). Poor Enid. Quite the ‘conversion therapy’ analogue they have going on there. I do wonder how that’s going to end up.
6. Quid Pro Woe
Wednesday: What part of “no party under the penalty of death” do you not understand?
Oh, it’s so fun to see Wednesday having friends… and she’s so clueless about it all.
Tyler: Come on. Don’t you like a day that’s all about you? Wednesday: Every day is all about me. This one just comes with cake and a bad song
Love triangle to be? A little weirder. 😃
7. If You Don’t Woe Me by Now
Fester!
Uncle Fester: Your dad got all the brains. But I used to drop in on him. Usually from the ceiling with a dagger clutched between my teeth. Just to keep him on his toes.
It’s not Christopher Lloyd (that was Christopher Lloyd!), but man Fred Armisen plays him so well.
Also, SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING!
Enid? 😢
Tyler and picnic in a crypt ? 😃
Thing? 😱
8. A Murder of Woes
And here it all comes together.
Christina Ricci being the bigger bad all alone? chef’s kiss
That… was quite a bit more magic than I expected–or than we’d seen up until now. Feels weird for the Addams family. But it works.
They did the mystery ‘it could be anyone!’ thing pretty well.
Wednesday Addams: [Last lines] Unlike my novel, not every thread has been tied up, not every question answered. Secrets are still lurking in the dark corners of Jericho. Were Laurel Gates and Tyler just pawns in a bigger game? Will today’s stalker become tomorrow’s nemesis? I know the suspense is killing you.