A spooky new show has been topping Netflix’s charts for the past 2 weeks. With 8 episodes released on November 23, Wednesday is a pleasing mix of spooky and comedic based on the popular Addams Family characters.

The show was directed by renowned filmmaker Tim Burton, who is also responsible for spooky favorites such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and Beetlejuice. Sure enough, Wednesday is another enjoyable project of his. 

With a funny and distinctive opening scene, the show begins. Throughout, the writing is clever and humorous, the story simple but enjoyable, and the casting is perfect. Busteni, Romania, where the series was filmed, is a pretty and suitable backdrop for the series. In fact, the building showcased as Nevermore School in the series is a real castle in Romania.

Certainly a strong point of the series are the costumes. Each character is always seen in attire that strongly suits their personality. This is especially well done with the Addams family themselves, who stay true to their design from older Addams Family installments, only with subtle and pleasing changes. For example, the addition of bangs to Wednesday’s hair and curves to the stripes of Pugsley’s sweater.

Wednesday is also an extremely satisfying show. The protagonist puts up with zero foolishness, dismissing the kind of insults that seem to bother the very sensitive main characters of other TV productions. She’s quick with a comeback and entirely capable of backing her stances up with physical combat when necessary. 

The show is not without its weaknesses, however. At times, the writing can be somewhat cheesy, a trap into which many coming-of-age writers fall. Perhaps it would be best not to mention TikTok at any point in the script. Additionally, the story is somewhat predictable, and the love interests, especially Wednesday’s, seem unlikely. 

This lack of romantic chemistry, however, certainly doesn’t have much to do with the actors. The cast is quite talented, able to portray their characters in a convincing and entertaining way. Jenna Ortega, who plays Wednesday, does a particularly fantastic job creating a witty, biting, and entirely cold Addams. 

Overall, Wednesday is worth checking out. Easy to finish within a couple of days, it isn’t a large commitment, though this could change. The show was more than warmly received, breaking the record for most hours viewed within a week for an english-language series. Thus, it is extremely likely that the show will be renewed for a second season.