Jenna Ortega stars as the eponymous Wednesday in Netflix's Gothic series, directed by Tim Burton (along with James Marshall and Gandja Monteiro), which gives the Charles Addams' concept a Nancy Drew slant. It doesn't hurt, either, that this teenage Wednesday possesses sporadic, psychic abilities that abet her Kolchak-ish delvings.
Accompanying its detective strand, this eight-part series grazes social allegory, taking misleading jabs at conservative ventures, but also the hypocritical juxtaposing of its sometimes lefty factions (vampires, lycans, sirens, mystics, et al) that ought to know better when it comes to tossing judgmental stones. In other words and for better or worse, everyone is fair game in this reimagined tangent.
Fans should be pleased that, in addition to Ortega's portrayal, most of the established Addams' are installed, with Catherine Zeta Jones as Morticia; Luz Guzman as Gomez; Isaac Ortonez as Pugsley; Victor Durubantu as Thing (enacted via convincing CGI); Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester; and George Bursea as Lurch.
New characters intermingle with and/or bounce off them: Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair (a bubbly wolf girl in denial and Wednesday's roommate); Gwendoline Christie as Ms. Larissa Weems (Morticia's old, school chum and watchful principal); Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin (Wednesday's kind-of boyfriend and diligent, java-shop attendee); Jamie McShane as Sheriff Donovan Galpin (Tyler's austere but sensible dad); Percy Hynes White as Xavier Thorpe (Wednesday's other kind-of boyfriend, who renders mystical art); Calum Ross as Rowan Laslow (an irksome, telekinetic "Potterhead"); Tommy Earl Jenkins as Mayor Noble Walker (the stern founder of Pilgrim World); Iman Marson as Lucas Walker (a bad kid who's really not so bad); Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay (the series' preeminent, spiteful siren/bad girl); Georgie Farmer as Ajax Petropoulis (a heedful gorgon); Moosa Mustafa as Eugene Otinger (an impish beekeeper); Riki Lindhome as Dr. Kinbott (an avid therapist) and (by golly!) Christina Rici as Marilyn Thornhill (a botany teacher with a secret).
Part of the series covers Wednesday's investigation of a murder Gomez was to have committed in his youth at Nevermore, a prestigious, Poe-themed (reform) school. However, this is but a ruse for the longer thread: Wednesday's persistence to uncover a murdering campus monster, aka a Hyde, which one might think the lass would befriend, but then this Addams creation doesn't march to its expected drum, only its moody and (sometimes) wry ambiance. (There's insinuated witch persecution, revenge, reincarnation and redemption in the plot, as well.)
Danny Elman's score reinforces the show's Burton feel, but the series has trouble maintaining a seamless flow, coming across at times like a CW, adolescent melodrama and other times like Can't Take It With You meets Addams Family Values, with classic-horror trimmings, though Fester's participation does grant it solid footing during its final phases.
To the show's persistent advantage, Ortega is ideal as the titular youth. Her dance-social gyration is one for the books, but it's her deft delivery that permeates, just as it should. Wednesday admirers won't be disappointed.
All Wednesday episodes are now queued for viewing, so cuddle up with your headless, Marie Antoinette doll and pry your way in.
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