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Wednesday and Thing
Wednesday and Enid
Gomez, Morticia, and Pugsly
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Wednesday's Child Is Full of Woe
Season1 Episode 1
Originally released October 31, 2022
Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Directed by Tim Burton
Based on characters created by Charles Addams
Starring: Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Gwendoline Christie as Principal Larissa Weems, Riki Lindhome as Dr. Valerie Kinbott, Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair, Victor Dorobantu as Thing, Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin, Jamie McShane as Sheriff Donovan Galpin, and Percy Hynes White as Xavier Thorpe .
With: Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzm‡n as Gomez Addams, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, George Burcea as Lurch, Calum Ross as Rowan Laslow, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo as Deputy Ritchie Santiago, Cezar Grumazescu as Coach Vlad, Morgan Beale as Jonah, Karina Varadi as young Wednesday, Daniel Himschoot as Hyde Monster, and Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay.
After Wednesday Addams is expelled from Nancy Regan High School for putting piranhas in the pool, her parents' Morticia and Gomez, enroll her in Nevermore, a school for outcasts. Her roommate, Enid, is a werewolf who can't actually morph into a wolf. All she has are claws.
Wednesday, being allergic to color, dresses in a black version of the school's blue uniforms. Her black braids, pale face, and nearly expressionless demeanor make her a perfectly evil character - except she isn't evil. There is an underlying vulnerability and morality that is superbly conveyed by Jenna Ortega.
Enid is fair, blond, enthusiastic, and in all ways the opposite of Wednesday, but I suspect a deep friendship will develop between them.
Of course, what is the Addams family without Thing, played by Victor Dorobantu. Although Thing is only a right hand, he is one of the most interesting characters in the show.
Other members of Wednesday's family, Morticia, Gomez, Pugsly, and Lurch, are also in this episode. I don't think Gomez is well cast, but the rest are fine. The remaining members of the original Addams' household, Uncle Fester, Grandmama, and Cousin Itt, haven't yet made an appearance.
As a combination of humor, horror, and fantasy, the show works perfectly.
Reviewed by Romana Drew February 12, 2023.
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The Poe Cup
Rowen and Deputy Ritchie Santiago
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Woe is the Loneliest Number
Season 1, Episode 2
Originally released November 23, 2022
Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Directed by Tim Burton.
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Emma Myers, and Victor Dorobantu.
With: Joy Sunday as Bianca Barclay, Moosa Mostafa as Eugene Ottinger, Georgie Farmer as Ajax Petropolus, Naomi J. Ogawa as Yoko Tanaka, Christina Ricci as Marilyn Thornhill, Luyanda, Unati Lewis-Nyawo as Deputy Ritchie Santiago, Calum Ross as Rowan Laslow, Johnna Dias-Watson as Divina, and Oliver Watson as Kent
In the last episode, Rowan tried to kill Wednesday, but a monster came by and ripped him to shreds. Wednesday reported the incident, and the sheriff sent dogs and officers to search but found nothing. Only Tyler believes her.
Then Rowan shows up at school alive and well. Wednesday wants to talk to him but can't because he has been expelled.
Pursuing the matter proves difficult because everyone at the school is focused on competing in the Poe Cup - a canoe race with no rules. Even Thing gets involved.
This episode gives more insight into Wednesday and the school, including a hidden library. Notice how Wednesday opens the door. If you didn't get it, try watching one of the original Addams Family shows.
This is a good episode. It has tension, humor, a shapeshifter, and even a mermaid. I wonder how the canoe managed to have just the right equipment to defeat the threats it faced.
And this ends in a bit of a cliffhanger.
Reviewed by Romana Drew February 15, 2023
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Enid and Wednesday
Chaos in the Town
Enid and Ajax
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Friend or Woe
Season 1. Episode 3.
Written by Kayla Alpert. Directed by Tim Burton.
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Moosa Mostafa, and Victor Dorobantu.
With: Georgie Farmer as Ajax Petropolus, Naomi J. Ogawa as Yoko Tanaka, Christina Ricci as Marilyn Thornhill, Iman Marson as Lucas, Johnna Dias-Watson as Divina, Tommie Earl Jenkins as Mayor Noble Walker, William Houston as Joseph Crackstone, Daniel Himschoot as Hyde Monster, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo as Deputy Ritchie Santiago,
Wednesday is tied up in the secret library, the meeting room for the Nightshades, a secret organization that was disbanded years ago. After a bit of discussion, Wednesday walks out somewhat disinterested in the group.
The Nevermore students are assigned to work with the townspeople to help with the dedication of a statue of Jericho Crackstone, the town's founder. Of course, things don't go well for the students, the town, or the statue.
The monster attacks again. This time it's caught on camera. Wednesday learns that it's a human shaft-shifter.
She also meets Goody Addams again and learns that Jericho Crackstone, the man the town honors, was actually a cruel man intent on destroying the outcasts.
There are some great scenes in this episode. Thing with a can of gasoline, Ajax, and a mirror. Enid and Ajax have a couple of cute scenes in a really weird curio shop. Wednesday both supports and defends Eugene.
And, once everything goes wrong, Wednesday provides a cello soundtrack to go with all the chaos.
This is an interesting episode, setting up several story lines. It has tender moments, humor, and lots of scary excitement.
Reviewed by Romana Drew March 1, 2023.
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The Dance
The End of the Dance
Eugene and Wednesday
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Woe What a Night
Season 1. Episode 4.
Originally aired November 23, 2022.
Written by Kayla Alpert. Directed by Tim Burton.
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Moosa Mostafa, Georgie Farmer, and Victor Dorobantu.
With:, Naomi J. Ogawa as Yoko Tanaka, Christina Ricci as Marilyn Thornhill, Iman Marson as Lucas, Nitin Ganatra as Dr. Anwar, Johnna Dias-Watson as Divina, Oliver Watson as Kent, Edward Kennedy as MC Blood Suckaz, Morgan Beale as Jonah, Islam Bouakkaz as Carter, and Daniel Himschoot as Hyde Monster.
Wednesday and Thing sneak into the coroner's office to examine one of the monster's victims. They learn the monster is keeping souvenirs - body parts.
Wednesday goes on a bit of a scavenger hunt for clues, which she takes to the sheriff. He is both impressed and dismissive at the same time. Something about the sheriff isn't quit right.
However, further investigation is sidetracked by the Rave N Dance. This is getting to be a routine plot contrivance. Wednesday starts out doing something, then must stop to attend a school function.
Another well-paced, exciting episode. Thing proves to be both devious and clever. Although how a disembodied hand pilfered a dress without anyone noticing remains a mystery.
Tyler and Xavier are both interested in Wednesday, although why remains enigmatic. She isn't all that approachable.
And Enid and Ajax finally get together.
The dance scene is amazing. Wednesday's version of dancing is both unique and fascinating. And she does the entire thing without ever changing her expression. In true Wednesday fashion, the dance ends in a mess.
Although Xavier is unlikely to be the monster, he definitely has a connection to the creature.
This episode doesn't end in a true cliffhanger, but Eugene should have waited for Wednesday.
Reviewed by Romana Drew March 8, 2023.
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