“Wednesday” shows Jenna Ortega’s talent

Netflix’s new series “Wednesday” brings the Addams family character Wednesday into the modern world. Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Miller, the first season dives deep into Wednesday’s life at the Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts, and the students she encounters. Through its beautifully cinematic shots, captivating plot and engaging characters, “Wednesday” proves itself worthy of many praises.

Starting quickly in the first episode, we are introduced to a monster that has been killing the nearby city of Jericho’s residents and visitors. The audience also finds out about a seer’s drawing, vaguely predicting the destruction of Nevermore, and that Wednesday is connected to it. Attempting to build her own legacy at Nevermore separate from her parents, Morticia and Gomez, Wednesday takes it upon herself to investigate both findings, and thus, the journey begins.

Wednesday’s unique character, portrayed by Jenna Ortega, is at first sadistic and void of emotion. Towards the beginning of the series, she manipulates people that want to help her and has selfish intentions hidden behind her seemingly normal actions. It is evident she has sociopathic tendencies, doing these things without showing any guilt or remorse. But, as the season progresses, she slowly shifts towards caring for the people around her. Instead of having one core moment that changes Wednesday, her character development is perfectly spread across all eight episodes at a realistic pace, another aspect that makes this series stand out. Even after all of her changes, Wednesday remains a sarcastic, dark character that is entertaining on her own.

Although not without its faults, “Wednesday” is accomplished at showing all of the character’s unique personalities.

This series is also amazing visually, from Wednesday’s iconic dance at the Rave’N school dance to the contrast between Enid’s colorful personality and Wednesday’s monotony shown through their perfectly split room. There are also sequences that visually add to the tone using clever choices of weather and lighting, with rain in some and the heavy fog in others complementing the mood in each scene.

From the cast’s perfectly executed acting to the excellent writing and directing behind the screen, watching “Wednesday” is an exciting and engaging experience. This series is a must- watch for anyone looking for a little bit of mystery, dark humor, and plot twists.