Bibliographic Information:
Title: Wednesday
Executive Producer: Tim Burton
Network: Netflix
Release Date: 2022
Cast: Jenna Ortega, Emma Myers, Christina Ricci, Hunter Doohan, and more.
Age Rating: PG/PG-13
Genre / Format of the Title: Paranormal, Coming of Age, Mystery, Comedy / Television
Plot Summary:
Wednesday Addams has been kicked out of eight schools in five years - Nevermore Academy, her parents alma mater, is her last chance before she may end up in prison. While strange things have always happened at Nevermore, with Wednesday’s arrival they seem to amp up into the extreme. Death, a monster, and a ruined prom are only some of Wednesday’s concerns as she adjusts to life at her new school - she even has two beaus vying for her attention while visions plague her. Her ancestor, Goody Addams, has a message for Wednesday that she does not want to hear, and even worse, it seems that Wednesday may be the reason that Nevermore finally meets its demise. Will Wednesday figure out the mystery of the monster attacking both locals and students alike? Will she follow in the footsteps of her mother, or forge her own path? Wednesday will enthrall you with the story, aesthetics, and soundtrack.
Creator Background:
Considered to be one of the most visually centered filmmakers, Tim Burton has certainly made a mark on entertainment over the last couple of decades. With a mixture of cult favorites and theater blockbusters, Burton has continuously successfully created and produced movies, shows, and books that entertain people of all ages. He went to school at CalArts when it had recently opened, and his work drew the interest of those at Disney to the point of them offering him an apprenticeship. Starting with his own short films and then gradually working with others to produce feature length films, Burton slowly grew a following for his style and storytelling (About - TIM BURTON, 2009). Wednesday is simply another page in the book of Burton, taking a beloved character and mixing it with a beloved director to create a classic television show.
Critical Evaluation:
One of the many items that is being used for this blog that I did not have to find to evaluate as I had already watched the series and was looking forward to season two before even drafting this blog. Wednesday is a series I love now as an adult, but that I know I would have been obsessed with if I was a teenager. It blends some of my favorite things together: easy going drama, mystery, dark/gothic aesthetics, amazing music, and a character that is already beloved in their own right but finally gets the spotlight they deserve.
Wednesday seems similar to many other shows geared towards young adults, namely in the fact that it takes place in a “high school”, has the main character grappling with fitting in/standing out, first love, and the typical melodrama that plagues teenage life - just with the added death surrounding the school. The actors and actresses all give amazing performances, and the inclusion of Christina Ricci who played Wednesday in the Addams Family movies from the 90’s making an appearance was a fun nod to fans of the Addams family. Perhaps the biggest critique was the lack of LGBTQIA+ characters in the show, but in true Tumblr fashion many began to “ship” leads Wednesday and Enid together as a couple. Whether season two will follow the lead of the fans is still to be seen, but we can only hope that there will be more inclusion (although, Burton is not exactly known for his diversity and inclusion in his art).
Creative Use for a Library Program:
This would be a great time to teach young adults how to look through newspaper archives - why? Well because we are going to read some of the original Addams Family comics of course! This will give them a great opportunity to enhance their research skills while also showing them the history of the character of Wednesday Addams.
Speed-Round Recommendation:
She’s kooky, ooky, and spooky with a stare that’ll chill you to your bones - that’s right, Wednesday Addams stars in this television series that combines mystery, drama, and comedy all into a series that’ll you will end up binging without realizing. Going to a new school for those just as different as her, but then having to become a detective as death begins to surround the school and herself, Wednesday pulls out her trusty right-hand hand, Thing, and goes to work to solve the mystery plaguing Nevermore Academy.
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation:
I have difficulty imagining much of any challenge issues coming to Wednesday as the only thing I could see people having a problem with is how dark the show gets at times, or perhaps the deaths that happen (none of which are overly gruesome). While Wednesday does participate in occult rituals at times, overall the girl who come from the creepy and spooky family is relatively tame in this series.
Reason for Inclusion:
Part of curation is including items that are popular with your patron demographic: and to say that Wednesday was popular when it debuted would be an understatement. Including it in a collection makes sense because it covers quite a few different genres, is loved by many young adults and even those who are older, and it is an entertaining television series that will soon have a second season!
Watch the Season 2 Trailer here!
References
(2009, May 5). About — TIM BURTON. TIM BURTON. https://www.timburton.com/about
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