The Addams family is open to a great deal of interpretation being based on one panel cartoons. And much like SNL skits those brief gags are tough to stretch into a longer format story. The Huston/Julia movies show both the strength and weakness of this conundrum. Although very good if you look at the first and second movie you will realize that they are the same movie.

So, I went into Wednesday knowing that they would need to stretch the brand in order to make it into a multi episode Netflix series.

The good: Jenna Ortega is terrific! That was a brilliant casting choice. Thing steals every scene he (it?) appears in. The expressivenesss of that hand is astounding. Arneson as Uncle Fester is great. And I really had my doubts about that choice. Gwendoline Christie is also interesting and engaging in her roll as Principal Weems. Wednesday's roomate Enid makes a funny and solid foil as does Mossa as Eugene. The set design and costuming is first rate.

The tolerable: The psychic ability is tolerable to advance the plot. The rest of the kids (other then Enid) are fine. The sheriff, Ricci's character, and the counselor are all accpetable. Lurch is a fine Lurch (with no real lines). The school itself is at time annoying and at times interesting.

The bad. The depiction of Morticia and Gomez is *awful*. In the present they are dull. In the past they are completely out of character. I understand that there was a plotline that needed the conflict in the past but it still could have been written in a manner that was true to the characters.

Second, one of the first things one should do on a project like this is understand and make the world clear as you are creating the story. And one of those things, when dealing with a world like the one Wednesday is portraying, is being clear about how these unusual characters exist in the world. Does the entire world know that werewolves, vampires and sirens exist? Does the nearby town? Or is this a secret kept on the campus of the school? Choose one, stick with it, and write accordingly.

Overall it is worthwhile. I hope to see better world building and writing in season 2.