The new trending series “Wednesday,” starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, is catching people’s attention with its thrilling plot and spooky antics, quickly becoming one of the most watched shows on Netflix. 

Premiering Nov. 16, the show quickly gained a following as short clips and videos from episodes featuring new characters and interesting moments were released on many social media platforms. 

“Social media basically spread the show around, and it’s a major reason for its popularity,” Keira Stolowitz, junior, said. “Apps such as TikTok and Instagram spread sneak peeks and spoilers, enticing watchers to view the show.”

Like many others, Stolowitz found herself anticipating Tim Burton’s latest project, which was released on Netflix Nov. 23, quickly taking the world by storm and breaking many records.

Based on the 1964 television series, “The Addams Family,” and both movie adaptations from the 1990’s, “Wednesday,” spins the familiar tale of the unconventional family in a new way, focusing on one of the franchise’s more iconic characters: Wednesday Addams, who’s chilling and morbid personality has ruled the screen for decades.

The show kicks off with Wednesday being expelled once again from school after releasing piranhas into a swimming pool and injuring one of the other students. Worried about their daughter’s behavioral problems, Wednesday’s parents send her to Nevermore, a school for outcasts and oddities, in hopes of giving her the same experience they shared there during their teenage years. 

Despite her initial reluctance, upon having visions that are linked to a string of murders happening in a nearby town, Wednesday decides to find the killer and investigate the mysterious happenings at Nevermore while navigating new relationships–even if it means risking her own life. 

Taking on the lead role of Wednesday Addams, Jenna Ortega gives a phenomenal performance, staying true to the character’s portrayal in the franchise’s previous projects while still adding her own spin on who Wednesday truly is.

It is this homage to the original show and movie that pleased the series audience, and many fans found themselves appreciating the way in which “Wednesday” honored its preceding works.

“I thought that the show did a great job at creating their own depiction of the characters and adding a twist to the original movie while still incorporating hints to what had previously been done,” Breanne Dinow, sophomore, said.

The series accomplishes this not only through paying tribute to the original comics, but also through including actors who have starred in earlier films. 

“I’ve never seen any other ‘Addams Family’ shows or movies, but I like how well casted the family was,” Maren Hunt, senior, said. “I also loved how they used Christina Ricci, the 90’s Wednesday, as a big character in the show.”

Just as previous features within the franchise have done, “Wednesday” conveys the moving message of being proud of what sets you apart. 

“The show did a great job of creating the theme that it’s okay to be strange and ‘outcasts,’ which I think the original Addams Family was working to convey as well,” Dinow said. 

Despite the positive feedback the show received, there have been some rumors that the show might be canceled, as Netflix has yet to confirm a Season 2 renewal with some concerns over the rights to the series. Whatever the case may be, we can only hope that these rumors turn out to be false. 

Overall, the show is an amazing continuation of the “Addams family” franchise, displaying itself as a classic, spooky mystery while more deeply analyzing the Wednesday character. Through focusing on Wednesday, the audience is able to further connect to a character that they already know and love while also coming to better understand who she is as a person, something that has been hard to do in the past. 

An amazing and captivating series, I hope that we are able to get a second season and a further look into the mind of Wednesday Addams.