A glossy, crowd-pleasing mystery-comedy with a strong lead performance and enough gothic personality to stand out. It’s at its best when it leans into Wednesday’s deadpan voice, schoolyard intrigue, and monster-of-the-week plotting; the larger mythology is more uneven, but the show remains easy to binge.
Wednesday
Where to watch: Buy
TV Show · Sci-Fi & Fantasy · Mystery
Wed
Created by: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Steve Buscemi, Emma Myers
Overview
Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates twisted mysteries while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy.
Created by
Miles Millar, Alfred Gough
Cast
Jenna Ortega, Steve Buscemi, Emma Myers, Hunter Doohan, Joy Sunday, Moosa Mostafa, Georgie Farmer, Isaac Ordonez
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, crowd-pleasing mystery-comedy with a strong lead performance and enough gothic personality to stand out. It’s at its best when it leans into Wednesday’s deadpan voice, schoolyard intrigue, and monster-of-the-week plotting; the larger mythology is more uneven, but the show remains easy to binge.
Best for
fans of dark teen mysteries with a comedic edge
viewers who like gothic school settings and supernatural casework
people who want a stylish, mainstream Netflix binge
audiences drawn to sharp, sarcastic lead characters
Skip if
you want tightly plotted mysteries with no teen-drama detours
you dislike YA romance and love-triangle energy
you prefer horror that is genuinely scary rather than playful
you want a complete story with no ongoing franchise setup
Overview
Wednesday turns a familiar franchise into a slick, highly watchable teen mystery with a strong sense of style. Jenna Ortega’s deadpan performance is the engine: she makes the character feel both iconic and freshly sharpened, and the show knows how to build around that attitude with gothic production design, brisk episode hooks, and a steady stream of oddball supporting players.
Worth noting
The first season is the essential run, balancing whodunit plotting, monster lore, and school politics with the best rhythm the series has found so far. Later seasons continue to lean on the same strengths, though the show can get a little busier and more franchise-minded as it expands its mythology. Even so, it remains an easy recommendation if you want something polished, accessible, and slightly macabre.
Bottom line
It is not the darkest or smartest mystery series on television, but it is one of the most efficient at delivering a bingeable mood. The humor is broad but controlled, the visuals are memorable, and the show’s confidence in its own tone goes a long way.
Themes
gothic coming-of-age, teen mystery, supernatural investigation, outsider identity, dark comedy, boarding school politics, monster mythology, friendship and rivalry
Topics
gothic, YA mystery, supernatural, dark comedy, boarding school, teen drama, whodunit, macabre, bingeable, stylized