1x04 Woe What a Night

This is an episode that cements something that's been bothering me this entire time. I'm not a fan of all the changes they've made to the relationship dynamics but these things are inevitable. But the thing that really bothered me is that Wednesday comes to this school and three nearly identical dudes are super into her, which in itself is fine. The problem is that contrary to what Xavier says here Wednesday gives absolutely zero indication that she's into any of them. So when the boys get upset that she isn't returning their affection I'm confused like why? She has given you nothing. The real problem is the framing of the show suggests they are right and Wednesday should be recognizing what she's doing to these poor guys. While I never saw Wednesday as an emotionally stunted child like they're clearly making here, Ortega has done a brilliant job of making Wednesday show absolutely zero affection for anyone or anything except the oppressed. She protects her brother. She protects her friends. She protects anyone who needs protection. But she couldn't care less about your romance neither rejecting nor accepting just completely apathetic.

For a show that keeps name checking patriarchy it's kinda weird that the show also wants to basically shame Wednesday for doing absolutely nothing in the deluded fantasies of white dudes that insist she's giving them signals.

The writing is still too on the nose in general, and for Wednesday's character in particular, and feels too much like a standard, mediocre YA work, but the good scenes are still there, but just happen to mostly be between Wednesday and Thing. I think there's a subtly dropped bit of foreshadowing about halfway through.

There are some really nice shots peppered throughout the episode, like a few dramatically lit closeups on boyfriend boy, siren girl, and Wednesday herself, along with Wednesday's walk down the stairwell at Nevermore. I don't know how much of the location is prop design, and how much was existing architechture, if at all, but the location is gorgeous. Likewise, the costume design continues to impress in Wednesday's case. I don't know what they were thinking with the plantation creep and Colonel Sanders thing that Xavier and barista boy were sporting.

Then, there is, of course, the dance scene. Directors love their party and prom scenes, and Jenna's dance was just great, and a delight to watch. I still wish this show had been shot in the Cinemascope-style wider 1.35-1.37:1 AR, as the extra space and a wider shot on the periphery of the subject would have made the dance scene even more dramatic. Maybe they'll do that for season 2. Fingers crossed.

It would also be nice if the actors would consistently speak clearly. Almost all of the younger cast alternate between using their voices normally and falling into vocal fry mode, which is always unpleasant to listen to, especially when it's part of a professional production. I had social anxiety disorder hanging on my back for far too long thanks to ASD, so I understand vocal fry when being forced to have to actually talk to people when you're uncomfortable even speaking, but it's like actors aren't even learning speech training anymore. Go back and watch any '90s TV show or film, or even things from the 1970s and 1980s. American actors back then didn't sound like they were afraid to use their voices, and they were vibrant and simply pleasant to listen to. Hollywood just needs more of a culture of stage acting training as a baseline, as it always adds depth and nuance to a performance.

All in all, the show seems to be in idle mode with a few peaks every episode, but nothing that consistently wows. There's enough potential here that a single season like this could be worth it as long as their writing and directing team really shapes up to fully realize the concept in seasons going forward. If not, Netflix may drop the two-season axe like they should have done after season one of Flixer. But I am invested to see where it goes, so I hope it lives beyond the sell-by date of its gimmicks.

I have a theory that the writers wanted to create a generic teen drama show, but got landed with a Wednesday Addams series, so just inserted her in place of their original protagonist. That's really the only way I could explain someone thinking involving Wednesday Addams in a teen love triangle storyline would be a great idea, or half a dozen other naff plot lines that Wednesday's dragged into.

Even Wednesday's surly, sarcastic disposition, and Ortega's great characterisation isn't saving this show from mediocrity. The uniqueness of the character is being drowned out by all this... bland normality. That's about the worst thing that can happen to an Addams Family show.

And of course we still haven't gone an episode without the writers inserting their political baggage into the dialogue. This episode we got 'climate crisis', 'female objectification', and 'you can't say that, it's offensive' - how they spoil us!

Three points for Ortega's performance, the dance choreography, and Thing. Everything else is far too normie.

Why can't shows like this or the recent Foundation series be developed by people who love the source material and will treat them with the respect they deserve?

I suppose if everyone complains but then gives it a 9/10 we're getting what we deserve.