You Reap What You Woe

I've never been hugely into The Addams Family, remember watching the old one in black and white a few times. Never really got into the Addams Family movies either. But this! This is just amazing, and even tempts me to go and watch the Addams Family more.

A wonderful show focusing on story and characters, (rather than some of the modern stuff that needs to push certain agendas), and is so binge worthy.

Wonderfully shot with excellent dark "gothic" feeling. You can feel the genius of Burton all over it, and has his usual vibe pulsing through it.

Worth watching just for Jenna Ortega's fantastic, creative, portrayal of Wednesday Addams. Characterization beautifully developed and maintained, and you get lost in the fact that she isn't Wednesday. Self-assured, morbid, dark, humour and sarcastic, a little arrogant, cold, and reserved, but with slight moments of more under the protective shell. (Episode 6 I believe is the first time she blinks (though I'm sure most before that is editing), and it is there for a reason) Truly Ortega is totally amazing in this!! <3

Supporting cast are all basically great too. Christie as principal, gets a mention, but she's generally great in everything she is in, Myers (who I don't know) is great in her role as the contrasting roomy, Ricci, I wasn't aware it was her at first, great characterization, and love the fact that she played Wednesday in the movies....little cross-over, Zeta-Jones and Guzman are a great portrayal of Morticia and Gomez, Lindhorne brings a touch of her usual quirkiness to her role, and Thing (Dorobantu) does a stunning job as just a hand! So much expression and humour!

Netflix finally did something extremely well! Don't screw it up!

I had big hopes for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which I feel slowly died, and I've barely started season 2 as I lost interest. I want to watch more of Wednesday, and I'm even a little sad that there are only 8 episodes.

If you like the Addams Family (especially because of Wednesday), if you liked the good elements of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, if you like the vibe of Beetle Juice, and most other films that Burton directs or has an important roll in, if you like Jenna Ortega (or if you've never seen her before, but love actors that become their character), if you love quirky, school for those of special abilities/folklore, mystery solving, touch of creepiness, then just watch two episodes, and I'm sure you'll get hooked! (Sure, it has elements of so many things that are already out there, been done before, but there is just something special and magical about this.)

Interesting episode where the Addams parents take center stage. It is definitely interesting to see their younger selves in the very same institution where we have been discovering secrets about. However, I think the flashbacks should have been more extensive and detailed to give us a better grasp of the backstory and setting. Many convenient information was provided as exposition where I myself would have loved if they had took their time to present the younger versions of the Addams parents and their relationships with the other students so it didn't come as "forced" the eventual animosities that catapulted the events that unravel here.

But I see that as more of a personal filmmaking preference of mine. The show remains as interesting as always through the development of its story. Nevertheless, you can feel the absence of Tim Burton's direction here. There aren't as many wacky shots, framing, staging nor other visual flairs nor character comedy as in the previous episode. The show is beginning to focus more on its serious drama-mystery than the dark comedy, macabre imagery and self-aware nature the show stood out so much for. This isn't Riverdale, this is isn't Chilling Adventures of Sabrina; the show was unique and genius in its absurdist approaches at the Addams-in-the-real-world shtick. But it always maintained a grasp of the cleverly constructed mystery and drama behind the amazing world-building.

It seems the show is beginning to stagnate a bit or in other terms starting to prioritize other aspects of it that are not the ones that make the show unique. The show is unique because it presents a pretty "straight forward" narrative built on mystery-teen-drama through a unique Tim Burtonesque lense of self-awareness and over-the-top romanticised macabre, cynical and even a smidge of sadistic reaction to all the events that unravel. While every other Non-Addams character is interesting in their own way, they don't stand out as great as the nature and personalities of the Addams. I'd just hate for this traits of them to diminish as they become as two dimensional as the other characters can end up being. Lets not forget there's yet a lot of things we haven't seen yet and I hope we get to them in the wacky and over the top way the Addams are known for. I'd just hate to see the show devolve into a cookie cutter teen-supernatural-mystery drama featuring the Addams. There are great performances, fantasticly well-fleshed-out characters, rich and engaging School and town backstory and I hope they keep up the narrative with the same gusto as the previous episodes. And never forgetting that black comedy, that is the cherry on top.

Wednesday finds out about her parents time at Nevermore.

This is another visually impressive episode with fairly good character moments.

The story is reasonably interesting, with some good backstory revealed by certain characters telling stories at key moments and a convenient vision from Wednesday.

I think for fans of the Addams Family, it depends what you think of the show's portrayal of Morticia and Gomez as to how much you are likely to enjoy this episode, as they are the main focus. Personally, I think they are used well by the writers and Catherine Zeta-Jones is perfectly cast. I slightly struggle with Luis Guzmán's quieter take on his character, probably because I'm used to the louder, more dominant personalities of John Astin and Raùl Juliá. Maybe he will grow on me.

The characters Enid and Bianca have B and C plots that continue the theme of teenagers difficult relationships with parents. One is a bit of a clichéd arc about the pressure of expectations and being an individual, whilst the other is somewhat more mysterious and intriguing.

As ever, the visuals are excellent. I particularly like the transitions from certain characters faces in present time to their younger selves in and out of the flashback scenes.

For me it's a 7.5/10, but I round upwards.

Usually when a lead director steps down after completing the first block of principal photography on a production, there's admittedly a frustrating tendency for the next one to struggle capturing filmmaking of the same calibre. Therefore, the visuals become less experimental, more conventional / formulaic & aesthetically, the established style deteriorates until it's less adventurous & consequently, predictable - in order for it to be easier to maintain for the duration of the rest of a shoot. I say this in order to provide context for my main compliment because credit where credit's due, it is genuinely a major achievement for Gandja Monteiro & cinematographer Stephan Pehrsson to take over from a duo as formidably strong as Tim Burton & David Lanzenberg (behind the camera) - & still manage to meet the same standard set by their predecessors with relative ease. Seriously, the transition from one team to the next is seamless & I'm in awe of the brilliance of their abilities, in retaining such strong continuity - & making it appear almost effortless.

With this episode, the narrative additionally builds upon the previous 4 installments with a newfound energy & enthusiasm I couldn't help but notice; each & every scene skilfully crafted & enhancing the story further with interesting twists & turns which lead in to a really wonderfully realised cliffhanger. Although the show didn't get off to a very promising start, the more I watch of this, the better it's gradually becoming.

This is the episode where you get to know the family dynamics of Addams family. Where in adversities they bond together and what previous episodes have portrayed are actually an act of love. Sideline stories keep on merging and makes the episodes ever so interesting.

The best thing about series is it gets the time to build the character arch. This time it tries to get sympathy for bianca. From the first episode it has portrayed her as Wednesday's arch rival. This time it shows why she has so much bitterness. The stereotyping of Eugene is bit uncomfortable though. It continues in this episode as well . However the way Wednesday perceive Eugene as his best friend and his better assets shows the creators are trying to find some remorse in it.

And finally thing does what thing did . He is the "hand of the queen" in adams world. Moving smoothly.