How can you do so much right – and of all things wrong?
With the return of the Addams Family, Netflix has delivered another much-needed hit. The series, which had already been hyped in advance, didn’t appeal to me at all at first – but then it really picked me up. But the showrunners just made a decision that was completely wrong.
A comment by Felix Gräber
Triumph: The Addams Family celebrates a successful return with Wednesday
With the start of Wednesday, a sigh of relief should have gone through the executive floor that one could almost have heard here in Germany. Sure, Season 4 of Stranger Things broke a few things that went wrong in the previous months, but it also needs restarts that really go through the roof – not just sequels.
Even if, strictly speaking, Wednesday is exactly that – one Sequel to the wacky Addams Familywhich for decades in different versions the audience again and again enchant and inspire can – nice when words get to the heart of the matter so precisely. I myself am not a fan of the first hour or of the 90s films – to be honest, I couldn’t do anything with the Addams Family until now. Wednesday changed that thoroughly and permanently.
This is not only due to the morbid charm of the title heroine, played by Jenna Ortega, who is celebrated for her performance practically across the board – rightly so, I think. Her well-known sidekick “Eiskaltes Händchen” is also fun, no question. Just like the other family members – even if they are only supporting roles – or the sometimes colorful, sometimes very strange characters in and around Nevermore Academy. who black humor can gain something, gets its money’s worth here. But all of that is just an accessory for me.
Tim Burton reloaded: I’ve rarely liked him so much since Sleepy Hollow and Nightmare Before Christmas
Wednesday offers me much more: my personal rediscovery of the ingenious weirdness by Tim Burton. The director is currently allowed online some criticism surrounding the casting decisions put up with on Wednesday. But for me, his first streaming series is a triumph. Few other filmmakers could have done what Burton did with Wednesday. Everything that’s always been so weird about the Addams family what defines the twisted characters – it complements Burton’s style beautifully.
Practically from the first shots, Tim Burton jumps in your face when you look at it: tracking shots in the wrong places – overly dramatic. the oblique angles of the recordings, unclear perspectives, where you don’t know: should I pay attention to the actors or is it about what’s happening in the background? Add to that the threatening mood of “Something’s not right here at all” – it could be a horror film overflowing with suspense. But Burton mixes it all together in his inimitable style and makes it light, just right wholesome. Somehow horror, yes, but without this permanent tension.
Are you actually one of those who haven’t seen Wednesday yet? The trailer makes you want more:
Wednesday’s big problem: It’s not the same without Tim Burton
That’s how Wednesday is just fun – at least for the first four of eight episodes. Because this is the only place where Burton sat down in the director’s chair. He’s still involved as a producer, but the scepter changes from episode 5 – and you can tell. Don’t get me wrong, Wednesday is still loads of fun, right down to the last minute. but the special charm of Burton is missing at once.
Co-productions of this kind are not uncommon in the industry. Especially in series, there are quite a few director changes between episodes. As a rule, it simply depends on which vision of the series the creators want – or which version. Because even if the cast, the script, the people responsible for make-up, visual effects, technical equipment, the set, funds and everything else that goes into a big production are identical – sitting someone else in the director’s chair will never be the same twice result come out. That’s exactly what Wednesday shows in the second half of Season 1 – to her detriment, I think.
Let’s hope Tim Burton stays with the series. Because the fact that season 1 is not done should be as clear as one of ice-cold hands’ expressive pantomime performances.
