Warning! This article contains spoilers for Netflix's Wednesday. Tim Burton's take on The Addams Family, Wednesday, just dropped on Netflix and swiftly began climbing the top ten list. The show follows Wednesday Addams as she tries to find her independence from her parents at Nevermore Academy, all the while facing a mysterious killer that has a fated connection to her.
While the show will likely draw comparisons to series like Riverdale and Legacies, it captures the blend of wholesomeness and the macabre that fans love from the Addams Family. In many ways, Wednesday does this through its best quotes, which hit home on key relationships between Wednesday and her peers and reference classic films within the Addams Family canon and beyond it.
"Those Are All Traits Of Great Writers. And Serial Killers."
Wednesday, Episode 2
This is just a great line in general, but it also says a lot about Wednesday's character flaws. After upsetting Thing, Wednesday has to find a way to make it up to him. She gets close to an apology by admitting that she is "stubborn, single-minded, and obsessive," but she also refuses to be blamed for those traits.
In her avoidance of regret, Wednesday postures as though she honors serial killers as highly as writers. However, her entire goal throughout the series is to stop a serial killer. Wednesday appreciates the macabre and even revels in others' pain, but only when it is either consensual or deserved. Killing for killing's sake is unacceptable, showing that her heart trumps her self-presentation.
"Incredible Luck."
Wednesday, Episode 6
Wednesday has a habit of snarky retorts, and this is one of the best of them. Similar to McGonagall in Harry Potter - a series with a comparable supernatural school setting - Principal Weems asked Wednesday how she always gets into so much trouble. While Ron was frustrated with the situation in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Wednesday responded with her usual attitude.
For someone who loves all things dark and macabre, winding up at the center of a murder mystery would seem to actually be lucky. And Wednesday doesn't shy away from that side of things. But she also had multiple friends who were attacked and was obviously devastated by it, so her sarcastic response feels like a completely rational response to Weems' callousness.
"You Certainly Go Out Of Your Way To Protect Them."
Principal Weems, Episode 8
Wednesday repeatedly put her friends in danger, but she also had a martyr complex when it came to punishments. She refused to let them be blamed for her plans, even when they turned their backs on her. As Weems said, she was always their defender, despite being "someone who claims to have no friends."
Wednesday's words and actions rarely lined up, and that was especially true when it came to the people around her. She was deeply suspicious and guarded around other people, but even if she didn't trust others to be good friends to her, she routinely showed that she would sacrifice herself for them.
"The First Boy I Kiss ... A Psychotic, Serial-Killing Monster."
Wednesday, Episode 7
Wednesday wasn't interested in having a conventional romance, so her eventual relationship with Tyler was as much a surprise for her as it was for the audience. However, it actually made more sense that she would fall for a serial killer than a genuinely good person since that was the way she approached the world.
While Morticia described herself as a Dove, Wednesday was a Raven - a bird commonly seen as a death omen. It only felt right that she would be drawn to the darkest person she could find. Thankfully, her growing openness with Enid and Eugene suggests that she might be moving toward more healthy relationships in the future.
"...You'll Finally Be Able To Accept Me For Who I Am."
Enid, Episode 5
While Wednesday doesn't include any explicit LGBT representation, Enid's narrative is a clear parallel to the gay experience, particularly in a conservative family. While her mother tries to make her feel ashamed - and even attend "conversion therapy for werewolves" - she embraces who she is regardless of whether others consider it "normal."
This is a powerful moment for a lot of viewers, seeing Enid embrace herself without reservation. Her presumed heterosexuality and eventual transformation minimize how successful the metaphor could be, but it's still incredibly important to see her stand up for herself and maintain her positivity despite those trying to tear her down.
"How Do You Feel About Scary Movies?"
Tyler, Episode 7
Like all good murder mysteries, there were clues pointing to who the killers were, and a few of them came from genre-specific references. While Wednesday isn't exactly horror, its audience has obvious points of crossover. The idea that Legally Blonde is a scary movie for Wednesday was a great touch, but it also pointed to Tyler being a killer.
The most iconic line from the Scream franchise - which now features Jenna Ortega in a key role - is, "Do you like scary movies?" This question is asked by the killer, making it a clue to Tyler's eventual role. Likewise, Christina Ricci's Marilyn Thornhill referred to the Rave'n as "a night they'll never forget," which is a reference to Carrie's bloody finale.
"Because We Work. We Shouldn't, But We Do."
Enid, Episode 7
One of the highlights of Wednesday was seeing Enid and Wednesday grow closer as polar-opposite best friends. The dynamic, which Enid referred to as a "friendship anomaly," was enjoyable to see develop, particularly because both characters held each other accountable for their bad behaviors.
They did work well together, but it wasn't just because they were thrown together. Even as Wednesday tried to pretend nobody mattered to her, she listened to Enid's interests and concerns and generally tried to help her with them. Seeing them fight for each other and finally hug in the finale was extremely powerful, proving that they really did work for the audience.
"Just Kind Of… Kooky." "I Prefer Spooky."
Tyler & Wednesday, Episode 1
There was a fine line that Wednesday had to keep between homages to the previous Addams Family series and breaking new ground. They generally managed this successfully, especially when it came to the iconic theme song. The entrance to the Nightshades was the famous double snap, and Wednesday's interactions with Tyler - quoted above - referenced the lyrics.
As the song says, the Addams Family is "creepy and they're kooky. Mysterious and spooky. They're all together ooky." Of those descriptors, Wednesday defines herself as the spooky element. This is fitting, given her brother and parents seem fairly tame in this series. While it's interesting to see how she perceives herself, it's also just nice to see such a well-done nod to the classics.
"Hummers Stick Together."
Wednesday, Episode 3 / Eugene, Episode 8
One of the sweetest relationship dynamics in Wednesday was between Wednesday and Eugene. He was one of the many "outcasts among outcasts" at the school, which may have been what led Wednesday to join the beekeeping club in the first place. But they grew close to one another, and this line was a reminder of their deep loyalty.
In episode 3, Wednesday defended Eugene, saying this line as justification. In episode 8, he said it in return as he saved her life. Call-backs are often signs of a romantic relationship, but this call-back proved that Wednesday's most important relationships were platonic.
"Being Your Friend Should Come With A Warning Label."
Xavier, Episode 8
Wednesday protected her friends from Principal Weems, but she also lashed out against them. She lied to them, kept secrets, and kept them at arm's length. Nobody learned that lesson harder than Xavier. But he also learned that she would die before letting any of them get hurt.
In the first episode, Wednesday told the swimmers, "The only person who gets to torture my brother is me." The same rule applied to her friends. Being a part of Wednesday Addams's life is never going to be an easy situation. It absolutely should come with a warning. But at the end of the day, it's also worth it.