I don’t know how to start this post.

I want to squee.

I want to preface this with: there’s hardly any spoilers.

I want to explain that I’m a child of the 90s who grew up on an excessive dose of Tim Burton, spookiness, and a deep abiding love of Halloween that lingers even though I now live in a country whose Halloween always leaves me with a sensation of longing for more: more decorations, more haunted houses, more trick ‘r treaters, more spooky stories – just more.

The new Netflix series Wednesday delivered more. It hit in a way Sabrina tried so hard to hit, and that was the difference for me. Wednesday was effortless. Sabrina tried way too hard and fell flat. It felt cheesy. I didn’t even finish it.

Wednesday I would have finished in a single sitting if I wasn’t a parent. The vibes were everything to me, but it took what I loved about the Addams Family films I’ve watched more times than I can count and expanded on it.

The first film showed us there were more than the Addamses in the world, but Wednesday showed us an entire world. There’s Outcasts and Normies, and in one specific town they live together and separately.

Christina Ricci’s Wednesday had been the epitome of Life Goals for me as a child. So dry, so quick witted. I’m afraid I’m far more like Enid, though less colourful. But it meant everything to have a TV show about one of the most iconic characters from my childhood.

This show was an ode.

Did I love all of it?

No. I was ready to remain open minded about the casting when it came to Gomez and Morticia. I think mostly because it wasn’t about the Addams family, but Wednesday, but it wasn’t really there for me, and not because of Luis Guzman. Catherine Zeta Jones just didn’t have the elegance or smooth fluidity I would expect.

Honestly, Anjelica Houston and Raul Julia spoiled us, but seeing how little either of the actors were in the show I don’t think I can hold up a critique of their ability to embody those characters. I couldn’t imagine the pressure either.

So, for me it’s a minor thing, and if there’s more – I desperately hope there is – I hope they’re given more of a chance to make those characters their own.

Now for Jenna Ortega. FUCKING LOVE HER IN THIS ROLE. A quick glance at IMDB confirmed that I’d never seen her in anything before, but I look forward to seeing her in the future now and forever. She stood on screen with Christina Ricci, and still made Wednesday feel like her own. Please allow me to give a standing ovation.

Could I have done that? Nope…nope..nope nope nope.

It was magic.

The whole show was magic. I love when I can’t figure out all the elements of a show, and Wednesday kept me guessing. I wanted to know where it was going and how.

Please give me a second season. I want to know more about the lore of the world. I need more of Wednesday’s inability to communicate effectively. I need more Enid. I just need more.

OH! And HOT DAMN. Gwendoline Christie was fucking magnificent in her role. I’m so very happy we had so many episodes with her, even if I was never sure about her character. She’s almost enough to make me give Game of Thrones another go beyond the few episodes of season one.

Almost.