In 2022, Jenna Ortega dazzled audiences as the teenage Wednesday Addams, yet this character could grow into an even bigger icon if Netflix decides to do one important thing withWednesdayand its future. Despite only releasing one season so far,Wednesdaycan be classified as one of Netflix’s biggest and most popular shows. It currently holds the number three spot for most-watched Netflix original series, and has an impressive 85% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Because of all this, it is easy to assume thatWednesdayseason 2will continue building on this success.
In some ways,Wednesdayand Ortega took a risk by reworking this iconic character.The Addams Familyis not only a beloved film franchise, but also has roots in 1960s television and 1930s comic strips. Therefore,Wednesday and her familycome with countless expectations and decades worth of lore. Thus far,Wednesdayhas made a good impression on critics and audiences, butthere is potential for Ortega’s Wednesday to be cemented in popular culture as the best rendition of Wednesday Addamsever, and one storyline would definitely help make this happen.
Netflix’s Wednesday Should Let Wednesday Addams Grow Old
How Wednesday Could Show Wednesday Aging
The key changeWednesdaycould make to its main character is allowing her to age. Though there have been many iterations of Wednesday in the past, none have ever portrayed her as an adult. In fact,Ortega’s Wednesday being a teenagerpushes the boundaries of where Wednesday has gone before. Because of this,Wednesdaywould stand out from otherAddams Familycontent if it went that extra mile and showed Wednesday as a teenager, a young adult, and maybe even an adult.An adult Wednesday Addams is a strange and unexpected thing, which is what makes it so compelling.
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Christina Ricci and Jenna Ortega both portrayed Wednesday Addams, but who is the most definitive actress to play the role?
It may seem surprising, but it would actually be quite easy forWednesdayto show its protagonist growing older. It has been three years since the release ofWednesdayseason 1. Ortega was likely 19 or 20 when filming the series, and now she is 22. It is confirmed thatWednesdayseason 2 is picking up where the end ofWednesdayseason 1left off, but in the future,Wednesdaycould take advantage of its long hiatuses. Rather than trying to pretend no time has passed, the show could include time jumps that correspond with the real-life hiatus.
An Older Wednesday Would Separate Jenna Ortega From Other Versions
Why Ortega’s Wednesday Is Perfect For Getting Older
Wednesdayhas already separated itself fromThe Addams Familyfranchise in many ways, but seeing Wednesday grow older would really cement the show as a unique entity. As fun as it is to seeWednesdaybring in beloved characterslike Gomez and Morticia or Uncle Fester,the real joy of the show is the new ways in which viewers get to understand Wednesday. She is no longer a volatile little girl, but a young woman with ambitions and free will. To continue to see this, along with Wednesday getting older, will help create a far more engaging and satisfying story.
Plus, Ortega’s Wednesday is the ideal iteration of the character to age. In previousAddams Familystories, Wednesday mostly functioned as a fun side character who more or less remained in her kooky ways. However, the Netflix showhas the time and space to show Wednesday develop as a character, and it should. In fact,Wednesdayhas already proven that the young Addams doesn’t have to be stuck in her personality, and aging would only make this development better. Wednesday could make more friends, learn more about herself, and form new relationships with her family as she ages.
Netflix’s Wednesday Should Not Be A High School Show Forever
Wednesday Remaining At Nevermore Dooms The Show
A related issue that aging Wednesday would solve is the fact that the charactercannot be in high school forever. AlthoughWednesdayreceived mostly positive reviews upon its release,there were some viewers who found the show a bit juvenile or cliché at times.This problem could easily be fixed ifWednesdaytreated its story like a serious, long-form drama rather than a teen drama. Ortega has commented on her desire to includemore horror inWednesdayseason 2, and this will certainly help, but adding age would really go the extra mile.
In this way, it might be beneficial forWednesdayto ditch high school entirely in favor of a more age-accurate and mature storyline.
This isn’t just a problem of bad reviews either.Wednesdaywould truly be dooming itself if the show only existed through a high schoollens. As exciting as Nevermore Academy is, high school can only last four years. Plus, the actors are already far older than their characters, and this discrepancy will only get worse as time goes on. In this way, it might be beneficial forWednesdayto ditch high school entirely in favor of a more age-accurate and mature storyline. Ortega seems to want this, and audiences would likely enjoy it as well.
Why Wednesday Aging With Each Season Would Make Sense
What Wednesday’s Future Could Look Like
At the end of the day, aging Wednesday would not only be an interesting plot development, but it also just makes sense based on how the series is being made. To reiterate, it has been three years sinceWednesdayseason 1 premiered, and if these hiatuses are going to continue with every new season, it simply won’t be sustainable.In order forWednesdayto continue being made, the series must adaptitself in unique ways. Aging Wednesday is far from a bad idea, and in fact, could help makeWednesdaythe definitiveAddams Familyproject.
5 Bold Predictions For Wednesday Season 2
From Xavier’s uncertain off-screen fate to the identity of Tyler’s new Hyde master, there are a lot of bold predictions for Wednesday season 2.
Wednesdayseason 2 is on the horizon, but it is important to keep looking forward. After the new season,Wednesdaywill have to figure out where its protagonist is headedand what will be most entertaining for audiences. Another long hiatus would not be the end of the world, as it has given audiences projects likeBeetlejuice Beetlejuice,but another three-year break will have to come with a suitable explanation within the show. Aging Wednesday is not the only option, but it could be a truly groundbreaking change forWednesday.
