Tim Burton Reflects on Confronting Inner Demons: Wednesday Season Two

In the highly-anticipated second season of “Wednesday”, our beloved outsider, Wednesday Addams, unexpectedly finds herself at the center of attention as the new “It-girl” of Nevermore school. But predictably, she’s not a fan of all the eyes on her. Just like the characters in the show, the creators and stars of “Wednesday” can relate to this discomfiting spotlight. Based on Charles Addams’ dark, satirical characters, the gothic comedy-drama became Netflix’s third-biggest series when it premiered in 2022. Lead actress Jenna Ortega, now 22, shot to movie-star fame practically overnight, even inspiring a viral dance trend with one episode.

According to Tim Burton, who produces the series and has directed half of the episodes, success and failure always surprise him. He doesn’t stress over trying to replicate past success, instead focusing on staying true to the quirky essence of the show. In previous adaptations of “The Addams Family”, the focus was on the eccentric family unit, but “Wednesday” shines a light specifically on the elder Addams child. Showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar preserved the essence of Charles Addams’ original cartoons, ensuring that the series blends humor with a touch of darkness.

When Burton was initially approached to work on “Wednesday”, he was drawn to the character in a transformative way, which reinvigorated his passion for storytelling. Adapting to the world of streaming content was a new challenge for Burton, who admitted to not being a big TV watcher. Despite the learning curve, working on “Wednesday” allowed him to rediscover his comedic side, which had been a key element in his early films like “Beetlejuice”.

In his own words, Burton describes “Wednesday” as a mix of family drama, horror comedy, and a hint of Scooby-Doo adventure. With its blend of humor and morbidity, the series captures the essence of the Addams Family in a fresh and engaging way. So if you’re a fan of dark humor, quirky characters, and unexpected twists, “Wednesday” season two promises to deliver all that and more.