From “Corpse and Bride” to “Beetlejuice,” film director Tim Burton has surpassed the title of a typical Hollywood director for decades, developing epitomes of family-friendly horror. His aptitude for film earned his newest work, “Wednesday,” a rightful audience rating of 4.8 stars to compete with big names such as “Stranger Things” and “Squid Games.” Streaming on Netflix since November, the modern Addams Family spin-off has now earned a second season renewal and a variation of awards.

Fantasy, supernatural, horror, comedy and coming-of-age manage to squeeze into eight episodes, as viewers are taken through Wednesday Addams’ peculiar high school experience. Sent off to Nevermore Boarding School, the unbothered teen meets quirky characters, enduring rivalries and experiencing an abnormal young love story. While it seems to be a typical New England campus, the school welcomes those with supernatural qualities and embraces students’ quirks. As a strange, deadpan girl who isolates herself through her plain-spoken quips and outstanding goth fashion, Wednesday quickly encounters drama in all aspects of her uncharacteristic life, while additionally trying to solve a murder spree dating back to 25 years. With its uncertainties and plot twists, fans were kept on their toes right up to the very end, even with a cliff-hanger to conclude the final episode.

Despite worries of a rip-off to the original “The Addams Family” movie, Burton exceeded expectations, from the soundtrack to the dedicated cast. Jenna Ortega, mainly known for her Disney Channel career, completely transformed herself to be the essence of Wednesday, additionally earning major commendation as viewers praised her talent displayed throughout the show. What is more, Burton brought back original Addams Family star Christina Ricci to play Nevermore’s suspicious botanist, Marilyn Thornhill, catching fans’ eyes and satisfying presumptions. Those who grew up with the classic movies now can rejoice with a modern, comedic version of the hit films.

While filming for the second season will take time, the popularity of the series continuously treds on through social media trends and celebrity acknowledgement. The “Wednesday Addams” dance has blown up on TikTok, with over 4.2 million videos mirroring Wednesday’s dancing scene to Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary.” The song is associated with a scene from the Nevermore Winter dance, as Jenna Ortega encapsulates Wednesday’s persona through a personal choreography. Originally done to “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps, the song has also gained fame as it climbed to #1 on the Billboard Chart and received over two million streams, despite the release way back in 1981. 

Truthfully, it seems that no one expected such anticipation for more episodes, considering the show is a reboot of an already definitive film series. The storyline and set design were just the beginning to the talent that is Burton’s newest work, despite such distinction to the original. Season 2 is set to continue the spiraling mystery that Wednesday entangled herself into and pursue a further storyline with supporting characters. Will the next mystery stump Wednesday’s natural detective skills, or will she continue to uncover the growing what-ifs of Nevermore Academy?