Despite the dark exterior Wednesday has themes Christian parents should welcome and lean into with their families

Part 2 of season 2 of the Netflix hit series Wednesday is out this month - Lisa Skinner weighs up the pros and cons of watching it as a family

The show Wednesday has become the biggest success in Netflix’s history; it’s massive and there are big fans in my household, but given it includes dark and supernatural content, I’m conscious that some Christian parents might not been keen for their youth and children to watch it. So what’s it all about and what should we think about it?

For those that don’t know Wednesday is part of The Addams Family family of shows so this latest offering in, with its dark and twisted charm, is far from a new phenomenon. The Addams Family began as a comic strip created by cartoonist Charles Addams before evolving into a black-and-white television series that ran from 1964 to 1966. Many will remember the iconic theme tune with its signature double thumb clicks. The family reappeared in a 1977 telefilm, then returned to the spotlight with movies in 1991 and 1993, and again with animated films in 2019 and 2021. Yet all these earlier incarnations have arguably been eclipsed by Netflix’s recent smash-hit series centred on Wednesday Addams, brilliantly portrayed by Jenna Ortega. Produced by Tim Burton, the series leans heavily into the macabre and grotesque sensibilities he is known for. But with so much emphasis on the darkness of the Addams world, it raises the question: is this a show we should really be letting our children watch?

My initial reaction to that question was, “No!” Much like the debates that surrounded Harry Potter, many contend that parents should not permit their children to watch shows like Wednesday. After all, the Bible does say, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8) However, after watching the show for myself I came to realise that ……