Credit: NetflixNetflix’s hit show Wednesday has undergone turmoil as of late, with a few negative headlines hitting the internet regarding issues with the show itself, as well as departing cast members.
Now, it appears one of those cast members who left the show in haste left for another spooky, rival series.
Wednesday, the Addams Family spin-off produced and directed by the iconic Tim Burton, has surpassed all expectations, emerging as one of the most-watched shows on the platform. With a staggering 1,718,800,000 hours watched, Wednesday has claimed the title of the most-watched series of all time, equivalent to 252,100,000 completed views. This achievement surpasses the previous record held by Stranger Things season 4.
The live-action coming-of-age fantasy comedy series, created by Al Gough and Miles Millar, marks Burton’s debut in live-action television and as a TV director.
Scream actress Jenna Ortega takes on the title role of Wednesday, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán portraying her famous parents, Gomez Addams and Morticia Addams. The star-studded cast also includes Gwendoline Christie from The Sandman and Christina Ricci, who previously played the character in the film adaptation.
The eight-part comedy-drama series reimagines the iconic Addams Family character in a fresh and intriguing light.
The series kicks off with Wednesday Addams’ expulsion from school after a retaliatory act against bullying, leading her parents to enroll her in their alma mater, Nevermore Academy, a private school for monstrous outcasts in Jericho, Vermont. Wednesday’s challenge to connect with her schoolmates and clashes with the school’s principal, Larissa Weems, set the stage for a unique coming-of-age narrative. Amidst her cold and defiant nature, Wednesday discovers her inherited psychic abilities, embarking on solving a local murder mystery.
Wednesday’s overwhelming popularity is evident in its record-breaking 341.23 million hours viewed in the first week, catapulting Jenna Ortega to household name status and solidifying the series as a cultural phenomenon on Netflix.
As we noted, the show has undergone some difficulty.
While the SAG-AFTRA strike has concluded, the show has not yet returned to filming. Reports indicate that legal issues may be at hand due to the copyright of the story. That being said, the show is set to begin filming in Ireland at some point in the near future, so hopefully, those issues are being resolved prior to the cameras rolling.
The show has also lost some notable characters.
Percy Hynes White, who played Xavier Thorpe was written out of the show, even though he was clearly being set up as the slow-burn and long-term love interest for Wednesday. This happened after allegations arose of the actor over-serving others at a party. The actor denied the claims, and the original poster took down her allegation, however, Netflix still chose to remove White.
On top of that, the show also lost Thora Birch, who left mid-filming. Birch was meant to be Wednesday’s dorm “mother”, recalling her spooky Hocus Pocus roots. Initially, it was stated that Birch left to deal with a family matter, however, it was later revealed that there were also creative differences on the set.
Now, it may also seem that Birch left Netflix’s Wednesday for a “rival” series, The Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead is a post-apocalyptic horror television series based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The show premiered on AMC in 2010 and follows a group of survivors as they navigate a world overrun by zombies, known as “walkers.” The story primarily revolves around Rick Grimes, a former sheriff’s deputy, who wakes up from a coma to discover a world in chaos.
The show was incredibly popular and lasted 11 seasons with multiple spin-off series, paving the way for more zombie storylines, such as The Last of Us.
Thora Birch played the character Gamma in The Walking Dead. Gamma, also known by her real name Mary, is a member of the Whisperers, a group of survivors who disguise themselves as walkers by wearing the skin of the undead.
As the filming schedules for The Walking Dead and Wednesday had similar timelines, the creative differences may have been another way for the actor to leave a budding show without proof of concept, for another horror-based show with a mega fandom and huge audience appeal.
Considering Birch’s last project debuted in 2022, and it appears she has not worked on any set this past year, perhaps walking from Wednesday was not the best decision for the actor.
At the moment, the titular character, Jenna Ortega, takes the lead in the show, joined by a supporting cast that includes Christina Ricci, Georgie Farmer, Moosa Mostafa, Naomi J. Ogawa, Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White (who is being written out of season 2 following allegations), Emma Myers, Joy Sunday.
You can stream Wednesday season one on Netflix.
What do you think about Thora Birch choosing The Walking Dead over Wednesday?