Summary
Wednesdayis one of Netflix’s biggest titles right now, and the streaming service recently announced a new teen series that could be a perfect companion to the Tim Burton TV show. After premiering its first season in November 2022,Wednesdaywas quickly renewed and is now in the midst of developing its second season.Wednesdayseason 2is likely to be released sometime in 2025. Therefore, it doesn’t hurt to be on the lookout for other young adult dark comedies on Netflix to ease the wait.
Although much ofWednesdaycenters on its eponymous character and her legendary family members, the show has plenty of merits beyondThe Addams Family.For example,Nevermore Academy is the ideal spooky setting, where mysteries abound, and everyone could be a suspect. The unique student body adds more interest toWednesday’scast of characters. These details, among others, are what help make other series stand out as strongWednesdayreplacements.
10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching Wednesday Season 1 More Than A Year After It Premiered
Wednesday was a success for Netflix and brought a fresh take on the famous morbid Addams family member, but not without a few missteps along the way.
Kakegurui’s Live-Action BET Could Be Netflix’s Next Wednesday
BET Is A Highly Anticipated, Dark, Young Adult Show
Netflix is currently working on atelevision adaptation of the Japanese mangaKakegurui,and the series could be a great replacement forWednesday.The show, entitledBET,tells the story of Yumeko, a young woman who transfers to an elite boarding school where power is based on an underground gambling ring. Despite the school’s hierarchy, Yumeko enters with outstanding gambling skills and a plan for vengeance. The series, which currently has no release date, is based on a popular manga and anime series. It is part of a recent push by Netflix to adapt anime to live-action television.
BEThas the potential to replaceWednesday,at least until season 2 comes out, because it falls into a very similar category as theAddams Familyspinoff. BothBETandWednesdayoriginate from other source material and are dark series targeted towards young adults. Due to their franchise roots, audiences also have somewhat high expectations for these shows. When it comes toBET, in particular, this is the second TV adaptation, so audiences are likely to want the best. On paper,BEThas all the same ingredients asWednesday,just in a slightly different package.
How Kakegurui’s Premise Is Similar To Wednesday
BET Has Wednesday’s Dark Boarding School Setting
Regarding genre and audience,BETandWednesdayare very similar, but their premises also contain important commonalities. First and foremost,bothBETandWednesdaytake place at boarding schools. Of course, Nevermore Academy is full of supernatural teenagers, whereasBET’sis not, but the BET Academy clearly has unique problems. More importantly, these settings are new and strange for the protagonists, who are forced to make alliances and spaces for themselves inside their new schools. Both schools contain threats, and Yumeko must face hers as much as Wednesday did in season 1.
Where Wednesday thrives at solving mysteries, Yumeko is a talented gambler.
Furthermore,Yumeko and Wednesday seem to be quite alike. Just as Wednesday entered Nevermore with the intention of getting kicked out, Yumeko seems to be attending her boarding school with a plan in mind. In this way, the protagonists' motives differ, yet they share a sly and secretive nature. On top of that, both main characters are clearly talented in their own ways. Where Wednesday thrives at solving mysteries, Yumeko is a talented gambler. Each of these traits helps them succeed in their narratives.
Can Netflix’s Kakegurui Live-Action Be As Big As Wednesday?
BET Could Have A Sizable Audience
Although the showsshare many similarities,BETwon’t necessarily be as successful asWednesday.Namely, becauseWednesdayhas a star-studded cast and crew and an incredibly well-known franchise behind it. However,BETshouldn’t be discounted. ThoughKakeguruimay not be as mainstream asThe AddamsFamily,there has been a strong fan base for at least a decade. Furthermore, based on its premise alone,BETcould pull in anime lovers and newcomers alike.
BETis led by showrunner Simon Barry, the creator of Netflix’sWarrior Nunseries.
Like 2023’sOne Piece, BETcould be another example of an incredibly successful live-action anime adaptation and could even blowWednesdayout of the water.Following its release on Netflix,One Pieceearned 541 million streaming hoursbetween August 2023 and December 2023. With that said,Wednesdaygarnered 341.2 million hours of viewershipduring its first week on Netflix and also earned 1.2 billion viewing hours within its first 28 days, becoming the second most-watched English-language show on the streamer. Still, anime audiences could surprise everyone ifBETdelivers likeWednesdaydid.
Wednesday
Cast
Wednesday follows the journey of Wednesday Addams as she attends Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for outcasts. Tasked with mastering her psychic abilities, she confronts a series of town murders and a haunting family mystery from 25 years ago, all while managing new social dynamics.
