Every Main Character In Wednesday Ranked Worst To Best

Wednesday Addams returns to the screen for the first live-action adaptation since the 1998 straight-to-video feature "Addams Family Reunion." In very capable hands, "Wednesday" arrives with raven's wings on Netflix and sees cinematic visionary Tim Burton returning to the director's chair. With a body of work that includes "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," and "Corpse Bride," Burton has the pedigree to tackle the beloved franchise. Cartoonist Charles Addams' creepy clan first appeared in the pages of The New Yorker in 1938. Over the next several decades, 149 more panels appeared that led to a sitcom in the 1960s, a 1970s Saturday morning cartoon series, two outstanding '90s feature films, a 1992 animated series, another live-action series in 1999, and an animated theatrical reboot in 2019. You could say Burton had his work cut out for him.

Somehow the popularity of the Addamses has never waned. Audiences flock to this creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky family like maggots to a dead carcass time and again. In this latest iteration, Jenna Ortega ("X," "The Fallout," "Scream") stars as Wednesday Addams, and she's joined by Catherine Zeta-Jones (Morticia), Luis Guzmán (Gomez), and Isaac Ordonez (Pugsley) as well as a slew of Nevermore Academy students. Next to the visuals (thanks to cinematographers David Lanzenberg and Stephan Pehrsson), the cast of characters is the strongest aspect of the series. Here, we list the main characters, from insufferable dudebros to charmingly goofy sidekicks and smarmy teaching staff. Take a seat by the fireplace and get ready for an altogether ooky list.

We've come to expect cops to be inept and useless in horror, except for maybe Dewey (David Arquette) in "Scream." He at least has good intentions. As far as Sheriff Donovan Galpin (Jamie McShane) goes, he's reactionary. He relies on his emotions and fears that his son Tyler (Hunter Doohan) has inherited his wife's illness of turning into a Hyde, so his detective work is suspicious at best. It's hard to dismiss him totally for his feelings, as they are justified, but his disdain for the outcasts at Nevermore is worthy of subtracting points.

He wants to do right by Tyler. He guards his son and watches over his every move. When he forbids Tyler from seeing or speaking with Wednesday, Tyler doesn't listen. This causes Sheriff Donavon to fume and spiral out. He goes off half-cocked. Still, he retains the ability to do his job. After several mutilated bodies are discovered in the woods, his instincts lead him to believe that a human couldn't possibly commit such horrific crimes. It has to be a monster. For that, he's at least attempting to give the victims a modicum of justice.

Reluctantly, he begins working with Wednesday to figure out what's going on. He's a tough nut to crack, and when he sets his mind on something, even if he's clearly in the wrong, he follows through to the end. He's a man of the law through and through, and I suppose you do need a deeply flawed villain type to balance things out.

Completing the love triangle with Wednesday, Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan) has a big heart and is unafraid to show his emotions. When he's jilted by Wednesday, the hurt stings deeply. He's also seeing Dr. Kinbott for emotional and psychological trauma stemming from his mother's tragic death. He's haunted by her memory and has deeper wounds than even Kinbott anticipated.

Then, there's the matter of him being the Hyde that's been terrorizing Nevermore Academy and the community at large. While kissing him in the coffee shop Weathervane, Wednesday has a vision that he's been the killer all along. It's a twist you could probably deduce by the simple process of elimination, but it further contextualizes his character. His mother was also a Hyde, and his father, Sheriff Galpin always feared his son would turn out the same. However, unlike his mother, Tyler is an outright villain.

He's disarming and sneaks his way into Wednesday's life in such a way that she can't see the forest for the trees. He tangles her in charm and wit, always pouring it on too thick. And he plays it all so well. After an unfortunate attack while breaking into the Gates mansion, Tyler even gives himself a few scratches as a way to misdirect Wednesday into believing he is just another victim. He fools the audience, too, until the last possible second. 

Every teen horror drama needs a good antagonist. Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday) fills every room she graces. Her power is the siren's song, the ability to influence one's emotions and actions. So she wears a medallion to squelch her powers in her day-to-day life. She was once the girlfriend of Xavier Thorpe, but the two split when he accuses her of using her siren's song to manipulate him.

Yet, she doesn't seem too broken up about it. She has enough to deal with living in the shadow of her mother, who created a self-help app that's far more exploitative than helpful. Bianca came to Nevermore to escape. Inside the hallowed walls, she finds strength and community with the other sirens. When she meets Wednesday, they are immediately at odds and engage in a competitive fencing match. Wednesday wins the first round and then suggests a more deadly approach: no tips on their blades and no masks for protection. All bets are off, and Bianca comes out on top. She's a worthy adversary indeed.

Bianca overcompensates as a coping mechanism to deal with her past. When her mother pays a visit on parent's day, the audience gets a few glimpses behind the facade and sees a real human being just trying to get by. The only downside is there are not nearly enough vulnerable moments to endear her to the viewer. She still slays at fencing, though.

Much like Joel Glicker (David Krumholtz) in 1993's "Addams Family Values," Eugene Otinger (Moosa Mostafa) serves as Wednesday's trusty sidekick. When tasked with signing up for an extracurricular activity, Wednesday decides to join Eugene's Nevermore Hummers (a beekeeping club) as its only other member. Eugene and Wednesday are immediate friends, bonding over their roles as outcasts in a sea of outcasts. With the gift of telekinesis, Eugene is sweet and awkward and tries too hard to gain Enid's affection. Yet, he counterbalances Wednesday's cold disposition nicely. They are an unlikely pair, but it works.

What makes Eugene such an important character is his loyalty. He doesn't have many friends, so when he invites you into his friend circle, you can be assured he'll always have your back. After Wednesday decides to attend the dance with Tyler, he forges ahead with their plans to stake out the Hyde's lair on his own. It's against his better judgment, but he sure is a brave MVP. While out scouting the location, he is wounded by the creature but manages to somehow survive. He's sent to the hospital, where his two moms come to visit.

When the chips are down, he comes to help despite being greatly injured. He's the show's secret weapon and a darn good addition to the cast.

Gomez Addams is a family man. He's jovial, splendidly disturbed, and forever committed to Morticia — so much so, he took the blame for Garett Gates' death and was fully prepared to go to prison for it. In Episode 5, the show dives into the past and explores what led to the catastrophic night that forever changed their lives. Of course, we learn it was not Gomez who accidentally stabbed Garett but Morticia. He didn't have to protect her, but that's just the kind of guy he is. We all need a man as loyal as Gomez.

When he's not making out with Morticia (seriously, they need to get a room), he's guiding Wednesday with sage tidbits of advice about her new life at Nevermore Academy. He also endearingly calls Wednesday a slew of cute little nicknames like "my little storm cloud." During parent's day, Principal Weems suggests the family take part in a group therapy session with Dr. Kinbott. He's reluctant at first, mistaking head-shrinking in the literal sense, but soon admits that it could be good for the family to open up and deal with their emotions. Gomez plays only a small role in the story, but he unmistakably stands out as one of the best characters. He's a good egg and deserves his No. 4 slot.

From a character standpoint, Thing's (Victor Dorobantu) dynamic with Wednesday is among the best parts of the show. In the beginning, Thing is tasked with spying on Wednesday and reporting back to her parents but is quickly discovered under her bedclothes. Wednesday then threatens to lock him inside her desk for the entire semester, or he can submit to her will and be her lackey. He chooses the latter. Even under such circumstances, he proves himself to be loyal to her and does her bidding.

Loyalty is a throughline in the show that's displayed in every relationship Wednesday has. Whatever she asks, Thing does. From trailing Rowan to spying on Xavier, Thing commits and does a bang-up job in his detective work. As things escalate and draw closer to the big Thornhill reveal, Thing goes under the knife — literally. Wednesday discovers Thing has been stabbed, and his fate hangs precariously in the balance, but he won't go down that way. Thing is strong, determined, and resilient. He eventually comes back to life much to the relief of Wednesday and Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen).

Although he's just a disembodied hand, Thing is the real heart of the show. "Wednesday" would not be the same without him. Additionally, he has some terrific gags throughout the season, including a hilarious scene with Fester. Thing is delightful, and there's no way he deserves any lower ranking.