Jenna Ortega had some big Oxfords to fill as Wednesday Addams, especially with Christina Ricci on the set with her. Regardless, the most macabre member of The Addams Family is currently dominating Netflix’s streaming charts, so much so that she managed to shatter a record set by the platform’s most popular show earlier this year. According to Variety, subscribers tuned into Wednesday for 341.2 million hours during its first week of release. With these numbers, the show now has the most-watched debut for an English-language series on Netflix.
This record was previously held by volume 1 of Stranger Things 4, which audiences watched for 335.01 million hours in late May/early June. Anticipation for the new season was also so high that when the second volume dropped a month later, the sudden influx of users reportedly caused Netflix’s servers to crash. So Wednesday’s ability to dethrone the series is far from a small achievement. The latest data also claims that over 50 million households have watched the newer show since it premiered last week.
Wednesday’s reviews haven’t exactly been glowing, to say the least. But most critics seem to have nothing but good things to say about Ortega’s headlining performance. Additional factors, including The Addams Family’s built-in fanbase and appearances by other big names like Ricci, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán, and Fred Armisen, might have played a role in boosting its initial view count as well. Or perhaps audiences were just curious to see a gothic maestro like Tim Burton (who helmed four of the season’s eight episodes) finally get a chance to put his own stamp on the franchise.
RELATED: Wednesday Season 1 – What Did You Think?!
Showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Miller haven’t been shy about teasing their hopes for Wednesday’s future. Unfortunately, Netflix has yet to announce a proper renewal, and the streaming service continues to struggle with its pesky reputation of cancelling shows after just one season. But it’s entirely possible that the series’ impressive first week will move the needle in its favor. Who knows? We might even get those spinoffs featuring Uncle Fester and a young Gomez and Morticia…
All eight episodes of Wednesday’s first season are currently streaming on Netflix.
Are you shocked to hear that the show surpassed Stranger Things 4’s viewership numbers? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Addams Family: An Evilution
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