Just as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice breathes new life into Tim Burton’s own classic movie, his Netflix series Wednesday is a fresh take on the original characters created by Charles Addams.

The series, soon returning for Wednesday season 2, successfully reimagined the infamous Wednesday Addams for a modern audience. By focusing on her teenage years and exploring her unique but recognizable interests, the show breathes new life into this iconic character.

Wednesday always had hobbies; however, her age in the original series as well as the central “kookiness” of the comedy somewhat limited them as characteristics. Netflix’s Wednesday struck gold by casting Jenna Ortega, who makes Wednesday macabre but likable, even relatable. The new series then honors Wednesday’s core interests in the original, which still revolve around the arts, but develops them into now iconic character elements that are coming back in Wednesday season 2, as they are aspirations that better shape her character.